Continued improvements are being made in Warwickshire to enhance support for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
That was the finding of the latest Department for Education and NHS England review meeting of SEND services in Warwickshire. During the meeting, inspectors acknowledged the continued efforts of Warwickshire County Council and Coventry and Warwickshire Integrated Care Board, who have been working together with a range of partners including Warwickshire Parent Carer Voice to make improvements to the SEND system.
The report noted that the local area has continued to make good progress and most actions outlined in the Written Statement of Action (which serves as the improvement plan following the local area SEND inspection in 2021) are progressing. Particularly good progress has been made with the SEND Local Offer and there is a steady reduction in waiting times for autism assessments.
Nevertheless, the report acknowledges that there is still more work to be done particularly in relation to effective communication with parents and carers. Whilst work has been undertaken in this area and strong foundations for coproduction with parents, carers and children and young people are in place, it still requires further attention and efforts to enhance engagement and support for families. Additionally, as the demand for services continues to rise, it is crucial to proactively manage this increase to ensure that the needs of the community are met.
Key updates from the latest review meeting with the Department for Education and NHS England in the summer are as follows:
Area 1: Autism waiting times and support for families:
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Waiting times for a diagnostic autism assessment have reduced from 242 weeks to an estimated 40 weeks, as of July 2023
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Children, young people, young adults, and their families awaiting a diagnostic assessment or following diagnosis of autism can access a clear and coordinated pathway of support that meets their needs.
Area 2: Communication and engagement with parent carers:
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A whole system approach to co-production at a strategic level with children, young people and their families across education, health and social care has been introduced.
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A wide programme of communications and events continues including themed webinars and the production of SEND Warwickshire, a monthly newsletter for families of children and young people with SEND.
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Work is ongoing to improve responses to complaints and strengthen communications.
Area 3: Inclusion in schools:
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Work to improve inclusion in schools is continuing. It is recognised that this activity will need to be ongoing as needs, challenges and personnel change over time. The local area is working with school leaders to encourage peer to peer collaboration and system leadership for inclusion.
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The Inclusion Framework for Schools trial has received positive feedback from schools and parent carers, and evaluation is now underway.
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SEND change agents and champions have been identified in all school consortia and area networks. They have been involved in the coproduction of a school inclusion charter alongside WPCV, with the support of Contact.
Area 4: Workforce development:
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An interactive slide deck and an online training portal have been developed for schools to access, and view all SEND training.
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Feedback regarding the free training for schools, including mental health and lost at school has been very positive
Area 5: SEND Local Offer webpages:
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Continued improvements to the website, including the landing page with feedback from Warwickshire Parent Carer Voice and SENDIAS.
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On-going promotion of the SEND Local Offer, so it is clear to everyone what is available in the local area.
Cllr Kam Kaur, portfolio holder for Education at Warwickshire County Council said:
“I am pleased that the Department of Education and NHS England have confirmed that good progress is being made, particularly in relation to SEND Local Offer and a reduction in autism wait times. However, we do recognise that there are challenges in relation to effective communication with parents and carers. Whilst strong foundations for coproduction with parent carers and children and young people are in place and there is an effective strategic partnership with Warwickshire Parent Carer Voice, parent carers are not yet consistently reporting a positive impact of the improvements made in Warwickshire.
“As a local area we want to ensure that we listen to and understand the needs of the families with SEND and whilst we recognise that challenges still lie ahead, we remain committed to working in partnership, increasing co-production, and building on the expertise within the system to improve outcomes for all children, young people and their families in Warwickshire.”
Tracy Pilcher, Chief Nursing Officer at NHS Coventry and Warwickshire ICB, said:
“There has been a collective effort across Warwickshire to improve the support offered to children and young people with SEND and I’m pleased this has been recognised by the Department for Education and NHS England. The reduction in waiting times for autism assessments has been particularly encouraging as I know how important it is for children and young people and their families to receive a diagnosis.
However, we recognise there is still more work to do. We are committed to involving parents, carers and children and young people in the care they receive, and we will continue to engage with them to make sure the services we deliver reflect their needs and priorities.”
For more information on Warwickshire’s Local Offer, please visit the Local Offer webpages or the Local Offer Facebook page.