LOCAL OFFER: INDIVIDUAL SETTING / SCHOOL / COLLEGE INFORMATION
What is the local offer?
The Government plans, through the Children and Families Bill, to require all local authorities to publish, in one place, information about provision they expect to be available in their area for children and young people from
0 to 25 who have special educational needs – a local offer.
The local offer must include both local provision and provision outside the local area that the local authority expects is likely to be used by children and young people with SEN for whom they are responsible, including relevant regional or national specialist provision. As well as providing clear, comprehensive and accessible information about the support and opportunities that are available, the local offer should make provision more responsive to local needs and aspirations by directly involving children and young people with SEN, parents and carers, and service providers in its development and review.
Clause 30 of the Children and Families Bill gives details of the duty on local authorities to develop, publish and review their local offer. Further detail about what is required is given in indicative draft regulations, whilst guidance on carrying out the statutory duty is given in the indicative draft Special Educational Needs Code of Practice.
With the implementation of the Schools Funding Reform (April 2013) work has been on-going to develop the wider Schools Local Offer, which covers the universal banded funding approach (SEN Matrix) the authority has agreed. This sets out what schools and settings are expected to deliver for their high needs pupils and students through funding elements 1 and 2, and following robust evidence that these elements are insufficient to meet the pupil or student’s needs and explanation of element 3 (top up funding) provided by the authority.
As well as setting out the provision the local authority expects to be available in early years settings, schools and post 16 institutions the local offer should make clear where information provided by schools (under Clause 64 of the Children and Families Bill) about their arrangements for identifying, assessing and making provision for children and young people can be found.
*Subject to Parliamentary approval of provisions in the Children and Families Bill, it is intended that implementation of the SEND reforms will take effect from September 2014.
Childcare Local Offer
Contact details:
What does your service offer?
The Setting1) The services and areas the Children Centre provides
· key purpose of the service and key outcomes for families
· typical activities the centre provides
· are there any time restrictions for families
· details of service relating to any particular legislation
· identify the locality area covered
· main centre location and satellite centre details / Eastfield Strengthening Families’ Hub is the provider of early help services to children and families in the Eastfield area through family intervention and locality provision. The principles of the service include:
· A targeted early intervention focus on children aged 0 to 18 and families with greatest need.
· A Family Centre model based on 8 locality hubs working with families where social worker, family support and health professionals work in the same environment enabling close working partnerships.
· As much of an emphasis on outreach as on building-based provision.
· Parental support, information and guidance and support with education training and employment.
Activities provided are; stay and play, story and singing, free play, midwives (appointment only), baby clinic (appointment only), department for work and pensions drop-in, Black Country Impact and Nurture Parenting Program.
The hub regularly publishes a What’s On guide that details all the activities within the local area. Copies of the guide are accessible from within the hub.
Sharon Leonard and Debbie Harris (01902 558331):
Debbie.Harris@ wolverhampton.gov.uk
Eastfield, Griffin Street, Eastfield, Wolverhampton. WV1 2HH
2) The service/user group catered for by Children’s Centres
· Age ranges and eligibility criteria to access service
· Decision-making process about service users accessing the service / The City of Wolverhampton Council Strengthening Families Early Intervention Service now targets families with children aged 0 to 18.
Service users can access the service by self-referral or external agency referral to the MASH (Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub) Team.
Contact details for the MASH are 01902 555392.
External agencies should complete a MARF (Multi Agency Referral Form)
A Strengthening Families Worker will then complete an initial assessment with you and your family. At that point a final decision will be made as to how our service can meet your family’s needs.
How to start using the service?
Accessibility and Inclusion1) Accessing the Children Centre
· How do users start using the service, is there a waiting list and if so, when would parents/carers expect to be notified?
· What parents and carers should do if they think their child may have special educational needs or disabilities
· The referral criteria and process
· Are there any charges for the service
· Can parents/carers use the personal budget to pay?
