Bracknell Forest Local Area
Written Statement of Action (WSOA)
for
children and young people with special educational needs and
disability (SEND) aged 0-25
June
2022
Contents
1
Foreword.
3
2
Introduction.
5
3 SEND provision in
Bracknell Forest 5
Our vision.
5
Bracknell Forest –
context 6
Data which provides
quantitative context to the WSOA..
6
Key challenges highlighted within the inspection
report 9
Communications.
9
Engagement with parents and
carers.
10
Panels.
10
Information, advice, and
support 10
4 Our Written
Statement of Action (WSOA) 11
Co-producing our
WSOA..
11
5 Governance and
accountability.
12
Overarching strategic
approach.
12
Governance
structure.
12
How we are working to deliver
improvements.
13
Bracknell Forest
Written Statement of Action – Action Plan.
15
Improvement area
1.
15
Improvement area
2.
17
Improvement area
3.
22
Improvement area
4.
24
Improvement area
5.
27
Improvement area
6.
31
Improvement area
7.
35
Improvement area
8.
37
Improvement area
9.
41
Glossary.
46
1 Foreword
This statement follows a joint
inspection by Ofsted and the CQC, between 29 November 2021
and 3 December 2021, of Bracknell Forest to judge the effectiveness
of the area in implementing the special educational needs and/or
disabilities (SEND) reforms as set out in the Children and Families
Act 2014. On 22 February 2022, inspectors issued their findings
that the Local Area (the Local Authority and the relevant CCG)
needed to produce a Written Statement of Action
(WSOA).
Our
WSOA sets out our plan to address the nine areas of significant
weakness identified by Ofsted and the CQC.
In
addition, the inspection identified areas for development and
improvement that we have plans in place to address as well as areas
of strength that we plan to build upon.
Local leaders
recognise that our ambitions to support children and young people
with SEND to achieve excellent outcomes had not been met prior to
the inspection. It is the right of every child and young
person to have access to high quality education, with the right
support so that their personal ambitions can be realised.
Unfortunately, for a period children and young people and parents
and carers were not given access to the right support in a timely
way to achieve these outcomes. We sincerely apologise to our
parents, young people, children, and education leaders for the
weaknesses in the service and have welcomed the opportunity to
engage with parents, young people, education colleagues and the
voluntary sector to develop a robust response and plan to address
these weaknesses over the coming months and year.
As part of this
work, Bracknell Forest Council (BFC) and Frimley Clinical
Commissioning Group (CCG) have jointly renewed our commitment to
children and young people with SEND. Both organisations recognise that children, young people,
and their families deserve much better services and we fully intend
to deliver this. Developing and implementing this WSOA is seen as a
key corporate priority, is being fully resourced and has strong
political backing.
The feedback
provided from Ofsted, the CQC and stakeholders is accepted as fair
judgment by local partners. Post pandemic, and prior to the
inspection, we had already started reviewing our service offer and
had ourselves identified areas for improvement and
development.
Ensuring all
children and young people with SEND are supported in achieving
their aspirations is of paramount importance to us. Areas for
development are already being addressed, but there are significant
challenges ahead. Standards are not yet at the high level we expect
of ourselves, or at the standard our children, young people and
their families deserve.
We are determined to
work with our partners to
develop processes around co-production and ensure this is embedded
at all levels. We can then produce strategies that lead to
co-delivery of services, making the best use of resources available
for SEND.
We acknowledge the significant financial
challenges in balancing the High Needs Block budget at the same
time as introducing rapid and significant improvements.
To ensure we make
progress with this we are participating in the DfE Delivering
Better Value (DVB) in SEND programme which will provide additional
support.
The Government’s ‘SEND review: right support, right place, right
time’ was published on 11 April
2022. The Government stated it is determined to level up
opportunities for all children and young people – without
exception. The SEND review emphasised that the ambition for
children and young people with SEND should be in line with every other child. That
ambition is matched locally by Bracknell Forest Council, Frimley CCG, and other key
stakeholders.
Some changes will take time to establish and embed.
However, work is already underway to deliver improvements, and as
part of our co-production work on this WSOA we have identified some
urgent actions that will be delivered at pace.
We will work together with our partners and families
of children and young people with SEND to ensure we put children,
young people, and families at the heart of what we do.
Grainne Siggins, Executive Director: People
at Bracknell Forest Council
Cllr Dr Gareth Barnard, Executive Member for
Children, Young People and Learning at Bracknell Forest
Council
Fiona Slevin-Brown, Managing Director, Bracknell
Forest Place, for Frimley Clinical Commissioning Group
(CCG)
2 Introduction
Ofsted and the
CQC have determined that the
Local Authority and the CCG will be
jointly responsible for submitting this statement to Ofsted. The
Written Statement of Action (WSOA) will address nine areas of
significant weakness raised by the inspection, namely:
1)
the lack of a clear, co-produced strategy for how the
much-needed improvements and change will be brought
about
2)
parents’ and carers’ lack of confidence in the
education, healthcare and social opportunities for children and
young people with SEND, alongside their frustration at the poor
communication they experience with the SEND team
3)
the lack of co-production with children and young people
with SEND and their families, and with professionals. This includes
the limited parental representation at a strategic level
4)
the lack of appropriate educational provision for a
significant proportion of children and young people with SEND in
the borough
5)
the lack of support available to children and young people
while waiting excessive amounts of time to access occupational
therapy services. Also, the lack of capacity in the occupational
therapy team, resulting in delays to their contributions to
EHCPs
6)
the high number of children and young people with SEND who
reach a mental health crisis because of a lack of timely support to
prevent further escalation
7)
the lack of established, effective panel arrangements to
decide next steps in the graduated approach used for pupils who
receive SEND support
8)
insufficient long-term planning for young people as they
move into adulthood
9)
parents’ and carers’ lack of awareness of
available advice, support, or social care provision. The lack of
age-appropriate social opportunities for older children and young
people with SEND.
We recognise that to
respond to these areas of weakness we will need to deliver a wide
range of improvements. Alongside our families of children and young
people with SEND, representatives, and partners, we have
co-produced a range of objectives and actions within the plan
below. We believe these actions will substantially improve outcomes
and experiences for children and young people with SEND in the
borough.
3 SEND provision
in Bracknell Forest
Our
vision
Our vision and ambition for children
and young people with SEND is the same as for all children and
young people – that they achieve well in their early years,
at school and in college and lead happy and fulfilled lives. This
means they fulfil their ambitions and achieve the best possible
educational, health, social, and other outcomes, including
employment and independent living.
Bracknell Forest – context
Bracknell Forest is a
small, relatively prosperous Local Authority area in Berkshire. We
rank 282 out of 317 local authorities in terms of deprivation,
indicating low levels of deprivation compared to other places.
However, 9.5% of local children live in relative
poverty.
In common with other new towns, Bracknell Forest has
a rapidly ageing population. Alongside older age groups, the
borough is expecting an increase within the younger adult
population. This will have an impact on the type and scale of
future services.
Data
which provides quantitative context to the WSOA
The number of Bracknell Forest residents with
an EHCP rose from 1,031 in 2021 to 1,131 in 2022, in line with the
England trend (as shown in Figure 1 below). This is equivalent to
3.01% of all 0–24-year-old Bracknell Forest residents, above
England and statistical neighbour averages.
In 2021, Bracknell Forest issued 195 new
EHCPs, equivalent to 0.52% of 0–24-year-old residents. This
was well above England and statistical neighbour averages, placing
Bracknell Forest 15th out of
all England local authorities
As across England, the vast majority of
Bracknell Forest’s EHCP cohort are school-aged children, aged
between 5 and 15. In fact, just 2.1% of Bracknell Forest’s
EHCP population are under 5, the lowest among statistical
neighbours and one of the lowest values across England
Looking at new EHCPs issued in 2021, we see
the same pattern. With 31.3% of new EHCPs issued to residents aged
between 11 and 15, this was the second highest percentage among
statistical neighbours and in the top quartile of England local
authorities. In contrast, at 10.3%, the proportion issued to under
5s was the lowest among statistical neighbours and 12.9% points
below the England average.
Figure
1
Responding to requests for EHCPs in a
timely way
With an ongoing significant increase in the
number of children and young people with EHCPs, achieving our
target of completing EHCPs within the statutory timeframe of 20
weeks became increasingly challenging. This led to a decrease in
the percentage of ECHPs that were completed within 20 weeks of the
original request. This is reflected in the chart below. In 2020,
only 20.1% of EHCPs were completed within 20 weeks of the original
request. We took action to improve the timeliness of EHCPs, and the
percentage of ECHPs now completed within 20 weeks has significantly
improved to 49.2% (as shown in Figure 2 below). Whilst these
improvements are positive, the service is continuing to address
this key area of improvement in several ways, including those
articulated within the action plan.
Figure 2
EHCP placements
Bracknell Forest had a low percentage of
residents with an EHCP placed in state-funded special schools, and
had a large proportion placed in an independent or non-maintained
setting. However, a larger than average proportion of residents
with an EHCP were in mainstream settings in 2022.
·
Four in ten EHCP pupils were placed in a state-funded mainstream
school (not resourced/unit), well above the statistical neighbour
and England averages
·
The percentage of EHCP pupils placed in a state-funded special
school has been falling year-on-year, to 22.2% in 2022. This was
the second lowest percentage among statistical neighbours and
placed Bracknell Forest in the bottom quartile of England local
authorities
·
With 14.6% of residents with an EHCP placed in independent or
non-maintained provision, more than double the England average of
6.2%.
