To hear about the strategy and the implementation plan.

Kelly Nash, Area SENCO for Achieving for Children, outlined the consultation process for the strategy. Two online meetings had been hosted with parents and carers with a total of 84 parents requesting a place. A participation day had been organised at Windsor Youth Centre to hear young people’s thoughts on SEND provision. A conference was also held at Moor Hall, with over 40 key stakeholders in attendance. The vision statement for RBWM was that every child “will be happy, healthy and achieve their fullest potential.” All children and young people were entitled to an education that enabled them to progress. The strategy included the mission statement and how RBWM would achieve the priorities set out in the strategy. Priorities of the strategy included:

·         Young people with SEND and their families were the experts in understanding their child’s needs.

·         Children and young people with SEND to be identified earlier and immediate action would be taken.

·         All RBWM mainstream provision would be welcoming, accessible and inclusive to all so that they could meet the vast majority of children and young people who have special education needs.

·         An increased focus on earlier targeted and multi-agency intervention to offer help and meet needs at the earliest opportunity.

·         Development of the right range of specialist provision to ensure that as many young people as possible could be educated in a local educational setting.

·         Young people with SEND would be helped to become confident so that they could lead independent and fulfilling lives in their local communities.

Kelly Nash and Helen Huntley outlined the workstreams and activities which had taken place to support these priorities.

The Chairman commented on the inclusion ambassadors and asked for some detail on who the ambassadors were.

Kelly Nash explained that there were currently seven inclusion ambassadors, it was important to hear from and build links with young people and that they were representing their setting and peers. Ambassadors were also able to work towards a qualification as part of their role.

The Chairman asked what the timeline was for the implementation of the priorities from the strategy.

Helen Huntley said that work was being done with the Parent Carer Forum, the strategy was planned across five years and therefore the Forum needed to decide which elements should be a priority. Some priorities needed to be led by other teams, while other priorities were time limited. There was an aim to have parents, carers and practitioners on the various work streams which had been planned around the main priorities of the strategy.

Councillor Del Campo noted that priority four considered early intervention, she felt this was a vital priority. The waiting list time for CAMHS was an issue and children who needed support needed to be added to the waiting list at the earliest opportunity. Another priority was that children and families were ‘experts’, she broadly agreed with this statement but this was not always true. It was pleasing to see proposals of investment across the borough and it would be great to have an ambassador presence in every school in RBWM.

Kelly Nash said that schools were encouraged to be needs-led, the team could signpost schools very quickly if needed.

Councillor Hunt said it was an excellent strategy. She shared the experience of a resident who needed additional support for her son. After putting the resident in contact with officers, they had received all the right information. Councillor Hunt asked if there was a way residents could contact officers directly.

Helen Huntley referenced a green paper which had come out last year, which stated that all early years setting should have a SENCO. This would make a big difference, particularly when determining if gaps in education were due to the pandemic or due to a special need. Parents were able to apply for an EHCP for their child, a session would be run with the Parent Carer Forum on how to apply for this.

Clive Haines added that an excellent early years pathway was in place, a number of children were attending school who had not been identified for a EHCP when they should have one in place. Work was being done in this area.

Councillor Hunt said that the child in question was autistic and the parent had problems contacting the council, which was why they had contacted their local councillor. Councillor Hunt asked where was best to go for residents to receive direct support.

Clive Haines said that parents could request an EHCP, the process was outlined on the council website.

Helen Huntley asked if the parent was aware of the RBWM local offer, this was a statutory part of the website.

Kelly Nash said that there was an independent advice and support service, which could help parents. Information was available as part of the local offer.