· Is there a waiting list and if so, when would parents/carers expect to be notified? / Service users can access the service by self-referral or external agency referral to the MASH (Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub) Team.
Contact details for the MASH are 01902 555392.
External agencies should complete a MARF (Multi Agency Referral Form)
Health visitors are accessible at the centre through GP referral or external agency referral. Clinics are now appointment only. There are no charges for using the service and there is no waiting list for using the service. (Tel. 01902 444106)
· If a child is of school age and believed to have Special Educational Needs or Disabilities; first refer to the child’s school or Special Needs Early Years to establish where the extra help and assistance is needed. If you and the professional within your school agree that help from a Strengthening Families hub is necessary, we will complete an EHA and support in the delivery of aspects of your child’s Early Help Plan.
· If your child is under 5, please share any concerns with your Health visitor or early years provision. Health professionals and/or nursery staff will support you in establishing your child’s areas of need using the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework and refer to the Strengthening Families Worker if additional support is required.
How are decisions made about who can use your service?
2) Assessment, Monitoring and Reviews· How children’s special educational needs are identified and need extra help
· How parents/carers are consulted with about their child who has special educational needs
· If parents/carers are unhappy about assessment decisions made by the children centre, what rights to appeal do parents/carers have
· How much input parents/carers have in their child’s assessment / Strengthening Family Worker’s, the family/carers and partner agencies identify personalised areas of need in an EHA and Team Around the Family (TAF) meeting which will identify an appropriate lead professional. Families/carers are encouraged to contribute throughout the assessment and 6-weekly review process.
Support and measures of change are tracked through My Star, Family Star and Empowerment Star, which focuses on eight core areas;
· Physical health
· Emotional well-being
· Keeping your child safe
· Social networks
· Education and learning
· Boundaries and behaviour
· Family routine
· Home and Money
Families/Carers are consulted throughout the EHA and 6-weekly EHA review process as well as considering the voice of the child.
· How children’s special educational needs are assessed, monitored and reviewed
· Links with Special Needs Early Years Service (SNEYS) and Speech and Language Therapy (SALT) / Children’s Special Educational Needs or Disabilities are assessed, monitored and reviewed through the TAF, EHA and 6-weekly EHA review.
The City of Wolverhampton Council Strengthening Families Early Intervention Service works alongside health practitioners, school SEND and the GEM centre to provide appropriate support for the varied needs of families with SEND requirements.
Supporting Individuals
· How parents/carers can be involved and how they can support their child
· Details of effective key person working and how it supports individual care and learning
· Details of effective Parent Partnership engagement such as Open Sessions and Home Learning
· How parents/carers can be involved in planning and how they can support their child
· Preparing and supporting the child and family to settle into the provision
· Involvement in planning of trips, events and local visits
· Any training opportunities and learning events provided by the setting for parents/carers / Strengthening Family Worker’s, the family/carers and partner agencies identify personalised areas of need in an EHA and Team Around the Family (TAF) meeting which will identify an appropriate lead professional. Families/carers are encouraged to contribute throughout the assessment and 6-weekly review process.
Every family supported via a TAF Plan will have an allocated key worker who will support access to additional services and coordinate the plan.
Support and measures of change are tracked through My Star, Family Star and Empowerment Star, which focuses on eight core areas. SMART targets will be assigned to each core area of need for the family/carer and professionals to work towards.
Strengthening Families workers will complete home visits with families/carers to provide guidance and support on issues identified in the EHA. Families also have access to Universal service practitioners who will support families/carers with school readiness, home learning and transition.
All information regarding trips, events and training is accessible in the What’s on guide for Eastfield or the WIN webpage
http://win.wolverhampton.gov.uk/kb5/wolverhampton/directory/service.page?id=6LUu77PISx8&familychannel=4_7
· How children’s needs are provided for (level of impact /of support)
· How will the curriculum be matched to the child’s individual needs
· The support provided for the child’s overall well being
· How parents/carers and children can raise any concerns about progress, questions or request additional support / The Eastfield Strengthening Families Early Intervention Service use a child-centred approach to work with families. TAF and EHA ensure that practitioners gain a broad understandings of the child’s needs. A 6-weekly EHA review provides practitioners and families/carers the opportunity to raise any concerns about progress, questions or request additional support.
