No decision about me without me Action Plan Children and people with SEN&D and their families will be at the heart of the Somerset person centred approach to service reforms across all sectors. Somerset must value and actively seek the range of family members’ perspectives, experiences and aspirations. These together will contribute to a broader insight and opportunity for creative solution finding with families. Somerset must be committed to the meaningful engagement of children and young people in the decision making process endorsing Article 12 of the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child which says “All children and young people have the right to participate in decision making that is relevant in their lives and to influence decisions taken within the family, the school or the community that affects them” This strategy must ensure that children and young people with SEN&D have equal rights to have their voices heard across Somerset. Developing an Engagement and Participation Culture What do we want to do? Who will be accountable? When will this need to be completed by? How will we know we have achieved this action? Establish a method to oversee the plan/strategy SEN&D Commissioning Manager June 2015 Strategy all in agreement and embedding into business as usual activities Skills mapping of workforce Training and Support Coordinator Completed. updates Workforce mapped and accessible to the Engagement and Participation team Create a network of people involved in participation work across SCC, CCG and other key partners Engagement and Participation Officer May 2015 and then on going Joined up approach Sharing good practice The development of a SEN&D Participation Charter Engagement and Participation Officer August 2015 Charter produced with key stakeholders committed What do we want to do? Who will be accountable? When will this need to be completed by? How will we know we have achieved this action?
SEN&DIAS to develop service impact on policy and practice Manager for SEN&DIAS Autumn term 2015 Advisory group/steering group to be established which will contribute to planning and review of services provided Induction for new staff for the principles of participation in relation to SEN&D reforms and guidance. To inform practice for working with children, young people and parents SEN&D Training and Support September 2015 Online induction modules completed by SEN&D training team and form part of the mandatory training for new staff Ensure sufficient resources are allocated to support the development of SEN&D participation SEN&D Commissioning Manager Annually Sufficient resources are provided and participation becomes business as usual SEN&D conference SEN&D Commissioning Manager and SEN&D training and support September 2015 Evaluation Attendance- 80% of those invited Individual participation of parent carers and families and children/ young people with SEN&D Priority Action Who will be accountable? When will this need to be completed by? How will we know we have
achieved this action? Working with and enabling meaningful participation of parent carers and families in relation to the assessment, planning and delivery of services for their own individual child or young person with SEN&D Review of Education Health and Care (EHC) process- and plan of action to be agreed Task group June 2015 Parent carers, young people and those who support them will be involved in the new process Assessment and review of EHC paperwork to be reviewed Task group Spring 2016 Young people to be members of EHC group Alison Trott September 2015 Working in a person centred approach to enable children and young people with SEN&D to actively contribute in their own assessment, planning and service delivery Develop, review and modify parental and young person’s contributions form to be used prior to requesting an assessment The EHC assessment and planning which includes: SEN&DIAS, Carers South West, SPCF, Young People’s Champions and EHC assessment case workers September 2015 New paperwork will meet parental expectations and statutory requirements Review of Local Offer and Finding Your Way Engagement and Participation Officer Engagement and Participation Officer, Young People’s Champions, SPCF September 2015 Review completed Strategic participation of parent carers and families and children/ people with SEN&D Priority Action Who will be accountable? When will this need to be How will we know we have
completed by? achieved this action? Ensure parent carers and children and young people participate in the of strategic planning, decision making, commissioning and service evaluation Recruitment of a SEN&D Engagement and Participation Officer Training and Support Coordinator April 2015 In post Participation training for SEN&D People’s Champions Engagement and Participation Officer July 2015 Young People’s Champions trained on participation Participation training for decision makers through a range of methods Engagement and Participation Officer and SEN&D Champions July 2015 Decision makers engaged with meaningful participation Development of a sustainable Young People’s forum including roles and responsibilities and protocol Engagement and Participation Officer and SEN&D Champions March 2016 Young people forum in place. Charter in place and roles and responsibilities clearly outlined Develop SEN&D Young People’s Champions recruitment and employment process Engagement and Participation Officer September 2015 Job description and person specification created with plan for the future Mapping existing SEN&D services Engagement and Participation Officer and Young People’s Champions June 2015 Good understanding of services and groups 10. What success looks like Somerset will know if the SEN&D Engagement and Participation Strategy has been successful when: An increased number of children and people and their families feel their contribution is valued.