If The SEND Inspection Was Today......

05/11/2019

Shropshire as a Local Area is due to receive a SEND Inspection in the near future, possibly early in the new year.  This inspection is carried out jointly by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission and will look at Education, Health and Social Care services for children and young people aged 0-25year, with special educational needs and disabilities.  The inspectors will in particular want to consider;

• How well are children and young people with SEND identified in Shropshire?
• How well are the needs of children and young people with SEND assessed and responded to in Shropshire?
• Are the lives of children and young people with SEND in Shropshire being improved and are they achieving good outcomes, such as getting a job, being independent and being healthy?

When the inspection happens there will be an expectation that PACC, as the local Parent Carer Forum will be involved in meetings with the inspectors, so that they can provide information about the experiences of families and share information about what is working or not working for SEND families in Shropshire.  Alongside this there will be specific opportunities for Shropshire parent carers to provide feedback directly to the inspectors.

PACC receives information from families on a continual basis about the key issues that they are facing locally.  Currently PACC has identified the following areas as key concerns for families;

• Accessing suitable education – especially for pupils with Autism
• Ensuring that children and young people with SEND are able to access activities in the community and can spend time with friends
• Supported to secure paid work or being work ready
• Concerns about the quality and consistency of support, including the EHCP review process – there are particular issues raised regarding the Post 16 EHCP process and Post 16 provision
• A need for better quality information to enable young people and families to plan – especially around supported living opportunities and post 16 opportunities
• More timely diagnosis and improved post diagnosis support for those with Autism and related conditions – this is a particularly urgent issue

To ensure that PACC is sharing the right information with Inspectors we need to hear from Shropshire parent carers on a regular basis.  With this in mind PACC has a new short survey that we would appreciate you completing.  It is only 10 questions and your feedback will further inform discussion with Inspectors when the SEND Inspection takes place.

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/VQGFPRC

Thank you for your support