Our action plan in partnership with SNAP PCF

Recommendation

A Preparing for Adulthood Steering Group needs to be established to map out the current offer; to develop better ways to clearly communicate this to families, and to develop the services needed to ensure that young people do not experience a ‘cliff edge’ when moving into adult services at either 18 or at 25 years of age.

What are the actions being taken? Who will ensure that this happens?

We will establish a Preparing for Adulthood workstream to map out the current offer, to develop ways to clearly communicate this with families and develop services to ensure young people transition smoothly into adult services 

Co-Production and Engagement Lead 

Enhance the Preparing for Adulthood section of the SEND Local Offer to ensure this links with new ‘young person’s zone’.

Co-Production and Engagement Lead 

Develop a communication campaign for families around Preparing for Adulthood.

Co-Production and Engagement Lead 

How will the impact be measured?

• Preparing for Adulthood Steering Group established
• More than 40% parents/carers respond positively (very satisfied or satisfied) in terms of Preparing for Adulthood (SNAP PCF Annual Survey 2023)
• More than 75% parents/carers respond positively (very satisfied or satisfied) in terms of Preparing for Adulthood (SNAP PCF Annual Survey 2024)

What will success look like?

• Joined up pathways across the area which are visible, accessible and effective in meeting children and young people’s needs
• A system that supports young people to move successfully into adulthood (Preparing for Adulthood)

Recommendation

Create a dedicated section on the Local Offer that maps out all support available to children and young people with their mental health and wellbeing.  This will help promote what is available to families and highlight the gaps in current service provision.

What are the actions being taken? Who will ensure that this happens?

Co-produce a 'young person's zone' on the Local Offer website 

Co-Production and Engagement Lead 

Create a dedicated section on the Local Offer that maps out all support available to children and young people with their mental health and wellbeing. This will help promote what is available to families and highlight the gaps in current service provision.

Local Offer Information and Engagement Officer

Make improvements to the format, navigation and content of existing events calendar, with input from key partners, parent carers, children and young people.

Local Offer Information and Engagement Officer 

Host regular Local Offer drop-in sessions to provide online tours of the Local Offer and Q&A around where/how to find information.

Local Offer Information and Engagement Officer

Utilise Local Offer drop-in sessions to enhance existing content on Local Offer.

Local Offer Information and Engagement Officer

Hold quarterly feedback sessions with SEND reference group of young people for ongoing enhancements

Co-Production and Engagement Lead 

How will the impact be measured?

• SEND reference group of children and young people provide positive feedback on ‘young person’s zone’ (September 2023)
• 60% CYP with SEND surveyed report positively on young person's zone (September 2023)
• Upward trend in number of clicks to 'young persons zone' (baseline 1 month after launch)

What will success look like?

• Leisure and wellbeing activities that are responsive to need of children and young people in their community and are accessible on our Local Offer
• Inclusive and accessible community settings and activities for every child or young person that has a Special Educational Need or Disability (SEND)

Recommendation

An information booklet being produced with a printed copy being placed in all schools, children centres, libraries, and health settings etc.  We would also recommend having regular drop-in sessions where parents can receive an online tour of the Local Offer and be assisted to navigate and access the information they require.  This would both support parents to use the Local Offer and highlight areas that need development and opportunities to improve it.  SNAP PCF would also like to see an events calendar within the Local Offer that displays all local SEND related events, clubs, and activities in an improved format to that currently available.

What are the actions being taken? Who will ensure that this happens?

We will develop a co-produced Local Offer SEND information booklet to share with our families. This will be placed in all schools, children centres, libraries, and health settings etc

Co-Production and Engagement Lead                                                                                                                   

How will the impact be measured?

• Design and produce a hard copy Local Offer
• All schools and settings in Central Bedfordshire will have a hard copy Local Offer (January 2023).
• All health settings in Central Bedfordshire will have hard copy Local Offer (January 2023).
• More than 70% of survey respondents have heard of the Local Offer (SNAP PCF Annual Survey 2023).
• More than 70% of survey respondents can find information easily (SNAP PCF Annual Survey 2023).
• More than 80% of survey respondents have heard of the Local Offer (SNAP PCF Annual Survey 2024).
• More than 80% of survey respondents can find information easily (SNAP PCF Annual Survey 2024).

What will success look like?

• Leisure and wellbeing activities that are responsive to need of children and young people in their community and are accessible on our Local Offer

• Commissioned services that are co-produced in partnership with children, young people and their families

• Inclusive and accessible community settings and activities for every child or young person that has a Special Educational Need or Disability (SEND)

Recommendation

An operational group is needed, to include SNAP PCF, to look at the SEND partnership data dashboard 

What are the actions being taken? Who will ensure that this happens?

We will establish an ongoing operational group to drive recommendations for enhancing the data dashboard. 

Safeguarding Performance Manager / SEND Performance Manager

How will the impact be measured?