With regards to EHCP placement demand, 66.7%
of pupils are placed within mainstream Bracknell Forest provision,
whilst 33.3% are placed outside mainstream provision or in
provision outside the borough. Over time, with growing numbers of
EHCPs and lack of in-borough places, more pupils have been educated
out of borough, which has been identified in the new School Places
Plan and Capital Strategy, with associated proposals to address
this lack of places and develop provision.
There has been a significant level of
attention given to the development of the latest School Places Plan
to articulate the special educational needs of children and young
people in Bracknell Forest. This detailed level of analysis is
being used to ensure the development of sufficient educational
capacity and quality support within the borough.
Education outcomes
Despite the accepted weaknesses, data on the
education outcomes for children and young people with SEND reflect
a positive picture when compared to the national data.
Primary attainment
(2019)
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, data on primary
attainment has not been published since the 2018/19 academic
year.
·
In 2019, 30% of SEN Support pupils in Bracknell Forest achieved GLD
in EYFSP, 2% points above the statistical neighbour average, and 1%
point above the England average
·
In KS1, Bracknell Forest outperformed its statistical neighbours by
2% points for the percentage of SEN Support pupils reaching the
expected or higher standard in maths and reading. Bracknell
Forest's performance was 2% points above the England average in
reading, 2% points below in writing, and level in maths
·
In 2019, 48.2% of SEN Support pupils in Bracknell Forest reached
the expected or higher standard in KS2 maths, placing Bracknell
Forest second among statistical neighbours.
KS4 attainment
(2021)
Due to the cancellation of exams in response
to COVID-19 and the change to using teacher assessments, exam
results in 2020 and 2021 are not directly comparable with prior
years.
·
At 18.0, the 2021 average Attainment 8 score for EHCP pupils in
Bracknell Forest was 2.3 points above the England average of
15.7
·
Similarly, the average Attainment 8 score for SEN support pupils in
Bracknell Forest of 40.5 in 2021 remained higher than the England
average of 36.7
Post-16 attainment
(2021)
Following the cancellation of exams in
response to COVID-19, 2021 and 2020 results for both KS5 attainment
and Level 2 and 3 qualifications are not directly comparable with
prior years.
·
The number of EHCP students entering Level 3 academic and Applied
General qualifications is low, and their data should be treated
with caution.
·
The performance of KS5 SEN Support students in Bracknell Forest was
broadly in line with England and statistical neighbour averages.
The KS5 Level 3 EHCP cohort was too small to draw meaningful
conclusions
·
The percentage of Bracknell Forest EHCP students achieving a full
Level 2, full Level 3 and a Level 2 including English and maths by
age 19 all rank in the top quartile of local authorities in England
and first among statistical neighbours
·
Following increases from 2020, the qualification rates by age 19
for SEN Support students also remained well above England averages.
With a large increase of 11.3% points up to 49.5% in 2021, the
proportion of SEN Support students achieving Level 2 including
English and maths rose well above the England average of 40.2%,
ranking in the top quartile of England local authorities.
Pupil destinations
(2020 Revised)
·
The percentage of EHCP pupils remaining in education, employment,
or training after KS4 increased from 90% in 2019 to 92.1% in 2020.
This increase meant that the percentage was higher than the England
average
·
At 21.1%, the percentage of EHCP pupils going on to school sixth
form of sixth form colleges is the second highest percentage among
statistical neighbours, which have an average value of 13.1%
·
For the third consecutive year, no EHCP pupils in Bracknell Forest
went on to apprenticeships after KS4
·
The percentage of SEN students remaining in education, employment,
or training after KS5 school fell from 85.7% in 2019 to 81.0% in
2020, the lowest percentage among statistical neighbours
·
At 62.5% in 2020 the percentage of learners with learning
difficulties and/or disabilities (LLDD) students in sustained
employment after KS5 college was much higher than both the
statistical neighbour average of 33.9% and the England average of
25.1%.
NEET and
participation (2021)
·
In 2021, 83.1% of 16- and 17-year-olds with an EHCP were in
education and training, a fall from 2020. Regular data integrity
scrutiny identified that a small number of young people’s
destination data was unavailable at the point of data
submission.
·
Through a developed and improved tracking process, these issues
have now been addresses and now we have more confidence in data
accuracy.
·
The Elevate team, provide intensive support to secure positive
outcomes for young people with SEND, to further develop this
support to SEND young people an additional post is being created to
monitor and support access into positive destinations.
Finance (2021/22
financial year)
Across England, top-up funding budgets in
2021/22 were notably larger than in 2019/20, the previous year for
which data exists.
·
At £291 per capita, Bracknell Forest’s gross budget for
top up funding for independent providers was the largest in
England, £176 larger than the England average. As across
England, this represents a very large increase from 2019/20. This
is driven by the larger proportion of residents with an EHCP placed
in independent or non-maintained provision
·
Bracknell Forest’s gross budget per capita for SEN support
and support for inclusion was the highest among statistical
neighbours and at £77 is £27 higher than the statistical
neighbour average.
Key
challenges highlighted
within the inspection report
Communications
Over time, particularly through the period of
COVID-19 and rapid staff changes, the quality of our communication
with parents, carers and partners has declined. This has created
frustration and delays with SEND processes, which we recognise and
acknowledge. In response, we are undertaking a restructure of our
SEND service to ensure that we have resources in the right place.
In addition, we have committed to co-producing a communications
strategy, with all stakeholders, that is fit for purpose and
responsive to need. It will not only detail major communication
events and publications, but also the daily communications
requirements and process to provide a rapid response to enquiries
and concerns. This will be implemented and monitored regularly to
ensure adherence and that it meets the needs of all
stakeholders.
Engagement with parents and carers
Bracknell Forest has had a Parent Carer Forum
in place for several years. However, the
level of engagement from the council and NHS has been varied and
has changed over time. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic there
were regular face-to-face meetings for parents and carers; during
the pandemic these meetings were moved online, but during this
process the engagement declined. This has been acknowledged and we
are now working closely with the Bracknell Parent Carer Forum to
improve and develop engagement, co-production and participation in
strategies, policies, planning and service development. In addition
to the DfE funding provided for the Bracknell Parent Carer Forum,
the council and the ICS are jointly funding and commissioning
additional activity to further enhance and support the
participation of parents and carers in the SEND services
improvement journey.
There is now increased representation from
parents and carers on the SEND Improvement Partnership Board
(SIPB), which is co-chaired by the Executive Director: People and
the chair of the Bracknell Parent Carer Forum. The SIPB membership
includes representation from key stakeholders, which ensures accountability and scrutiny at the
highest levels.
Panels
We have had panel
processes in place to consider applications to assess and
agree EHCPs, top-up funding and placements for several years.
However, prior to the inspection we identified that there was a
need for a refresh of the process.
This has now been
completed and we have implemented new panel processes, with wider
representation that are more focused and aligned to the SEND Code
of Practice. The panels have representation from key multi-agency
professionals including schools, health, children’s social
care, educational psychologists, and specialist
services.
A review is scheduled to take place to ensure
that processes are consistent and fit for purpose, and we will seek
feedback from stakeholders to ensure that the principles of
co-production are implemented, and stakeholders listened to. Early
feedback from panel members has acknowledged that progress is being
made, and we will continue to build on this.
Information, advice, and support
There is an established and well-regarded
Bracknell Forest Information, Advice and Support Services (IASS),
which users highly recommend and value. This service provides
impartial feedback to the SEND service, highlighting parent and
carer issues and problems arising, which are noted by the
department and solutions sought. We are working towards being more
agile in our responses to this information and welcome the feedback
to improve our service and practice.
It was noted during the inspection that
parents and carers were unaware of the term ‘SEND Local
Offer’. Having considered this feedback, we acknowledge that there is a need to ensure
that parents, carers, and partner agencies are familiar with the
term ‘Local Offer’, but also that the Local Offer
website and quality of support is fit for purpose. Prior to the
inspection, work had started on a review of the website which identified a requirement to upgrade and
redesign and ensure that information is accurate and up to
date.
A review of
the accessibility of documentation and the availability of
services was undertaken. We have identified the need for a working
group of parent/carers, children and young people, stakeholders,
officers, and ICT professionals to agree specification and design,
then progress to procurement and development of a new platform. In
the meantime, SEND officers have a link in their email signatures
and we have agreed to include the link in documentation as part of
our communications strategy.
4 Our Written Statement of Action
(WSOA)
In preparing for the WSOA, we have reflected on advice
from the Department for Education (DfE) about what our statement should include. As a result,
our WSOA:
- Focuses on each of the areas of
significant weakness identified by inspectors at the end of the
inspection letter – these are at the core of the
WSOA.
- Sets out a clear time frame and
includes objectives, which may be long-term but with short-term
(within 18 months).
- Ensures the overall time frame shows
the local area is ambitious but understands the realistic
timescales for each area of work.
- Sets out the areas which need to be
addressed, alongside actions which are time limited and assigned to
individuals (groups may contribute but will not be
accountable).
- Ensures outcomes are clearly defined
and that they demonstrate impact.
- Has been designed to maximise
accessibility in digital format for those with visual impairments.
Other formats can be provided upon request.
