The previous SEND strategy was launched in 2020. Since that time, there has been a significant period of disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although we've focused on and remained committed to all priorities within the strategy, we also worked quickly to adapt the support during this period.
You can find a summary of the progress against the 2020 SEND strategy priorities below. All actions that are required to be completed have transferred into the current delivery plans.
Co-production
Our priority was:
That we all work proactively and co-productively with parents, carers, young people and other partners to improve service planning, design, delivery and review, and to make sure that services are child, young people and family-focused. Our work will be guided by the Stockport co-production charter.
In this time, we have:
- further publicised the co-production charter, with a significant number of organisations and groups now signed up
- launched co-production e-learning across the area
- developed a co-production community of practice which is attended by partners from across Stockport to share and learn from co-production best practice.
- carried out focussed work on youth voice through partners.
- built up open and honest relationships and lines of communication with parent/carer groups
We still need to:
- further enhanced opportunities for young people to have their voice heard in their individual planning
- further collated the impact of co-production in a more robust way
Joint Commissioning
Our priority was:
Making sure that health, education and social care services work with children, young people and their families to agree on shared priorities, and direct resources to where they measurably improve outcomes.
In this time, we have:
- continued a joint commissioning, planning and delivery group which meets monthly and oversees all activity
- across all agencies and partners jointly reviewed speech, language and communication offer for Stockport children
- jointly commissioned a review of occupational therapy and physio services
- co-produced and launched an integrated personal budget offer
- co-produced and launched Family hubs to strength family help offers
- reviewed and co-produced a new local offer
- strengthened working arrangements and planning between children and adult services.
- ensured a performance focus with a specific performance group chaired by the Director of Education
We still need to:
- deliver on the current work on a new pre-diagnostic offer for neurodiversity linked to emotional wellbeing
- strengthen focus across the system on preparation for adulthood
- launch a new speech, language and communication offer which is outcome-focused and community based
- implement changes and recommendations outlined in the occupational therapy and physio service review
Inclusion
Our priority was:
Making sure that all early years settings, schools, colleges and services provide high quality inclusive provision that meets the needs of children and young people with SEND locally. Making sure that settings are appropriately supported to be enabled to do this both with resource and support.
In this time, we have:
- restructured and launched our council education support services into a new inclusion service with a new defined inclusion focus
- strengthened the role of school improvement within SEND
- developed a school’s strategy
- commissioned further resource provisions within mainstream school settings
We still need to:
- develop as planned inclusion partnerships within each locality
- roll out findings from the current work on SEN support in the pathfinder across the borough
Outcomes
Our priority was:
That there is a shared drive to provide services that have the most significant impact so that short and longer-term outcomes for children and young people with SEND are improved, and there is evidence of their achievements and progress across all areas, including social, emotional, educational and independence. Making sure it is outcome-based and focused on evaluating by outcomes and not actions.
In this time, we have:
- made sure we have a performance focus on outcomes with a distinct discussion monthly based on multi-agency outcomes dashboard based on our outcome’s framework
- improved positively DFE measured specific education outcome measures in both the early years and school ages for our SEND children
- made sure the SEND outcomes framework has been adopted across children’s services, is in the Council Plan, and is central to strategic thinking
- made sure it is a focus of workforce development programmes
We still need to:
- further strengthen operational practice in relation to SMART outcome measures within SEN Support and EHCP planning
Workforce
Our priority was:
That we have a skilled, trained and confident workforce supported by brave and bold leaders.
In this time, we have:
- made sure SEND E-learning is mandatory for all council workers and available to anyone in Stockport
- launched new mandatory training for all social workers on SEND and their role
- launched a training through school improvement/ inclusion on adaptive teaching
- rolled out Autism in schools training to all schools which is being built upon in 2024
- rolled out Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA) training for all schools
- made sure workforce development for Family Hubs includes SEND as a 'golden thread'
We still need to:
- refresh the current workforce plan