South Gloucestershire Local Area Partnership Special Educational Needs Strategic Action Plan
South Gloucestershire Local Area Partnership Special Educational Needs Strategic Action Plan Introduction South Gloucestershire local area was subject to an inspection by Ofsted and Care Quality Commission (CQC) from 14th to 18th July 2025 to determine the effectiveness of the local area partnership’s arrangements for children and young people with special educational needs (SEND). The inspection team’s final report was published on 18 November. The report can be viewed using the following link: (https://files.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/50290649) The report highlights many strengths, and inspectors noted that arrangements have improved rapidly in recent years, leading to positive experiences for many children and young people. However, because this was not consistently the case across all categories of need and age groups, the overall outcome of the inspection was: The local area partnership’s arrangements lead to inconsistent experiences and outcomes for children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The local area partnership must work jointly to make improvements. In particular, the inspection team made five recommendations for the local area partnership to consider as specific areas for improvement. The recommendations are: • Leaders across the partnership should secure effective engagement with children and young people with SEND and their families consistently across the local area, including through stronger co-production at a strategic and operational level. • Leaders across the partnership should develop further the work they have started to ensure children and young people can access the support they need when waiting on neurodevelopmental pathway. • The local area partnership should establish a fully compliant dynamic support register, where all relevant children and young people up to the age of 25 are included and have a key worker when necessary. • Leaders across the partnership should address the specialist sufficiency challenges, particularly in the breadth of Semh provision, appropriate available AP, and range of post-16 opportunities, so that children and young people with Semh needs secure improved outcomes. • Leaders across the partnership should continue to improve the quality and consistency of EHC plans to ensure that they consistently provide specific reference to appropriate health and social care provision that reflects children’s needs and outcomes. This means that the local area partnership comprising South Gloucestershire Council and Bristol, North Somerset, and South Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board and all local providers of early years, education, children social care and health services in partnership with South Gloucestershire Parent and Carer Forum, should work together to produce an update of the local Strategic Action Plan, focussed on addressing the findings and in particular setting out a response to the five recommendations.
The
updated local Strategic Action
Plan
(The Plan)
is set out in this document and has been produced by representatives with leadership responsibility for strategic planning, commissioning and delivery of Inclusion and SEND services drawn from the Local Authority, Integrated
Care Board and partnersfrom across the local area partnership working closely with representatives from South Glos Parent and Carer Forum (Sgpcf).
In developing this Strategic Action Plan, the Local Area Partnership has drawn on a wide range of existing insight already gathered through engagement, co-production,
and
service
improvement
activity
over
the
last
12–24
months.
This
includes
common
themes
raised
through
the
Neurodiversity Transformation Project, feedback from work with children and young people engaged in the losing learning project through Barnardo’s,
experiences shared through conversations with the Children and Young People’s Participation Group, and the insight routinely collected by the Parent Carer Forum through peer support, workshops, surveys and ongoing engagement with families.
We have included relevant examples of what has been shared with us in each section of the Plan with the aim of demonstrating
that we are listening to our local community and are planning activity to address concerns.
The Plan
was
published
on 03 March 2026
and
marks the start
of
delivering
a long-term programme
of change
over several years.
To ensure we stay on track in delivering the improvements identified by the inspection team for the experiences of children and young people with SEND, we have clearly identified:
• Outcomes
that we aim to
achieve. • Impact
that successful implementation of our plan will
have
on the experiences of
children, young people and their families. • Timescales
for implementation. • Key performance indicators (KPIs)
so that we can measure and
monitor
progress.
In relation to the measures these have been set with a reasonable level of confidence that they are achievable based on a baseline measure of where we are now.
Local governance arrangements will provide robust oversight of the Strategic Action Plan’s delivery. This will be managed through the governance structures of the South Gloucestershire Children’s Partnership, which includes senior leaders from the Council,
the Integrated Care Board, school and college leaders,
and the Parent and Carer Forum.
