The Engagement and Participation TeamSpecial Educational Needs and Disabilities SEND

WWW.SOMERSET.GOV.UK

A handy guide for practitioners

If you work with children and young people who have a Special Educational Need and or a Disability, whether you work within education, health, social care or the voluntary sector, we are available to offer support on the following:

• TheSpecialEducationalNeedsand Disabilityreforms-what’schanged?

• EngagementandParticipationwith childrenandyoungpeoplewithSEND

• Effectivecommunication

• Transitions-whatgoodlookslike

• Raisingaspirations

Wecanalsodeliverbespokeworkshopsifyouneedsomethingmorespecific.

Wearealsoableto:

• Attendyourmeetings

• Presentatevents

• Reviewliteraturetoenhancereadability

• Offersupportforconsultations

If you would like to get in touch,please contact Jemma on

(01823) 359868 or 07469 413359

sendparticipationteam@somerset.gov.uk

Enga

gement & Participation Team

Special Educational Needs & D

isabi

litie

s

Are you engaging and participating effectively with children and young people?

1.Doyouhaveastrategytoengagechildren andyoungpeopleinyourdaytodaybusiness?

2.Doyouhavearangeoffeedbackmethods thatareaccessibletochildrenandyoung peoplewitharangeofabilities?

3.Doyouevidencethatyouarelisteningtothe feedbackfromchildrenandyoungpeople?

4.Canyougiveanexampleofhowchildren,young peopleandtheirfamiliesareinvolvedindecision makingwithinyourservice?

If the answer is no to any of these questions, then we can support you.

Engag

ement & Participation Team

Special Educational Needs & Disa

biliti

es

Involving children, young people and their families is at the heart of the SEND reforms

Inautumn2014changesweremadetothewaywesupportchildrenandyoungpeoplewithspecialeducationalneedsanddisabilities.Thesechangeshaveanofficialname-theSpecial Educational Needs and Disability (SEND)reforms.TheywereintroducedaspartoftheChildrenandFamiliesAct.

ThereformsrequireustodeveloplinkswithchildrenandyoungpeoplewithSEND and theirfamiliesinSomersettomakesuretheyarefullyinvolvedinplanninganddecisionmaking.

Toembedthesechanges,SomersetCountyCouncilnowhasanEngagementandParticipationTeam.

Theteamhaveco-producedastrategy,whichoutlineshowtheywillengagewithchildrenandyoungpeopleandtheirfamiliesinSomerset.

Thestrategycanbefoundhere:

Https:\\bit.ly/SomersetSEND

The team have a county-wide SEND children and young people’s forum in Somerset called The Unstoppables: Theymeetregularlyandareavailableforconsultations.

Our aspiration is to ensure that children and young people with SEND and their families are represented and have their voices heard.