The My Star, Family Star and Empowerment assessment, focuses on eight core areas. Individualised SMART targets will be assigned to each core area of need (based on information from gathered by the TAF and EHA) for the family/carer and professionals to work towards.
How do you communicate with service users and how are they involved in decision making and planning?
3) Communicating with service users· Communication methods with service users
· The involvement and how you obtain feedback from parents/carers and service users during decision making and planning
· Type and format of information provided
· Communicating with users whose first language is not English
· Inclusion of parents into the decision making and planning / The Eastfield Strengthening Families Early Intervention Service communicate with service users by letter, telephone call, text message, home visits or meetings at the HUB. Families are given the opportunity to provide feedback within decision making processes such as EHA review and Outcome star review.
Strengthening Family Workers currently practice agile working with the use of iPads and Lenovo tablets. Service users that do not have access to computers or the internet can be provided with paper copies of any information required.
For service users whose first language is not English an interpreter will be provided.
Is your service fully accessible?
4) Accessibility of the Children Centre· Is the building fully accessible to different types of need? / The building has appropriately accessible thresholds for disabled access, ground surface which does not impede wheelchairs and appropriately sized toilets upstairs and downstairs for males and females. Disabled parking is available.
What training are the staff supporting children and young people with SEND had or are having?
Skills and Training· The specialist skills and training of centre staff in relation to SEN and disability
· Specialist services or expertise accessed by centre, including educational establishments, health and social care services and Early Help services. / All staff are trained through the corporate workforce development plan and we link with partner agencies for extra support. For example:
- Speech and language
- Makaton
- Early Years qualifications
- Play therapy
- Behaviour management (Solihull approach)
- Cognitive behaviour therapy
The Strengthening Family Hub incorporates early help, social care and health which enables specialist expertise to be shared.
The settings standards for learning, development and care for children
Early Years Foundation Stage AccessDetails of the settings EYFS offer, to include such things as:
· The Early Years Foundation Stage
· Characteristics of effective learning
Capturing the journey profile (tracking tool)
2 yr progress check / Universal Practitioners provide effective intervention to increase parent’s knowledge, skill and confidence to play with their child and engage in learning activities at home. Assessment and planning is completed using EYFS tools and progress is measured and monitored via the Exploring the Journey Tool.
How the EYFS offer is implemented and made accessible to all, Unique Child, Positive Relationship and Enabling Environment. To include such things as:
· Routine
· Indoor/ outdoor learning space in the setting
· Activities outside the setting and trips
· All policies such as equality and positive behaviour
· Learning and development / Three Stay and Play sessions run from various locations across the locality. Activities provided cover all areas of EYFS with differentiated support.
Supporting individuals
· Details of effective key working and how it supports individual care and learning
· Details of effective parental engagement, such as:
· Open sessions
· Home learning
· Involvement in planning
· Preparing and supporting the child to join the centre
· Transitional support to a new setting/school
· Involvement in trips (planning) / Parents contribute ideas for planning Stay and Play sessions. Home learning is offered where required staff have undertaken REAL Training to document progress.
Equipment and Resources
· How the setting resources are allocated and matched to children’s special educational needs
· Types of special educational needs for which provision is made. (such as wheelchair access)
· How setting resources are allocated and matched to children’s special educational needs
· Links with voluntary organisations, including support services for parents/carers / The building has appropriately accessible thresholds for disabled access, ground surface which does not impede wheelchairs and appropriately sized toilets upstairs and downstairs for males and females. Disabled parking is available. Multipurpose rooms can be utilised for sensory play if required.
Who can I contact for further information?