‘Developing Inclusive Practice’ in Education in Shropshire
14/02/2023
PACC joined the Shropshire Education Conference on Friday 10th February exploring ‘developing inclusive practice’ across all education stages. Ensuring that children and young people with SEND have a positive experience wherever they are educated is essential, and we know that many families feel their young people’s needs are not being fully met at the moment. PACC was pleased to be invited to speak at the conference about developing improved relationships between SEND families and school leaders. This partnership between Parent Carers and education settings is key to delivering a good experience for children and young people with SEND. Parent Carers have a unique perspective and understanding of their child and this can help teachers and school leaders to create inclusive environments offering the right support for all.
There were a range of presentations shared during the day with some interesting local statistics given. David Shaw, Assistant Director for Education and Achievement talked about the increase in requests for Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) in Shropshire. At the end of 2022 there were 1982 EHCPs in Shropshire and this is predicted to rise to 2462 by 2030. Requests for assessments for EHCPs increased by 187% between 2021 and 2022 and during that period 89.4% of assessment request were accepted and 95.7% of assessments resulted in an EHCP being issued.
There were also presentations about the SEN Hubs in Shropshire and how they offer the opportunity to access appropriate support closer to home, something which families have told PACC is important to them. There were strong messages from all presenters about the importance of all parts of the system working together and in partnership and the need for a person-centred approach. In the afternoon there was a Myth Busting session where it was clear there is a need for improved information for education settings about processes which deliver support. This echo’s what families have also told PACC.
There is a commitment to this conversation continuing and a further event is planned in June.
The presentation given by PACC, entitled ‘It Takes a Village’ can be read here.
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