The Stockton-on-Tees Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and Alternative Provision (AP) year one delivery plan has been developed following consultation with children, young people, parents and carers, and analysis of our data and intelligence through our Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) and self-evaluation. The delivery plan outlines the actions that will deliver on our priority commitments for the first year of the strategy across four themes:

1. being as healthy as possible
2. family, friends and relationships
3. getting ready for independence
4. having good education and employment opportunities

Actions are numbered against the 4 overarching priorities of the strategy.

Governance

The action plan will be the central work programme for the SEND Operational Group, with oversight and scrutiny provided by the SEND Strategic Group for the local area.

The impact of the first year of the strategy delivery plan will be monitored through targets embedded into the Council SEND performance framework and through progress against indicators within the joint area scorecard.

How will we do this?

Leads

Leads include:

• Children's Strategy and Commissioning
• North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board 

How will we know we are making a difference?    

• parents, carers and professionals understand the occupational support offer across the local area and access support at the earliest opportunity

Working in partnership 

Partners involved include:

• further education colleges
• specialist services
• contract and procurement services
• children and young people, parents and carers receiving services

How will we do this?

Leads

Leads include:

• North East, North Cumbria Integrated Care Board
• Children's Strategy and Commissioning

How will we know we are making a difference?

• all elements of the specification embedded
• number of children and young people reducing the gap in speech and language skills before and after intervention
• reduced waiting times for specialist services and assessments to within 126 days (18 weeks)

Working in partnership

Partners involved include:

• Stockton-on-Tees Talks Working Group (early years, primary settings, 0 to 19 services, Family Hubs, Speech and Language UK)
• Tees Wide Specialist Service
• Children, young people, parents and carers receiving services

How will we do this?

Leads

Leads include:

• Health Notification Working Group
• Team Manager - Assessments                          

How will we know we are making a difference?

• baseline established using refreshed pathway during first year of delivery        
• increased number of children with needs identified and supported in the early years
• improved information sharing between partners

Working in Partnership:

Partners involved include:

• North Tees and Hartlepool Foundation Trust
• Information Governance
• Health Notification

How will we do this?

Leads

Leads include:

• Diverse Paths Working Group
• Tees Valley Neuro-developmental Oversight Group
• Chair North East, North Cumbria Integrated Care Board
• Vice Chair Stockton Parent Carer Forum

How will we do this?

Leads

Leads include:

• Designated Clinical Officer   

How will we know we are making a difference?

• increased early identification and diagnosis of learning disabilities
• reduced transitions between services for children and young people for diagnosis

Working in partnership

Partners involved include:

• Educational Psychology          

How will we do this?

Leads

Leads include:

• Public Health
• Sport and Active Loves Team
• Local Area Partnership
• Service Lead - School Support and Sufficiency
• Community and Partnerships Manager

How will we know we are making a difference?

• increased opportunities for children and young people to take part in positive activities that support their physical and mental health (determined by progress of bid)
• mainstream providers are inclusive and flexible
• increase in SEND providers by 4.10% increased uptake of children and young people with SEND
• production of materials that will inform children and young people with SEND about the offer
• increase in the number of SEND-specific activities from 2025 baseline
• increased attendance at family hub activities from 2025 baseline

Working in Partnership

Partners involved include:

• VCSE Sector
• Sport England
• Tees Active
• SEND Assessment and Review Team
• Communications Team
• Holidays Are Fun (HAF) Team
• Stockton Parent Carer Forum
• Children, young people, parents and carers

How will we do this?

Leads

Leads include:

• SEND Engagement and Data Coordinator
• Head of Digital and Systems

How will we know its working?

• Local Offer has a clear visual identify that translates across multimedia platforms
• new landing page created
• site analytics demonstrate an increase in use, increased visits to the Local Offer site and enquiries via Local Offer
• improved visibility in search engines
• learning from AI trial informs future smart assistant projects across council
• local campaign delivered to raise awareness of local offer
• reducing enquiries and calls as information is available and being used

Working in partnership

Partners involved include:

• Digital Service
• Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council Communications Service
• Stockton, Parent Carer Forum

How will we do this?

Lead

Leads include:

• SEND Navigator

How do we know its working?

• the Youth Forum has clear, co-produced objectives and structure, as evidenced in terms of reference and charter
• increase in Youth Forum membership from 2025 baseline
• children and young people are offered and engage in a range of methods to influence decision making and the work of the youth forum
• young people's voice is included across the SEND local area governance and shapes local priorities (evidenced in Operational and Strategic Group meetings)

Working in partnership

Partners involved include:

• schools
• further education institutions

How will we do this?

Leads

Leads include:

• Children's Strategy and Commissioning
• Stockton Parent Carer Forum

How will we know its working?

• number of local area organisations that sign up, support and embed principles of co-production as outlined in the charter

Working in partnership

Partnerships involved include:

• all services across the local area

How will we do this?

