Recommendation 2
The local area partnership should evaluate the quality and impact of services and joint working more effectively, to inform improvements that lead to better outcomes and experiences for children and young people with SEND.
What we want: Earlier identification and effective support for children with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) in the early years.
What we will do: Roll out 'every child a talker' support programme to all wards across the city.
Commission effective practical resources for speech and language therapy in settings and schools.
Where are we now: SLCN is the primary need most identified in KS1/2 EYFS at SEN Support. Outcomes for this cohort are significantly below that of national expectations.
What we will see: Improved engagement and ELG achievements, increase in early identification and support.
The difference this will make: SEN progress in line with national expectations Improved KS1 attainment.
What we want: Early Years (EY) settings are able to accurately identify and support emerging and complex needs, with seamless transition and tracking in place across EYFS Sector.
What we will do: Review EY and childcare support services to assure quality of education and support, including SEND advice and support for emerging and complex needs.
Where are we now: Specialist advice and supports services cannot meet demand at individual or setting level. Support is inconsistent across the city. There is under identification of SEN and progress below expectations.
What we will see: Establish revised, integrated and expanded EY and childcare service with defined roles and responsibilities for support, including Area SENCos, specialist teachers and development officers.
The difference this will make: SEND identified earlier, with arrangements in place to meet emerging and complex needs. EY settings and reception classes will receive advice on quality improvement and support from dedicated and integrated EYFS SEND service.
What we want: Speech, Language, Social Communication and Interaction needs (SLCN) identified and supported in schools.
What we will do: Revise SLCN/ASD outreach offer and resources available in schools for Speech, Language, Social Communication and Interaction needs so that children and young people access s upport earlier.
Where are we now: Outreach services cannot meet demands. Access to some support is restricted by diagnosis and services therefore are not needs-led.
What we will see: Support and advice in place for children with speech, language, social, communication and interaction needs within schools and education settings.
The difference this will make: Increase identification of SLCN, Communication and Interaction needs at SEN Support. Advice and support in place for school arrangements. Improved attainment outcomes at Key Stages in line with national expectations for SEND.
What we want: Children attend and are fully engaged in education so that Key Stage expectations are met.
What we will do: Enhance support to schools through expansion of specialist inclusion behaviour teaching service. Roll out Relational Practice across city schools.
Where are we now: Pupils on SEN Support and those with EHC Plans have significantly higher absence rates than other pupils, with too many children being persistently absent.
What we will see: A reduction in suspensions, exclusions and modified learning plans for children with SEND. Increase in school attendance for pupils with SEND specifically those with SEMH and EHCPs.
The difference this will make: Children, parents, and schools will be better supported and have access to full time, suitable education and enabled to achieve in line with or better than peers both locally and nationally.
What we want: Improved identification and intervention in Early Years settings.
What we will do: Review local authority (LA) EY services to ensure greater consistency and early support, with improved tracking of EYFS across the sector, including reception year.
Where are we now: Fragmented services, with inconsistent support and limited capacity. Little tracking across transition for SEN support.
What we will see: Improved early identification of needs and targeted support. Evidence-based tracking of intervention and impact.
The difference this will make: Improved EYFS SEN identification, support and outcomes - to meet at least national expectations.
What we want: Improved identification and intervention in schools.
What we will do: Inclusion review to clarify expectations for graduated response across phases and resource a suite of tools for assessment that supports profiling needs, strategies, and interventions.
Where are we now: Graduated response inconsistent, SEN Support under identified and progress below national expectations in places.
What we will see: Schools identify emerging needs earlier and identify the specific profile of needs. Southend SEND expectations are embedded, ensuring all children have access to the right support at the right time with schools confidently able to implement appropriate arrangements.
The difference this will make: All children and pupils achieve their outcomes, make progress, and thrive. SEN Support percentages are in line with national expectations and pupils with SEND achieve attainment outcomes at least in line with national expectations.
What we want: Strengthen inclusive practice through relational and trauma informed practice models in schools.
What we will do: Commission a high-quality training provider that leads on relational and trauma informed practice with schools, settings and families to strengthen consistent and supportive practice.
Where are we now: Currently there is an inconsistent understanding, policy and practice across Southend schools and settings in relation to relational and trauma informed practice.
What we will see: A more cohesive approach towards inclusion across the city.
Schools will understand and apply relational and trauma-informed approaches to support the management of pupil behaviours.
The difference this will make: Earlier identification and needs supported leading to full attendance and engagement in school. Pupils and adults experience positive relationships with each other: presenting behaviours are managed safely and effectively, and suspensions are significantly reduced.
What we want: An enhanced range of alternative provision (AP) pathways for children with additional needs struggling to maintain their placement and providing support to pupils, schools, and their families so they can reintegrate successfully back into mainstream settings alongside their peers.