• Operational group established
• Area leaders are confident that decision making is informed by appropriate evidence.

What will success look like?

A collaborative and multidisciplinary approach which strengthens outcomes for children and young adults.

Recommendation

Embed the Co-production Charter within all departments and provide a workshop for senior managers at CBC to ensure a clear and collective understanding of what the principles of co-production are, so that they can then disseminate this to all staff.  To help move this agenda forward, SNAP PCF would like to see questions on co-production integrated into the recruitment process, interview stage, induction, and appraisal process for all staff who work within SEND services.

What are the actions being taken? Who will ensure that this happens?

Collaborate with senior managers across Central Bedfordshire Council to ensure that all staff have a clear and collective understanding of the principles of co-production and how they work with SNAP Parent Carer Forum. 

Co-Production and Engagement Lead 

We will integrate questions on co-production into the recruitment process, interview stage, induction, and appraisal process for all staff who work within SEND services. 

Co-Production and Engagement Lead / Head of Learning Central

How will the impact be measured?

• Questions on co-production asked as standard interview questions for posts in SEND (December 2022)
• Questions on co-production asked as standard interview questions for posts in Children's Services (September 2023)
• Coproduction is delivered as part of induction for posts in SEND (December 2022)
• Coproduction is delivered as part of induction for posts in Children’s Services (September 2023)
• SEND staff demonstrate awareness of/examples of co-production through appraisal process (September 2023)
• Children’s Services staff demonstrate awareness of/examples of co-production through appraisal process (September 2024)

What will success look like?

• Co-production at the heart of everything we do which means listening to families and a culture of parents/ carers as experts
• A collaborative and multidisciplinary approach which strengthens outcomes for children and young adults.

Recommendation

Ensure better publicity and awareness of service developments and improvements amongst families, coupled with meaningful and timely communication with individual families by all services. developments and improvements 

What are the actions being taken? Who will ensure that this happens?

We will develop a communication plan across Health and Central Bedfordshire Council to set out how we engage with and listen to our families, keep them informed of ongoing improvements and ensure that they consistently receive good customer service.

Communications Business Partner - People

How will the impact be measured?

• Communication plan developed
• Feedback from families demonstrates awareness of developments and improvements

What will success look like?

A system that works effectively with transparent communication across services so that families can ‘tell their lived experience once'.

Recommendation

A review of all waiting times across education, health, and social care services; with a commitment to commission additional services to support families whilst they are waiting to access these services, and for this information to be included on the Local Offer website.

What are the actions being taken? Who will ensure that this happens?

We will review the data in our Data Dashboard to provide us with better oversight of health waiting times (including CAMHS, CHUMS, SALT & Paediatrics). We will review the Data Dashboard quarterly to understand current needs across the system that can inform joint commissioning of community providers

SEND Performance Manager / (Interim) Joint Commissioning Manager 

Launch a review of community therapy services.

Head of Commissioning and Transformation, Children and Young People & Maternity Services, NHS Bedfordshire Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board

How will the impact be measured?

• Up-to-date information about waiting times clearly communicated via Local Offer
• Review completed and a (pan Bedfordshire) plan for how we commission therapy services to improve the outcome for children and meet the projected increase in demand.
• Reduction in waiting times being reported

What will success look like?

• A strong offer of early identification and the right support to make sure children and young people’s needs are met at the earliest possible stage
• Timely access to services including assessments, diagnosis and support.

Recommendation

A detailed Central Bedfordshire Council plan for school places, which communicates a clear strategy and vision for additional special school places so that wherever possible children can attend school within their local area.

What are the actions being taken? Who will ensure that this happens?

We will develop a Specialist School Placements Plan

Assistant Director for SEND

We will involve parent carers in the Phase 2 planning for specialist provision (Alternative Resource Provisions and Special Schools) 

Assistant Director for SEND / Co-Production and Engagement Lead

Continue to develop and deliver the Specialist School Placements Plan, including implementing the capital programme to deliver additional places by 2024 increasing places in the right areas to meet the needs of children and young people in our community.

Assistant Director for SEND

How will the impact be measured?

• Communication plan developed
• Feedback from families demonstrates awareness of developments and improvements

What will success look like?

A system that works effectively with transparent communication across services so that families can ‘tell their lived experience once’

Recommendation

Co-produce an Audit tool for the Education, Health and Care Plan Audit, using the advice from the SNAP PCF report so families can trust and have confidence in results which are detailed, robust, and transparent.

What are the actions being taken? Who will ensure that this happens?

Implement a new EHCP audit process including the reports by all stakeholders including education, health, social care, education and parent/carers.  

Chief SEND and Inclusion Officer / Principal Educational Psychologist

Ensure that the audit framework in place has clear criteria on what constitutes an outstanding plan.  