Leads

Leads include:

• Strategic Lead - SEND Practice

How will we know its making a difference?

• reduction in out-of-area placements                      
• number of 155 places in SEND and ARP Units filled throughout year
• 100% of SEND and ARP units receive a quality monitoring visit       

Working in partnership

Partnerships involved include:

• ARP and SEND Unit Working Group

How will we do this?

Leads

Leads include:

• Strategic Lead - SEND Practice
• Children's Strategy and Commissioning
• Team Manager - Reviews and Preparing for Adulthood (PfA)

Working in partnership

Partnerships involved included:

• SEND Service Area Strategy and Commissioning Team
• Education Settings
• Health Service

How will we do this?

Leads

Leads include:

• Strategic Lead - SEND Partnerships

How will we know its making a difference?

• timeliness of referral to adult social care
• establishment of clear data set of children from 14 year old that will move into adult social care at 18
• evidence from panels of early transitions planning including independence goals (for example, travel, housing, employment) reduction in crisis referrals or emergency transitions
• satisfaction scores from young people and families, via surveys or feedback
• increase in jointly managed cases or shared reviews

Working in partnership

Partnerships involved include:

• Adult Services Assessment and Operational Teams
• Children's Services Operational Teams

How will we do this?

Leads

Leads include:

• Strategic Lead - SEND Partnerships

How will we know we are making a difference?

• feedback from service users and families indicating their views were heard and influenced outcomes
• adjustments or enhancements to transport proposals that reflect SEND needs (for example, accessibility, flexibility, safeguarding)
• improved alignment between transport planning and Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) requirements or social care plan, evidence of joint planning

Working in partnerships

Partnerships involved include:

• Stockton Parent Carer Forum
• Strategic Business Partner

How will we do this?

Leads

Leads include:

• Strategic Lead Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Partnerships

How will we know it's making a difference?

• engagement in independent travel training, supported internships, or life skills programmes
• progression into education, employment or training (EET) post-18

Working in partnership

Partnerships involved include:

• Stockton Parent Carer Forum
• Strategic Business Partner

How will we do this?

Leads

Leads include:

• Strategic Lead - Send Practice
• Teams Manager reviews and Preparation for Adulthood (PfA)
• Service Lead School Support and Sufficiency

How will we know its making a difference?

• monitoring of attendance and feedback from CPD sessions
• number of supported internships available locally and proportion of young people who complete their supported internships
• progression into education, employment or training (EET) post-18

Working in partnership

• local employers and providers of supported internships
• post 16 education providers
• local education settings

How will we do this?

Leads

Leads included:

• Service Lead Assessment and Reviews

How will we know its making a difference?

• a consistent, graduated response is embedded across all schools

Working in partnership

Partnership involved include:

• Inclusive Education Framework Working Group

How will we do this?

How will we know it's making a difference?

• parents can access early information and support for emotional school-based avoidance
• reduction in the number of children and young people out of school due to emotional school-based avoidance

Working in partnership

Partnerships involved include:

• Education Psychologists

How will we do this?

How will we know its making a difference?

• increase in the number and quality of Alternative Provision available within Stockton Borough
• increase in the number of children and young people staying in mainstream schools following early intervention
• increase in the number of children and young people returning to mainstream school following short-term placements in Alternative Provision

Working in partnership

Partnerships involved include:

• Community Transport
• Strategic Business Partner

SEND

Special Educational Needs and Disabilities

AP

Alternative Provision

Education arranged for pupils who cannot attend mainstream school for reasons such as exclusion, illness, or other needs.

JSNA

Joint Strategic Needs Assessment

Assesses current and future health and wellbeing needs of a local population.

Local Offer

A statutory requirement providing information about services and support available for children and young people with SEND and their families.

Co-production

A collaborative approach where professionals, children, young people, and families work together to design and deliver services.

ARP

Additionally Resourced Provision

Specialist units attached to mainstream schools to support pupils with SEND.

CPD

Continuing Professional Development

Training and learning activities for professionals to improve skills and knowledge.

VCSE

Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise sector

Organisations that provide community based support and services.

Neurodevelopmental Pathway

A structured process for assessing and supporting children with conditions such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or ADHD.

Diverse Paths Programme

A whole school approach to supporting children with SEND, focusing on inclusion and early intervention.

HAF Programme

Holiday Activities and Food Programme

Provides activities and meals for children during school holidays, including those with SEND.

Inclusive Education Framework

A set of principles and practices to ensure all children, including those with SEND, can learn and thrive in mainstream settings.

Early Identification Pathway

A process to identify SEND needs as early as possible to provide timely support.

Independent Travel Training

Programmes that teach young people skills to travel safely and independently, supporting independence and access to education or employment.

ESBA

Emotional School Based Avoidance

When children avoid school due to anxiety or emotional distress.

Supported Internship

A structured work based learning programme for young people with SEND, designed to help them gain employment.

MLD

Moderate Learning Difficulties

PLMD

Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties