Consultation on the Southend special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) Partnership Strategy 2022 to 2025

Introduction

The Southend special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) Partnership has overseen a programme of engagement with parents, carers, young people, settings and practitioners who support children and young people with SEND to bring together this draft 3-year SEND strategy.

We want all children and young people with SEND to thrive and be happy. The SEND Partnership Strategy outlines 5 priorities, all of which are focused on improving the lived experiences of children and young people with SEND and their families. The strategy will help the formation of an easily navigated, open and transparent SEND system with clearly defined outcomes that make a real and measurable impact. 

We want to hear from:

• young people with SEND.
• parent/carers of children and young people with SEND.
• voluntary and community sector organisations that support children and young people with SEND and their families.
• practitioners that work with children and young people with SEND and their families including: 
  • Southend on Sea City Council staff, including education and early years, Public Health and social care. 
  • local Health Care providers and organisations.
  • local mainstream and special schools and other education providers, including early years and post 16/further education settings.

The 5 priority themes for this strategy are:

• Transitions: children and young people are prepared and supported to thrive at each change in their lives, helping them to feel secure and confident.
• Early Intervention: identification, assessment and effective support are provided at the earliest opportunity.
• Good mental health and wellbeing: children and young people with SEND are happy, enjoy and thrive within their family, education, and social lives. 
• 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.
• Local Offer: the Local Offer is a comprehensive, widely and easily accessible resource that signposts to a range of services and high-quality provisions that have been commissioned or developed in partnership

How you can get involved

We want you to join in the conversation. Your comments and ideas will be considered when we write the final version of the SEND Strategy. 

• click on the survey below to answer some questions about the strategy.
• visit our ideas boards below and post your views or comment on our Proposed actions, Vision, and Aims and ambitions. 
• attend a face-to-face or virtual online engagement event: 
  • Friday 1 July 10am to 11:30am - The Tickfield Centre, Tickfield Avenue, Southend-on-Sea, SS2 6LL. Register here. 
  • Friday 1 July 12:30 to 2:00pm - The Tickfield Centre, Tickfield Avenue, Southend-on-Sea, SS2 6LL. Register here.
  • Young person engagement event – Saturday 9 July 9:30am to 11:00am – Trust Links, 47 Fairfax Drive, Westcliff-on-Sea, SS0 9AG Register here. 
  • Online engagement event (via Microsoft Teams) Wednesday 6 July 5:30pm to 6:30pm. Register here.
  • Online engagement event (via Microsoft Teams) Wednesday 6 July 7:00pm to 8:00pm. Register here.

The consultation will close on 29 July 2022

If you have any questions, need help taking part in the consultation, wish to feedback in another way or would like an alternative version of the content such as an easy read version or a paper copy, please email localoffer@southend.gov.uk 

A summary of the outcome of the consultation will be published on the Your Say Southend Website. 

*Update is now available at SEND Have Your Say page, on the News Feed*

To read about how the Council handles your data please visit our Privacy notice: Southend-on-Sea Borough Council Privacy Notice