In addition, a
Children’s Outcomes Board
has been established. This board brings together
executive
leaders from the Council, the Integrated Care Board, the
Parent
and
Carer
Forum,
as
well as
advisors
from
the
Department for
Education
(DfE)
and
NHS
England
(Nhse).
Its
role
is
to
monitor progress in delivering the plan, provide support to overcome any barriers, and offer challenge where necessary to ensure accountability. This will help maintain focus on the plan’s key aims and sustain an appropriate pace of
progress.
Each section of the plan identifies the local area partnership members who collaborated to develop it and who will be involved in its delivery. The plan also specifies the lead officers responsible for implementing each action. 1. Engagement and Co-Production Recommendation Leaders across the partnership should secure effective engagement with children and young people with SEND and their families consistently across the local area, including through stronger co-production at a strategic and operational level. Children and young people told us:
• They want to be listened to earlier, not just asked for their views once decisions have already been made. • They want to understand how their views are used and what difference their feedback makes. Parents and carers told us:
• Being involved in making services better for children and young people and their families feels more like consultation. • It is not always clear how to get involved, who to share feedback with, or what happens after feedback is given. Aims:
• For the Local Area Partnership to have a clear oversight of engagement and co-production activity, with improved coordination, reach and use of lived experience to inform priorities and improvement. • To ensure feedback from children, young people with SEND and their families is actively listened to, discussed and acted upon, with transparent reporting of what has changed as a result. Outcomes: • Families experience consistent and meaningful engagement and co-production across SEND Co-produced approach and associated tools are available for use at an individual, operational and strategic level. • Families are reached and engaged more widely, using approaches that work for them • Children, young people and families can clearly see what was heard, what was done, and what has changed as a result of engagement and co production
Impact of success on the experiences of our community: Children, young people and families experience engagement that is clear, joined up and meaningful. • They know how to get involved and feel safe to share their views.
• They are not asked the same questions again and again. • Services listen, work together and use lived experiences to shape and make improvements. • Families can clearly see what has changed because they shared their views.
Leaders of this workstream: Rachel Trueman (Pcf) and Will Pritchard (LA) • Leaders driving delivery of activity: Will Pritchard (LA Education), School Cluster Leaders (SEN Clusters), Victoria Hilder (LA Participation), Laura Westaway (Icb), and Robbie Holland (Parent, Carer Forum) • Steering Group: Robbie Holland, Rachel Trueman, Will Pritchard, Victoria Hilder, Laura Westaway, Anthony Hill, Bev Mann, School Cluster Leaders.
No Outcome Action Named Lead By When Measure 1.1 Families experience consistent and meaningful engagement and co- production across SEND
1.1a. Establish and sustain a multi-agency Engagement, Participation and Co-production Steering Group to provide clear oversight, coordination, transparency and accountability across the SEND partnership. This steering group will agree and promote shared definitions and recognised participation models.
Paren Carer Forum Ceo Strategic Lead – Inclusion and SEND Sgc
Established by end Feb. 2026 and meeting monthly thereafter.
100% of agreed SEND strategic priorities and major service developments focussed on SEND demonstrate evidence of co- production. 1.1b. Agree and communicate a shared core offer for engagement, participation and co-production, setting out how and when children, young people and families will be involved, and what they can expect. This to be aligned with agreed SEND Co- Production Charter.
Youth Participation Manager Parent Carer Forum Ceo
End June 2026
1.1c. Develop, agree, and publish a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) describing how partners will work together on engagement, participation and co-production, including use of the SEND Coproduction Toolkit. This will ensure transparency and will be shared on the Local Offer.
Parent Carer Forum Ceo Strategic Lead – Inclusion and SEND
End July 2026
1.1d. Partnership to agree annual priorities for engagement, participation and co-production and set these out in a shared plan. Clearly show the purpose of each piece of work, who is involved, and how children, young people and families will be included. Communicate this to families.
Strategic Lead – Inclusion and SEND Head of Children Services Icb Parent Carer Forum Ceo Youth Participation Manager
Parent Carers Plan by end May 2026, Children’s Plan by end August 2026.