Co-producing our WSOA
A SEND project has been established for the
local area, which reports to the area’s SEND Improvement
Partnership Board. The project comprises five workstreams:
- Governance: effective leadership,
governance, and accountability of SEND underpinned by robust
strategies, systems, and processes. This workstream covered
elements of significant weakness numbers 1, 2, 3, 7 and
9.
- Resources: effective use of
resources including High Needs Block to ensure; provision of SEND
places in borough, commissioning framework is used to procure
health services, best value for money, including the High Needs
Block funding. This workstream covered elements of significant
weakness numbers 1, 2, 4 and 5.
- Provision and support:
ensure our
SEND and other vulnerable children and young people have access to
a flexible range of 'fit for purpose' outcome focused provision and
support. Including a specific focus on reducing fixed term
exclusions and strengthening focus on early identification of
children and young people at risk of presenting Social Emotional
and Mental Health (SEMH) needs, thereby reducing the need for
crisis intervention. This workstream covered elements of
significant weakness numbers 1, 4, 6 and 9.
- Co-production:
develop a
SEND co-production model that aligns to the new Bracknell Forest
Co-production Strategy and Vision to strengthen and improve
co-production with children and young people and their parents and
carers. This workstream covered elements of significant weakness
numbers 2, 3 and 9.
- Transitions: children and young
people to have successful transitions at all phases, including
Preparation for Adulthood (PfA) pathways, independent living and
employment. This workstream covered elements of significant
weakness numbers 7, 8 and 9.
Care has been taken to ensure that each
workstream, responsible for co-producing sections of our plan, has
a broad membership.
Each workstream has a nominated lead and whilst
the membership for each varies, the following key partners are
involved: senior Local Authority officers across children’s
and adults’ services, senior officers across the CCG,
headteachers, further education leaders, Bracknell Parent Carer
Forum representatives, the voluntary and community sector and the
council’s regeneration and economic development team. The
voice of children and young people will be heard through children
and young people’s focus groups.
5 Governance and
accountability
All workstreams report
into the SEND Improvement Partnership Board (SIPB), which is
representative of all stakeholders, and feeds into both the council
and CCG governance structures. The council will track its progress
via bi-monthly corporate management team meetings and quarterly
political Executive meetings. The CCG will track its progress via
quarterly East Berkshire SEND Committee meetings and quarterly
Place Based Committee meetings. This will remain in place until the (ICB) structure is
fully mobilised. Once this is established the progress will
continue to be monitored via the East Berkshire SEND Committee and
the ICS SEND steering group board. The delivery of the WSOA will
also be monitored by a partnership governance arrangement. The
Children and Young People Partnership Board consists of senior
leads from across the partnership, who in turn report into their
host organisations’ governance structure.
Overarching strategic approach
The SIPB has a clear purpose and works to
identify and address issues that have an impact on the wellbeing of
children and young people with SEND and their families.
The board is now co-chaired by the Executive
Director: People and the chair of the Parent Carer Forum.
The SIPB is responsible for ensuring the
Bracknell Forest SEND Improvement Strategy: ’Thrive in
learning and not be left behind’, is implemented and
that actions are progressed and monitored on a routine basis.
Moving forward, this work is underpinned by a strong ethos of
co-production defined as an equal relationship between the people
who use services and the people responsible for delivering
services. Co-production will offer evidence that all parties work
together, from design to delivery, sharing strategic
decision-making about policies as well as decisions about the best
way to deliver services.
The Bracknell Forest
Children and Young People Partnership Board is responsible for
providing inter-agency governance arrangements and for ensuring
effective co-operation of agencies under Section 10 of the Children
Act 2004, S11 and Working Together. The SIPB and the East Berkshire
SEND Committee are accountable to the Bracknell Forest Children and
Young People Partnership Board.
Governance structure
Figure 3
How
we are working to deliver improvements
We will deliver the
changes we are committed to through the following governance
steps:
●
clear and
effective governance forums that ensure we have appropriate
engagement of all partners. These will be transparent and
collaborative and will ensure that we have parent representatives
at all strategic forums, and that we seek views of a wider group of
parents/carers in all important decisions
●
we will
enhance communications and transparency through a range of methods
to ensure that partners are aware of progress and have
opportunities to feedback at all stages
●
we will use
robust change management approaches to ensure that changes are
designed with our partners, including children and young people
with SEND and their parents/carers, and that changes are
effectively embedded. We will enhance quality assurance processes
in order that we evaluate the impact of changes as they are
embedded and on an ongoing basis.
This governance will
act as an umbrella, which will oversee all the other changes we are
proposing. We will use a range of building blocks and consistent
best practice approaches to deliver co-production and successful
implementation. These will include:
- a process change
toolkit which will include engagement, process mapping, analysis of
best practice, design, piloting, communication, culture change, and
roll-out phases to include continuous improvement cycle
- working groups that
bring together partners, with support from specialist project teams
to devise solutions and implement them
- reference groups,
including a parents’ group, which are consulted on proposals
and able to give expert insight and advice
- a robust
communications strategy to ensure all partners are kept informed,
and aid transparency and accountability
- mechanisms to
understand and build upon feedback including surveys, and
systematic learning from complaints and compliments
In this way we aim to embed a
culture of openness, co-production and focus on meaningful impact
for children and young people with SEND, which will be an anchor
for the delivery of specific activities and an ongoing journey of
improvement.
Through effective
governance and accountability, we expect our actions to have an
impact for children and young people with SEND in our community. We
will be responsive to changing needs so we can secure both
short-term and long-term improvement, which will have real
impact.
|
|
The lack of a clear, co-produced strategy for
how the much-needed improvements and change will be brought
about
|
|
Intended
outcomes
|
Completion of a new
strategy for SEND that includes a co-produced vision for children
and young people with SEND that focuses our work in the future.
The new strategy will
support alignment and co-production around a rigorous focus on
meeting needs of children and young people with SEND
|
|
What does good
look like for children and families?
|
1. We will
have a new strategy in place that sets a clear vision and
aspiration for children and young people with SEND in the borough.
This will be highly visible and understood and will set the
standards we will work towards.
2. The
strategy will be co-produced and will be shaped by the views of
children, young people, their families, schools, and other partners
who have contributed to establishing objectives and actions. It
will outline the way that all partners will continue to work
together to drive improvements.
|
|
Objective /
Vision
|
Ref
|
Actions
|
Who will lead the
work?
|
When will it be
delivered?
|
What will the
impact be?
|
|
1.1 To ensure there
is a clear, co-produced strategy for how the improvements and
change will be brought about
|
1.1.1
|
Co-produce strategy with schools and
families during summer term – to shape the vision. Wherever
possible we will include other stakeholders such as the VCS, parent
carers, health in the co-production of the strategy
|
Assistant Director Education and
Learning
|
July 2022
|
Rigorous focus on meeting the needs of children and
young people
Alignment of our vision for children and young people
with SEND
Strengthened partnership working
|
|
1.1.2
|
Data refresh and analysis -
understanding position
|
Assistant Director Education and
Learning
|
August 2022
|
|
1.1.3
|
Draft strategy during summer
holidays
|
Assistant Director Education and
Learning
|
September 2022
|
|
1.1.4
|
Engagement and consultation on draft
strategy
|
Assistant Director Education and
Learning
|
September 2022
|
|
1.1.5
|
Finalise the strategy and follow
governance steps for approval and adoption
|
Assistant Director Education and
Learning
|
November 2022
|
|
1.2 To ensure that we have an up-to-date
SEND Strategy, and all related key strategic documents for the
local area are up-to-date and complementary
|
1.2.1
|
Finalise and publish the Health and
Wellbeing Strategy
|
Assistant Director Public Health
|
July 2022
|
Range of complementary strategic documents
ensure clear, aligned focus on needs and priorities for children
with SEND
Strategies are
complementary and support partners to focus on agreed
priorities
Increased
visibility and accountability for SEND improvement activity
|
|
1.2.2
|
Finalise and publish the Joint
Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA)
|
Assistant Director Public Health
|
September 2022
|
|
1.2.3
|
Review and mapping of all other key
strategic documents to ensure they are up-to-date and published,
and develop a schedule for updates
|
Assistant Director Education and
Learning
Designated Clinical Officer
|
September 2022
|
|
1.2.4
|
Report to the SEND Improvement Board
- and agree actions and ownership on all strategic
documents
|
Assistant Director Education and
Learning
Designated Clinical Officer
|
November 2022
|
|
|
Parents’ and carers’ lack of
confidence in the education, healthcare and social opportunities
for children and young people with SEND, alongside their
frustration at the poor communication they experience with the SEND
team
|
|
Intended
outcomes
|
Develop a
co-produced communication and engagement charter, and fully embed
two-way communication between the parents/carers and the SEND
service.
Parents/carers
will be confident that their children’s needs will be met
holistically, they will report an effective partnership with the
SEND service, where communication is timely*, accurate and
supportive and they feel listened to.
|
|
What does good
look like for children and families?
|
1. Clear pathways
for children and young people
2. Quality of
delivery (in line with code of practice), which is tailored,
integrated and continuous
3. Efficient and
effective communication, with timely* responses and a Single Point
of Contact (SPOC) within SEND Team
4. Improved
engagement with all key stakeholders, to include health, social
care, and other agencies
5. A well embedded
professional partnership approach with families and carers, to
ensure children and young people with SEND fulfil their potential,
achieving good outcomes, through collaborative working
*As set out
within Communication Charter to be developed
|
|
Objective /
Vision
|
Ref
|
Actions
|
Who will lead the
work?
|
When will it be
delivered?
|
What will the
impact be?
|
|
2.1 To ensure that deadlines and legal
requirements are adhered to, thereby ensuring children and young
people's access to appropriate educational provision
|
2.1.1
|
Detailed
mapping of current processes and systems
|
Head of SEND
|
July 2022
|
Statutory compliance
is more effective – ensuring timelines are met.
