SEND Newsletter October 2023
Halit Hulusi
As we approach the Autumn half term break, I want to take a moment to share this seasons update in the Staffordshire SEND sphere.
This term we have annoounced two important initiatives for SEND. The ‘Enhanced Assess, Plan Do Review’ pathway and the ‘Strategy for Special Provision’.These exciting developments were shared at the whole-day-event with the Staffordshire Parent Carer Forum, (the Event was funded by Health and planned with the Parent Carer Forum), The ‘Together We Thrive SEND Marketplace Event’.
Additionally, I am thrilled to announce the launch of our 'Co-Production Promise,' a collective commitment that empowers us to work together, ensuring that the voices of all stakeholders are heard and valued.
I encourage each one of you to join us in signing up to this promise, reinforcing our collaborative spirit.
I am delighted to inform you that all 13 new SEND Key Workers are now part of our team, spread across the 8 districts.To our new colleagues, I extend a warm welcome. Your presence greatly enhances our team's ability to serve children, young people, and families.
As we approach this well-deserved Autumn half term holiday, I encourage everyone to take this opportunity to recharge and spend quality time with loved ones.
I look forward to resuming our journey together after the break, revitalized and inspired.
Wishing you a restful Autumn half term holiday!
In 2022 Staffordshire Council of Voluntary Youth Services (SCVYS) was asked to support the creation of a Staffordshire Co-production Promise for the Children and Families system, as well as creating a toolkit to support those people responsible for providing services to enable them to do co-production well.
The Promise needed to include a local definition of co-production and some shared commitments to improve the experience of support as well as the outcomes from that support for families.
The content of this Promise has been co-produced by local children, young people, parents, carers, adults and professionals from across the support system over the last 18 months.
In October 2023, the Co-Production Promise was launched. You can sign up to the promise by clicking here.
This term we have announced the launched two new strategies. The Staffordshire Enhanced District Inclusion Support (SEDIS) Model and the Enhanced Asses, Plan, Do Review model. You can read more about both of these strategies here
Enhanced Asses, Plan, Do Review Training Sessions
On 29th November at 4-5pm we will be running an online EAPDR Core Training session for professionals.
We will also be running a number of online workshops weeknights from 4th - 14th December at 4-5pm.
We recomend that you attend the core training and then one workshop to get a comprehensive understanding of the Pathway.
You can sign up to the core training and the workshops here.
Expressions of interest to develop Staffordshire Enhanced District Inclusion Support model
Our aspiration is to commission Staffordshire Enhanced District Support (SEDIS) teams comprised of Staffordshire schools to provide outreach and inreach SEND inclusion provision to other schools in their districts.
We were aiming to invite expresions of interest from the 16th October. However, we are still waiting for legal documentation to be finalised. Therefore, we are now aiming to invite expressions of interest in November 2023.
Settings will have 5 weeks to pull their proposals together.
We will be sharing information about how and when you can submit an expression of interest after the Autumn Half Term. - Thank you for your patience.
Nadine Young
Welcome to the SEND Newsletter my name is Nadine Young, SEND Operational Lead.
2024 Phase Transfers
You will all be aware further to our work in 2023 for phase transfer that we are commencing our phase transfer work as a service earlier to support appropriate placements being secured and plan finalised by the statutory dates of 15 February and 31 March. A communication has been sent round to all settings around holding the phase transfer reviews in the summer term, a year before the move. A review in their final year of their setting can then include the receiving setting to support a successful transition. We thank you for your continued support with our phase transfer work.
SEND Team Contacts
Further to recent staffing changes please see attached link to the Local Offer, this is currently in the process of being updated with new staff names and contacts.
SEND Family Practitioner Lead and Keyworker Contacts | Staffordshire Connects
Training and Support
I would also like to draw your attention to the extensive resources and training that is on offer via the Council for Disabled Children. This is free online training, that can be accessed once registered. There is training for schools, families, social care and health E-Learning on the Council for Disabled Children's website.
Recommended courses
- Supporting children and young people with SEND and their families - SEND basic awareness Level 1 and 2.
- Holistic Outcomes in EHCP’s.
- Social Care and Send.
- Focus on Health Advice.
- Delivering Quality Annual Reviews.
Joanne Clark
This term, we have welcomed some new members to the Virtual School team. To find out who’s who in each district, please see our website Contact us - Virtual School - Staffordshire County Council.
Recently appointed team members are Lisa Deeley, who has joined Paul and Bev in the East Staffordshire and Tamworth districts, and Lyndsay Wootton who has joined Sally, Amy and Wendy in the Cannock and Lichfield districts.
Many of you will have worked with Mary Gardner who has moved into a Wider Opportunities & Events Management role, and Nicole Walker who has joined the Virtual School’s Relational and Restorative Practice team.
Creative Arts, Sports and Culture
- Find out more about our Creative Arts, Sports and Culture including Arts Awards and Duke of Edinburgh Awards here Creative Arts, Sports and Culture - Staffordshire County Council
- Arts and Sports Events Calendar – something for everyone!
- Cycle event, Thursday May 30 2024 at Marquis Drive. Adapted bikes for those with additional needs.
Please get in touch with Mary Gardner (Mary.Gardner@staffordshire.gov.uk) or Becky Woolridge (Becky.Woolridge@staffordshire.gov.uk) if you are supporting a looked after young person who would like to join us as we’d love to see them.