What we will do: Increase the current alternative provision offer.
Where are we now: Commissioned two (2) pilots focussing on children with:
- emerging SEMH and
- those with longer term SEMH needs but who are ready (with support) to return to school
- further explore AP pathway focusing on nurture.
What we will see: A reduction in suspensions, exclusions, and modified learning plans for children with SEND where additional needs may have been masked by presenting behaviours.
The difference this will make: Schools are better able to meet the needs of all children within mainstream settings.
What we want: Children and young people are supported to thrive and manage change positively as they move from one stage of education to the next.
What we will do: Transition support across the phases in place for all children, with targeted and bespoke arrangements for those who need support.
Where are we now: Some children are not offered support at the right time and struggle to settle/attend and learn within new schools.
What we will see: EYFS Ready to learn programme consistently delivered across city. Bespoke arrangements in place for children who are identified as needing additional support on transition from primary to secondary and on to college/adulthood.
The difference this will make: Children and young people with SEND attend well, engage and achieve EYFS/ Key stage outcomes in line with or better than national expectations.
What we want: Transitions: Young people are well prepared for adulthood, (PfA) experiencing strong positive participation in their local communities, including access to employment opportunities and leisure activities.
What we will do: PfA strategy is co-designed and in place, setting out the area's ambitions for positive participation, choice and independence. Improve arrangements for young people's transition from children to adult services.
Where are we now: Inconsistent experience. Transition arrangements do not start early enough. Some young people do not experience a seamless move into adult services. Supported employment opportunities are limited and too few access job coaches. Young people tell us access to leisure opportunities needs improvement.
What we will see: Young people are prepared for adulthood earlier. Year 9 EHCP reviews consider aspirations and include PfA outcomes. Opportunities are expanded for supported employment. There is greater awareness and access to leisure activities in the local community.
The difference this will make: Young people will be better prepared for meaningful adult lives with opportunities for them to pursue purposeful employment and community involvement.
What we want: Improved specialist teaching support for early intervention, SEN Support and EHCP arrangements for children and young people (CYP) in schools and settings.
What we will do: Review outreach support services for SEND. Establish central specialist teaching service to deliver individual support in schools and settings.
Where are we now: Too little and inconsistent support available across the city.
What we will see: Specialist teaching support services provide advice and curriculum support to pupils in schools and settings so that arrangements enable improved outcomes for CYP.
The difference this will make: Children and young people with SEND achieve EYFS/ Key Stage outcomes in line with or better than national expectations.
What we want: Establish an Emotional Literacy Support Assistants (ELSA) network within schools and settings.
What we will do: Implement the National ELSA model and framework in Southend schools and settings.
Where are we now: No ELSA network in place. Inclusion review Task and Finish Group agreed to implement programme in partnership with schools and health colleagues.
What we will see: ELSAs in schools providing training to staff and supporting emotional health and well-being of pupils with emerging mental health challenges.
The difference this will make: Children learn better and are happier in school with their emotional and well-being needs addressed.
What we want: More schools have access to Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs) in education settings.
What we will do: Increase the number of MHSTs in schools.
Where are we now: Eight (8) schools in Southend currently have a MHST practitioner.
What we will see: More children will access MHTS practitioner support in schools. Health will work in partnership with schools for early identification and support (link to recommendation five (5).
The difference this will make: Children feel supported by receiving the right support at the right time to meet their mental health and wellbeing needs.
What we want: Children and young people at risk of admission to a mental health inpatient setting are identified early and appropriate support is put in place to prevent avoidable admissions.
What we will do: Work with the LD Health Equalities team to understand the needs of this cohort of individuals and ensure that we are identifying children earlier and putting the right support in place at the right time to reduce risks where possible. Be an active partner in the development of the All Age Dynamic Support Pathway Approach and Register. We will enhance the provision to support these children and young people through the Autism Outreach Service, Keyworker Service and Autism in Schools work.
Where are we now: There is a children and young people DSR held by the CETR team. Southend hold an 'of concern' meeting led by social care. When transitioning to adult services, young people on the DSR must be moved to the adult DSR held by the Specialist Learning Disability Healthcare provider.
What we will see: Children and young people at risk of admission to an inpatient setting are known and have their needs met by a multi-disciplinary team to support them to remain within their community. Where CYP are admitted to an inpatient setting, the multi-disciplinary team work to identify appropriate support plans and support with discharge planning. By ensuring early intervention to prevent escalation, less children and young people will be admitted into inpatient settings. Young people approaching adulthood continue to be known and well supported, with clear transition plans to prevent escalation.
The difference this will make: Children and young people at risk of admission to or recently discharged from an inpatient setting receive the right support, at the right time.