Portsmouth SENDAP Strategy 2024-2029 (accessible edition)
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Version 5 - 22 November 2024
Portsmouth Sendap
Strategy 2024 - 2029
Contents Page
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Part A: Overview and Context
1. Our Vision 3
2. Our Context 4
3. Our Self-Assessment of the Sendap system - 2024 8
4. Our Children, Young People and Families - what they tell us 11
5. Our Seven Strategic Objectives 12
6. Our Multi-Agency Governance and Delivery Structure 13
Part B - Our Seven Strategic Objectives: What We Will Achieve
1. Meeting children’s needs through universal services and Ordinarily Available Provision 15
2. Timely and high-quality education and support for children with Education, Health and Care Plans 17
3. Developing the workforce to meet children’s SEND needs 19
4. Meeting the needs of children and young people with neurodiversity and their families 21
5. Improving children's social and emotional wellbeing in education 23
6. Enabling young people to prepare for adulthood 25
7. Delivering high quality Alternative Provision 27
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Part A
Overview and Context
1. Our Vision
The Portsmouth Sendap Partnership has for a number of years worked to our local Inclusion Statement which drives our strategic planning, commissioning and delivery. A refreshed version is in development and is being co-produced with all partners.
Respect and value children and young people as individuals Develop the skills, knowledge and competence of the workforce Work together across whole organisations to challenge bullying and discrimination and have a plan that helps resolve bullying for the benefit of everyone involved
Aim for children and young people to attend a local mainstream nursery, school or college wherever possible Create an environment that is welcoming to all Support children and young people to develop skills and resilience to overcome barriers Work together across services
In order to achieve this we will…
We want all children and young people in Portsmouth to…
Feel included and part of their community Go to nursery, school or college locally Be valued and not discriminated against Have equal opportunities Have positive social and family relationships Make successful transitions to employment, higher education and independent living • Develop emotional resilience and positive self-esteem Aspire to live independently and participate in school and society Achieve their potential Be physically, emotionally and mentally healthy Be safe in a positive environment Be heard for their views to be taken
We want all families in Portsmouth to…
Feel their child or young person is included and feels a part of the local community Know their child’s needs are understood and acted upon by those who support them to ensure consistency Feel welcome and included wherever they go Have a positive relationship with their child’s school Have their voices heard Know where to go for advice and support when needed Be actively involved in the planning and delivery of their support plan or network Be at the centre of everything we do in the spirit of co-production
We’ve worked closely with young people, parents, carers and professionals in Portsmouth to agree what inclusion means to people
in our city.
Inclusion means that every child or young person will:
Achieve their potential from education or training Build and maintain positive social and family relationships Make a successful move to employment, higher education and independent living
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2.Our Context
Portsmouth is one of the most densely populated local authority areas outside of London. Two-thirds of the city is an island (Portsea Island) providing a home for over 214,000 residents.
There are over 50,000 children and young people resident in the city, and a youth population that fluctuates throughout the year due to the large local University.
Portsmouth ranks 102 out of 316 local authorities in England where one is the most deprived area. Some areas of Charles Dickens and Paulsgrove are in the most deprived 10% of areas in England.
Public services supporting families have a long history of working effectively in partnership in the city. A single overarching Children's Plan has been in place since 2001 and is refreshed every three years.
Under the wider Children's Trust Partnership, the Portsmouth Sendap partnership has been in existence in some form since 2005. The Sendap Partnership and delivery remains strong which is why in 2023, Portsmouth was approached to be part of the national Sendap Change Programme - much of the work of which has informed this Strategy.
In terms of Sendap, snapshot data from April 2024 gives a sense of the children we serve.
2,116 children with an EHCP 5,185 children on SEN Support 405 children we care for 358 care experienced young people 1,119 children open to CAMHS 1,685 children open to NHS Therapy services 115 commissioned 'Tier 4’ Alternative Provision places 724 children in local Special Schools 27 children in out of city schools 16 children with Continuing Care needs 7 children on the Dynamic Support Register
Partnerships in Portsmouth
Portsmouth has a well-deserved reputation for strong multi-agency and partnership working in public service delivery. This is particularly true in services for children and families.
