SEND Local Offer - you said we did
People have given us feedback about:
- the design of the SEND Local Offer section of Livewell Southend and;
- the information on it
This page shows the action taken in response to feedback.
2022
Information added:
- Support for those with hearing impairments
- Explanation of why some alternative provision is unregistered
- Contact details for Children with Disabilities Team
- `GSCE results - what next?` page
"Want BSL information". Added links to British Sign Language videos about benefits (PIP, access to work, DLA, Carers Allowance), vehicle tax exemption and reduction, LGBTQI information, online safety, sexual health and energy advice.
2023
Local Offer landing page changes:
- made images more vibrant.
- moved information for young people and added an image
- Local Offer team contact details made more prominent when viewed on a mobile
- glossary of terms updated
- Parent Carer Forum (SSIF) information made more prominent
- wording for links section changed from SEND external links to SEND external websites
- button for services outside Southend removed. Replaced with links to Essex and Thurrock Local Offers
- added a site map link which lists all of the main sections of the Local Offer on one page
"Want information about events for families". We regularly share details of local events on social media and in our SEND newsletter, and make use of the events section on Livewell Southend. We also encourage members of the SEND Network to submit events relating to their own organisations so they can also be displayed in the events section of the website. Explanation added to events and activities section to show that some things are activities for children and young people and some for parent carers.
"Text is long and thin"; "too large on a mobile"; "formatting on downloaded documents is awful on a phone". In June 2023, Livewell Southend moved to a new platform. The platform is mobile responsive, has enhanced accessibility features and an enhanced search facility. Inaccessible PDFs and word documents were removed from the site. Necessary information was recreated as HTML web pages.
"Would like monthly newsletters/emails", "have a Facebook page", "Instagram and Facebook"; "no regular communication of news and updates". Added images to highlight the SEND newsletter and our Facebook and Instagram pages, added link to the latest news page. Important updates are sent to SEND Network members for them to share with their families. We have also now added a news item featuring the last 3 editions of the SEND Newsletter.
"Website hard to navigate and not very logical"; "make it more user friendly"; "too complex to get to the information you need"; "just not easy"; "not sure how clear the search tool is for families if they don't know what they are looking for"; "make the search useable"; "need to be able to find information from a few letters or a word". Large search bar added to the Livewell Southend home page. We have reduced the number of `entry points` to the information on the Local Offer. Now have subject related boxes with icons which includes a support for parent carers box. Added details of how to search for information, links to accessibility information, site map and glossary of terms.
Supporting Families directory record created, and contact details added to Children with Disabilities Team information
"Make sure links work"; "the Local Offer is out of date, inaccessible". Phone numbers and links don't work". Out of date services and information were removed when we moved to the new platform. Links were checked and fixed where necessary
"Information is unclear in places and repeated a lot". Related information was grouped together. Unnecessary pages were removed.
Replaced the term `directory` with `services` or `listings` where appropriate
Added:
- links to information about the Holiday Activities and Food programme (HAF) and Ofsted registered holiday club provision to the events and activities page
- information to the Dyslexia page
- links to the Southend Learning Network website for key documents for education professionals
- further detail about how to apply for a personal education budget
- link to information about NHS Choices
- information about the difference between Further and Higher Education to the post-16 education page
"Have some detailed content". Have created new information pages in response to feedback about appointees, deputies and power of attorney, consent for treatment, DLA at age 16, Supported Internships, role of the SENCO, travel training, multi-sensory impairment and day opportunities/services for adults with learning disabilities
Other information added:
- how SEN is identified in schools, how children and young people are supported, including support for different needs
- have your say and get involved page
- blue badges, vehicle tax emptions and bus passes, services supporting children and young peoples mental health and wellbeing
- information added to the young persons section about doctors and dentists appointments, online safety, relationships, sex and sexual health, bullying, managing money
- book and resource recommendations page
2024
"Parents feel isolated – need signposting to support groups": Added support for parent carers button to the Local Offer landing page.
"Parents need support to look after themselves". As above, plus the support for parent carers page has links to other parent carer support information.
"Looking for information about day opportunities for people with learning disabilities". Created a new page containing details of local provision.
A parent told us Pooky Knightsmith has some information she has found useful. Added a link to the website to the book and resources recommendation page.
"Need advice around EHCP processes and who to contact when unhappy with LA responses". This information was always on the Local Offer but we have added a EHCP subject button to the landing page so people can easily access the EHCP information. Created SEND routemaps for the EHCNA process and the EHCP Annual Review process which have information showing the points at which parent carers have a right to mediation or appeal.
"Dedicated homepage tab to simplify navigation/access"; "be easier to navigate"; "It's hard to find what support is available for my son". Link to the site map added to each Local Offer subject area landing page so people can see there is information relating to other subjects on the Local Offer. The new platform has a drop-down menu function. This helps the user easily navigate to different parts of the website. Education information split into early years and school age and post-16 to make it easier to navigate.
"Bit difficult to navigate. Is there an easier, clearer way to display information?". Added text to subject area landing pages explaining that there are information pages and listings of services. School age and post-16 information split into sub-categories to make it easier to navigate.
Using SEND rather than SEN consistently across the site
Abbreviations and full words added to Education Health and Care Needs Assessment (EHCNA) and Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) information
Information about what to do if you are unhappy with support provided by the school made more prominent by creating a separate information page. In 2025 we developed a routemap for this topic.
"Some services excluded so it does not actually reflect the local offer", "want to see local businesses on the website"; "need information about how to access health provisions for SEND". We constantly review what is available in the local area and invite organisations to have directory records on the Local Offer. Have created 108 new directory records since February 2023 covering a range of services and support, including NHS teams that provide services for children and young people in the local area.
2025
"Parents feel isolated – need signposting to support groups". Added SEND Surgeries banner to the Local Offer landing page. `Support groups and services for parent carers` and `SEND surgeries’ button added to the events and activities page. Event listings created for each SEND Surgery. Created an event listing for the Lighthouse workshops and suppport groups.
"Want information about ADHD medication". Added link to the Neurodevelopmental Pathway information page.
"Would like information about what to expect when you visit the Lighthouse and what the assessment is based on". Added link to the Neurodevelopmental Pathway page to information about the ASD and ADHD assessment process. Added a Neurodevelopmental Pathway button to the landing page of the Local Offer.
"Want information for neurodivergent young people about things that can help them stay calm". Added a page to the information for young people section covering support for neurodivergent teens. Includes a link to the ND support pack for young people which has information about strategies.
"Would like tips and hints for days out with neurodivergent children". Added a section to the support for parent carers page with links to some resources.
"Would like information on how to find school SEND information reports". Added some introductory text to the education support page about where the reports can be found.
"Would like information about useful questions to ask senco's". Added suggested questions to the SEN support page.
"Would like Information about support for SEND in the early years". Created the early years support routemap.