Process is more child
focused and compliant with legal requirements.
Improved oversight
and monitoring of systems
Data and processing
in one place, more consistent and efficient.
|
|
2.1.2
|
Review and
develop efficient processes and systems – to ensure they are
compliant and reflect assessment of best practice
|
Head of SEND
|
August 2022
|
|
2.1.3
|
Develop
process that incorporate the voice and input of parents, children,
and stakeholders
|
Head of SEND
|
September 2022
|
|
2.1.4
|
Complete the
restructure of the council’s SEND service to ensure that
sufficient capacity is available
|
Assistant Director Education and
Learning
|
September 2022
|
|
2.1.5
|
Implement
Capita ONE SEND module to ensure that processes are clearly defined
and provide accurate data to support effective case management and
legal compliance
|
Assistant Director Education and
Learning
|
October 2022
|
|
2.2 To ensure consistent
and high-quality communication between parents and professionals
regarding the production of EHCPs
|
2.2.1
|
To implement co-production at the drafting
stage of the EHCP to ensure EHCP and outcomes are co-produced.
|
Assistant Director Education and
Learning
Head of SEND
|
September 2022
|
BF will be legally compliant, statutory
timelines will be met within legal parameters, ensuring vulnerable
children and young people get their needs met effectively and
within statutory requirements driving up parental confidence.
Parents/carers and school staff will feel
confident using the portal. All children and young people will be
treated equally as individuals will not be impacted by individual
person knowledge base
Equitable access to system, ’No Child
is left behind’.
Parents will report increased satisfaction
and confidence, through a clear understanding of process and
decision supporting criteria.
Plans will be co-produced, accurately
capturing parent carers and children and young people’s
thoughts and wants, embeds a partnership early in the process
between the Local Authority and parent/carers, provides a personal
touch.
|
|
2.2.2
|
To map all relevant panels relating to
children and young people with SEND (providing terms of reference,
decision-making process) to ensure parents, carers and
professionals have clarity about how decisions are made across the
Local Authority. Timelines for decisions are published and adhered
to. Panels will give a clear rationale to support decisions, these
decisions to be consistently communicated in a more personal manner
via phone or face-to-face meeting
|
Assistant Director Education and
Learning
Head of SEND
|
September 2022
|
|
2.2.3
|
Implement comprehensive training programme
with the support of a user manual, to ensure all parties that use
the Capita One are confident to do so
|
Assistant Director Education and
Learning
Head of SEND
|
October 2022
|
|
2.2.4
|
Deliver a robust induction and performance
management system across the SEND team to ensure that Capita One
SEND module is used consistently, with appropriate reporting
|
Assistant Director Education and
Learning
Head of SEND
|
January 2023
|
|
2.3 Improve the communication processes
between the SEND team, parents and carers, and schools to improve
quality of communication
|
2.3.1
|
We will develop a co-produced communication
charter ensuring that timescales and approaches are clearly defined
and published on the Local Offer.
|
Assistant Director Education and
Learning
|
August 2022
|
Parents and carers, and schools will report
increased levels of satisfaction in terms of communication with the
SEND team
|
|
2.3.2
|
These timelines and approaches will be
embedded across the SEND service and performance will be reviewed
annually with service users.
|
Head of SEND
|
September 2022
|
|
|
2.4 Improve parents' perception that they
are 'going into battle' when trying to access provisions for their
child's needs by actively signposting available support services,
including charities.
|
2.4.1
|
Analyse and categorise complaints into main
themes and report against volumes, types, stages, and time to
resolution, ensure the route to provide complaint, compliment and
comment is clear and accessible
|
Assistant Director Commissioning
|
September 2022
|
Families know they have been heard and are
able to contribute to improvements.
Young people feel their views have been heard
and captured.
There is a transparent process with joint
ownership and clarity of timescales, driving up the quality of
experience for parents/carers and children and young people with
SEND
Continued service improvement is delivered,
we know our weaknesses and we constantly drive for improvement
Parents and carers report increased
satisfaction; they know how to feedback
Greater understanding of the way the system
is structured
|
|
2.4.2
|
Co-produce a suite of standard letters to
be used throughout the statutory process, these letters will be
clear and in plain English and provide parents and carers and young
people with clear routes of recourse where appropriate
|
Head of SEND
|
September 2022
|
|
2.4.3
|
Develop a system that routinely secures
‘lived experiences’ through surveys/’how did we
do feedback’ at key milestones to drive improvement
|
Assistant Director Education and
Learning
Head of SEND
|
December 2022
|
|
2.4.4
|
Implement a working group to develop a
co-produced graphic representation/image to summarise the SEND
customer journey
|
Assistant Director Education and
Learning
Communications and marketing team
|
December 2022
|
|
2.5 To ensure all children and young people
educated out of area have access to appropriate healthcare
|
2.5.1
|
Analysis and engagement to understand the
current experiences of children and young people who are educated
out of area and their parents
|
Assistant Director Education and Learning
and
Designated Clinical Officer
|
October 2022
|
Children have their healthcare needs met
appropriately irrespective of where they are educated.
Children and young
people will have access to equitable support and services.
Children are not disadvantaged due to being educated
out of area
|
|
2.5.2
|
Ensure that placement processes for
making out of area placements are robust and consider healthcare
needs of children and availability of out of area
provision
|
AD Commissioning
Designated Clinical Officer
|
December 2022
|
|
2.5.3
|
Develop shared protocols between
CCGs to ensure that children can access provision – based on
Responsible Commissioner guidance
|
Designated Clinical Officer
|
April 2023
|
|
2.6 To improve oversight in the healthcare
system of children and young people with SEND who are home
educated
|
2.6.1
|
Establish a working group of key agencies
to better understand and explore the visibility, support and
challenges for children/young people who are home educated.
|
Assistant Director Early Help
|
July 2022
|
We will have effective oversight into the
healthcare needs of all children across Bracknell Forest
Children and Young people will have access
to equitable support and services.
|
|
2.6.2
|
Review the current service specification
for integrated therapies to ensure children who are home educated
are reflected.
|
Designated Clinical Officer
AD Commissioning
|
March 2023
|
To ensure children who are home educated
are reflected in the current 'Integrated Therapies Project'
|
|
|
The lack of co-production with children and
young people with SEND and their families, and with professionals.
This includes limited parental representation at a strategic
level.
|
|
Intended
outcomes
|
To embed as business-as-usual a
co-production approach with children and young people with SEND and
their families, and with professionals
|
|
What does good
look like for children and families?
|
1. Voice of
client-based stakeholders is considered to ensure council services
are aligned
2. Person
centred planning approaches are routinely used
3. Learner
voice captured through an appropriate medium depending on their
needs
4. Familial
representation at a strategic level
|
|
Objective /
Vision
|
Ref
|
Actions
|
Who will lead the
work?
|
When will it be
delivered?
|
What will the
impact be?
|
|
3.1 To improve co-production with children
and young people with SEND and their families, and with
professionals
|
3.1.1
|
Parent/carer engagement events are
timetabled across the day and into the evening using both virtual
and face to face approaches to ensure broad representation and
engagement with parents and carers.
|
Assistant Director Education and
Learning
|
June 2022
|
Parents and carers will report their level of
influence around strategic development
Children and young people with SEND have
provision and services available that they want and need when they
need it
A broad range of parent and carers views are
represented when co-producing
Children and young people will secure good
outcomes and feel empowered to control their own destiny
|
|
3.1.2
|
Increase parental representation at a
strategic level by ensuring that parents/ carers are members of
relevant strategic boards
|
Executive Director People
|
July 2022
|
|
3.1.3
|
Develop a SEND youth forum so that children
and young people’s voices are clearly heard, and children and
young people play a key role in co-production
|
Assistant Director Education and
Learning
Head of SEND
|
December 2022
|
|
3.1.4
|
Develop a training programme to ensure that
person centred planning is embedded across the education landscape,
to ensure Children and young people’s voices are heard and at
the centre of planning and delivery
|
Head of SEND
|
June 2023
|
|
3.2 To
ensure that EHCPs are consistently good quality, include up-
to-date information and reflect the views of children and young
people.
Within this,
ensuring that contributions from health professionals, e.g., school
nurses and health visitors, are included in the EHCP process, and
their contributions are accurately reflected
|
3.2.1
|
Implement
improvements to Capita One - including detailed engagement and
communication with partner organisations
|
Assistant Director Education and
Learning
|
October 2022
|
Children and young people's SEND needs will be
identified effectively through a multi-disciplinary assessment
process. This will ensure they are well supported. Plans will be
co-produced capturing the voice of parents, carers, children and
young people.
Children and young people will get access to the
support they need when they need it.
Parents will have increased confidence that needs are
identified effectively.
Embeds a tell us once approach.