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The city has had a Children's Trust Plan and associated multi-agency governance and delivery structures since 2003 - with a dedicated strategy for SEND (or formerly 'children with disabilities') since 2004.
The Health and Wellbeing Board continues to provide the broad strategic oversight of planning and delivery of public services for the residents of Portsmouth the Board is kept well informed on the Sendap Strategy and impact. Under the Health and Wellbeing Board, strong partnership governance arrangements focussed on the children's agenda are in place through the Children's Trust Board.
In the health arena, the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board and the local authority work in close partnership through 'Place-based' arrangements, comprising a dedicated Integrated Children's Commissioning Team and clear matrix management arrangements across the Icb and local authority to ensure the balance between consistency across the wider Hampshire and Isle of Wight 'footprint' and the specific needs and service delivery structures in Portsmouth.
In terms of service delivery, there are a number of integrated local authority and NHS delivery teams and pathways through a close working relationship between the local authority, education providers and the newly formed (in 2024) Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. The diagram overleaf outlines the major parts of the Sendap system - the key services and partners.
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Education
o Early years Settings o 62 schools o 5 Special Schools
Cliffdale Primary Redwood Park Secondary Mary Rose School Wymering School Harbour School o 10 Inclusion Centres o Portsmouth City College o 2 main ‘Tier 4’ AP Providers
Co-production Groups
o Portsmouth Parent Voice o Dynamite
Integrated Icb/LA Commissioning Team
o Designated Clinical Officer o Icb SEND Leads (HIOW-wide)
Solent NHS Health Services
o Integrated Early Help Service
(including public health nursing) o Integrated Therapies Services o Community Paediatrics o CAMHS o Solent NHS/LA Nd Multi-
Disciplinary Team
Children’s Social Care and
Early Help
o Children with Disabilities Social
Workers o Children with Disabilities Early
Help Workers
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The Strategic context for the Sendap Strategy is the wider Children's Trust Plan which outlines the 6 key priorities for children's welfare, together with the two age-based cross-cutting Strategies agreed in 2024.
Portsmouth Children's Trust Plan - 2024 - 2027
Youth Justice
Plan
Youth Justice
Board
Speech and
Language
Neurodiversit
y
The Big Drivers
Trauma
Four Cross-cutting Themes
Children's Trust Plan 2024 - 2029
Co-production and hearing the voice of children and families
Data, Intelligence and Insight into Service and System Performance
Multi-Agency and Multi-Disciplinary Workforce and Practice Development
Restorative and Relational Practice
6 Strategic Objectives
Youth Strategy
6 Strategic Objectives
Sendap
Strategy
7 Sub- Groups 2 Sub- Groups
Portsmouth
Youth Board
Portsmouth
Pre-Birth to
5 Board
10 Strategic Objectives
6 Sub- Groups
Portsmouth
Corporate
Parenting
Board
Portsmouth
Social, Emotional and Mental
Health
Board
Portsmouth
Children’s
Public Health
Board
4 Sub-Groups
7 Strategic Objectives
Sendap
Strategy Corporate
Parenting
Strategy
6 Strategic Objectives
Semh Strategy
Children’s
Ph Strategy
3 Strategic Objectives 8 Strategic Objectives
Safeguarding
Children Strategy
9 Sub- Groups
Education
Strategy
7 Strategic Objectives
7 Sub- Groups
3 Sub- Groups
Portsmouth
Sendap
Board
Portsmouth
Education Partnership
Board
3 Sub- Groups
Portsmouth Safeguarding
Children
Board
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3. Our Self-Assessment of the Sendap system - 2024
The Sendap Partnership refreshes its self-assessment of the system (Self Evaluation Framework or 'Sef') each year.