Chief SEND and Inclusion Officer / Principal Educational Psychologist

Update the Quality Assurance Framework in line with new audit frameworks and publish on the SEND Local Offer.

Chief SEND and Inclusion Officer / Principal Educational Psychologist

How will the impact be measured?

SNAP PCF survey will report improvements in parents/carers experience of the EHCP process 

What will success look like?

• Child-centred and effective EHCPs that are holistic, specified and quantified
• A collaborative and multidisciplinary approach which strengthens outcomes for children and young adults
• A system that works effectively with transparent communication across services so that families can ‘tell their lived experience once’.

Recommendation

Improved training for all professionals to better understand neurodiversity and Pathological Demand Avoidance.

What are the actions being taken? Who will ensure that this happens?

Work collaboratively with the Pathological Demand Avoidance Society to deliver a series of courses to upskill staff, schools and professionals and develop local awareness and knowledge of Pathological Demand Avoidance.

Head of Learning Central 

All staff who work in SEND within Central Bedfordshire Council complete mandatory introductory training on Pathological Demand Avoidance.

Assistant Director for SEND

How will the impact be measured?

• 100% posts in SEND complete introductory PDA training on learning central
• Deliver training courses "PDA for Educators”, " Working with and supporting PDA children (social workers)”, “Working with and Supporting PDA Children (education, health & social care)"
• Evaluation of all courses indicates a significant increase in knowledge and understanding of PDA.

What will success look like?

Training, resources and information that is responsive to the needs of the community.

Recommendation

An Early Intervention offer for schools that is linked with the Early Help Offer, and which is co-produced with all key partners including SNAP PCF

What are the actions being taken? Who will ensure that this happens?

Raise awareness in schools of what is currently available, through targeted communications   

Commissioning and Partnerships Officer

Explore enhancements to the Early Intervention Offer – e.g. access to the Educational Psychology service via SENCO group sessions, Facebook, coffee mornings, etc. 

Principal Educational Psychologist

How will the impact be measured?

• Upward trend uptake of schools utilising current offer (e.g. SENCO phone line)
• Feedback from schools indicates positive awareness of what is available

What will success look like?

• A strong offer of early identification and the right support to make sure children and young people’s needs are met at the earliest possible stage
• Timely access to services including assessments, diagnosis and support
• Information that is easy to access and enables families to find the guidance and support they need.

Recommendation

A training package for parents running across the year, like Hertfordshire’s model using Families in Focus.

What are the actions being taken? Who will ensure that this happens?

Co-produce a 'parent zone' on the SEND Local Offer website which will gather training resources for parents/carers into one place.

Co-Production and Engagement Lead 

We will develop our parent training package, ensuring that this is easily accessible via the Local Offer website. 

(Interim) Joint Commissioning Manager

How will the impact be measured?

• Upward trend in number of clicks to 'training courses and workshops' tile (baseline 1 month after launch)
• Feedback from parents/carers indicates positive awareness of what is available

What will success look like?

• Leisure and wellbeing activities that are responsive to need of children and young people in their community and are accessible on our Local Offer
• Commissioned services that are co-produced in partnership with children, young people and their families.

Recommendation

Review capacity of the SENDIASS service and if appropriate seek additional funding.

What are the actions being taken? Who will ensure that this happens?

To increase the funding of SENDIASS to ensure they can meet the needs of parents in a timely manner.  

Head of Joint Commissioning

How will the impact be measured?

Review completed and recommendations made

What will success look like?

Timely access to services including assessments, diagnosis and support.

Recommendation

Additional resources are needed to deliver on the improvements to the Early Help offer and Parent Carer Needs Assessment.

What are the actions being taken? Who will ensure that this happens?

We will explore introduction of SEND-specific family support workers for early help, as part of the locality model  

Assistant Director for SEND

How will the impact be measured?

What will success look like?

• Training, resources and information that is responsive to the needs of the community
• Timely access to services including assessments, diagnosis and support
• Information that is easy to access and enables families to find the guidance and support they need.

What are the actions being taken? Who will ensure that this happens? 

We will review Terms of Reference for the Joint Agency Panel, in discussion with Health, Education and Social Care regarding Tripartite funding arrangements.  Terms of Reference are being reviewed and information from Health regarding funding is being rolled out with Health Practitioners.    

Associate Director Children and Maternity Commissioning

We will review the current 'paying for care' leaflets, internet pages and develop a transparent 'easy-read' guide to the Adult Social Care Charing Policy. This will incorporate the changes resulting from the Government’s reforms to adult social care charging (including cap on care costs and increase of capital thresholds). We will clearly communicate these resources to our families

Head of Financial Operations / Assistant Director Adult Social Care

How will the impact be measured?

• Review completed
• Review completed. Increased understanding of the Adult Social Care Charging Policy.

What will success look like?

• Timely access to services including assessments, diagnosis and support
• Information that is easy to access and enables families to find the guidance and support they need.