No Outcome Action Named Lead By When Measure 1.2 Families are reached and engaged more widely, using approaches that work for them.
1.2a. Undertake a baseline review of current engagement to understand who we reach, how we reach them, and who is missing.
Youth Participation Manager Parent Carer Forum Ceo
End May 2026 Year on year increase in engagement reach with participation from families across all school clusters and key SEND cohorts measured against a 2025/26 baseline.
1.2b. Embed the agreed core offer by using a range of engagement and participation approaches across services and clusters, shaped around what works for different families and communities.
Steering Group to oversee End March 2027.
1.2c. Support services, clusters and partners to engage, participate and co-produce with children, young people and parent carers by building workforce confidence and embedding coproduction charter, resources, toolkit and learning from feedback.
Strategic Lead – Inclusion and SEND Head of Children Services Icb Parent Carer Forum Ceo Youth Participation Manager
End March 2027.
1.3 Children, young people and families can clearly see what was heard, what was done, and what has changed as a result of engagement and co production.
1.3a. Bring together learning from surveys, engagement, participation, and co-production work as part of a 6-month review of the engagement and co-production plan, to inform partnership decisions and ensure priorities are on track
Youth Participation Manager and Pcf Ceo
End Nov. 2026 At least two published “You said/we did/what changed” updates per full academic year – commencing with one in 25/26. Demonstrating tangible changes made as a result of
1.3b. Use clear feedback models, for example: “You said /We are doing/ We did / What changed” so families can see how their views were used and what changed as a result. Publish updates on the Local Offer.
All
1.3c. Share learning and impact through SEND governance so there is clear accountability.
All engagement and co-production.
2. Experience and Outcomes for Neurodivergent Children and Young People
Recommendation Leaders across the partnership should develop further the work they have started to ensure children and young people can access the support they need when waiting on the neurodevelopmental pathway. Children and young people told us:
• They are not always understood when they ask for help, particularly around behaviour, anxiety, and emotional regulation. • Some feel that support reduces or stops after diagnosis, and that “nothing happens” afterwards. Parents and carers told us:
• Waiting for assessment is stressful and can feel like a period where support is limited or out of reach. • Children’s needs often escalate while waiting, particularly when support depends on diagnosis rather than need. Aims
• To embed, across the local area, a consistent and needs-led system that identifies neurodivergent needs early and provides timely support • To reduce current long waits for assessment and ensure the diagnostic part of the system is timely and transparent • To improve family experience with clear information, shorter waits and coordinated support Outcomes • Needs are recognised early and children get the right support before issues escalate • Assessments are timely and transparent, with clear communication throughout • The workforce has the skills and confidence to identify and meet neurodivergent needs • Families receive clear, consistent information and feel more confident in the system
Impact of success on the experiences of our community:
• Children and young people have their needs recognised earlier, with support that matches their needs and stops problems from getting worse • Children and young people wait less time for neurodevelopmental assessments and get the right support sooner while they wait
• Children and young people can get emotional and mental health support sooner in school, helping them feel safer and more supported • Families are informed, leading to increased confidence and reduced stress and uncertainty • Families follow a clear and simple route into assessment, without needing to repeat their story • Families can use an easy-to-navigate online hub to find clear information, practical help and guidance about neurodiversity • Regular updates and co-production make the website better over time, ensuring it stays relevant and shaped by families’ experiences • Schools and settings are more confident and skilled, so children get the right support at the right time Leaders of this workstream: Laura Westaway, Head of Children’s Services, Bnssg Icb; Rachel Trueman, Chief Executive Officer, South Glos Parent Carers
Steering Group: Laura Westaway; Rachel Trueman; Dan Knight; Lorraine McMullen; Julia Chapman, Claire Phillips
No. Outcome Action Named Lead By When Measure 2.1 Needs are recognised early, and children get the right support before issues escalate.
2.1a. Expand the needs-led model across South Gloucestershire to improve early identification and tailored support •Secure approval and funding for a needs-led model. •Produce an implementation plan to embed a needs- led model.
