1. London Region 1 SEND Reform Partnership Information, Advice and Support – for the whole journey – from first concerns through to a plan or mediation/appeal Wednesday 21 January 2015 Introductions and Welcome – Helen Norris, Pathfinder Champion lead, Bromley

2. What research evidence shows about families of children with additional needs and/or disabilities

3. Tribunal Mediation/Disagreement Resolution IASS/IS Universal Keyworking

4. Parent Carers' & Young People’s Views

5. Key working approaches

6. Principles Section 19 of the Children and Families Act 2014 makes clear that local authorities, in carrying out their functions under the Act in relation to disabled children and young people and those with special educational needs (SEN), must have regard to: the views, wishes and feelings of the child or young person, and the child’s parents the importance of the child or young person, and the child’s parents, participating as fully as possible in decisions, and being provided with the information and support necessary to enable participation in those decisions the need to support the child or young person, and the child’s parents, in order to facilitate the development of the child or young person and to help them achieve the best possible educational and other outcomes, preparing them effectively for adulthood

7. Option of a Personal Budget Integrated assessment and planning Joint commissioning Better disagreeme nt resolution processes The SEND reforms: putting children and young people at the centre 0-25 Children and young people with SEND and families Where disagreements happen, they can be resolved early and amicably, with the option of a Tribunal for those that need it Children, young people and parents understand a joined up system, designed around their needs Having friends Outcomes Employment prospects Positive Wellbeing Good qualifications Making their views heard Local offer Enablers Education Health and Care Plan is holistic, co-produced, focused on outcomes, and is delivered Extending choice and control over their support. Information, advice and support

8. What young people say is important (Triangle 2014)

9. Approach and culture threading through all we do in order to reflect the Section 19 This applies to all services and settings including schools and colleges Keyworking approaches will form the ‘early intervention’ function for potential disagreements What has changed?

10. The move to outcome focused planning The shift from a service-led to an outcomes focused approach... is key to creating innovative and responsive services, capable of satisfying the needs of individuals and those that support them, as well as an important means of achieving cost effectiveness. This approach emphasises the strengths, capabilities and resilience of individuals, and builds upon natural support systems such as family and local community. By focusing on strengths, capacities and goals, the role of the person is maximised. Services do things with people. By engaging with individuals about their desired outcomes as a starting point for decision-making, the approach focuses on possibilities rather than on problems

11. How key working supports the culture change Key working is: An approach to support that helps build strong and resilient families which is underpinned by the Early Support Principles Defined by a set of functions rather than being defined by a job title A way to facilitate the coordination of an integrated package of solution-focused support Family centred as well as child or young person centred An open, equality promoting and supportive relationship that involves children, young people and families as partners A way of working – not a separate service

12. Key working is everyone’s business All should apply the keyworking principles in their own context Is your workforce aware of this? Is your workforce ready for this? Is this expectation included in JDs Is this reflected in your communication with families? How are frontline staff supported and supervised? Are you getting the right feedback?

13. Key working functions Emotional and practical support Providing emotional and practical support as part of a trusting relationship Enabling and empowering for decision making and the use of personal budgets Planning and assessment Supporting and facilitating a single planning and joint assessment process Identifying strengths and needs of all family members Coordination Coordinating practitioners and services around the child, young person and family Being a single point of regular and consistent contact Facilitating multiagency meetings Information and specialist support Providing information and signposting Advocating on child’s, young person and/or family’s behalf Facilitating clinical and social care seamlessly, integrated with specialist and universal services

14. The key working process (Adapted from the helping process, Hilton Davis, 2002) EXPLORATION UNDERSTANDING GOAL SETTING STRATEGY PLANNING IMPLEMENTATION REVIEW END RELATIONSHIP BUILDING

15. Think about your own context and identify: What’s different now? Leading to good outcomes for families and young people What’s still to do? To ensure disagreements remain an avoidable outcome for families and young people. Discussion

16. Information, Advice and Support Service

17. Tribunal Mediation/Disagreement Resolution IASS/IS Universal Keyworking

18. Knowledge is power Transparency is key

19. L Clarke 2013 Parental Journeys Research: Parent Voice and Hampshire parent Carer Network Information makes a difference to parents because…

20. The principles (2.8) Impartial and at arm’s length Free, accurate, confidential, accessible and responsive Review and publish annually information on the effectiveness of IASS including customer satisfaction Work in partnership with children, young people, parents, local authorities, CCGs and other partners Help promote independence and self advocacy Work with PCF and other representative user groups to ensure views inform policy and practice

21. What parents have said about the reforms “There seems to be a lot of advice out there, but you get a slightly different slant depending where it comes from” “ As a family we need information to help us plan and make decisions and although the school has been trying to help us they don’t seem to understand what we need to be doing either!” “ My son is 18 and has one year left at school. We have had very little advice about the reforms. I do know that he will have a new plan, but I don’t know what that means and my main concern is that there is actually somewhere for my son to go” “I believe there should have been some support with completing the form. For me, it was more about confirmation that the example I was providing was sufficient”

22. What evidence shows about support for parent carers

23. Arrange for children, young people and parents to be provided with information and advice about matters relating to their SEN or disabilities, including health and social care (2.17) Local policy and practice The Local Offer Personalisation and Personal Budgets (take-up and management) Law on SEN and Disability, health and social care through suitably independently trained staff Advice for children, young people and parents on gathering, understanding and interpreting information and applying to their own situation Information on the processes for resolving disagreements, complaints and means of redress

24. Informed decision making Have regard to the importance of providing children, young people and parents with the information and support necessary to participate in decisions.

25. Young people Young people must have confidence that they are receiving confidential and impartial IAS Ensure that IAS for young people separate from their parents is possible Provide independent advocacy for young people undergoing transition assessments (S67 Care Act) Direct young people to specialist support to help them prepare for employment, independent living and participation in society Provide access to impartial careers advice

26. Staff Staff should be trained to support and work in partnership with parents Staff working with young people should be trained to support and work in partnership with young people Staff should be clear about the transfer of some rights and responsibilities to young people and work sensitively with parents to help them understand their role Recognise the specific needs of young people

27. Forms of support IAS should cover from initial concerns to ongoing support and provision Signposting Working with individual families and representation Help when things go wrong Provision of advice through work with support groups and forums or training events

28. What does this mean in practice? A whole system change reflected in LA policies, processes and structures that deliver differently by engaging and involving the widest possible stakeholder groups; where there can be a consensus that organisational culture is different.

29. IASS should be: Open and transparent Co- produced Agreed and shared Readily available Generating good outcomes

30. Information Is it accessible? Co-produced? Is it in your Local Offer? How would you know if it is effective and helpful?

31. Advice Is it impartial? Is it factual? Is it consistent? What steps have you taken to ensure that all your key partners are consistent in the advice they give?

32. Does your list look like this? Good listening? Proactive solutions Open and transparent processes? Proactive solutions Person centred culture Training for all

33. Lunch

34. Independent Supporters