The 2024 Sef concluded the following Strengths and Areas for Development.
Sendap System Strengths
Portsmouth has built a mature, inclusive Sendap Partnership with strong governance and oversight
The city enjoys Outstanding special school provision in 3 of the 5 special schools (with one still not inspected as at 2024)
Pupil place planning in special schools and Inclusion Centres is effective in both predicting and meeting future demand
There is low dependence on out-of-city education placements due to the quality and size of specialist provision. Joint commissioning of out-of-city health, education and care packages for children is mature.
Integrated commissioning structures between the LA and Icb are mature
Portsmouth's Ordinarily Available Provision document has been recognised nationally as a model of good practice
The needs-led approach to child neurodiversity and family support - co-produced with families - has been well received locally and we lead national work on developing similar models, with over 50 LAs and ICBs working on models inspired by 'the Portsmouth model'
Social work with children with disabilities (including a dedicated early help service for those not meeting S17 threshold) is high quality. There is a dedicated specialist health visiting service working in partnership with Portage for pre-school children
The Alterative Provision Strategy 2023 has been co-produced with schools and led to a comprehensive set of work to embed the Portsmouth 4-Tier model
Restorative and Relational Practice in schools has engaged over half of our schools and school leaders are linking the work to creating inclusive cultures
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Sendap System Strengths - continued
Portsmouth has a strong Semh Partnership structure including a multi-agency standalone Board (sister partnership to the Sendap Board) as well as dedicated Semh in Schools work under the Sendap Strategy. These two strategies have worked in conjunction to deliver Mental Health Support Teams; Kooth on-line mental health offer; My Happy Mind in early years and primary schools; strategic mental health leads, ELSAs in most schools; psychiatric liaison service; new eating disorder pathways and mental health support for children in care.
A very strong Virtual School offer provides excellent oversight of the education of children we care for, with strong partnership working with social work, SEN teams and education setting for children in care with SEND needs.
Oversight and delivery of health services for children are strong with many examples of integrated pathways and functions.
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Sendap System Areas for Improvement
The timeliness of EHCP Assessments
The increasing demand for EHCPs, especially in the Early Years sector
SEND provision in the Early Years for a small number of children with complex needs
Developing the Ordinarily Available Provision and supporting education settings to meet needs through SEND Support
Suspensions of children with SEND are too high in the city
Joined-up integrated workforce development opportunities for professionals working with SEND children and young people
The Neet rate for post-16 youngsters is too high
In primary schools, the Semh needs of a small number of children are causing some concern. In secondary schools, a wider set of youngsters are struggling to access the curriculum.
Too many children in Portsmouth have delayed language development.
Post-pandemic rises in severely absent children continue to challenge the multi-agency partnership despite significant LA and NHS investment and focus.
Education outcomes at the end of Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 4 are not where we want them to be - as are education outcomes for all children in the city
One of our specialist settings received an OFSTED outcome of inadequate in 2022. There is evidence of significant progress at this setting and a strong partnership between the school and local area
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4.Our Children, Young People and Families - What they tell us
The Portsmouth Sendap system has a number of measures in place to capture the views and experience of children, young people and families in the city.
The Parent and Carer Forum, the wider Parent and Carer Board and the Dynamite Group are key partners in the Partnership and heavily engaged in co-production activity.
Through our annual SEND Survey of families, co-production events with young people, extensive participation work in Solent NHS and Hampshire and Isle of Wight Icb and surveys of wider groups of young people (e.g. BeeWell) we have received a number of key messages that inform this strategy.
o In the 2023 SEND Survey, fewer parents and carers felt listened to than in previous years
o 41% of parents and carers had an identified lead professional
o Under a quarter feel mental health needs are being met
o Fewer parents than previous years felt their children are getting the support needed in education (44% positive)
o Families are broadly positive about short breaks – especially the pre-paid card
o Awareness of Local offer website – 34% ‘have heard of it and use’ but 44% were unaware of it
o The system should do more on post-16 education advice and guidance
o Cost of living pressures were having a significant impact on families
o Young people with mental health concerns would usually turn to a 'parent or peer' for advice and guidance, telling us something important about providing high quality advice and guidance across the city
o Feedback on the new neurodiversity pathways and support (i.e. the multi- disciplinary team) is very positive
o Children and young people with SEND would like to retain bus passes for longer.
