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.