1. Facilitator for NatSIP www.natsip.org.uk
NatSIP Working Day
4 June 2015
Lindsey Rousseau
Facilitator for NatSIP

2. NatSIP is
a unique national partnership of professionals and voluntary organisations working with children and young people with sensory impairment (SI) and their families.
funded through voluntary contributions, affiliation (82 affiliates) subscription and grants from government.
emerging from a successful 2 year contract (April 2013 – 31st March 2015)with DfE for the provision of specialist information, advice, support and training to improve the outcomes for children and young people with sensory impairments, in the context of the wider SEN reforms.

3. NatSIP
NatSIP has been actively involved in working with DfE to support the implementation of the SEND reforms and we are now, as strategic partner for SI, receiving grant funding until 31st March 2016 to continue in this role.
Details, published guidance and outcomes from the NatSIP workstreams in the contract and the emerging grant programme can be found on the NatSIP website:

4. The purpose of NatSIP, since 2009, has been:
to improve outcomes for children and young people with sensory impairment through promoting collaborative working between education, health and social care professionals
to help fulfil the potential of children and young people who have sensory impairment
to promote a national model for the benchmarking of clear progress and impact criteria for children and young people who have sensory impairment, with the aim of closing the gap with their peers

5. Purpose of NatSIP contd:
4. to support a well trained sensory impairment workforce responsive to the Government agenda for education
5. to inform and advise the DfE and other national agencies on the education of children and young people with sensory impairment

6. Objectives and workstreams in the NatSIP contract with DfE 2013 - 2015:
Improve Outcomes benchmarking and quality of management information on CYP with SI (96 LAs!)
Support Implementation of the SEND Reforms (EHC Plans, Local Offer, Personal Budgets, Joint Commissioning)
Funding reforms for schools, settings and colleges, including Auxiliary Aids
Advising on teaching and learning strategies to support the curriculum reforms

7. 5. Creating an Online Resource Portal for Sensory Impairment
Objectives contd:
5. Creating an Online Resource Portal for Sensory Impairment
6. Workforce development
6a) BSL coalition a) Audit b) Language Planning,
c) I-Sign and CSWs d) Tactile BSL
6b) Braille
6c) MSI Intervenors
7. Post-16 transition pathways

8. Some NatSIP data (24mths) from the web portal:
Impact over the 24 months of the contract from the NatSIP web portal:
34,317 document downloads over the 24 months
1,273 separate identifiable registered users over the 24 months
1,156 registered portal users at the close of the contract (was 465 at the start)
66,848 web portal visits over 24 months
289,493 page views over 24 months
NatSIP as a central information resource:
293 news stories published
312 documents and papers published
NatSIP as a training and events deliverer:
38 events
2,080 delegates

9. VCS grant funding from DfE 2015 – 2016
The aims of the NatSIP programme:
Continue SI data collection and improving co-ordination and usefulness of the data.
Increase the number of authorities participating in data collection, ensuring we understand better the links between interventions and outcomes.
Link data more closely with development of good practice tools to improve outcomes, across the SI cohort, with increased understanding of how to achieve better outcomes.
Improve the ability of SI professionals to use tools and NatSIP materials to increase understanding, capacity and confidence to implement good plans and provision, to secure better outcomes for SI CYP 0-to 25yrs.
Give greater understanding across the general SEND workforce about the effective support CYP with SI need in order to achieve good outcomes and when and how to seek additional advice from an available high quality specialist workforce.
Increase understanding of parents, carers and young people about what good provision looks like for them and how they should be involved in decision making.
Enable local authorities and settings to be able to ensure the right provision is in place to support and improve outcomes for CYP with SI.

10. 1. Establishing links between evidence and outcomes:
1a) Outcomes benchmarking
1a MSI) MSI outcome measures
1a VI) VI independence outcomes
1b) Using the data to inform other workstreams
1b SI) Identifying characteristics for success (in improving outcomes)
1b VI) VI service impact on learners

11. 2. Assisting implementation of the SEND reforms to improve outcomes
2a) Effective EHC plans
2b) Parent and Young People’s guides for planning
2c) Local Offer and School Information Report for SI
2d) Empowering Young People
2di) Think Right Feel Good
2dii) Post 16 transition resources
2diii) VI transition resources (Higher Education)

12. 3. Improving workforce practice in delivering better outcomes
3a) Quality Improvement tool to track progress
3b) Regional centres for CSWs:
3bi) Regional centres for CSWs/TAs
3bii) BSL level 3 training for CSWs
3c) specialist staff MQ and CPD:
3ci) Specialist teacher supply
3cii) Braille reading test

13. Improving workforce practice contd.
3d) SI and the wider workforce
3di) Tactile BSL
3dii) MSI intervenor networks
3diii) Improving workforce practice
3div) Examination access
3dv) Revised eligibility framework
3dvi) Eligibility criteria and VI habilitation
3e) The NatSIP portal

14. NatSIP – next events HoSS annual event – 30th June 2015 in Birmingham
NatSIP working day: Thursday 1st October 2015 – Hamilton House, London
NatSIP with Sense: MSI deafblind open events with Jan van Dijk on 7th July (Margate) and 9th July (Wandsworth). During the week 14th September in the North (Seashell Trust and Sense in Manchester)

15. NatSIP events being planned:
HI/VI/MSI training for Heads of Services and for Heads of SEN
Eligibility Framework training
Development of the revised MSI Regional Centre of Expertise (RCE) course
Sector learning event for specialist SI schools and colleges (Ofsted and CQC inspections)

16. The opportunity to influence is still here.
*Sensory Impairment
*DfE are committed to ensuring specialist support available so that CYP, with HI, VI and MSI, are able to fulfil their potential.
The purpose of NatSIP includes:
that we, “support a well trained sensory impairment workforce responsive to the Government agenda for education…….and inform and advise the DfE and other national agencies on the education of children and young people with sensory impairment”
The opportunity to influence is still here.