Improving SEND in Norfolk

We want children and young people and their families to: 

• Be fully included in preparing for changes and new beginnings or transitions.  
• Understand and prepare for choices about changes in life. For example, changing schools, choosing a hobby, moving house, choosing and making new friends.  

Our key priorities

Our key priorities for children and young people under the theme of changes and new beginnings are: 

• My family and I have the information we need to understand and be involved in supporting my next steps to be successful 
• My family and I trust everyone involved in planning and supporting my next steps so I can achieve what is best for me 
• My family and I can share our views about decisions in my life and feel confident that these are listened to 
• I have options so I can choose the next steps that are right for me

What we have done 

To meet our key priorities for changes and new beginnings, we have:

• Made our Help You Choose platform more accessible for people with SEND. We are improving the SEND content for young people and families. A consultation with young people has helped us understand what needs to change to the content and the look and feel of the website.   
• Examined the transition to reception from early years. This was to understand why the transition to school is less successful for some children with SEND. We did this by identifying and talking to parents whose child had not transitioned successfully, alongside the professionals supporting them. This learning has informed new recommendations for early years transitions.  
• Piloted data sharing between pre-16 and post-16 education settings. This is to provide information on the needs of new students with SEND. We have worked together with post-16 providers to plan the wider sharing of this data. This is to ensure they are prepared and can plan the right support for young people with SEND when they start a new provision. 
• Reached 300 professionals with our participation training. This has given them the knowledge and understanding of how to collect feedback from children and young people. This ensures children and young people, with their families, can make meaningful contributions to our plans.  
• A new voice bank project is providing a way to hear seldom heard voices. It works by recording the voices of children and young people with SEND to be heard by professionals and used to inform services and strategy.  
• Held year 7 pupil workshops to learn about and understand their experiences of the transition to high school. We published the findings with new transition resources for schools.  
• Reached over 500 participants with our parent carer survey. This was to capture parent carer experiences and views on transitions. We have captured their feedback in a report highlighting positives and areas for improvement. 

What we plan to do next 

We will:

• Co-produce the changes and developments to the Help You Choose platform with young people with SEND. We will offer an opportunity for a young person with SEND to do work experience with us as we make the changes to the website.  
• Examine post-16 transitions to ensure young people and families are supported as they move from school to post-16 settings. This will involve reviewing data sharing and transitions programmes with Norfolk colleges to identify and put improvements in place.  
• Launch new information and guidance on person-centred and relationship-based practices in SEND. This is to ensure all professionals in the SEND system uphold and show these principles. 
• Continue to deliver participation training to ensure it is completed by as many professionals as possible. This will give them the knowledge and tools to listen to the views of families.  
• Share voicebank recordings in professional education, health and care meetings. This will ensure everyone is listening to and acting upon the views of children and young people with SEND.  
• Review our annual review processes to ensure they are person-centred
• Develop the pathway planning process at age 14 to help young people with SEND explore their future options. The information will inform commissioning to ensure the right further education and employment options are available for young people with SEND.