SEND Parent Carer meetings
The SEND Parent Carer meetings are held twice a month during term time.
These meetings bring together your local parent carer forum, NELPCF, professionals from education, health and social care and guest speakers from around the borough to work with us on important topics that have been highlighted by NELPCF and the parents that engage with them.
The purpose of this group is for families of children and young people with SEND to have involvement in meaningfully working together with local leaders of SEND to co-produce the education, health and care information, advice, guidance and services that they need.
Learn more about the parent carer forum NELPCF.
Who are our guest speakers for 2024/25?
- 11/9/24- Annemarie Cook, Preparation for Adulthood
- No meeting- NELPCF Event
- 9/10/24- Nikki Lambert, EHCP Stats
- 6/11/24- Laura Lockett, Compass Go – Mental Health
- 20/11/24- Sarah Bailey, Dental services
- 4/12/24- Helen Norris & Vicky Birkwood, Delivering Best Value in SEND
- 18/12/24- No Guest Speaker, Update opportunities PCF, Health and Social Care
Guest speakers- 2023/24
July 2024
You said, “We don’t know what will be available for children and young people with SEND over the summer holidays”.
We invited Guest Speaker Rebecca Wilson Education Projects Lead for HAF (Holiday Activities and Food Programme) to attend the bi weekly SEND Parent Carer meeting with representatives from SENDIASS and NE Lincs Parent Carer Forum.
Rebecca explained that the HAF Programme was for holiday activities primarily aimed at families who would be eligible because of benefit related entitlement to Free School Meals (FSM) including children with SEND, but that 15% of funding was available for families on low incomes but did not meet the threshold for eligibility to FSM. This could also include children and young people with SEND.
Rebecca detailed the activities that were offered at Easter, Summer and Christmas school holidays. There were several providers including for example Learning4Life, Launchpad and Eclipse Gymnastics. Children with SEND can attend alongside their friends and siblings. There is also an offer available at Humberston Park Academy for children who access the school and have 17 days available to them.
Parent carers asked the following questions.
Q: What training do the provider’s coaches have in relation to SEN?
Rebecca explained that each provider would have it’s own training strategy. SEND should be included within that training. Where SEND needs are identified in for example an activity in a mainstream school, additional provision would be provided where possible.
Q: Is it possible for RW to meet with the PCF to discuss the possibility of a more SEND Friendly “Club” as part of the HAF activities?
Rebecca confirmed that she would be happy to meet with the PCF and SENDIASS commented that there was a good level of SEND training available on-line for providers.
Q: How many children and young people are eligible.
Rebecca told the group that there were 8000 children eligible to apply for places which meant inevitably that there were waiting lists. One significant issue was that places were often booked but not attended thereby wasting some places which could have been otherwise filled. Sometimes up to 50% non-attendance.
Q: Is HAF available to children from NE Lincs who are schooled out of area?
Rebecca stated that if a child was schooled out of area but living in NE Lincs eligibility would still stand.
SENDIASS commented that over the last year there had been a significant improvement in the range of activities offered in the HAF programme. Rebecca stated that a flyer for the activities for this summer 2024 was currently in design and that once available it would be placed on the Local Offer and on Families First Facebook pages. SENDIASS and PCF agreed to share with their stakeholders and families.
You said, “We feel schools need more training around SEND at all staff levels. What are the local authority doing to encourage education settings to do this? Can we have some details”.
We invited Guest Speaker Victoria Birkwood Education Projects Lead for Delivering Better Value (DBV) in SEND to attend the bi weekly SEND Parent Carer meeting with representatives from SENDIASS and NE Lincs Parent Carer Forum.
After her visit at the beginning of the year Vicky returned to the group in June 2024 to give an update on DBV. Vicky stated that lots of training taken off since January 2024 including:
(Click the arrows for more details)
TA Training
TA training – 565 teaching assistants in our borough partnered with Mita to maximize impact of teaching assistance using school leaders. Independent learning methods for students, cognition, lots of resources and support. Looking at rolling out to 60 schools next year.
NELincs Teaching Hub
NE Lincs teaching hub new offer – Formed links with the teaching hub that provides support for all newly qualified teachers in NE Lincs and provided 2 days funded training for schools to explore what SEND is and the strategies to support in classroom. The response was positive as this is significant increase from statutory one hour SEND Awareness training given during teacher training. In September 2024, newly qualified teachers will also have an induction with speech and language therapists.
SEND for middle leaders
SEND for middle leaders training – SEND Evaluations highlighted an issue where SEND is the responsibility of the SENCo only. This is an issue for our mission of whole school SEND. To remedy this our LA created a course with Learn SEND Hub about how middle leaders can differentiate/ personalize their curriculum making better use of curriculum for SEND and also support SENCo- screening for SEND, collate reports etc.Feedback has been very positive.