EHCPs will be informed by good
quality advice supporting the development of robust and accurate
outcomes that accurately identify needs.
|
|
3.2.2
|
Develop
baseline understanding of the challenges, bottlenecks, and delays
and taking account of the co-produced work already undertaken
whilst developing the WSOA. Assess current processes and resources
against best practice.
|
Assistant Director Education and
Learning
Transformational Lead CCG
|
October 2022
|
|
3.2.3
|
Co-production with local parents, carers, and
system partners to understand experiences of EHCP process and
systems and develop principles and priorities for
development.
|
Assistant Director Education and
Learning
Designated Clinical Officer
|
January 2023
|
|
3.2.4
|
Design new
EHCP processes that support consistent good quality and compliance,
through process mapping and collaboration.
|
Head of SEND
Designated Clinical Officer
|
March 2023
|
|
3.2.5
|
Roll out new
process through initial pilot. Learn from experiences and then
launch. Ensure effective communications to support process
embedding and implementation of a continuous improvement
process.
|
Head of SEND
Designated Clinical Officer
|
June 2023
|
|
3.2.6
|
Undertake
termly audit to ensure that new EHCP process is operating
effectively in relation to compliance, quality and experience of
children, parents, and partners.
|
AD Commissioning
|
September 2023
|
|
The lack of appropriate educational provision
for a significant proportion of children and young people with SEND
in the borough
|
|
Intended
outcomes
|
Develop and
provide quality, accessible, appropriate educational provision for
the large proportion of children and young people with SEND in the
borough.
|
|
What does good
look like for children and families?
|
1. Having the
right schools, in the right place, with the right support available
in the borough.
2. Clear
levels of tiered provision that meet the needs of children and
young people, from SEND support to the most complex SEND with EHCP,
agreed, and developed across the borough with the aim that the vast
majority of children and young people are educated in their
locality.
|
|
Objective /
Vision
|
Ref
|
Actions
|
Who will lead the
work?
|
When will it be
delivered?
|
What will the
impact be?
|
|
4.1 To address the lack of appropriate
educational provision for the large proportion of children and
young people with SEND in the borough
|
4.1.1
|
Align and develop a single school places
plan for the future SEND places strategy that captures early years,
SEND, mainstream and identifies synergies between the three.
|
Assistant Director Education and
Learning
Head of Property, Places, Admissions
|
September 2022 (then annually)
|
Comprehensive plan is delivered and
annually revised to ensure it is fit for purpose.
Children and Young People will be placed in
the most appropriate provision to meet their identified needs.
Clear pathways to secure provision for
complex EHCP requirements.
Improved quality of education provision,
outcomes and 'diminishing the gap' for children and young people
with SEND
|
|
4.1.2
|
Develop a data set to inform most
appropriate tier of provision and mobility between tiers that can
be factored into forecasts
|
Head of SEND
Head of Property, Places, Admissions
|
September 2022
|
|
4.1.3
|
Define criteria where need cannot be met in
borough and where suitable provision can be procured.
|
Assistant Director Education and
Learning
|
September 2022
|
|
4.1.4
|
Scheduled reviews across all schools and
colleges provision of:
·
quality of teaching and learning
·
training needs for SENCos and school staff
·
resources
·
effectiveness and timeliness of response from panels
|
Head of SEND
Head of School Standards
|
October 2022
|
|
4.1.5
|
Participate in the DfE’s Best Value
in SEND programme to help the council maintain effective SEND
services while functioning sustainably.
|
Executive Director, People
Executive Director, Resources
|
December 2022
(Phase 1)
|
|
|
4.2 To provide
clarity and detail around application and attendance process
for children and young people with SEND to access the newly opened
special resources provisions to increase in borough service
utilisation
|
4.2.1
|
Ensure clear processes and admission
requirements are publicly available to signpost applicants to the
panel application process for places
|
Assistant Director Education and
Learning
|
September 2022
|
Parents, carers and professionals will
clearly understand the admissions process, supporting informed
decision making.
Accurate identification of demand which is
met by appropriate quality and quantity of provision
Placements meet needs of each child and
young person
|
|
4.2.2
|
Develop management information that enables
financial modelling and demand modelling to be readily and
accurately compared
|
Finance Business Partner
|
September 2022
|
|
4.2.3
|
Conduct a scheduled review of quality and
quantity of premises and provision, at least annually, to include
access and conditions audits.
|
Assistant Director Education and
Learning
Head of Property, Places, Admissions
|
September 2022
|
Premises that meet the standards and needs
of SEND children and young people. Right places available at the
right time
|
|
4.2.4
|
Utilise sufficiency analysis to inform
where places are identified, procured, and captured in SLAs,
working with BFC property team and the managing partner.
|
Assistant Director Commissioning
Head of Property, Places, Admissions
|
September 2022
|
Sufficiency will provide right place at the
right time for SEND children and young people
|
|
4.3 To reduce
fixed term exclusions for children and young people with
SEND
|
4.3.1
|
Improved monitoring process of part-time
timetables, including alternative provision where children and
young people are accessing less than 25 hours of education a week,
to be established
|
Head of Inclusion
|
July 2022
|
Children having access to a full curriculum
with improved outcomes and life chances
Children feel included and part of their
school community
Children and young people are accessing
their educational entitlement, through appropriate education
provision that is meeting their needs.
To ensure approaches are based on identified
best practice. To ensure consistency of approach across
services.
|
|
4.3.2
|
Analyse exclusion data to identify specific
patterns, gaps, concerns and focus areas to include use of
alternative provision across Bracknell Forest
|
Head of Inclusion
|
October 2022
|
|
4.3.3
|
Develop a strategic oversight group to
provide challenge and support to the system to ensure a high level
of scrutiny, accountability, and compliance.
|
Assistant Director Education and
Learning
Head of Inclusion
|
January 2023
|
|
4.3.4
|
Explore options to learn from other local
authorities where there is a zero tolerance to exclusions
|
Assistant Director Education and
Learning
Head of Inclusion
|
January 2023
|
|
4.3.5
|
Implement robust training programme to
address areas identified through data interrogation
|
Assistant Director Education and
Learning
Head of Inclusion
|
February 2023
|
|
4.3.6
|
Co-produce a borough-wide framework for a
graduated approach to support children and young people’s
inclusion through regulation, co-regulation, communication, and
trauma informed practice
|
Head of Inclusion
Berkshire
Healthcare Foundation Trust, Mental Health Lead*
Principal
Educational Psychology
|
September 2023
|
|
The lack of support available to children and
young people while waiting excessive amounts of time to access
occupational therapy services. Also, the lack of capacity in the
occupational therapy team, resulting in delays to their
contributions to EHCPs
|
|
Intended
outcomes
|
Children/young people, families and carers
feel supported whilst waiting for specialist support from the
occupational therapy services. Families will be clear about what
support is available and how this can be accessed.
Contribution from an Occupational Therapist
will be correctly identified and provided as part of the EHCP
process within the expected time frame.
There will be a reduction in waiting times for
access to occupational therapy for a specialist assessment
|
|
What does good
look like for children and families?
|
1. Children
and young people requiring support and input from occupational
therapy services will receive this within an acceptable timescale
in line with the aims of national benchmarking.
2.
Children/young people and families receive support to enable their
needs, relevant to occupational therapy, to be met.
3.
Contributions to the EHCA process from occupational therapy will be
completed within timescale.
|
|
Objective /
Vision
|
Ref
|
Actions
|
Who will lead the
work?
|
When will it be
delivered?
|
What will the
impact be?
|
|
|
5.1 To improve access to the occupational
therapy service for children and young people
|
5.1.1
|
To address the
significant wait times and staffing capacity within the
Occupational Therapy service across East Berkshire, in February
2022 the CCG provided additional non recurrent financial investment
of £423,335 to support the
recruitment of additional staffing.
|
BHFT Head of Children’s Community
Services East
|
Reduction in wait times to no longer than
12 months by March 2023
|
The recruitment of
additional staffing capacity will reduce the current number of
children and young people on a wait list to access
Occupational Therapy services.
Current service aim
is for children and young people to wait no longer than 12
months by March 2023.
|
|
|
5.1.2
|
Occupational Therapy wait times and EHCA
compliance to be shared and presented quarterly via the SEND
Improvement Board (SIPD) and East Berkshire SEND
Committee
|
Designated Clinical Officer
BHFT CYPF Service Lead/ BHFT Head of
Children’s Community Services East
|
June 2022
|
There will be Senior Sponsor oversight of
progress and improvements
Access to the right support at the right time
will improve both the long- and short-term outcomes of children and
young people.
