The Local Offer, Overview and links to the Voluntary Sector Annabel MacGregor Post 16 and Local Offer Commissioning Officer

The Local Offer What is it? A one stop shop to enable parents and young people to see more clearly what services are available in their area and how to access them. What does it include? It includes provision from birth to 25, across education, health and social care. How is it developed? It should be developed in conjunction with children, young people, parents/carers and local services, including schools, colleges, health and social care agencies. 1

The Key Purposes The Local Offer has two key purposes: To provide clear, comprehensive and accessible information about the available provision and how to access it, and To make provision more responsive to local needs and aspirations by directly involving disabled children and those with SEN and their parents, and disabled young people and those with SEN, and service providers in its development and review 2

What it Includes The Local Offer must include provision in the local authority's area. It must also include provision outside the local area that the local authority expects is likely to be used. It should also include relevant regional and national specialist provision. - Eg provision for children with low incidence but more complex SEN. 3

The Local Offer should be Collaborative Must involve parents, children and young people. Accessible Easy to understand, factual and jargon free. Comprehensive What is available from 0 to 25 and how to access it. Must include eligibility criteria. Transparent Clear about how decisions are made. Who is accountable for them. 4

Reviewing the Local Offer The Local Authority must keep the Local Offer under review and publish comments about the Local Offer it receives from children, young people and their families. The Local Authority must publish their response to the comments received and must include details of the action they intend to take. Where appropriate the Local Authority should also feedback comments to commissioners of services and the services themselves. (A summery of the comments must be published at least annually) 5

Early Years Free early education places and eligibility criteria Relevant services from other agencies such as Portage and Early Support Arrangements for identifying and assessing children's needs in early years Support available to parents to aid their child's development at home Arrangements for reviewing children's progress, including progress checks and health and development reviews between the ages of 2 and 3. 6

Training & Apprenticeships The Local Offer must identify : Training opportunities Supported employment services Apprenticeships Traineeships Supported Internships The information must also include how young people can apply for these opportunities Information should also be provided on the support available from the DWP Access to Work fund I 7

Specialist Transport The Local Offer must include information about arrangements for transport provision. Arrangements for specialist transport eg specially fitted buses Details of any support available with transport costs Support available to children and young people to use transport eg independent travel training 8

Finding Somewhere to Live Finding Accommodation including information about different housing options How to apply for accommodation and where to get financial support for assistive technology or home modifications Support to manage a personal budget and recruit a personal assistant Opportunities to learn skills to live in supported, semi-supported or independent accommodation 9

Community Participation Information should include: Opportunities for Leisure and Social Activities How to access Mainstream Community Facilities and local youth services Volunteering opportunities and support to access them Support to access social opportunities and develop friendships Support to use internet and social media safely and protect against cyber bullying 10

Support for Parent/Carers Recognition that parent/carers of disabled children can have significant needs for support to enable them to support their children effectively. Support can include: Support groups Support from individuals Short breaks Support in the home 11

Current development work Developing web content User testing of web page Developing marketing materials – leaflets and posters Working with adult services to address overlap with information for 18 – 25 year olds Awareness raising with frontline staff 12

Calderdale Local Offer 13

For further information on the Local Offer contact: Annabel MacGregor Lead for Calderdale Local Offer Tel Mob