Nd Transformation Programme Lead
End Aug. 2028 By September 2027: 50% of schools will receive training in evidence-based early support Over 200 education professionals will have been provided training on neurodiversity awareness. All schools trained in Neurodiversity Profiling will have received support from a multidisciplinary Neurodiversity Support Team when necessary and identified areas of Neurodivergent needs and tailored support. 2.1b. Improve communication and engagement: •Hold in person engagement sessions with parents, carers and partners to explain the new needs-led model •Provide clear, regular updates for families on waiting lists, including information about Right to Choose
Nd Transformation Programme Lead Provider (Sirona) Nd Lead
Dependent on delivery of 1a.
By September 2027: Clear information around identification and meeting of Neurodivergent Needs will be available to parents, carers and partners on-line.
Use of the website will be evident from an increase in user hits from the baseline.
No Outcome Action Named Lead By When Measure 2.1c. Expand Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs) in Schools •Extend coverage of MHSTs in schools across South Gloucestershire
Icb Children’s Mental Health Lead
End Feb. 2027 By March 2027: Mental Health Support Teams (Mhst) coverage will reach 77% of schools By December 2029: Mhst coverage will reach 100% of schools 2.2 Assessments are timely and transparent, with clear communication throughout.
2.2a. Reduce waiting times by • Increasing capacity in the short term. • Maintaining sufficient capacity to meet future demand.
Nd Transformation Programme Lead
End Mar. 2029 92% of children triaged as urgent will continue to be assessed within 18 weeks of referral. Long waits for assessment will be reduced from the 2025 with no child waiting longer than 52 weeks by March 2029 (unless through family choice)
2.2b. Create a single point of access and co- produce a single diagnostic pathway •Introduce a clear referral route for autism and Adhd • Use the coproduction toolkit to design a joined-up Autism and Adhd pathway.
Provider (Sirona) Nd Lead.
End Sept. 2026
2.3 The workforce has the skills and confidence to identify and meet neurodivergent needs
2.3a. Workforce development Expand the Neurodiversity Support Team to: •Train and support schools not yet using Neurodiversity Profiling •Complete profiling for children not in education settings •Provide resources and ongoing support •Promote awareness of profiling across the system
Provider (Sirona) Nd Lead.
Dependent on delivery of 1a.
By September 2027: 50% of schools will have completed Neurodiversity profiling training 100% of profiles completed by schools trained in Neurodiversity Profiling will be audited to measure competence and confidence of staff in identifying and supporting neurodivergent needs.
No Outcome Action Named Lead By When Measure 80% of requests for support from schools trained in Neurodiversity Profiling will be answered within 5 working days 100% of profile requests for home-educated Cyp / Cyp not on-roll at an education setting, will be completed within 18 weeks (unless through family choice) 2.4 Families receive clear, consistent information and feel more confident in the system
2.4a. Develop a Neurodiversity Website Hub • Based on the co-produced Dorset model, create a single digital hub with clear information and support options for families. • Review and improve the website with users
Icb Communications Team Lead Nd Transformation Programme Lead
2-Stage: End Feb. 2026 End Feb 2027.
By March 2027: 75% of the Neurodiversity Website Hub users, who provide feedback via the site feedback form, will report improvement in their understanding of available neurodiversity support.
