Cabinet agrees new strategy to support children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities

A plan that maps out how Wiltshire Council and partners will work with families, children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) for the next five years has been agreed.

The SEND and Alternative Provision Strategy is called Meeting Needs Together – ambitious for all.

At a cabinet meeting this week, Wiltshire Council agreed the strategy, which pledges six priorities:

Children and young people and their families will be at the centre of planning, their views and aspirations heard and acted upon, as true partners.
Getting the right support at the right time, identifying and acting on our children’s needs at the earliest opportunity and through promotion of inclusive approaches and practice across the local area.

Provide opportunities for timely planning, reflective of the views of the child or young people and parent carers’ current needs, that have clear outcomes.

Ensure good quality communication and information, for families to have a positive experience when navigating services, with information that is easy to access and use.

Professionals and officers across the SEND system will have the skills, knowledge and training to enable effective collaboration across services, joint assessments and sharing of good practice.

Children and young people will be prepared for adulthood and experience timely transitions, leading to increased skills, greater independence and a greater range of opportunities in life.

The strategy also details how Wiltshire Council and its partners, including the Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon, and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board (BSW ICB), will work with SEND families and organisations within the Wiltshire SEND Local Area Partnership.

This collaboration, outlined in the "Working Together" section of the strategy, was signed by key stakeholders, including the Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board (BSW ICB) Wiltshire Parent Carer Council, and Nathan Huntley, a young person with SEND, who has contributed valuable insights as part of a team of ‘pioneers’ working with Wiltshire Centre for Independent Living to ensure SEND voices are heard.

Cllr Jane Davies, Cabinet Member for SEND, said: “We recognise that some great work is already being done, but we must continue listening to our SEND families and work alongside them to turn these words into meaningful actions.

“Our goal is to be ambitious for all children and young people, providing cohesive, holistic support, centred around their aspirations and needs. We believe that it’s everyone’s responsibility to meet the needs of every child and young person with SEND or in alternative provision in Wiltshire.”

Gill May, Chief Nurse, Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board, said: “One of the priorities of our ICB is to ensure all children have a great start in life, and this new plan sets out in black and white how that promise extends to our young people who live with additional needs and extra care requirements. The plan itself is a testament to that commitment, as we’ve made sure that young voices, as well as those of their parents and carers, are included throughout.”

Stuart Hall, Strategic Director, WPCC said: “This strategy brings together months of engagement with parent carers, young people and other stakeholders and reflects the voice and aspirations of people who contributed. There is a genuine commitment that runs through the plan to improve services for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND) and their families, and provide better experiences and outcomes for them. It is important that as the priorities identified in the plan are delivered in partnership over the next five years, there are ongoing opportunities to continue meaningful engagement with families, which the strategy commits to doing.”

You can view the full SEND and AP Strategy on our Local Offer website Meeting needs together, ambitious for all - Local Offer (wiltshire.gov.uk).