Have your say on Shropshire’s draft SEND and Alternative Provision (AP) Strategy and Outcomes Framework
Shropshire Council and NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin Integrated Care Board are inviting feedback from SEND Families and professionals on two key strategies that will help shape the future of support for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in Shropshire.
Library image of woman and young girl painting: Credit Mikhail Nilov, Pexels images
The draft SEND and Alternative Provision (AP) Strategy 2024- 2029 and draft Outcomes Framework for 2024-2029 are aimed at improving outcomes for children and young people with SEND aged 0-25 and those accessing alternative provision (AP).
Draft Shropshire SEND and Alternative Provision (AP) Strategy 2024- 2029
The draft SEND and AP Strategy sets the direction and commitment from the Area SEND and AP Partnership to develop an inclusive system where everyone can thrive.
Key priorities of the strategy include:
- Developing high-quality, inclusive local provision across the system.
- Enabling early identification and timely help, reducing waiting times for essential services.
- Empowering children and young people to communicate confidently and feel valued in their community.
- Creating a proactive and supportive alternative provision offer.
- Improving co-production, communication, and engagement with families and professionals.
- Adopting a data-informed approach to enhance service delivery.
- Supporting children and young people to achieve social and economic independence.
Draft Shropshire SEND and AP Outcomes Framework 2024-29
The draft Shropshire SEND and AP Outcomes Framework details the shared commitment to ensuring that all children and young people with SEND in Shropshire, and those accessing AP, are healthy, happy, safe, and able to achieve their potential. The draft document includes a framework to measure performance and assess the impact of the work of the Area SEND and AP Partnership on children and young people over time.
Councillor Kirstie Hurst-Knight, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for children and education, said:
“We are committed to ensuring that every child and young person with SEND in Shropshire has the opportunity to reach their full potential.
“The draft SEND and AP Strategy and Outcomes Framework outlines the commitment of the Area SEND and AP Partnership to provide comprehensive support not only for those with SEND but also for those accessing alternative provision (AP). The strategies build on previous successful initiatives and integrates feedback from various inspections and plans.
“We encourage you to review these draft documents and share your invaluable feedback with us. Your contributions will help refine our strategies to better meet the needs of our community.
“Please also support your child in reviewing our easy read version of the draft SEND and Alternative Provision (AP) Strategy and the children and young people’s pages in the Outcomes Framework document. Their feedback is crucial to us.”
Vanessa Whatley, Chief Nursing Officer for NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin, said:
“We are committed to creating a well-integrated, inclusive, and effective SEND and AP system in Shropshire and to ensure we have an Outcomes Framework that resonates with what matters to our SEND community.
“We highly value the input from our communities and encourage all families and professionals to take part in this consultation and share their valuable insights. Your feedback is crucial in helping us shape both these pivotal documents to ensure they genuinely reflect the needs and aspirations of our community and support every individual to thrive.”
For further information and to take part in the consultation visit SEND and Alternative Provision (AP) Draft Strategy and Outcomes Framework 2024-2029 | Shropshire Council.
Join us in making Shropshire a place where every child and young person with SEND can thrive. Your voice matters!
Deadline for feedback is Friday 22 November 2024.
Further information
Shropshire SEND and Alternative Provision (AP) draft Strategy 2024- 2029 builds on previous strategies and incorporates valuable feedback from the Ofsted/CQC Area SEND re-visit inspection, the Accelerated Progress Plan (APP), and the national SEND and AP Improvement Plan as well as feedback from the SEND area partnership’s own self-evaluation. This involved key partners including parent carers from the SEND community.
The ‘Area SEND and AP Partnership’ refers to those in education, health and care who are responsible for the strategic planning, commissioning, management, delivery, and evaluation of the arrangements for children and young people with SEND who live in Shropshire. This includes the work of Shropshire Council, NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin Integrated Care System, early years settings, schools, colleges and Further Education providers from the mainstream and specialist sectors.