3. Dynamic Support Register (Dsr)
Recommendation The local area partnership should establish a fully compliant dynamic support register, where all relevant children and young people up to the age of 25 are included and have a key worker when necessary. Children and young people told us
• They often mask their difficulties, especially in school, to try to cope. • Things can become overwhelming before adults realise how much they are struggling. Parents and carers told us
• Concerns are not always recognised early enough, and support often arrives once families are already in crisis. • Earlier coordination between services could help prevent escalation. Aims Our Dynamic Support Registers (DSRs) and Care (Education) and Treatment Reviews (C(E)TRs) are essential elements of the pathway providing people with a learning disability and autistic people with appropriate support and care at the right time – so that they can lead the lives they want to and meet their ambitions and aspirations; and can stay safely and healthily in the community or return to this as soon as possible. • Risk Identification Our Dsr will use risk stratification to identify children (0-18 years), young people (18-25 years) and adults (25 years +) who may be at risk of hospital admission due to their complex health and care needs. • Preventative Support The primary goal is to prevent unnecessary hospital admissions by mobilising appropriate community-based support and interventions. • Collaboration and Coordination The Dsr will foster collaboration among various agencies and services to ensure a coordinated and person-centred approach to support. • Improved Outcomes By proactively addressing needs and preventing crises, our Dsr aims to improve the overall well-being, quality of life, and community inclusion of individuals with learning disabilities and autism. Partners will be required to engage and shape the Dsr Delivery Plan including the phased implementation of referral and operational processes
There are currently two interim DSRs one for children and young people led by the Icb Keyworker team and the other for adults led by the Icb Funded team. Both interim DSRs will be incorporated into the digital Dsr platform once operational. The Dsr implementation plan and on-going operational delivery will be governed by the system led Learning Disability & Autism Operational Delivery and the Mental Health, Learning Disability and Autism Health & Care Improvement Groups.
Outcome • All relevant children and young people up to the age of 25 are included on a fully compliant dynamic support register operating across the local area and the children and young people included will have a key worker when necessary. Impact of success on the experiences of our community:
• There will be a reduction in hospital admissions of Children & Young People and Adults. • Patients on the Dsr and admitted to hospital will only stay for the time necessary to improve their mental health, supported by a timely and effective discharge process, with access to appropriate support post discharge. • Patients will benefit from timely Care (education) Treatment Reviews (CeTRs). Overall Lead: Senior Performance Manager (Ld&A), Bnssg Icb Sg Dsr Steering Group: Mark Hemmings, Pcf representative, Michelle Blackler, Louisa Jennings, Jane Whitworth, Beverley Mann, Mike Wheeler.
No. Outcome Action Named Lead By When Measure 3.1 All relevant children and young people up to the age of 25 are included on a fully compliant Dynamic Support Register (Dsr) operating across the local area and the children and young people included will have a key worker when necessary.
3.1a. Procure a digital Dynamic Support Register (Dsr) platform: (i) Work with South & South-West Commissioning Support Unit to identify platform provider (ii) Commission platform provider for three years
Dsr Development Project Lead
End Feb 2026 The local area partnership will have a functioning Dynamic Support Register, that it is up to age 25, with reporting through effective oversight arrangements by end September 2026.
3.1b. Establish multi-agency Dsr Delivery Group to steer implementation of effective arrangements across the local area,
Dsr Development Project Lead Dsr Development Operational Lead
End Dec 2025
3.1c Develop communication plan to publicise Dsr Delivery Plan on the Sg Local Offer
Dsr Development Project Lead
End Feb. 2026
3.1d. Develop implementation and training plan: (i) Platform provider to present Digital Dsr platform (Necs) to
ensure awareness of how the digital platform will operate. (ii) Platform provider to develop implementation plan (iii) Deliver training programme for key stakeholders. Develop Dsr Standard Operating Procedure – risk stratification tool will determine need and link to a graduated support offer
Dsr Development Project Lead
End May 2026
3.1e. Launch digital Dsr and move interim DSRs arrangements to platform: (i) Launch digital Dsr (ii) Move interim DSRs to platform
Dsr Development Project Lead Dsr Development Operational Lead
End July 2026
3.1f. Phased rollout and operationalisation of all-age digital Dsr: (i) The phased implementation will be determined once training
and development plans are fully established in Spring 2026. (ii) Embed Dsr Standard Operating Procedure into
organisational processes. (iii) Evaluation of initial implementation phase.