Download the Calendar for 2023-34 using the link below
Music Lesson Offer
Don’t forget the fully funded music lesson offer available to all Y4, Y5 and Y6 looked after children where they can start, or continue, lessons on a musical instrument, or the voice.
Literacy Offers
- Dolly’s Imagination Library to support the learning and early childhood literacy of 2, 3 and 4-year-old children in care.
- Letterbox to support reading and numeracy in children from Reception to Year 7.
- Story time magazine for children from Reception to Year 7.
Training
For details of the training we are able to offer, including DT training & network meetings, RADY, Emotion Coaching and Attachment & Trauma as well as the training packages offered by the Virtual School’s RRP team.
Emma Dodd
Early Years Forum Update
Early Years Forum are now chaired by the Staffordshire Family Hub Managers. The eight Family Hub Managers have taken on this role and bring their valuable local knowledge and experience of the various support available to families and communities. They rely on the support and experience of the multi-agency forum representatives to continue the valuable work of the Early Years Forums. Please find below the contact details for your local Family Hub Manager.
Cannock
East Staffs
Lichfield
Newcastle
South Stafford
Stafford
Tamworth
The Moorlands
Lyse Edwards
Children’s Occupational Therapy (provided by Midlands Partnership Foundation Trust)
- The Children's Occupational Therapy service helps children to be able to do their everyday activities where a physical disability or impairment is making it hard for them. We see children who have difficulties because of conditions such as Cerebral Palsy, Muscular Dystrophy, Arthritis, or a motor coordination problem. We work with families in our therapy rooms, in schools, in the community, or in the places where children live and play.
- Playwise (Ages 3 - 5-year-olds) is our course for parents, carers, and education staff to help them support their child with their movement difficulties and support with participating in everyday activities. It now available for anyone to access digitally via the MPFT website. It supports parents and carers, with top tips on supporting the development of functional skills through play for under 6-year-olds.
- The team are currently developing a suite of videos - each focussed on a specific functional skill. The first one completed gives guidance on using cutlery.
- The Children’s Occupational Therapy team has developed a training package on Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) for partner services/agencies. You can find more information about this on our website Resources for Schools: Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (mpft.nhs.uk)
CYP Autism Service (South Staffordshire)
Demand for the service is incredibly high and we are receiving in excess of 350 referrals each month. We know that many of these referrals are coming from schools and there may be some frustration at referrals not being accepted. We’d like to assure you that all referrals are reviewed thoroughly, on a case-by-case basis. Due to the huge demand, we have to ensure that other avenues or support, graduated responses or other factors have been considered before accepting a child onto a specialist pathway. To assist with the triage process and to ensure that the needs of the child or young person are met by the appropriate service, we require:
- Information that is sufficiently detailed and specific to the child or young person being referred, rather than broad categories of need.
- As well as information from parents/ carers, we require observations from professionals themselves.
- Give examples e.g. many referrals might note terms such as ‘masking’- please provide information on why you think this is the case.
- Details of what services are involved or interventions that have been tried.
- Details of any concerns around the child’s development.
We would like to remind colleagues that referrals can be made by any professional who is working with the young person, including teachers, and in fact in our experience the referrals are better quality when made by someone who knows the child well. There is no priority given to referrals made by G.Ps, nor do young people need to be referred to their G.P to make the referral. You can find more information, including our referral form and teacher liaison form on our website here: Children and Young People's Autism Service: Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (mpft.nhs.uk).
Thank you in anticipation of your help and support.
Mark Pursehouse, Alison Matthews
As we know many young people with SEND prepare to leave education and want a job. This can be a difficult and daunting step (as evidenced by far too low SEND employment rates).
Supported Internships (backed by DWP funding) are an attempt to ease this transition from education to paid employment. Young people with EHC plans, aged 16 to 24, are eligible. Currently across Staffordshire around 50 people take part in this programme and the aim is to double this by next September.
Supported Internships are a funded extra year in education where the young people spend most of the week fully supported in the workplace. This extended work placement gives them the chance to develop suitable skills for real job roles. Their place of education provides additional training in employability skills, plus appropriate English and maths development. The key feature is that the education provider also supports the young person in the workplace with a trained job coach. The Supported Internship will last between 6 and 12 months (typically over an academic year) with the aim of being ready and suitable for paid employment by the end. While the Supported Internship year itself is unpaid (as still education funded) the success rate for moving into real employment is impressive and for those young people truly life changing. One of the most successful local employers for converting Supported Internships into fully paid employment has been University Hospital North Midlands at Newcastle where SI graduates have moved into roles including office administration, catering, patient care and pottering.
What businesses say - Staffordshire County Council
For the employers participating in the scheme there are no costs and has the benefits of diversifying the workforce with the help of job coach expertise. There are particular sectors where SEND young people can help fill vacancies, such as catering, retail, warehouse distribution, and the track record is that they make highly committed, reliable and enthusiastic young employees.
We would love to talk to anyone interested in the scheme, and would welcome links to expand our bank of potential host employers. Would your workplace be interested in finding out more?
Please email: Mark.Pursehouse@staffordshire.gov.uk
Or: SupportedInternships@staffordshire.gov.uk
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