Scaffolding Training
Scaffolding training – The Education Endowment Foundation, a best practice in teaching org. shows evidence that works is scaffolding learning. We offered 3 hour course and 72 people attended. Feedback has been excellent.
Springboard Outreach
Springboard Outreach-(Key stage 1) This is the outreach from Cambridge Park. Staff who are experts in communication needs go into school, work with young people and staff to give strategies and skills to manage young people. We are also offering training for whole school, autism, and autism framework. We would like to replicate model for future outreach.
IPSEA Training
IPSEA training – By November 2024 every school inc. 3 colleges will have attended full days standalone SENCo training offered by IPSEA who do legal training. We’ve localized the course in terms what they’re obligated to do re reports, annual reviews etc. Feedback has been brilliant, SENCo’s saying it’s changed their practice.
Sensory Needs Training
Sensory needs training – We have offered a 3 hour session for primary/ special schools on how to set up classrooms to be more sensory friendly and what sensory support looks like.
ELKLAN Project (SLCN)
ELKLAN Project- This is a national company specialising in speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) and supporting schools to deliver. Our mission for sustainability is for whole school SEND, training/programs to evolve. We have selected 15 primary + secondary settings and 15 Early Years to do full years project in SLCN including training, accreditation for communication friendly school, interventions for early speaking language for prevention from SLCN therapist and then evaluated by EF. This means children with identified speech and language needs can get support from class teacher without going through a pathway. There is the potential to roll out to all schools.
Behaviour Management Training
Behaviour management training – We have selected 10 schools whose main needs is behaviour management so schools that permanently exclude or suspend for persistent disruptive behaviour. We have partnered with positive ‘positive regard’, a Wellspring Company as we have Wellspring here we want to improve and ask to deliver similar projects. Our aim to change behaviour policies to relationship based policies.
National Autistic Society Training
National Autistic Society training – We have trained 8 staff across schools, health, social care and family hubs in Early Bird- a parenting and family program for children who are newly diagnosed as autistic.
Further Speech, language, and communication Needs (SLCN) support
Further SLCN support – We have two new speech and language therapists helping to bring down waiting list for children with urgent need for speech and language therapist.
Early Years Training
Early Years training – We are doing piece of work with early years teams, from health and family hubs to access early years SENCo’s and support them. They have completed a training course on Neurodiversity and strategies to support children who are neurodiverse. They will go into nurseries and early years settings and deliver awareness training so settings get good understanding of neurodiversity and plans to increase on bigger scale for primary and secondary.
SMART Training
SMART Targets training – to get schools to write higher, better quality targets. Andrew Clark (AC), Early Years lead has been delivering to settings, Vicky doing Primary and Secondary. 21 Primary schools since Xmas. VB and AC deliver 90 min to whole school staff and then follow up 6 weeks later. Also quality assurance of targets to monitor how targets have improved, deep dive to see if it’s improved outcomes.
SENCo Network- Wellcom Toolkit and Widget License
SENCO network -8th July 2024, theme is SLCN. Providing the Wellcom Toolkit an assessment and intervention toolkit for schools and train them how to use it. Then provide with Widget license and training on how to use it. Image based tool for communication used by special schools.
Vicky was asked the following questions
Q: With consistency and new staffing, how are you going to keep on top of it as things change so much.
Training the leaders in the school and then continually going back and ensuring they are sharing it with staff and enforcing that they share this as part of whole school culture. Leaving the skills in the school for them to disseminate Spotlight sessions- introductory sessions into key themes and looking at SEND induction online inc. who to contact if needed and by training.
Q: Can we have clarification on positive regard and connection to Wellspring, delivery, and future steps.
Wellspring are known here for the provision delivery, but they’re actually a bigger company and a big part of their other arm if you like, is Positive Regard training. It’s a totally separate brand to the Wellspring schools.
Q: 21 schools have done SMART Target training, just primary schools, or any secondary schools?
All Primary this term and next term we are working with Secondary Schools to increase take up.
You said, “Parent carers are telling us they don’t have enough information about SEND in the Early Years. Where can we go for more information”.
We invited Guest Speaker Andrea Clark, Early Years Team Manager to attend the bi weekly SEND Parent Carer meeting with representatives from SENDIASS and NE Lincs Parent Carer Forum.
Andrea introduced herself confirming that she had been in post for a year and a half and that her background was teaching. She had been a SENCO, a Deputy Head and an Acting Head. Andrea gave a presentation about the Early Years Team members and the services provided, included Portage.
Parent feedback was overwhelmingly positive saying that they felt a lot more well informed about what support was available in Early Years, how various services worked together and how parents and carers could access them for themselves, and their children. NELPCF frequently meets with parents and carers to share information like this.