Dsr Development Project Lead Dsr Development Operational Lead
End Dec. 2026
4. Sufficiency Plans: Provisions and Services for children and young people with SEND, particularly Social Emotional and Mental Health Needs. Recommendation Leaders across the partnership should address the specialist sufficiency challenges, particularly in the breadth of Social Emotional Mental Health (Semh) provision, appropriate available Alternative Provision (AP), and range of post-16 opportunities, so that children and young people with Semh needs secure improved outcomes. Children and young people told us
• Transitions between settings can feel sudden, confusing, and stressful. • Support does not always feel matched to their needs, particularly where anxiety or attendance is a challenge. Parents and carers told us
• Mainstream placements often break down before effective help is put in place. • Families are not always clear what provision or alternative provision is available, or how placement decisions are made or communicated. Aims
• There is a clear offer of support for mainstream schools in identifying and meeting need. • Children and Young People’s needs are accurately identified, and needs are met at the earliest opportunity. • There are clear eligibility criteria for accessing outreach and support services through established local arrangements, including the Clusters, the High-Risk Group, and via school-to-school support. • Transition arrangements ensure continuity of effective support between phases. • There is appropriate level of alternative provision and specialist provision available to children and young people with special educational needs in the mainstream and special school sectors across all ages including Post 16 to meet the needs of the local community. • Effective coproduction, engagement and communication with parents and carers about the type and level of provision we are planning and developing across the local area ensures that each provision is designed to meet the needs of our SEND community.
Leaders driving delivery: Hilary Smith (LA Service Director Education, Learning and Skills), Will Pritchard (LA Strategic Lead Inclusion and SEND)
Steering Group: Hilary Smith, Will Pritchard, Jane Whitworth, Ross Chick, Jess Donne, Helen Hollick, Julia Chapman, Rachel Trueman, Andrew Mearns, Anna Clarke.
No. Outcome Action Named Lead By When Measure 4.1 Children and young People’s needs are identified and met at the earliest opportunity
4.1.a. SEND Cluster commissioning plans will be integrated within the local area joint commissioning arrangements and Children’s Commissioning Plan to ensure consistent access to services.
Cluster Commissioning Officer
End July 2026 SENCo survey feedback shows over 80% of respondents agree the cluster offer helps schools identify needs earlier and more accurately
4.1.b. Cluster and School data for pupils with SEND will be routinely shared with the cluster groups including profile of need, requests for statutory assessments, attendance, reduced timetables, and exclusions data.
School Effectiveness Officer (SEND)
End July 2026
1.c. Agree Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to measure impact of clusters. Work in partnership with other services to better identify needs and to ensure specialist support is in place at an earlier stage. Includes clear communication route between health and education for pupils with complex medical needs via the steering group and multi-agency operational group leading development of the Dynamic Support Register and associated arrangements for including children and young people on the register according to level of support.
School Effectiveness Officer (SEND) Public Health Mental Health Strategy Lead Consultant
End July 2026 End Dec. 2026
No Outcome Action Named Lead By When Measure 4.2 There is a clear offer of support for mainstream schools
4.2a. We will develop the core offer for SEND Support Services which will include support for placement maintenance and reintegrating pupils back into mainstream schools.
Strategic Lead Inclusion and SEND
End July 2026 % profile of SEND in mainstream school and in specialist provision at primary, secondary and Post 16 is at or close to national benchmarks.
4.2b. There will be additional specialist expertise offered to educational settings requesting support. This will be provided by an outreach model of special school staff working alongside existing Inclusion Support Services to provide additional capacity.
School Effectiveness Officer (SEND
End July 2026
4.2c. Bnssg Icb will improve access to children’s mental health services in line with the NHS Medium Term Plan children’s access target. To achieve this, we will: • Continue to commission early intervention services: SilverCloud (Northpoint), Kooth, and Off the Record (Awp) to deliver a mixture of face to face and online support for children and young people with low to moderate mental health needs. • Expand Mental Health Support Teams (Awp & Otr) over the next three years to reach 100% coverage by December 2029. • Develop a self-referral route for Mental Health Support Teams. • Maintain the CAMHS Getting Advice service, which helps young people access the right service and provides signposting and advice.
Awp Mental Health Services Commissioning Lead
Establish SilverCloud as a new offer by September 2026. Mental Health Support Teams achieving 77% coverage by March 2027 and 100% coverage by December 2029 from a starting point of 70% coverage in December 2025.