o The broader city's understanding of Nd needs to improve. Employers need to understand and value neuro-difference. Even every day activities can be challenging for Nd youngsters, e.g getting a haircut
o Parents and carers are clear that early intervention is vital and that inclusive education and community environments are a priority. Moreover, reasonable adjustments are just that - reasonable.
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o Children, young people and parents and carers want to see widespread SEND training for the city
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5. Our Seven Strategic Objectives 2024 - 2029
Following significant work on the Self Evaluation, consultation with children and young people and using the Local Area Inclusion Plan planning tools (through the national Sendap Change Programme) the Portsmouth Sendap Partnership has agreed the following Seven Strategic Objectives for 2024- 2029
Strategic Objective 1: Meeting children’s needs through universal services and Ordinarily Available Provision
Strategic Objective 2: Timely and high-quality education and support for children with EHCPs
Strategic Objective 3: Developing the workforce to meet children’s SEND needs
Strategic Objective 4: Meeting the needs of children and young people with neurodiversity and their families
Strategic Objective 5: Improving children's social and emotional wellbeing in education
Strategic Objective 6: Enabling young people to prepare for adulthood
Strategic Objective 7: Delivering high quality Alternative Provision
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6. Our Multi-Agency Governance and Delivery Structure
Portsmouth Health & Wellbeing Board
Sendap Board
Removing Barriers to
Inclusion
Group
Strategic Objective 1
Preparing for
Adulthood
Group
Strategic Objective 6
Emotional Wellbeing in
Education
Group
Strategic Objective 5
Children's Neurodiversity Steering Group
4. Strategic Objective 4
Portsmouth Children's Trust Board
SEND Workforce
Group
2. Strategic Objective 3
EHCP Process,
Quality and
Outcomes
Strategic Objective 2a
Sendap Performance and
Commissioning Group
Portsmouth Education
Partnership Board
Alternative
Provision Strategy ad
Implemen- tation Group
Strategic Objective 7 Sufficient Education
Places Strategic Objective 2b
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Oversight of Delivery and Impact
The Sendap Board is the key vehicle for overseeing the effectiveness of service delivery on outcomes for children and their families. The Sendap Board membership includes key representatives and decision-makers from all the relevant bodies and sectors (the local authority, education, health providers, health commissioners, children's social care etc) as well as bodies representing young people and parents and carers.
The Sendap Board is supported in its work by the Sendap Performance and Commissioning Group which brings together key stakeholders to carry out three tasks:
Understand the performance of the system through relevant data and quality assurance activity
Oversee the implementation of the Delivery Plans flowing from the Seven Strategic Objectives and ensure alignment with wider city work
Agree recommendations for commissioning made to the Sendap Board.
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Part B
Our Seven Strategic Objectives: What We Will Achieve
Strategic Objective 1
Meeting children’s needs through universal services and Ordinarily Available Provision
Why is this important?
In line with our vision for inclusion, and our ambitions for a 'needs-led' city, we want to support children's SEND needs as early as possible. Some Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs, as well as developmental delay in speech, language and communication can be reduced for some children through preventative measures. When needs do emerge, we will continue to identify and meet children's needs as early as possible
This agenda includes securing the Best Start in Life for pre-school children, as well as meeting children's needs through universal services and Ordinarily Available Provision in and around education settings for older children
The number of requests for EHCPs nationally and locally is rising and this is placing pressure on SEND funding, on special school places and associated 'high-tier' health and care services. We want to support a decrease in the request rate through both prevention and by meeting
What is going well? What is in place already?