Andrea was asked the following questions:
Q: The Portage service is brilliant but securing a referral can be difficult. Will there be more training with managers to raise awareness of Early Years services as this would be very useful.
Yes, plans are being developed to significantly raise awareness across the borough.
Q: Was there a service in relation to training on areas such as Trauma?
There is no specific package at this time but it would be possible for a Team member to meet with a practitioner to identify needs.
Q: Does the service support foster carers directly?
Yes. There is a referral form on the Local Offer.
Q: Can Portage influence bringing a two year check forward if it appeared a child under two had specific needs for support?
Yes. The way to do it would be to email the Portage service with the details. Evidence would be needed to justify bringing the two-year check forward.
You said “ Can you share with us more data and information about the numbers of EHCPs in our local area?”
We invited Guest Speaker Nicola Lambert (NE Lincs Lead EHCP Co-ordinator) to attend the biweekly SEND Parent Carer meeting with representatives from SENDIASS and NE Lincs Parent Carer Forum.
Nicola presented statistical information in respect of EHCP’s. She stated that in May 2024 the SENART team had 1966 active cases. Of these 183 were in the assessment process. Nicola said that since 1st January 2024 the LA have finalised 88 EHC Plans. 44% of these have been finalised within the 20week statutory timescale. This has increased from 27% of the 48 plans issued by this time last year. 1783 EHCP’s are currently being maintained.
Nicola shared the following data:
Since September 2023 300 requests for assessment had been received.
- School/setting request = 195
- Parent/carer/young person request = 91
- Other professional request = 14
During the same period last academic year (September 2022-April 2023) we received 255 requests for assessment. This is a 15% increase.
Nicola responded to a number of questions from SENDIASS and PCF:
Q: How had review numbers effectively halved?
Staff capacity had increased to enable more processing and the Education Hub had been a useful tool.
Q: The 20 week turnaround figure had improved. How was this achieved?
The Educational Psychology service had focussed on statutory assessments.
Q: Had there been an increase in the age of children needing assessment following the Covid pandemic?
Although the impact of Covid was now lessening, there had been an increase in assessments for early years children.
Q: Was there any pattern in years 5 and 6 requests for assessment?
There had been an increase in Year 6 requests as preparation for Secondary School approached.
Q: Was the EHCP format changing from Idox EHC Hub provider?
There were some proposals for future changes, but this would not happen for approximately two years.
Q: How are ECHP’s monitored in terms of successfulness?
This was done through annual reviews. EHCP Co-ordinators did not have the capacity to attend every review due to the number of cases they had. For example, a full-time co-ordinator would have in excess of 300 cases.
Q What do parents do if they are told by schools that funding is not available to meet their child’s needs. Who should parents contact?
The LA do not routinely discuss funding with parents as it is not fair for families to feel they are responsible for any aspect of seeking SEND funding for their child. This is the responsibility of the LA and Educational settings. However, any concerns can be raised by emailing SEN@nelincs.gov.uk. The LA SEND team will follow up any parental concerns with educational settings.
Guest Speaker – Vicky McGuire, Cambridge Park – update on Springboard Outreach
Vicky explained that the Springboard Outreach project started as a one year pilot focused on supporting children under the age of 7 with complex needs and due to the success had been commissioned for a second year. Two Practitioners support a caseload of 5 children each term. Regular visits to schools are made with generally two sessions per week. A session lasts for two and a half hours. So far this year, 28 schools have been involved.
Vicky referred to a course which had been delivered on “Making Sense of Autism”, which had been well received by schools, with over 250 staff members receiving the training. One staff member had fed back that the training had completely changed her working life for the better and now understood how to better support a particular child. Parents had also fed back how much improvement had been made in support and how things in homes had improved as a result of the project.
NELPCF commented that the work of the project had been extremely positive and that she had received very positive feedback from parents. NELPCF considered the project to have been amazing so far but had some concern about what happened when a child involved reached an age where the support was no longer available under the age limit of the project. Vicky reported that as many resources and reasonable adjustments as possible were kept in place after the age of 7. CL stated that when the project moves away from a particular child due to the age restriction, the LA (CL) would review the needs of that child. Vicky stated that she would love to engage more Practitioners on the project but that would have a detrimental effect on Cambridge Park staffing requirements. Clare reported that negotiations were ongoing between the LA and Cambridge Park regarding extending the age limit to support higher aged groups of children although specifics had not yet been agreed but Clare and Vicky meet regularly.
Vicky explained that there would be an enormous training package across the borough targeting school leaders and SENDCo’s. Training sessions would last 2.5 hours and would cost just £10 per delegate. CL briefly reported on some “Myth Busting” including, but not exclusively:
- To receive support through Springboard, a child would need to be attending Cambridge Park. This was incorrect.
- Springboard was there to keep children out of specialist settings. This was incorrect. Springboard was there to support professional in supporting children with complex needs.
