Coproduction in action - Coproduction week reflections
09/07/2020
PACC wanted to share with you an example of a real impact and outcome that has benefit our community following a process of coproduction. Below we walk you through the process we participated in and look at the impact and outcomes.
PACC AGM & Autumn Conference 2017
‘Developing SEND Provision in Shropshire’
Jonathan Wilding from FWL Associates, who has been contracted by Shropshire Council to develop their SEND Provision Strategy in partnership with families and SEND practitioners, presented some possible options around developing SEND provision in Shropshire.
The afternoon session was spent in discussion about what improvements or additions are need to local SEND education provision to improve outcomes for young people with SEND. This included;
•Identifying gaps in SEND education provision locally
•Identifying what improvements are needed to existing SEND provision locally and where
Outcome;
The focus of the event and subsequent discussion started off by considering current provision and potential gaps. In response to this there is a clear message from Shropshire parent carers that there needs to be greater choice available to them and increase opportunities for children and young people with SEND to be educated in their own communities. However, it is also clear that while the level and location of provision is important, the quality of the provision is seen as even more important. At all educational stages, the feedback from parent carers focused on the outcomes that they wanted to see for their children and concerns over issues that are currently perceived as preventing this happening. Achieving good outcomes can be addressed by creating additional provision but only if this is accompanied by the right ethos, skills and understanding.
In principle, there is support for the creation of Hubs throughout Shropshire, to enable children and young people with SEND to be educated closer to home. If hubs are created then the preference is that these are places where specialist interventions are provided, by specialist staff and are not just an extension of any mainstream hosts.
Flexibility and person-centred approaches are seen as key to the success of any additional provision. There is also support for the creation of specific provision for children and young people who are unable to cope with mainstream but for whom Severndale is not suitable. The idea of an ASD specific school was welcomed by many parent carers but there was also caution about having one provision for the whole local area and how that would work in reality? These concerns should be carefully considered given the issues raised by parent carers who attend Severndale, about the lack choice for children and young people with Learning Disabilities due to having only one in county provider for this cohort.
Impact;
A number of hubs have been open attached to primary settings in the county;
Kettlemere Centre
(Lakelands Academy – Ellesmere)
Age 11 - 16
Primary need in the area of Communication and Interaction
Sir John Talbot (Whitchurch)
Age 11 – 16
Generic
Whittington Primary
Age 5 - 11
Generic
St Andrews Primary (Nesscliffe)
Age 5 - 11
Generic
St Mary’s Bluecoat (Bridgnorth)
Age 5 - 11
Generic
Shrewsbury Cathedral Catholic Primary
Age 5 – 11
Generic
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