No Outcome Action Named Lead By When Measure 4.3 There will be sufficient specialist places in the local area to meet the needs of children and young people with more complex special educational needs
4.3a. Approved capital investment projects delivered to create following new specialist places in mainstream: • 20 place Resource Base at Mangotsfield Secondary School • 10 place Resource Base at Coniston Primary School • 10 place Resource Base at Tyndale Primary School
Service Director Education, Learning and Skills
End July 2027 80 more specialist places available within the local system by September 2028.
4.3b. Approved capital investment project delivered to create 40 Semh special school places at the expanded New Horizons Learning Centre.
Service Director Education, Learning and Skills
End July 2028
4.4 Establish effective arrangements for access to and use of Alternative Provision
4.4a. Develop a new Alternative Provision Strategy for South Glos with the key objective of ensuring local AP arrangements are meeting current and future needs of the community.
Strategic Lead Officer (AP)
End Aug. 2026 Strategy launched in autumn term of 2026/27 academic year. 4.4b. Work with providers in the Post 16 sector to respond to increasing demand including the development of a new South Glos based vocational offer at Sgs College and a new South Glos based Technology and Skills Alternative Provision Centre.
Service Director Education, Learning and Skills
End July 2027 A 20-place Post 16 Alternative Provision has been established within the local area with places available from September 2027.
5. Quality of Education, Health, and Care Plans Recommendation Leaders across the partnership should continue to improve the quality and consistency of EHC plans to ensure that they consistently provide specific reference to appropriate health and social care provision that reflects children’s needs and outcomes. Children and young people told us • They want to be listened to and involved in decisions about their support. • What matters most to them day-to-day is not always reflected in discussions or plans.
Parents and carers told us • EHCP processes can feel slow, complex, and difficult to navigate. • Plans do not always reflect lived experience, and health and social care outcomes are not always clear or responsive. Aims • Working collaboratively across education, health, and social care to continue to improve the quality and consistency of EHC plans to ensure they consistently provide specific reference to appropriate health and social care provision alongside the inclusion of person-centred, holistic outcomes. • To improve the quality and consistency of EHC plans to ensure that they consistently provide specific reference to appropriate health provision that reflects children’s needs and outcomes. Outcomes: • EHC plans consistently provide high-quality, specific health provision aligned to children’s needs and outcomes and health advice is received in line with statutory timeframes. • EHC plans consistently provide high-quality, specific social care provision aligned to children’s needs and outcomes and health advice is received in line with statutory timeframes. • EHC plans are regularly amended and Cyp’s EHC plans reflect their current needs and provision. • Children and young people have holistic person-centred outcomes in their EHCPs and are meeting these.
Impact of success on the experiences of our community:
• EHCPs consistently contain clear, specific and needs aligned health provision, supported by timely, high quality health advice across the 0–25 pathway.
•Social care needs and provision are clearly described, appropriate and proportionate in EHCPs, with timely advice and strong multi agency collaboration underpinning consistent plan quality.
•EHCPs are updated promptly and accurately at every key transition, ensuring plans always reflect current needs, provision and family experience.
•Children and young people have meaningful, person centred, holistic outcomes that form a strong Golden Thread through their EHCPs, with clear evidence of progress and lived experience shaping ongoing improvement
Leaders of this workstream: Andrew Mearns (Principal Educational Psychologist) and Jennie Mackenzie (EHC Coordination Team Manager). Steering Group: Kirstie Harper, Julia Chapman, Helen Hollick, representative of: Parent Carer Forum, Sendias, Lead SENCOs/schools.
No. Outcome Action Named Lead By When Measure 5.1 EHC plans consistently provide high-quality, specific health provision aligned to children’s needs and outcomes and health advice is received in line with statutory timeframes.
5.1a. To review a sample of EHC plans to ensure that there is specific reference to children and young people’s health needs and that there are appropriate and proportionate healthcare provisions. (i)As part of ongoing Multi Agency Quality Assurance collaboration (ii)Focus on 20 post-18 plans in April 2026. Share key findings and suggestions for improvement, Repeat in 2027.
