Decision Session- Executive Member for Education, Children and Young People	12 October 2021
Report of the Assistant Director, Education and Skills

The SEND Strategy, 2021-2025

Summary

1. The SEND Strategy has been developed as part of our SEND improvement journey following the inspection of the local area in December 2019. The SEND Strategy has been co-produced by the local area partners across the local authority, health and the parent/carer forum. It builds on the progress we have made since 2019 and outlines our ambitions for the future. The strategy has been approved by the CCG Executive and the Executive member is asked to approve the strategy on behalf of City of York Council.

Recommendations

2. The Executive Member is asked to

1. Consider and approve the contents of the SEND Strategy (0-25yrs), 2021-25

Reason:     The strategy sets the priorities for the local area and provides the strategic framework to ensure that partners commit to delivering continuous improvements in the lived experience of children, young people with special education needs and disabilities.

Background

3. The previous SEND strategy was developed in 2016 and covered the period 2016-20. Following the local area SEND inspection in 2019 an extensive review of the previous strategy has taken place and this process has informed the development of the SEND Strategy, 2021-25.

4. The SEND Strategy, 2021-25 (Annex A) outlines our learning from the work partners have done following our written statement of action. The experience of working on the written statement has made us ambitious for change and as a local area SEND has now become a shared priority across education, health and care. The SEND Strategy, 2021-25 is also evidence of the improvements we have made in co-production. The previous strategy was developed through a process of consultation and co-production. The work we have done on developing this strategy has demonstrated the continuous improvements that have been made across education, health and care in working in a co- integrated way.

5. The strategy is built on the following priorities:

The voice of children, young people and families are visible in all that we do.

· Ensure sufficiency of support through joint working across the local area partnership, adopting evidence based commissioning using the joint strategic needs assessment (JSNA)

· All children and young people identified as having special educational needs have their needs identified early, are supported in the local area as far as possible and are able to access a range of provision that results in success and achievement

· All children and young people are able to experience a smooth

· transition at key points throughout their education and into      adulthood

6. Delivery of the strategy will be kept under annual review through the formal governance mechanisms which exist within the local area partnership, including the CCG Executive, Health and Wellbeing Board and the SEND Improvement Board. The local area partnership will also further embed co-production by ensuring that the voice of children, young people and their families drives decisions about future service development and delivery between 2021-25.

Consultation

7. The strategy has been consulted on widely with partners across education, health and care. The strategy has been co-produced with the parent/carer forum and young people.

Council Plan

8. The SEND Strategy supports the Council’s priority to ensure a better start for children and young people through ensuring that children and young people with SEND are able to live their best life in York.

Contact Details

Author:

Chief Officer Responsible for the report:

Maxine Squire

Assistant Director, Education and Skills

Education and Skills

07990 793483

Jamaila Hussain

Director, Prevention and Commissioning

Report Approved

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Date 4/10/21

[Insert Date]

Wards Affected:  List wards or tick box to indicate all

All

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For further information please contact the author of the report

Annexes

Annex A: SEND Strategy, 2021-22