There will be equitable participation for all
children and young people
Children and Young People will access the
support they need in their educational setting
Children and young people will access the
specialist support they require in accordance with the capacity
commissioned following the Integrated Therapies Project review and
its implementation, with the longer-term aim of reducing wait times
for Occupational Therapy to within 18 weeks of receipt of
referral
Children and young people will be able to
access the right support (Universal, Targeted, Specialist) at the
right time and in the right place
|
|
|
5.1.3
|
Ensure consistent representation from
health at the Decision Making Group (DMG) panels to support and
strengthen the correct application of graduated approach, ensuring
appropriate referrals into occupational therapy.
|
Designated Clinical Officer
Head of SEND
BHFT Head of Children’s Community
Services East/BHFT
CYPIT Service Lead
|
June 2022
|
|
|
5.1.4
|
Occupational Therapy services to contribute
to the Ordinarily Available bank of resources
|
BHFT Head of Children’s Community
Services East
Head of SEND
|
August 2022
|
|
|
5.1.5
|
Current review of the commissioning of
integrated therapies is being undertaken as part of the Integrated
Therapies Project across East Berkshire. This is to enable improved
demand/capacity management as relevant to staffing and model of
provision.
|
Frimley ICS Executive Director and SRO for
Children and Young People, Learning Disabilities and Autism
Local Authority Commissioners
BHFT Director Children, Young People &
Family Services (CYPF)
|
Integrated Therapies Project is due to
conclude
March 2023
|
|
|
5.1.6
|
The Integrated Therapies Project to report
the findings to outline and inform future commissioning
specification
|
Frimley ICS Executive Director and SRO for
Children and Young People, Learning Disabilities and Autism
Local Authority Commissioners
BHFT Director Children, Young People &
Family Services (CYPF)
|
|
|
5.1.7
|
Occupational Therapy waiting times to be
reduced in line with the commissioned service standard following
the outcome of the Integrated Therapies Project
|
Frimley ICS Executive Director and SRO for
Children and Young People, Learning Disabilities and Autism
Local Authority Commissioners
BHFT Director Children, Young People &
Family Services (CYPF)
|
|
|
5.2 For families to feel supported and
confident to meet their child's needs whilst they are waiting to
access occupational therapy services.
|
5.2.1
|
Map what current support is available and
what resources are accessible to children, young people, parents,
and carers awaiting an appointment with an Occupational Therapist
and identify any gaps in support and/or resource. Work with
children, young people, parents and carers and the integrated
therapies service to develop resources and increase support across
any identified areas.
|
Designated Clinical Officer
BHFT Head of Children’s Community
Services East
Head of SEND
|
September 2022
|
Children and Young people will have access to
a wide range of support which they will tell us is helpful.
Those working with children and young people
will feel well supported and able to meet their needs.
Families will feel confident in using
strategies to support their child
|
|
|
The high number of children and young people
with SEND who reach a mental health crisis because of a lack of
timely support to prevent further escalation
|
|
Intended
outcomes
|
To provide
timely early mental health support to children and young people
with SEND
To reduce the
number of children and young people with SEND who end up in mental
health crisis
|
|
What does good
look like for children and families?
|
1. Children
and young people receive appropriate and timely mental health
support
2.
Understanding of how and where to access support for mental
health
3. Increased
support, resources, and communication available whilst awaiting
specialist services
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Objective /
Vision
|
Ref
|
Actions
|
Who will lead the
work?
|
When will it be
delivered?
|
What will the
impact be?
|
|
6.1 To provide timely early mental health
support to children and young people with SEND
|
6.1.1
|
Develop a data dashboard to provide
oversight to SIPB on performance across the SEND landscape
including waiting times and progress against standards and
targets
|
Designated Clinical Officer
Berkshire Healthcare Foundation Trust CAMHS
Lead
Strategic
Commissioning Manager
|
September 2022
|
SIPB will be able to hold partners to account
through the data dashboard for progress made against identified
standards and targets
There will be the correct service provision
and support in place to best meet the mental health support needs
of all children and young people
Increased wellbeing for children and young
people with services fit for purpose
Services will be effectively resourced to
deliver support to children and young people locally. This will
include services for children and young people with learning and
developmental disabilities.
Understanding of what wellness looks like in
Bracknell Forest, with a benchmark providing a measure
Increased confidence for all adults working
with and caring for children and young people with a sense of being
better equipped to provide support
Schools and settings will feel confident to
promote wellbeing and not just provide crisis intervention
Increased awareness of SEND provision and
training
Increased community awareness of emotional
health and wellbeing, trauma and mental health issues and increased
opportunity to promote wellness
Lower parental anxiety leading to a
positive impact on children
|
|
6.1.2
|
Map and publish all available services that
provide emotional health and wellbeing and early mental health
support (health commissioned, council commissioned services and
voluntary and community sector) and analyse gaps to inform
commissioning needs
|
Designated Clinical Officer
Strategic
Commissioning Manager
|
April 2023
|
|
6.1.3
|
There will be a clear plan in place for how
the CAMH service can be effectively resourced and supported to
reduce current wait times for children and young people. This piece
of work is underway and being supported by the CCG though the
additional resourcing of a data analyst/insight lead and a project
manager.
|
Frimley ICS Executive Director and SRO for
Children and Young People, Learning Disabilities and Autism
BHFT Director Children, Young People &
Family Services (CYPF)
|
Work has
commenced, with the first initial progress update scheduled for the
18/07/2022
|
|
6.1.4
|
Commission services identified through the
gap analysis outlined in the above actions
|
ICS Mental Health Lead (CCG)
Strategic Commissioning Manager
|
April 2023
|
|
6.1.5
|
Secure data from wellbeing surveys and
questionnaires to obtain a baseline and opportunity to track impact
of early intervention
|
Assistant Director Education and
Learning
Assistant Director Public Health
|
June 2023
|
|
6.1.6
|
Identify and promote programme of training
to parents, carers, and professionals to provide early intervention
and support to children and young people. To be communicated
through the Local Offer, reviewing take up and promoting further,
where necessary
|
Berkshire Healthcare Foundation
Trust CAMHS Lead
ICS Mental Health Lead (CCG)
|
September 2023
|
|
6.2 To reduce the number of children and
young people with SEND who end up in mental health crisis
|
6.2.1
|
Bring partners
together to agree a common understanding of mental health
crisis
|
ICS Mental Health Lead (CCG)
Berkshire Healthcare Foundation Trust CAMHS
Lead
Principal Educational Psychologist
|
July 2022
|
Children and young people are able to
access the right targeted service within a reasonable timeframe
Children will receive intervention earlier
to prevent escalation/deterioration
First-hand support and early recognition
arising from an increased awareness and skill set of staff in
school
Navigating the systems becomes clearer and
less stressful for families leading to a positive impact on
homelife.
Increased confidence and autonomy for
parents and ability to access appropriate services when needed.
Children and young people will access the
right support at the right time.
Children, Young people, Parents and Carers
will be clear about which service is the most appropriate to
support their current need.
|
|
6.2.2
|
Undertake deep dive into several mental
health crisis cases to consider early flags, to increase
understanding of early identifiers, to develop services to support
early intervention, and avoid missed opportunities
|
Designated Clinical Officer
Assistant Director Education and
Learning
|
November 2022
|
|
6.2.3
|
Map what current support is available and what
resources are accessible to children, young people, parents, and
carers in relation to SEMH, neurodiversity and those who are
awaiting access to specialist services, ensuring CYP are referred
to the most appropriate service in a timely manner
|
ICS Mental Health Lead (CCG)
Berkshire Healthcare Foundation Trust CAMHS
Lead
|
December 2022
|
|
6.2.4
|
Evaluate supervision, support and training
available to staff in managing the SEMH complexities therefore
increasing the resilience in the workforce.
|
Head of SEND
|
March 2023
|
|
6.2.5
|
Work with
voluntary and community sector to provide regular training within
community settings around social, emotional wellbeing, trauma,
behavioural concerns, and mental health
|
ICS Mental Health Lead (CCG)
Berkshire
Healthcare Foundation Trust CAMHS Lead
Assistant Director Education and Learning
|
May 2023
|
|
6.2.6
|
Develop and
resource a social emotional wellbeing drop-in service for education
professionals (from early years to further education) within the
school locality clusters to provide training, support, and
curriculum development
|
ICS Mental Health Lead (CCG)
Assistant Director Education and
Learning
|
September 2023
|
|
|
The lack of established, effective panel
arrangements to decide next steps in the graduated approach used
for pupils who receive SEND support
|
|
Intended
outcomes
|
We will have robust and effective
decision-making groups in place to ensure that consistent decisions
take place in a timely way. These will be open and transparent and
trusted by local partners, including parents of children with SEND.
There will be clear and effective communication between all
professionals involved inside and outside of the panel. We will
ensure there is appropriate engagement and involvement, including
schools, on all panels
Increased
confidence in the system leading to fewer complaints and reduced
frustration from parents
|
|
What does good
look like for children and families?
|
1. Children
and young people are able to access the right support in the right
place at the right time
2. Children,
young people and families feel included in the decision-making
process
3. Quality
assurance processes will evaluate effectiveness and support a
process of continuous learning.
|
|
Objective /
Vision
|
Ref
|
Actions
|
Who will lead the
work?
|
When will it be
delivered?
|
What will the
impact be?
|
|
7.1 To ensure that Bracknell Forest's
decision-making process, to support schools' use of the graduated
approach, is fit for purpose and that there are established,
effective panel arrangements to decide next steps
|
7.1.1
|
Communicate all panel arrangements to
schools and settings including processes, standards and
expectations, and communication flows. Ensure this includes SENCO
Forum and Parents and Carers Forum
|
Head of SEND
|
June 2022
|
Fewer complaints and frustration of parents.