Dco End July 2026 At least 85% of EHC plans include specific, quantified and needs-led health provision with advice received within statutory timescales. 5.1b. To monitor and to continue to report on (i) the timeliness of health advice for EHC needs assessment and annual reviews (ii) the quality of advice reports and EHCP wording across the 0-25 age range, providing specific areas where change and improvement is required on a service-specific basis through cascade of feedback to health service leads on a 4-monthly basis
Dco and Sirona services leaders
End Jan. 2027
5.2 EHC plans consistently provide high-quality, specific social care provision aligned to children’s needs and outcomes and health advice is received in line with statutory timeframes.
5.2a. Dedicated Social Care Officer (DSCO) to work with children’s services team managers to improve the quality of practitioner advice for EHC needs assessments. This will include developing updated practice guidance, delivering advice and training, conducting quality assurance audits, and sharing learning.
DSCO End July 2026 At least 85% of EHC plans include specific, quantified and needs-led social care provision with advice received within statutory timescales.
No Outcome Action Named Lead By When Measure EHC plans consistently provide high-quality, specific social care provision aligned to children’s needs and outcomes and health advice is received in line with statutory timeframes.
5.2b. To develop a dashboard to capture data on Children’s services/Social Care advice, enabling all teams, including the EHC Coordination team, to understand, monitor and oversee the timeliness of advice within their service areas and clusters.
DSCO End Jan. 2027 Performance dashboard for social care advice established and used across teams. 5.2c To monitor and report on the timeliness of social care advice for EHC needs assessment and annual reviews
DSCO End Jan 207 At least 85% of advice returned within statutory timeframe. 5.2d. On a quarterly basis review a sample of EHC plans to ensure that there is specific reference to children and young people’s social care needs and that there are appropriate and proportionate social care provision specified.
DSCO End Jan 2027 5.2d. On a quarterly basis review a sample of EHC plans to ensure that there is specific reference to children and young people’s social care needs and that there are appropriate and proportionate social care provision specified. 5.2e. The DSCO reports on audit findings and progress through governance arrangements.
DSCO End Jan 2027 5.2e. The DSCO reports on audit findings and progress through governance arrangements.
No Outcome Action Named Lead By When Measure 5.3 EHC plans are regularly amended and Cyp’s EHC plans reflect their current needs and provision
5.3a. Amendments to EHCPs are consistently timely, so that Cyp have needs and provision in their plans which are appropriate for the next phase of their educational journey (transition from Key Stage, Phase transfer or when moving to a new provision)
EHC Team Manager, Dco, DSCO
End Dec 2026
5.3b. Dco reviews a sample (20 EHCPs) KS2 to KS3 transfer EHCPs including health provision by end Jan 2026 and a sample (20 EHCPs) KS4 to KS5 (Post-16) by 15 March 2026 (and repeat in 2027). Key findings to be summarised and suggestions for improvement to be shared and leading to agreed improvement plan.
End July 2026
5.3c. Conduct Lived Experience interviews with families as part of Multi Agency Quality Assurance of EHCPs process, include findings in termly Learning Briefs for practitioners.
End Jan.2027
5.4 Children and young people have holistic person-centred outcomes in their EHCPs and are meeting these
5.4a. To re-introduce person-centred outcomes meetings as part of the EHC needs assessment for Cyp who are open to Csc and/or have health needs.
Principal Educational Psychologist.
End Dec. 2026 ≥ 85% of samples of annual review paperwork at key transition points show clear evidence of progress against majority of holistic outcomes.
5.4b. To review PfA processes in Ehcna requests and EHCPs to ensure outcomes in EHCPs are more holistic and person centred from KS1 5.4c. Conduct Lived Experience interviews with families as part of Multi Agency Quality Assurance of EHCPs process and include findings within termly Learning Briefs.
No Outcome Action Named Lead By When Measure 5.4d. Sampling of annual review paperwork to evidence progress against holistic, person-centred outcomes at key stage transitions
Principal Educational Psychologist.
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