Engagement
Collaborative working and co-production
The SEND Local Offer Team and wider members of the SEND Team at the Council have a strong working relationship with Southend SEND Independent Forum (SSIF), the Department for Education funded parent carer forum for Southend.
The SEND Local Offer team also have positive relationships with a number of other community organisations.
The following collaborative pieces of work have been undertaken within the SEND Team:
- the SEND Team and other members of the Southend SEND Partnership including SSIF worked closely to finalise the Southend SEND Area Partnership Strategy 2023 to 2026 and the SEND Strategic Action Plan 2023 to 2026 following the results of the consultation undertaken in 2022
- through engagement with young people with SEND, a video about the annual review survey was developed
- meetings held with some young people about development of an annual review guide
- development of the SEND Co-Production Charter from the original work undertaken with members of LORG, parent carers and organisations, facilitated by Jessica Russell, the Southend Co-Production Champion. The Charter will be published following approval by the Southend SEND Partnership
- organisation and delivery of a SEND Area Partnership event for parent carers and stakeholders in October 2023
- working alongside SSIF to plan a series of SSIF Seminars on topics voted for by attendees and the event in October 2023
- development and launch of the Southend SEND Network (see section 14)
- facilitation of focus groups on the Annual Review Process (for parent carers and children and young people) and the EHCNA process (for parent carers)
- working in partnership with schools to host SEND surgeries on their premises
- development of information on the Local Offer and how information is laid out following initial meetings about the new Livewell Southend platform and Your Local Offer Your Way sessions
Community engagement
The SEND Local Offer team attend and hold community events to:
- gain feedback about the experiences of SEND families so this can be fed back to management
- raise awareness of the SEND Local Offer
- answer questions and provide advice and guidance about SEND services and processes
- advise on how people can keep up to date with news and developments via the e-newsletter and our social media channels
A total of 64 engagement events were attended by or delivered by the SEND Local Offer team in 2023.
The SEND Network was also launched in October 2023 (see section 14). This will enable us to build further community connections.
A key element of our community engagement activities are our monthly SEND Surgeries (see section 17). We also deliver half termly Your Local Offer, Your Way sessions.
The SEND Local Offer team are also available to attend SEND parent carer sessions at schools.
Attendance at events has:
- raised awareness of opportunities for service users to have their say and give feedback through the annual review and education, health and care needs assessment and Local Offer surveys
- raised awareness of the SEND Local Offer pages on Livewell, the SEND e-newsletter and the social media channels as sources of information with both parent carers and other professionals working in the local area
- made parent carers aware of the graduated approach document and the duties of education settings to support children and young people with SEND
- made the SEND team more visible and accessible to parent carers
- raised awareness of the EHC Hub; at some events, parent / carers have been given support on how to use the Hub to find information about their child
- enabled the SEND Local Offer team to tell parent carers and professionals about local services and support that could help them
Children and young people engagement
A survey for young people about the EHCP annual review process was launched in January 2023, accompanied by a video about the survey featuring local young people. See section 15.2 for further information.
Young people have given their views on the annual review process, and this is being used to develop a guide to support other young people and professionals. This work was supported by a volunteer within the Local Offer Team, a young person with SEND himself.
An East of England forum for children and young people with SEND was launched by the Essex Multi-Schools Council in October 2023. The SEND Local Offer team have supported the promotion of the forum and encourage children and young people from Southend to get involved.
A commitment has been made in the SEND Strategic Action Plan to identify a lead officer for the ongoing development of the SEND Children and Young People's Forum, so that children and young people with SEND are supported in a way that allows their voices, opinions to be heard around topics which matter to them.
Events attended/delivered by the SEND Local Offer Team in 2023
A total of 64 events were attended/delivered.
January: 9 events
- SSIF coffee morning
- visit to young people at Southend Adult Community College
- Little Heroes Session
- Alternative Provision Event
- Southend-on-Sea City Council staff ND forum session
- SAVS community builders meeting
- SEND surgery
- Your Local Offer, Your Way session (in-person)
- Your Local Offer, Your Way session (online)
February: 3 events
- SEND surgery
- Little Heroes session
- Stepping Stones Session
March: 6 events
- SEND surgery
- SSIF Coffee morning
- parent carer session at Sutton House Academy
- Safeguarding Southend Together Conference
- Your Local Offer, Your Way session (in-person)
- Your Local Offer, Your Way session (online)
April: 3 events
- SEND surgery
- SSIF Coffee morning
- parent carer session at Chalkwell Hall Junior School
May: 6 events
- SEND surgery
- SSIF Coffee morning
- Chair and Vice Chair of Governors event
- SEAS course
- Your Local Offer, Your Way session (in-person)
- Your Local Offer, Your Way session (online)
June: 8 events
- SEND Surgery
- SSIF coffee morning
- SEND Stay and Play session
- visit to young people at South Essex College
- EHE event
- City SENCO session
- Small Sparks event
- Family Centre networking meeting
July: 7 events
- SSIF coffee morning
- Early Years SENCO event
- AP event
- parent carer session at Southchurch High School
- SEND surgery
- Your Local Offer Your Way session (in person)
- Your Local Offer, Your Way session (online)
September: 5 events
- SSIF coffee morning
- SEND surgery
- City SENCO meeting
- parent carer session at St Thomas More school
- Family Centre meeting
October: 7 events
- SSIF Coffee Morning
- SEND Surgery
- SEND Area Partnership Network event
- Your Local Offer Your Way session (in person)
- Your Local Offer, Your Way session (online)
- Annual review focus group with young people
- Annual review focus group with parent carers
November: 6 events
- SSIF Coffee Morning
- SEND Surgery
- parent carer session at West Leigh Infant School
- parent carer session at Greenways Primary School
- Annual Headteacher and Governor Conference
- Education health and care needs assessment focus group with parent carers
December: 4 events
- SEND Surgery
- SSIF Coffee Morning
- SEAS session at Little Heroes
- SEND Stay and Play session
The Southend SEND Network
The Southend SEND Network was launched in October 2023.
Southend SEND Independent Forum (SSIF) is the Department for Education funded Parent Carer Forum for Southend-on-Sea. As the nominated strategic partner for the Southend SEND Area Partnership, SSIF's role is to represent parent/carer voice.
The primary purpose of the SEND network is to reach and engage more families, so that the local community is better informed, opportunities for co-production are strengthened, and the voice of local families, groups and stakeholders are captured, fed back, and heard across the Partnership.
The Network is a collaboration between SSIF and the SEND Local Offer Team on behalf of the Southend SEND Area Partnership.
Local organisations, groups and charities that support children and young people with SEND and/or their families in Southend-on-Sea can become members, as can Individual parent carers.
30 organisations and 9 parent carers have currently joined the network. 29 of the organisations have nominated a SEND Champion to act as their key link person.
Our first SEND Network bulletin went out in December, and we are planning an introductory networking event for members.