Portsmouth has a well-deserved national reputation for its work on setting out the Ordinarily Available Provision that should be in place in all education settings
Schools and early years settings have worked tirelessly to enable inclusive environments for children with emerging SEND needs
Innovations such as My Happy Mind for preventing future Semh and Elsec for screening and developing early language are becoming increasingly embedded across the system
The Family Hub offer (through a partnership of NHS, council and Vcs providers) is strengthening early support for families
Nearly half of Portsmouth schools are engaged in developing Restorative and Relational Practice to improve the culture and ethos of schools, which evidence shows, is enabling stronger inclusion of pupils in mainstream learning
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The impact we expect to see
• More children able to access mainstream education provision and be happy, healthy safe and learning
• Stronger early language development for pre-school children
• Effective response to early identification of any child developmental delay in the pre-school years
• Reduced number of requests for EHCPs – because children's needs have been met earlier and can continue to be met by families and mainstream schools
• Stronger education outcomes for children on SEN Support
The Work We Need to Do
• Continue to develop high quality Ordinarily Available Provision (Oap) in every school, early years setting and post-16 provider, supporting education settings to achieve the highest quality standards
• Work with the DfE through the Sendap Change Programme to innovate in system wide development of inclusive mainstream practice
• Develop capacity in the system to quality assure Oap and support schools in developing their offer
• Quality First teaching in all education settings
• Early identification of, and response to, developmental delay in the first 1,001 days of life
• Family support available through the Family Hubs offer (whilst Government funding remains available)
• Implement a coherent pathway and related set of programmes to secure a clear Early Language Development offer across Universal, Targeted and Specialist tiers
• Fully embed whole-setting models for children's emotional wellbeing and resilience (e.g. My Happy Mind and Zones of Regulation) to reduce the incidence of social, emotional and mental health
• Continue to develop restorative and relational practice in schools and education settings to support the development of inclusive leadership and cultures in education
• Jointly work across the LA and Icb to recommission therapy
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Strategic Objective 2
Timely and high-quality education and support for children with Education, Health and Care Plans
What is going well? What is in place already?
Portsmouth has five special schools (including a joint Semh Special School and AP provider). 3 of our 5 schools are rated Outstanding by Ofsted, one has not been inspected as of September 2024).
In addition, the city has 10 Inclusion Centres providing high quality education and support for children with EHCPs. Annual reviews of all Inclusion Centres are in place.
Long-term strategic planning for placements is strong
Demand for out of city placements is being kept low. Where places are needed, joint commissioning across education, health and social care is effective.
Specialist health services around our special schools are in place.
Health visiting provide a specialist service for children with complex disabilities. This team works in alignment with the Portage service and the Early Years team
Social work and early help services for children with disabilities have
Why is this important?
Some children with SEND will require Education, Health and Care Plans in order to effectively meet educational, health and wellbeing outcomes. It is important that assessment and planning processes are timely, co- produced and result in high quality plans with effective annual review.
Some children with EHCPs will require specialist education provision (alongside specialist care and health services) and it is vital that the local Sendap partnership secures sufficient specialist provision.
For those children with EHCPs whose needs can be met in mainstream schools, effective advice, support and guidance for both educators and families should be available through the Sendap partnership.
The Sendap partnership should work to avoid wherever possible the need for children to be education in out of city placements, but where this is necessary, placement commissioning should be effective, efficient and demonstrate value for money.
