Summary

This report summarizes the feedback from the SEND Annual Review Survey for Children and Young People, conducted by "Your say Southend" between August 1, 2023, and July 31, 2024. The survey aimed to capture the experiences and perspectives of children and young people regarding their Education, Health and Care (EHC) annual reviews and their overall well-being.

Survey interaction

Key engagement metrics from the "Your say Southend" platform include:

• Total visits: 184
• new registrations: 1
• informed visitors: 37

Survey participation:

• visitors to the survey tool: 26
• contributors to the survey: 6

The survey results indicate that:

• Respondents were aged between under 5 and 25 years old, with the largest groups being 5-11 and 16-25 and most attending mainstream schools.
• Autism was the most common special educational need reported.
• While most annual review meetings were held online, there was a mixed experience regarding control over the meeting's time and location.
• Preparation for the review was mixed, with some receiving help and others needing more.
• A significant portion of respondents felt able to share their views, but some felt only partially heard.
• Views on whether their opinions were acted upon since the last review were varied, with "Some of them, but not all" or "Not sure" being common responses.
• The annual review generally helped respondents see their progress, though many felt they were making progress in areas other than education "partly" or were "not sure." Involvement in setting goals was mixed, and confidence in meeting goals varied.
• Parents/carers and teachers were consistently identified as the most helpful sources of support. The EHCP was largely seen as "partially" helping to achieve goals.
• Responses regarding mental health, confidence in making friends, and feeling accepted in the local community were mixed, with a significant number indicating "some of the time," "no," or "don't know."
• A notable percentage felt their voice and opinions were heard "some of the time" or "not sure."
• Most respondents completed the survey with help from someone else.

Overall, the survey indicates that while there are positive aspects to the annual review process and support, there are also areas where improvements can be made, particularly in ensuring young people feel fully heard, that their views are consistently acted upon, and in fostering a sense of inclusion within their local community. The survey summary results are available upon request.

Key findings and themes

Summary

A survey was co-designed with children and young people to gather feedback to help the Southend City Council SEND Team evaluate the annual review of Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs).

The team wanted to know if the support children and young people receive from their EHCP is helpful and if it makes a difference to their overall progress and development.

Children and young people were invited to complete the survey if they had been through the annual review process during the academic year 2022-23.

Survey interaction

The survey was hosted on the Your Say Southend, Southend SEND ‘have your say’ page. The survey was launched in January 2023.

The survey was available in electronic form but there were paper versions available in schools and settings across Southend, and upon request. Only a few paper surveys were completed.

The survey was advertised on Local Offer social media channels, through the Local Offer website, newsletters and through posters and postcards shared with schools and settings and in letters from the SEND Team. A promotional video was also created by children and young people who developed the survey to encourage completion.

From January until July 2023 there was a total of 30 visitors to the Your Say Southend page where the survey is hosted.

9 young people completed the survey.

Survey findings

The survey was only completed by a small number of children and young people. However, those that completed, or were supported to complete the survey:

• varied in age, from under 5 through to 25 years
• attended a range of settings; early years setting, mainstream school, special school and college or Further Education institution
• reflected a range of special educational needs and disability

We learned that children and young people feel they do not really have much of a say where and when their annual review took place. The majority answered that they either wanted more or had no support to explain and help them prepare before the review meeting took place.

Most children and young people answered that they like to share their own views at the annual review but also liked asking someone else to share them on their behalf (usually a family member).

Most children and young people feel able to share their views and say what is important to them and what they had found difficult, but some did not feel able to share all their views or difficulties and some felt they could not share them at all.

Children and young people were not always clear if their views are listened to and if their views were acted on.

Under half of the children and young people that answered said that the annual review helped them to see the progress they had made both inside and outside of education.

Over half of the children and young people that answered said they were not involved in setting their goals, targets or outcomes. With just under a half answering that they did not think their goals were realistic and did not feel confident to meet them. Over half were not confident their Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) would help them achieve their goals.

Most children and young people either did not know or were not sure who to go to, to speak about their annual review and goals, targets and outcomes, with the majority not knowing they could change them.

The majority of children and young people said the support that had helped them most or had most impact was from their parents and carers.

7 young people completed optional questions about their future.

Just over half did not feel fully prepared for the year ahead and felt they were not able to fully have a say about their education, learning or training.

Children and young people answered that they were not always confident making friends. Overall children and young people felt their mental health and wellbeing was good either some of the time or most of the time.

Most children and young people answered that they felt accepted and included in their local area, neighbourhood, or community but some said they did not.

Next steps

The answers to the questions show us that some children and young people in Southend-on-Sea do not feel listened to and feel that they have choice and control over their annual review or when setting their goals.

The SEND Team will be holding a focus group during Autumn 2023, with interested children and young people to consider these findings and to consider how the annual review process can be better in future.

The survey summary results is available upon request.