SEND Newsletter Summer 2018

Welcome to the July edition of the Local Offer Newsletter.

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You can also read new editions online at: https://www.leicestershire.gov.uk/news/local-offer-newsletters

Excerpt below:

Choosing the right school is an important task for any parent or carer and their child, especially where a child has special needs. The Local Offer website contains information about every school in Leicestershire and so can be an important starting point.

Most children with SEN or a disability are successfully educated in mainstream schools through ‘SEN Support’ with support provided and funded by the school, without the need for an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). There are over 9,000 children on SEN Support Plans in Leicestershire, compared to 3,700 with an EHC Plan. During the past year there has been a big focus nationally on the SEND Reforms and the conversion of Statements to Education, Health and Care Plans. In Leicestershire we have achieved this.

At the same time, 98% of new EHCP assessments are produced within the new 20 week timescale. But we have much more to do. In keeping with our SEN and Disability Strategy (developed with support from the Parent Carer Forum), we want to:

• improve how well we work with parents and children.

• improve how well agencies work together.

• make sure that we get ‘transitions’ right, in particular the move from secondary school to further education.

• make sure that there is a choice of high quality provision, whether in mainstream school, specialist unit or special school.

Our focus for the next 12 months will be on improving quality. Quality of communication. Quality of plans. Quality of support. Quality of transition.

It is very important that all services work effectively with parents and carers, children and schools to achieve better outcomes. I would be interested in your views about how this can be achieved.

Tom Common, Head of SEN and Disability

For more please use the following link: S0265 SEND Newsletter Summer 2018_12A