Actions have progressed well across all priority areas and issues/ risks raised at the 15-month review have been followed up/ escalated as needed. No actions are now delayed to further improve services for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in Wolverhampton. 

Key points mentioned:

  • Better identification of emerging needs at primary and secondary school with a focus on identifying need rather than labelling.
    • Understanding need is informing approaches, adjustments and support that is then, put in place.
    • New means of access to the friends and family test within specialist CAHMS and improved offers of support while waiting diagnosis are in place.
    • Transparency of waiting lists for SALT, OT, CAHMS and co-produced workstreams addressing the issues.
  • There is improved monitoring and accuracy in Education, Health and Care Plans, and timeliness is now above national average.
    • Stakeholders demonstrate greater clarity and understanding of the pathways, and parents report improved satisfaction with the process.
    • Quality assurance in place providing feedback on areas for improvement and monitoring education, health, and care contributions.
    • Improving the annual review process is a work in progress.
  • Further work needs to be done around joint commissioning which is recognised as being at an early stage.
    • There are now full commissioning teams across both the Integrated care board (ICB) and City of Wolverhampton Council.
    • A reformed SEND Joint Strategic Commissioning Group is in place.
    • The formal terms of Jointly commissioned services (e.g. SENDIASS) have joint contract review meetings and governance through the integrated commissioning committee.
  • There is greater evidence of co-production
    • Young people’s voices heard in SEND strategic developments through HY5! Group and HY5! website. HY5! have developed ‘Inspiring Change’ training and Send and Inclusion Partnership Board received this training on 18 July 2023.
    • Parent Carer Forum are key strategic partnership member and parent carers involved on workstreams and training opportunities with professionals and engagement with wider parent carer community.
  • There is greater clarity about preparing for adulthood, and transitions at reception, year 6 to 7 and post 16 are increasingly planned and supported.
    • Employers are open to employing young people with disabilities.
    • Supported Employment Team working with employers and training providers to assist with inclusion in the workplace.
  • Work is continuing with sharing information, including support systems and the local offer.
    • The Local Offer and Communications Officer is collaborating with parent carers and professionals to ensure a co-produced LO is established on a new platform.
    • This work has been effectively co-produced, and schools are valuing Parent Carer Forum experience as they develop their own parent carer engagement and forums.
    • There are established SENCO networks and a SEND newsletter. 

The area has been advised during this review to further strengthen their focus on gathering impact evidence for both the Written Statement of Action (WSoA) and Self-Evaluation Forms (SEF).

Wolverhampton SEND partnership are well placed to now co-produce a position statement for each of the evaluation criteria in the SEF and for the WSoA.  Position statements should be underpinned with: 

  • an explanation of how the area has reached this conclusion and
  • a link to supporting evidence of impact.
  • identified next steps and sustainability 

Wolverhampton have, through their work on the SEF, identified priorities and refreshed the SEND Strategy incorporating inclusion. Consultation on the Draft SEND and Inclusion Strategy began on 18 October 2023. The strategy sets out the vision and priorities of the SEND and Inclusion Partnership Board’s offer to children, young people, and their families.

The priorities within this strategy are adopted from the Department for Education’s SEND & Alternative Provision Improvement Plan 2023 and outcomes are based on the inspection standards set out within the SEND Local Area Inspection Framework. Findings within the Send Specific and Emotional Health and Wellbeing specific Joint Strategic Needs Assessments have been analysed to assist development. 

Key next steps 

Wolverhampton report that key next steps identified from the WSoA will be included within the SEND and Inclusion improvement plan which will detail the actions required to achieve the outcomes for each of the priority area within the strategy. 

The local area partnership will form working groups to deliver the SEND and Inclusion Improvement Plan with representation across social care, education, health and the voluntary/private sectors, children, young people, young adults, and families.  

Strengthening the role of schools and settings will be key, especially in relation to further develop inclusive practice in school pathways and provision for those vulnerable to poor attendance and exclusion.