Increased confidence in system
Children and young people receive the right services
at the right time
Reduction in out of borough school placements through
timely decisions
Earlier identification of need and therefore
support
|
|
7.1.2
|
Embedding new Decision Making Group model
– ensuring they are working as planned and demonstrating
correct adherence to the graduated approach, ensuring that 0-5
information is considered and informs decisions.
|
Assistant Director Education and
Learning
Head of SEND
|
July 2022
|
|
7.1.3
|
Establish process for timely* reporting on
conclusions of panels effectively to parents, schools and post-16
settings
*As set out
within Communication Charter to be developed
|
Assistant Director Education and
Learning
Head of SEND
|
July 2022
|
|
7.1.4
|
Undertake an audit of the effectiveness of
the DMGs, including consistency of attendance, decision making and
outcomes
|
Assistant Director Commissioning
|
September 2022
|
|
7.2 To ensure that for children and young
people who receive SEND support, schools use the graduated approach
(assess, plan, do, review)
|
7.2.1
|
Undertake
analysis to understand current approaches used within the borough.
Review documentation, processes, and available feedback to develop
a baseline understanding.
|
Assistant Director Education and
Learning
Head of School Standards
|
September 2022
|
Children and young people with SEND will
get their needs identified and met effectively through early
identification and by the delivery of evidence-based
interventions.
Ensure the consistent delivery of support
across the education landscape removing variations from school to
school.
Parents and carers will clearly understand
how their child's needs will be met without an EHCP, embedding
accountability.
|
|
7.2.2
|
Co-produce graduated
support standards, to clearly define expected models of delivery
and support. Embedding quality first teaching and evidence-based
approaches to ensure children and young people’s emerging
needs are met early, effectively, and consistently across the
education landscape. To be supported by training programmes for
school staff and parents and carers
|
Head of Inclusion
|
November 2022
|
|
7.2.3
|
Initially pilot new approach with a limited
number of schools, before updating model and then rolling out
across Bracknell Forest. Ensure effective communication and
training to support effective implementation and embed a process of
continuous improvement
|
Assistant Director Education and
Learning
|
March 2023
|
|
7.2.4
|
Undertake an audit of the effectiveness of
the new graduated approach, including consistency of application,
feedback from parents, and impact on children with SEND
|
Assistant Director Commissioning
|
June 2023
|
|
|
Insufficient long-term planning for young people
as they move into adulthood
|
|
Intended
outcomes
|
Increased number of children and young
people in education, employment and training (EET)
Children and young people having individual
needs met by increased offer, and appropriate pathways for
long-term living
|
|
What does good
look like for children and families?
|
1. We will
not go above national Not in Education, Employment or Training
(NEET) levels for children and young people with SEND
2. Creative
use of personal health budgets - more bespoke packages to allow
them to stay in the local area
3. Voice of
the young person's needs, aspirations and interests is captured in
a way that is best for the young person and identified as soon as
possible
4.
Preparation for Adulthood (PfA) planning will be reflected across
all agencies working with young people. Within health there will be
evidence that young people are being offered, attending and
benefiting from an annual health review with their GP, starting
from age 14.
|
|
Objective /
Vision
|
Ref
|
Actions
|
Who will lead the
work?
|
When will it be
delivered?
|
What will the
impact be?
|
|
8.1 Improve long-term planning for young
people moving into adulthood
|
8.1.1
|
Review the further education (FE) options
available in the borough and have a dedicated, appropriate resource
to support young people moving into adulthood and post 16 to link
in with other services.
|
Assistant Director Education and
Learning
|
October 2022
|
Children and young people will be able to
travel independently, opening more social opportunities and
community presence.
Happy and more confident young people.
Early understanding for families, carers,
and young people around eligibility for adult social care
Effective planning will support children
and young people securing better outcomes.
Bracknell Forest Council will have a better
understanding of the aspirations of our young people, informing
better commissioning, leading to provision that young people want
and need.
More young people will access
apprenticeships, secure open paid employment, and access higher
education with the right support.
|
|
8.1.2
|
Social care to embed the transition
protocol within appropriate timescales to ensure parents understand
eligibility for adult social care provision
|
Head of Learning Disabilities and Autistic
Spectrum Disorder
Head of Specialist Service, Family
Safeguarding
|
October 2022
|
|
8.1.3
|
Career advice and adult pathway planning to
start from age 14 to ensure SMART targets are in place across
services that reflect aspirations for children and young people
into adulthood.
|
Assistant Director Education and
Learning
|
December 2022
|
|
8.1.4
|
Aspirations for child and family are needs
based and bespoke. Review and publish the remit of a personal
health budget to support the child into adulthood – feedback
from parents, children, and young people
|
Designated Clinical Officer
Head of Learning Disabilities and Autistic
Spectrum Disorder
|
March 2023
|
|
8.1.5
|
Engage with local employers to define
pathways to employment for those with SEND. Pledges and plans from
local businesses and agencies and supported internships in local
colleges.
|
Assistant Director Education and
Learning
|
April 2023
|
|
8.1.6
|
A co-produced adult social care pathway
will be developed to provide clear timelines and clearly set out
eligibility for service. This will inform PFA outcomes on young
person’s EHCP
|
Head of Learning Disabilities and Autistic
Spectrum Disorder
Head of SEND
|
April 2023
|
|
8.2 To improve levels of aspiration for the
future for children with the most complex needs within EHCPs.
|
8.2.1
|
Ensure all young people who are at
risk of becoming NEET are referred to targeted support, such as
Elevate or other VCS organisations
|
Head of SEND
|
September 2022
|
Improve independence of the child and young
person
Increase confidence for families and
children and young people
Increased integration and value into
community
Ensuring the needs of children and young
people are met effectively and increase opportunities
Reduction of children and young people
moving between placements and settings
Development of interpersonal and business
skills to increase future work opportunities.
Increased understanding of the world of
work and the skills needed to meet aspirations.
Well-developed career development plans
leading to better outcomes for young people with SEND
|
|
8.2.2
|
Early engagement at school level to ensure
school staff better understand PfA through training
|
Head of SEND
|
September 2022
|
|
8.2.3
|
Review the skill
set and experience of support staff across the FE sector to ensure
children with complex needs can transition effectively and access
work-based learning qualifications, by commissioning appropriate
provision
Working in
partnership with the FE sector to develop the skillset of support
staff to ensure children with complex needs can transition
effectively and access work-based learning qualifications, by
commissioning additional appropriate provision
|
Assistant Director Education and
Learning
|
December 2022
|
|
8.2.4
|
Work with the
Economic and Skills Development Partnership to increase awareness
around supported internship and how they can benefit from this
opportunity, including developing enterprise
opportunities
|
Head of SEND
|
April 2023
|
|
8.2.5
|
Ensure young
people with behaviour problems have access to bespoke provision of
support and resource
|
Head of SEND
|
April 2023
|
|
8.3 To reduce the number of young people
with SEND who are not in education, employment or training (NEET)
by improving the planning of Preparation for Adulthood (PfA).
|
8.3.1
|
Review post school provision to
inform and improve the increase of transport options and travel
training
|
Head of SEND
|
October 2022
|
Ensure the number of pupils who are in
education, employment, or training (EET) is in line with national
figures
Parents, carers, and young people feel they
are happy and content with the transitions process and satisfied
that the pathways link to the needs and aspirations of young people
and packages are tailored to each child.
A consistent and person- centred approach
is adopted.
|
|
8.3.2
|
Engage with youth forum for input
into increasing appropriate PfA options appropriate for young
people
|
Head of SEND
|
March 2023
|
|
8.3.3
|
Develop Local Offer for those
children who are not eligible and open to adult services
|
Head of Learning Disabilities and Autistic
Spectrum Disorder
Head of Inclusion
|
April 2023
|
|
8.3.4
|
Review of NEET and themes around
reasoning to this pathway to feed into development of Local
Offer
|
Head of SEND
Elevate
|
April 2023
|
|
|
Parents’ and carers’ lack of
awareness of available advice, support, or social care provision.
The lack of age-appropriate social opportunities for older children
and young people with SEND
|
|
Intended
outcomes
|
Provide consistent signposting and easy
access to sources of advice, support and social care provision to
the families, parents and carers of children and young people with
SEND. Improve access to age-appropriate social opportunities for
older children and young people with SEND.
|
|
What does good
look like for children and families?
|
1. The Local Offer is
coproduced to provide what the SEND community want and need,
allowing parents and carers to access the services they
require.
2. The Local Offer is a
valued resource for the SEND community, including professionals,
allowing children and young people to have their needs met
effectively and early.
3. The Local Offer is
used to understand gaps in the system and informs commissioning,
ensuring children and young people have provision that they want
and need.
|
|
Objective /
Vision
|
Ref
|
Actions
|
Who will lead the
work?
|
When will it be
delivered?
|
What will the
impact be?
|
|
9.1 Provide consistent signposting to
sources of advice, support and social care provision to the
families, parents and carers of children and young people with
SEND.
|
9.1.1
|
Update the Local Offer and the Bracknell
Forest Council website, to ensure information regarding how to
access advice, support and/or an assessment from children’s
social care is easily accessible and children, young people and
parents and carers understand what social work provision they are
entitled to
|
Assistant Director Children’s Social
Care
|
July 2022
|
Partners are aware of process development;
they understand them and how to navigate them. Parents and carers
are able to access the right provision/service when they are
required.
People understand what the Local Offer is
(raised awareness), can find what they want more easily and feel
able to make informed decisions
Parents/ carers and professionals are aware
of the Local Offer, and it is a valued resource that is accessible
and provides up- to- date and relevant information.
