Agreeing the priorities
The feedback gained from children, young people, their families, and members of the Southend SEND Partnership, together with feedback from the SEND inspection re-visit and the SEND improvement programme has identified 5 priorities for action over the next 3 years. These form the basis of this strategy supporting the SEND community from early years to adulthood.
Our 5 key priorities
Transitions, plans, good mental health and wellbeing, early intervention, and the Local Offer.
Priority - Transitions:
Children and young people are prepared and supported to thrive at each change in their lives, helping them to feel secure and confident.
This is important because:
- change is part of everyday life, so it is important to help children and families learn how to successfully adapt
- children and young people with SEND and their families will go through lots of changes. This could be a different school or setting, a different service provider or worker, moving into employment or a change in personal circumstances and needs
- without effective planning and the right support for children and young people with SEND, transitions can be unmanageable for the child, which can have a lasting impact
One young person told us a good transition means "Feeling prepared and ready!"
Priority - Early Intervention:
Identification, assessment and effective support are provided at the earliest opportunity.
This is important because:
- children and young people who have their needs recognised earlier, generally have better outcomes
- children and young people may find it easier to manage day to day life and access the world around them
- families feel supported and better able to cope
- the right support can be provided at the right time, in the right place, which may reduce needs or prevent them from increasing
One young person told us "Good support means being empowered to do things on my own."
Priority - Good mental health and wellbeing:
Children and young people are provided with the best chance to achieve positive mental health, be happy and thrive within their family, education and social lives, develop their potential, build strong relationships and contribute to their community.
This is important because:
- it helps children and young people cope better with day-to-day life
- it helps children and young people to engage with others and maintain positive relationships
- it helps to build self-esteem and confidence
- it helps children and young people to effectively understand and communicate their own needs
- it helps children and young people to make positive choices
One young person told us "I see a counsellor and my music has helped me through my thoughts and feelings."
Priority - Plans:
EHCPs and other plans for children and their families have the young person at the centre, are well co-ordinated, co-produced, timely, and lead to well informed and effective support, which is regularly monitored and reviewed.
This is important because:
- effective plans show the child or young person's needs, ensure the correct support is in place and lead to better outcomes
- children and young people's hopes and aspirations can be turned into meaningful and achievable outcomes
- children and young people and families are listened to, understood, and well supported
- those providing the support within the plan know what they are expected to do and when they need to do it
- timely planning and reviews provide the right support, in the right place and at the right time
One young person told us The support I receive is a really big balancing act as it needs to be at the right time in the right way."
Priority - The Local Offer:
Southend's Local Offer website is a widely and easily accessible resource that signposts to a range of universal, targeted and specialist support services and high quality provisions for Children and Young People with SEND and their families.
This is important because:
- children and young people, families and professionals know who to go to for consistent advice and support
- it helps children, young people, families, and professionals to feel empowered, make informed choices and better engage with the community
- a range of high-quality provision will help children and young people and families to access support close to home
- children and young people, families and professionals have relevant and up to date information that can be found quickly and easily
One young person told us "We need fully accessible sports clubs that are clued up on SEND specific needs."