The Joint Medway Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Strategy was co-produced with parents, carers and young people.
It was an ambitious plan that set out the joint vision across health, education and council services for children and young people aged 0 to 25 years who have special educational needs and disabilities, and their families.
The 7 priorities
The current strategy focuses on 7 areas to help us carry out our commitment to providing the best quality education and support for children with learning disabilities and their families.
These areas are:
- early identification and help at all ages, including an improved Local Offer
- make sure that SEND provision in schools, settings, and services is high-quality, and ensure inclusion and good progress for all
- plans for more provision in schools, settings, and services – more places locally
- support young people to have more opportunities to be as independent as possible as they become adults
- increase working together with children and young people and parents and carers – participation and co-production
- ensure joint planning and pooled resources for accessible services locally
- enable children and young people with SEND to have the best possible physical and mental health, and wellbeing.
What we have achieved
Many of these actions have now been completed and we're starting to see the impact of these on children and young people’s lives.
We outlined some big commitments in this strategy and together, we have made great strides over the last 2 and a half years to provide children and young people with the local SEND services they deserve.
2021
What we said: Improve the Local Offer.
What we did: Created a new website.
Take a look at the Local Offer website.
2020
What we said: Provide accessible services locally.
What we did: Set up a Community of Practice group for parents and carers.
View the Community of Practice group.
What we said: Improve mental health and wellbeing support for individuals with SEN.
What we did: New online hub listing local services.
Check out the online hub.
2019
What we said: Cross-working between children, young people, parents and carers
What we did: Redesign of the Education, Health and Care Plan.
What we said: More specialist provision in schools
What we did: Setting up a Positive Behaviour Support Pilot across 4 schools.
Views and comments
Here’s just some of the feedback we’ve received from children and young people who use our SEND services in Medway, based on the improvements we’ve made since 2019:
“The Local Offer website is much better.”
“The EHCPs are easier to read now they have been redesigned.”
“I am lucky because I go to a special school close to my house. It’s good that there will be more schools in Medway for young people who have autism.”
“Supported Internships are good and Bemix helped me to get my job.”
“Being part of the Young Persons’ group has helped me be brave enough to speak up when I need to”