Resources for parents, families and
professionals are up-to-date, gaps are identified. Children and
young people can access what they need and want and social outcomes
are improved
Parent, families, and professionals are
able to have access to up to date and current information to inform
and improve the guidance and services they access and provide.
|
|
9.1.2
|
To develop a plan to ensure that
parents’ and professionals’ awareness of the Local
Offer and how it can support them is raised. For example, GP
surgeries, health visitors.
|
Assistant Director Education and
Learning
Head of SEND
Designated Clinical Officer
Communications and marketing team
|
August 2022
|
|
9.1.3
|
Ensure the co-produced Communication
Charter includes information on the approach to communicating
changes to processes
|
Assistant Director Education and
Learning
|
September 2022
|
|
9.1.4
|
To develop a plan to ensure that parents
and professionals are aware of the Information, Advice and Support
Service, and to encourage professionals to refer to the service
|
Assistant Director Education and
Learning
Communications and marketing team
|
September 2022
|
|
9.1.5
|
Develop an annual review process to ensure
that the information held on the Local Offer is accurate and
up-to-date, to include a feedback loop from forums and children and
young people
|
Assistant Director Education and
Learning
SEND
|
October 2022
|
|
9.1.6
|
Review and co-produce the Local Offer
website where necessary. To explore increased functionality
and accessibility, important to consider how information provided
for those without computer access.
|
Assistant Director Education and
Learning
|
March 2023
|
|
9.2 To ensure that children and young
people with SEND have their social care needs assessed in a
systemic and comprehensive way, including those not known to
children's social care
|
9.2.1
|
As part of the co-produced CSC strategy
development below, strengthen compliance with Working Together, the
Children’s Social Care Assessment Framework, and the SEND
Code of Practice to ensure assessments are meaningful and legally
compliant
|
Assistant Director Children’s Social
Care
|
July 2022
|
Holistic perspective.
Tell us once.
Collaborative approach. Comprehensive
assessment.
Increased self-esteem and confidence.
The broader understanding of the social needs of
children and young people with SEND, will lead to services which
are responsive to needs, leading to better outcomes.
|
|
9.2.2
|
Develop business case for Designated Social
Care Officer role within Bracknell Forest
|
Assistant Director Education and
Learning
Head of Children’s Specialist Family
Safeguarding
|
September 2022
|
|
9.2.3
|
Developing improved links between services
– such as ‘transition evenings’ - that create
alignment and ensure parents/carers know about the range of
services available
|
Assistant Director Education and
Learning
SEND
|
April 2023
|
|
9.2.4
|
Establish early intervention offer for
children with long-term and ongoing needs. Evaluate the impact of
these arrangements
|
Assistant Director Early Help
|
April 2023
|
|
9.3 To ensure that children and young
people, with a particular focus on older young people, are able to
develop wider interests, develop independence and participate fully
in their community by raising awareness of, and providing access
to, social opportunities
|
9.3.1
|
Review the duties in the regulations for
short breaks, to ensure that our offer is fit for purpose and that
people know about it
|
Assistant Director Children’s Social
Care
|
September 2022
|
Better integration into mainstream
hobbies.
Young people with SEND will be able to
access broader social opportunities leading to increased community
presence and engagement.
Increasing equitable access will increase
mental wellbeing and a sense of community inclusion - develop
support for specific needs of children and young people to
integrate with young people with similar needs
SEND Youth forum will contribute to hearing
the voices of children and young people.
|
|
9.3.2
|
Youth forum to work with SEND team on a
SEND annual survey, supported by communications team.
|
Assistant Director Education and
Learning
Assistant Director Early Help
SEND
|
March 2023
|
|
9.3.3
|
More hobbies and special interests
available in borough especially for young people with complex needs
who find it very difficult to access hobbies. Approach mainstream
hobbies to branch out into offering SEND provisions with the
support and training of the BFC
|
Head of SEND
|
May 2023
|
|
9.3.4
|
Establish a pilot for personalised help
focused on: developing CVs, support at Job Centre, interview
preparation, support to attend interviews, attend college open
days
|
Assistant Director Education and
Learning
SEND
|
May 2023
|
|
9.4 To ensure consistency in the provision
of advice, support and social care provision to children, young
people, and families with SEND
|
9.4.1
|
Increase collaboration between SEND Team
and Family Information Service to improve links to Local Offer
|
Assistant Director Education and
Learning
SEND
|
July 2022
|
Parents carers and professionals are aware
of the Local Offer and it is a valued resource that is accessible
and provides up-to-date relevant information
Children, young people, parents, and carers
feel listened to without having to re-tell their story on multiple
occasions
Parents and carers are less frustrated
Parents and carers understand the
thresholds of children’s social care and better understand
why some actions are taken
|
|
9.4.2
|
Co-produce a strategy that ensures
whichever team you get your social work service from, it is
ambitious, effective, and inclusive and meets the needs of the
child and their family
|
Assistant Director Children’s Social
Care
|
December 2022
|
|
9.4.3
|
Ensuring processes across education,
health, and social care are aligned where appropriate to deliver an
integrated and streamlined customer experience
|
Assistant Director Education and
Learning
SEND
|
September 2023
|
|
9.4.4
|
Utilise and embed the ethos of ‘Tell
us once' in all our communication, marketing materials and
activity
|
Assistant Director Education and
Learning
SEND
|
October 2023
|
2022 SEN2 data –
A data return that is a statutory requirement placed on Local
Authorities. The information collected via
the annual SEN2 survey form provides the major national source of
data collected by central government on children and young people
with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCP) (formerly statements
of SEN)
Capita One – Capita One is a software
system which is utilised to record client data and EHCPs for
children and young people known to the SEND Service
CCG – Clinical Commissioning Group is
a GP led organisation, responsible for understanding local health
needs and planning and commissioning health services for the local
population
CQC – Care Quality Commission
Care Quality Commission
(cqc.org.uk)
DfE – Department for Education
Department for Education - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
DMG
– Decision Making Group. Decisions by local
representatives made up of Health, Social Care and Head teacher
representatives who allocate local resources and
services
DBV
– Department for Education’s Delivering Best Value in
SEND programme. This programme is part of the DfE’s support
package to help local authorities maintain effective SEND services
while functioning sustainably.
EHCA
– Education, Health and Care Assessment. A
detailed process to find out what the child's or young person's
special educational needs are and what provision should be put into
place to meet them
EHCP
- Education, Health
and Care Plan. This is a legal document that describes a child or
young person’s special educational, health and social care
needs. It also
details the additional and/ or specialist support they need and the
type of school placement they require to meet those needs and
achieve the best outcomes
Executive - The
Executive is made up of the Leader of the Council and 9 other
Executive Members
How we make decisions
| Bracknell Forest Council (bracknell-forest.gov.uk)
High Needs Block
– Funding provided by the Education Skills Funding Agency
(ESFA) as part of the school's block to allow Local authorities to
fund children and young people with SEND
IASS - Bracknell Forest
Information, Advice and Support Service provides free, confidential impartial advice and
support to parents, carers and children and young people who have,
or may have, Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) in
Bracknell Forest
Home - Bracknell Forest IASS
ICS
-
The Frimley ICS brings together the Local Authorities, NHS
organisations and voluntary sector with a clear shared ambition to
work in partnership with local people, communities and staff to
improve the health and wellbeing of individuals, and to use our
collective resources more effectively
ICB – Integrated Care Board. Each Integrated Care System
(ICS) will have an Integrated Care Board (ICB) a statutory
organisation bringing the NHS together locally to improve
population health and establish shared strategic priorities within
the NHS. When ICBs are legally established, Clinical Commissioning
Groups (CCGs) will be abolished
ICT - Information
and communications technology (or technologies), is the
infrastructure and components that enable modern
computing
JSNA
– Joint Strategic Needs Assessment
KPI
– Key Performance Indicator. A
quantifiable measure of performance over time for a specific
objective
LLDD
– Learners with learning difficulties and/or
disabilities
Local Area – the Local Authority area
and relevant Clinical Commissioning Group; in this case Bracknell
Forest Council and Frimley CCG
Local Offer - The Local Offer gives children and young people
with special educational needs or disabilities and their families
information about support services that are available
SEND Local Offer | Bracknell Forest Council
(bracknell-forest.gov.uk)
Ofsted – Office for Standards in
Education Ofsted -
GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
OT – Occupational Therapy. It
aims to improve
someone’s ability to do everyday tasks if they are having
difficulties
PfA - Preparation for
Adulthood
SEMH - Social Emotional and Mental Health
SEND Code
of Practice – This document outlines the legal requirements and
statutory duties as set out in the Children and Families Act 2014,
the Equality Act 2010, and the Special Educational Needs and
Disability Regulations 2014
SEND – Special educational needs and
disabilities
SIPB
– SEND Improvement Partnership Board. A board which includes
representatives from the council, early years, schools and
colleges, Frimley Integrated Care System (ICS), Berkshire
Healthcare Foundation Trust (BHFT), Bracknell Parent Carer Forum
and the voluntary and community sector
SLA –
Service Level Agreement is a contract that establishes a set of
deliverables that one party has agreed to provide to
another
SMART
actions – Actions that are specific, measurable, achievable,
realistic, and timed
SPOC
– single point of contact
VCS –
voluntary and community sector
Workstream
– a workstream is the completion of tasks carried out by
different people from different teams on a project. A workstream
uses a collaborative approach where the workstream group can make
the necessary adjustments as the project evolves
WSOA – Written Statement of Action;
an action plan to address significant weakness identified in the
joint SEND inspection