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The Work We Need to Do
• Secure timely EHCP assessments, returning Portsmouth to previous high performance levels
• Ensure children, young people and families experience high quality annual reviews
• Secure sufficient and effective physical and mental health service support in and around mainstream, special schools and AP provision
• Ensure joined-up care planning for children with SEND who have a social worker
• Develop a sustainable model of Early Years SEND provision including commissioning sufficient specialist places ready for 2025
• Where funding allows, implement small capital grants to allow Early Years and mainstream schools to build inclusive environments for children
• Develop the Omega Centre for post-16 SEND education provision
• Carry out a review of mainstream Inclusion Centre's to ensure future needs and demand are sufficiently planned for
• Review the effectiveness of the Early Years Panel and health notifications
• Ensure sufficiency of special school places through our local Sufficiency Strategy
• Ensure high quality post-16 education provision for young people
The impact we expect to see
• High quality EHCPs and Annual Reviews – driving good outcomes for children
• Sufficient high quality special school and Inclusion Centre places
• High quality Early years provision for pre-school children with SEND needs - including joined up service delivery around the provision
• Effective multi-agency support for all children with an EHCP
• Good education and health outcomes for children with an EHCP
• Continue to manage demand for out-of-city education placements
Strategic Objective 3
Developing the Workforce to meet children and young people's SEND needs
What is going well? What is in place already?
A dedicated multi-agency group overseeing this work has been in place for three years.
There is a good understanding of the professional skills, knowledge and competencies required to work with children with SEND and in receipt of Alterative provision.
Children and young people with SEND have given their views on what adults who work with them need to know and to do. This will be shared across the workforce in 23/24.
Some key on-line courses have been developed
We have held a number of recruitment events to encourage people to apply for vacant Teaching Assistant posts
Why is this important?
Over 3,000 professionals work with children in Portsmouth. Most of those will have some role in promoting good outcomes for children and young people with SEND and those in Alternative Provision.
There are challenges with recruitment and retention of some critical parts of the workforce (e.g. teaching assistants).
Developing the workforce to meet children's needs across all aspects of the Code of Practice would help drive inclusion, give children and families a better experience and ultimately improve outcomes.
The professional development offer in the city around Sendap is not as mature or joined-up as our Cpd offer around safeguarding children which acts as a model for what we could achieve.
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The impact we expect to see
• A clear professional development offer in place that is well delivered and well regarded by participants
• A confident and skilled workforce, able to meet the needs of children and families in all education, care and health settings
• A joined-up workforce working with pre-school children and their families to secure development outcomes for children that reduce avoidable SEND need.
• A workforce competent and confident in talking about and working with child and adult mental health
The Work We Need to Do
• Clearly define the professional skills framework for Sendap - ensuring alignment with the National Standards work emerging nationally through the Sendap Change Programme
• Map the currently available training for professionals under the broad areas of Sendap
• Identify priority courses and programmes to develop
• Develop the capacity to deliver the Anna Freud mental health training offer and align with Mhst support in schools
• Build capacity in the system (funding allowing) to develop a coherent training and professional development offer across the Sendap partnership including quality assurance mechanism to drive up quality learning for professionals
• Utilise every opportunity to include families and young people in the design and delivery of training - building on the successful approach with Nd
• Develop opportunities to develop the knowledge in the wider city (public services, private sector organisations and the community) around SEND, especially the role everyone should play in promoting early language development and building understanding of
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Strategic Objective 4
Meeting the needs of children and young people with neurodiversity and their families
Why is this important?
Portsmouth has been at the forefront of new thinking and approaches for children with neurodiversity, receiving significant national attention for our needs-led model which has been co-produced across the Partnership and with families.
This remains important due to both the scale of need (many more children have Nd needs than previous clinically-led models have identified) and the complexity and impact of Nd for a smaller set of children which increases their vulnerability.
Many children and young people growing up with a range of needs linked to their neurodiversity, increasingly experience a system in Portsmouth that understands them, understands the demands placed on families and makes the reasonable adjustments needed for children to thrive.
However, this will not be the experience of all children and families and we will continue to drive through work to make the city a place where all
hild d l ith di d f l d t d
What is going well? What is in place already?
