Today PACC Influence and Change Lead, Sarah Thomas attended the National SEND Conversation event in Birmingham. This was the final in person event where the Department for Education heard directly from Parent Carers and SEND practitioners about what needs to change in the SEND system. This feedback will be used to inform the publication of the upcoming Schools White Paper in which the Government will explain its plans for the reform of the SEND system. A formal consultation will take place once the white paper is published.
This event was opened by Bridget Phillipson, Secretary of State for Education who highlighted the importance of hearing everyone voices to understand what is working and not working in the current system. She stressed that the reforms were about improving outcomes and wanting the best for all children, so that all children could “achieve and thrive”. She recognised that change is unsettling and that Parent Carers are desperate not loose support they have fought hard for. She wanted to hear new ideas to create a system that was inclusive by design and saw Parent Carers as key partners in this. She concluded by saying that the reforms were about improving support for children and young people, not removing it.
Tom Rees who chairs The Expert Advisory Group for Inclusion, then introduced the five principles for reform around which the days discussions would be structured.
Bridget Phillipson moved between the tables so that she could hear from as many people as possible. She joined our table when we were discussing the need for clear and transparent information about all elements of the system, as a basis for developing trust and co-production. The Local Offer was discussed as an under valued opportunity to do this.
Other key points discussed were;
- The need for the reforms to be system wide; many parts of the system are not clear about their duties to the SEND community even though what they do might have a significant impact on SEND families
- Parent Carers and Parent Carer Forums are essential partners because they have a unique overview of the system, understanding the gaps and how services need to work together
- ‘Achieve and thrive’ looks different for each child. Currently the system defines this as academic attainment and this is how success is measured; this needs to change. Progress by SEND children needs to be effectively monitored and valued.
- The system needs to be resourced properly so that there is capacity for person centred approaches, building relationships and trust, effective communication and multi-agency review and planning.
- There should be access to SEND training that supports practitioners understanding from the start, as well as ongoing professional development, with oversight of how this training impacts practice.