- A child needs to have an EHCP to receive support from Springboard. Vicky confirmed that an EHCP was not required to receive Springboard support.
- A diagnosis of autism was a requirement to receive support from Springboard. This is not the case.
- Vicky reported that she had received positive feedback in respect of social exposure and that it was important to see children happy in their settings. NELPCF queried whether parents were educated enough about the balance between a child seeming happy in a setting and whether they were receiving and succeeding in actual education. Vicky stated that there was a balance to be achieved but given the mental abilities of some children needing support, education may not always be as advanced as other children in mainstream education. Clare stated that part of monitoring included significant involvement with parents and in many cases the offer of resources which could be used at home. NELPCF stated that it was important that parents be made aware of projects such as Springboard and other SEN support available. At this point Vicky left the meeting due to another commitment. NELPCF asked if Springboard would be appropriate to support three families she had been made aware of with children with brain tumours. Clare stated that the Neurodiversity Pathway was appropriate. Jo stated that the first point of call would be through school nurses.
Amy Quickfall – NAVIGO
Amy gave a brief history of NAVIGO explaining how it is now an all age service. She explained close links to other agencies and those that now fell under the NAVIGO umbrella. Amy reported that Young Minds Matter could support in several ways and that eating disorder support was very prominent currently. Young People (aged 16+) could choose where to access support from including Talking Therapies (previously Open Minds). Other support referred to included Mental
Health recovery Service aimed at 16-25 year olds.
Amy reported that she had taken part in a recent podcast in relation to support for young people where young people were able to share their stories. It would be available on Spotify and Apple. It was approximately 30 minutes in duration.
There was an opportunity for questions and answers.
Q How does NAVIGO promote it’s services – how can people access those
services?
A great deal of promotion is via social media, in particular, Instagram. Once contact has been established there is a Whatsapp group for parents and young people. There is a community magazine on line that promotes the services and parents can join the group to receive information. There will be opportunities when joined to be more involved in groups and committees.
Q- As some of those at the meeting were unaware of the community group/ newsletters etc, how would PCF member know here to go for mental health services for children and young people?
Clare Linfitt stated that mental health services could be contacted through NAVIGO and that there was information on the NAVIGO website. AQ referred to Young Minds Matter which is the Team name under the CAHMS service.
Q- GP’s and Paediatricians are not mental health specialists. Do children miss out on support where not referred to mental health services? Can parents come straight to NAVIGO?
Not in those circumstances. Consideration was being given how to resolve such gaps. If parents are unhappy with medical professionals the first point of contact would be PALS. Jo stated that with GP’s the first step would be to contact the Practice Manager to find out the correct complaint procedure. PALS would be appropriate in relation to complaints involving hospital professionals.
Q- It was felt there had been a lack of communication in respect of Young Minds Matter services. Also, it was not clear where to get help in respect of eating disorders. What help was available in this area?
This was more a neuro diversity issue. Amy referred parents to FREED (First Episode rapid Early Intervention for Eating Disorders). Jo Nerjup reported that Sensory Assessments regarding eating disorders were available but incurred costs. Individual funding requests could be made. Further information could be sourced by contacting Sarah Harding (Designated Clinical Officer SEND & Strategic lead for Children’s Complex Health – North East Lincolnshire Council).
Q Parents had raised concerns about Young Minds Matter session times. Sessions frequently started late resulting in shorter sessions so limited support given. Can anything be done about this?
Amy agreed to investigate how the experiences could be improved. NELPCF commented that in respect of eating disorders, Paediatricians do not give actual support but just advise looking at websites. They don’t give a website address.
Jo Nerjup stated that Gemma Baker – NAVIGO Commissioner was aware of this issue.
Q- What are the waiting times for Learning Disability Assessments?
A- Jo stated that Individual Funding Requests would be required but to bear in mind clinicians have many conflicting priorities. It was reported that referrals generally took 2 weeks to get to NAVIGO and then 6 weeks for NAVIGO to contact parents.
2024/2025 dates, topics, and guest speakers
11 September 2024
Annemarie Cook Preparation for Adulthood
25 September 2024
No meeting this week- NELPCF public event
9 October 2024
Nikki Lambert EHCP Stats
6 November 2024
Laura Lockett Compass Go – Mental Health
20 November 2024
Sarah Bailey, Dental services
4 December 12 2024
Helen Norris & Vicky Birkwood, Delivering Better Value in SEND
18 December 2024
No Guest Speaker- Update opportunities PCF, Health and Social Care
Anyone is invited to join. If you would like to get involved please contact Lauren Thompson, SEND Local Offer Engagement Coordinator and Communications Officer at lauren.thompson2@nelincs.gov.uk.
Read the Terms of Reference Read the NE Lincs SEND weekly parent/carer meeting Terms of Reference (PDF, 354 KB) .