The Portsmouth Children's Neurodiversity Multi-Disciplinary Team provides multi-agency support to over 1,000 families in the city
The Portsmouth needs-led Nd Profiling Tool has been largely embedded across the system, especially in education
A comprehensive training offer which has been accessed by over 1,000 professionals and links to our Nd Competency and Skills Framework
A bank of on-line resources to help families and services put in strategies to enable Nd children to thrive
Ongoing research and evaluation of the Portsmouth Nd model
A national Community of Practice (that Portsmouth leads) and helps us learn from other areas on good and effective practice
Nd in School Programme of school support
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The Work We Need to Do
• Develop a Version 2 of the Portsmouth Profiling Tool in partnership with national agencies and other LAs and ICBs
• Strengthen the Portsmouth Sendap Ordinarily Available Provision document around neurodiversity
• Improve the use of the Nd Profiling Tool in services outside of education settings
• Strengthen the under-5s pathway
• Work with national and regional partners to secure a robust Adhd medication pathway
The impact we expect to see
We have four parent and carer defined outcomes which will remain the bedrock of our work on Nd
o “I have a better understanding of my child’s differences”
o “My child’s teachers has a better understanding of his/her differences”
o “My child’s needs are being met at school / pre-school setting”
o “I am meeting my child’s needs at home”
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Strategic Objective 5
Improving children's social and emotional wellbeing in education
Why is this important?
Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs of children are clear priority for Portsmouth schools. Proportionally more children in Portsmouth than nationally are identified as having Semh need at both SEN Support and EHCP levels of need
Absence from school (especially severe absence) and school suspensions remain too high in the city and after historically low permanent exclusion rates in Portsmouth, we are beginning to see a rise.
Early years settings and primary schools report that a small number of highly vulnerable children with complex Semh/Nd presentations are a concern. Semh remains the highest area of need in secondary schools.
Mental health needs not only impact the quality of children's lives now, but evidence shows that lifelong good outcomes are highly impacted by early childhood trauma and mental ill-health.
What is going well? What is in place already?
Schools, NHS partners, the local authority and Vcs organisations have a strong set of partnership arrangements to meet Semh needs in the city - a legacy of the 2017 Emotional Wellbeing in School Strategy.
Every school has a senior Mental Health Lead and this group of professionals meets regularly through a dedicated network
There is an Semh Partnership of external (to school) providers who regularly meet to problem solve and ensure there is service join-up
In partnership with the wider Semh Strategy Board, there has been commissioning of Mental Health in Schools Teams, Kooth, My Happy Mind, the Early Help Wellbeing in Education Team and youth counselling services. CAMHS professionals are integrated across the system (e.g. Yot, children in care services, the Nd Team etc)
The Multi-Agency Behaviour Support Service (a traded service) works in may schools on an individual child basis and whole-school work
Link Co-ordinators attached to every school provide a conduit for schools to external services and jointly work with schools to ensure planned responses to individual children at risk.
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The Work We Need to Do
• Enable small capital grants to be available for schools to make environmental adjustments to work with Semh pupils
• Develop further alignment in pathways between MHSTs and the main CAMHS service
• Jointly work across the LA and Icb to secure recurrent (and expanded) funding for My Happy Mind and the Early Help Wellbeing in Education Team.
• Support the work under Workforce Development Strategic Objective (above) with a strong prioritisation around skills and knowledge around Semh
• Support the work under the Alterative Provision Strategic Objective (below) to build quality and capacity at Tier 2 and 3 of the Portsmouth AP Model
The impact we expect to see
• The long-term ambition is to see less children with Semh need - especially those starting school
• Learning environments that enable children struggling with dysregulated behaviours to learn and thrive
• Reduced suspensions and permanent exclusions
• Less children on reduced school timetables
Strategic Objective 6
Enabling young people to prepare for adulthood
Why is this important?
The Sendap agenda is a 0 - 25 agenda, as set out in the legislative framework. There is a national set of defined outcomes under the Preparing for Adulthood (Pfa) agenda which supports us as Partners to think holistically about the interconnected needs of young adults.
Pfa Outcomes include; Employment; Independent Living; Friendships and Community Inclusion and Health and Wellbeing
Many young people with SEND needs require additional support throughout adolescence and into their young adulthood in order to live happy fulfilling lives.
Some young people require services from adult social care and adult health services after the age of 18 and the transition from the children's service arena into the adult services space is important to get right.
What is going well? What is in place already?
Portsmouth has a dedicated Pfa Steering Group which brings together partners from education, children's social care, adult social care, housing, health services and young people themselves to oversee performance of the systems and improve pathways and practice
Gp health checks for 14+ SEND youngsters has improved
Transition planning from Year 9 is effective - a Transition protocol is in place across the system
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The Work We Need to Do
• Reduce SEND Neet figures by improving the curriculum offer in Year 12 and 13 for young people with SEND
• Continue to develop the curriculum offer in post-16 providers
• Ensure young people are given the necessary support for independent travel across the city
The impact we expect to see
• Improved measurable outcomes under the Pfa Outcomes Framework: o Employment and Higher Education - specifically Neet data and progression data o Independent living o Participation in society o Being as healthy as possible in adult life - including universal health checks
Strategic Objective 7
Delivering high quality Alternative Provision
Why is this important?
The agenda around - and improvement of - Alternative Provision is now securely embedded within the wider SEND agenda - both nationally and locally. Portsmouth is now in the 'fourth chapter' of its work on Alternative Provision having previously commissioned provision (2015 - 2020); developed an AP Strategy (2018); carried out a review (2023) and now delivering against the national Sendap Change Programme.
The city designed a 4-Tier AP model in 2018 and retains this model albeit being slightly different to the DfE 3-Tier model. Both are similar in spirit and intent.
There are just over 120 commissioned education placements for children across Key Stage 2 - 4 at Tier 4. However, over 150 children are in the Tier 3 of provision and the focus recently has been on driving up the quality of this Tier across schools, the LA and Vcs partners.
The onward post-16 progression of young people previously in AP provision requires some focussed work
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The Work We Need to Do
• Improve the modelling of future demand for Tier 4 placements to ensure sufficiency
• Increase the market for Tier 3 providers through the 'assured list' - driving up the quality of care, education and safeguarding
• Improving our data to understand impact, outcomes and post-16 destination data for Tier 2 and 3 children
• Improve opportunities for young people in Year 11 to transition into post-16 education, employment or training
• High quality multi-agency support for young people across education, safeguarding services and health services
• Develop a brokerage model with tier 3 providers to achieve economies of scales on behalf of schools
The impact we expect to see
• A reduction in permanent exclusions
• A reduction in the number of children and young people requiring ‘Tier 4’ AP provision
• High quality provision and support across the Tiers
• Reintegration of children back into mainstream wherever possible
• Effective health services – especially mental health support – for children in AP
• Good post-16 transition rates for young people in Key Stage 4 AP
What is going well? What is in place already?
A shared understanding across the system of our ambitions across the city for Alternative Provision through a clear Strategy and Implementation Plan
Commissioned Tier 4 places across Key Stage 2 - 4
The Turnaround Project - focussed on mainstream reintegration of children on AP
A new (2024) dedicated AP Commissioner hosted within the Local Authority and working in partnership with schools and providers
A strong network of school leaders responsible for AP who influence the strategic direction of our work via the Strategy & Implementation Group
A school network of AP practitioners responsible for the day-to-day management of their internal AP
Clear process, protocol and practice around decision-making for children requiring AP placements
A robust quality assurance process for unregistered alternative provision focused on driving up the quality of care, education and safeguarding
A network of registered and unregistered alternative providers
Why this page, not just a PDF? The original is a PDF - fine to read, but a poor fit for assistive technology: heading structure is often inconsistent or absent, text doesn't reflow for zoom or a narrow screen, and screen readers can struggle with multi-column layouts and scanned pages. This page is the same content rebuilt as plain, semantic HTML - real headings, text that reflows, nothing a screen reader or zoom tool trips over.
Republished from Portsmouth City Council under the Open Government Licence v3.0. View the original PDF.