Parent Communication Event : Meet the SEND Team

7 June 2023

Communication Event Questions – 12pm session

Q: What should a parent do if they disagree with the Educational Psychologist’s review?

A: Usually there should be an opportunity to meet with the Educational Psychologist as part of the visit and share that information. Any information captured through their assessment is a part of the overall picture and shouldn’t detract from what parents and other professionals see in other situations. I would advise you to contact the Educational Psychologist and/or SENCO. The next stop would be to look at support from SENDIASS. If you would like to give more information on this email the send@blackpool.gov.uk inbox with the subject ‘For the attention of Charlotte Baron’.

Q: Can we only access a SEND Officer if we have an EHCP or diagnosis?

A: The SEN Officer is part of the statutory process and their involvement is only when there has been an agreement to assess for an EHCP. If you need support or advice in the meantime, the first instance would be to speak to the SENCO in your school. Look at the Local Offer for information, you can also email the send@blackpool.gov.uk inbox. If you are not happy with those responses, you can also self-refer to SENDIASS.

Q: What happens if I ask the SENCO to refer my child with SEND for an assessment with an OT or EP but they won't?

A: I would ask the SENCO why they have declined to refer and check the school website for their policy. All schools have a Link Advisory Teacher who can also advise the SENDCO on this. If you are not happy with those responses, you can also self-refer to SENDIASS.

Q: We haven’t been seen by an autism specialist for 4 years not even a phone call. How can we push or get help for this? We are being fobbed off constantly who can I contact for support for this?

A: I am unsure if this is for the Neuro Developmental Pathway (NDP)? The NDP is led by health and you can find more information on this on the Blackpool Teaching Hospital Children’s Community Services website. Start with the SENCO in school as they can contact the Advisory Teacher for autism from the Inclusion Team. If you would like to give more information on this email the send@blackpool.gov.uk inbox with the subject ‘For the attention of Charlotte Baron’.

Q: We are needing more support with speech and language but have been NHS waiting list since before Covid. How can this be supported or followed up?

A: We understand this is a significant need in Blackpool. We have the Graduated Approach and the Communication Offer which is on the Local Offer so you can see what should happen and at what time. The NHS Speech and Language Therapy waiting times are a concern and have been raised in our Written Statement of Action and we are working on to improve. I recognise it doesn’t help but

there is a national shortage of Speech and Language Therapists. Schools have been engaging with Elklan training so they have more support and strategies in place in the classroom. The NHS waiting times are taken very seriously, you can also visit the NHS Speech and Language Service website.

Q: My child with SEND also hasn't been given their access arrangements for their end of year assessments, what can I do about it?

A: All schools have their own SEND policy and SEND information report which tells you who to contact if you are not happy with the process of the school. You may need to contact the SENCO, Head Teacher or school office to request clarification and information as to what happened.

Q: Who should a parent complain to if they submitted an EHCP application and it clearly wasn't looked at? There was a refusal to assess issued with a reason that didn't relate to the child.

A: It’s a statutory process, you can appeal the decision and go through mediation or re-submit a request to assess. There is information on what to do if you disagree with a statutory process on the Local Offer. There is a formal decision making process and all EHCP applications are looked at carefully. You can contact SENDIASS for support with this. If you would like to give more information on this email the send@blackpool.gov.uk inbox with the subject ‘For the attention of Charlotte Baron’.

Communication Event Questions – 5pm session

Q: Who can help? My son is 17 he’s been excluded from college he has no diagnosis or EHCP his needs were met in school but not now.

A: If he’s not in school or college at the moment, the first people to contact would be SENDIASS. If you wish to send me a bit more information, please email the send@blackpool.gov.uk inbox with the subject ‘For the attention of Charlotte Baron’.

Q: Are there any support groups for parents of SEND I feel alone?

A: We have a fabulous Parent’s Carer Forum are a support group for parents. A lot of parents with SEND do feel alone. Please see our events page on the Local Offer as events for parents are regularly added.

Q: Does my child need an EHCP to access specialist provision for high school aged education, my child is in mainstream year 7 but has struggled to attend as such the E.P involved has struggled to look at possible needs specific to education?

A: For a specialist provision, yes, you do need an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) to do that. The first place to start would be to have a conversation with your school SENCO and they can either refer in to the Inclusion Team or speak to their Link Advisory Teacher. You can also email the SEND Team or speak to SENDIASS if you would like independent advice.

Communication Event Questions – 7pm session

Q: When looking at EHC plan applications can social needs not be taken in to account just like the education side of things? My child is doing ok in school but not socially and this is having a massive effect on my daughter and family?

A: For your child to need an EHCP plan, you will need to show their additional needs are holding them back in their learning and that the education setting is unable to provide enough support to meet those needs. Look at the school’s SEND information report and school policy and if your child needs more than that to progress in learning, that is a reason to apply for an EHCP. Speak to the SENCO first and if you are not happy with that response or have further questions, then you can definitely raise with SENDIASS.

Q: What send educational support is available for someone with suspected anxiety that has difficulties attending school, they don’t have an EHCP?

A: Start with your school’s website, have a look what is on the SEND information report and SEND policy as schools offer different support but all schools have to offer something. You can arrange to speak to the SENCO and if you feel it is appropriate, you can ask the SENCO to refer to the Inclusion Team. I would also suggest contacting your GP if you feel your child has anxiety. There are also support options for a child and young person’s mental health on the Local Offer. The options for young people team can support your child with their anxiety.

Q: When parents first start their SEN journey in helping their children navigate the educational sector, why is it that there is no information given, offered or support? Parents should be given as much information about schools, services etc. and actually be supported by trained professionals to guide them through their journey with their child/ren, until they are successful at securing the best of services for them, why does this not happen?

A: I totally agree! This is what should happen and we are endeavouring to achieve. We continually revise our practice to make sure that we improve. Information should initially come from school via the SENCO, if the child is in school. All schools, on their website, have to produce a yearly SEND information report which explains the responsibilities of the school and what support is available to children. This is sometimes called the school offer. They should also have the SEND policy which outlines the graduated process of support. We are working with schools to make sure the advice they give is consistent and reflects the most up to date information. If your child is not in a school, either because they are EHE or not of statutory school age, then the advice is available from different sources. This could be the nursery or childminder, our newly updated Local Offer, the Parent Carer Forum or SENDIASS.

Q: Why is it that SEN schools in Blackpool are particular about the conditions children must have to attend? Autism supposedly covers a lot of individual conditions, yet my son who is ASD and with Dyspraxia, isn't considered for a SEN School, because he is bright and clever, but also can't be in Mainstream as those schools really aren't providing SEN Care appropriately to his needs. So how is he supposed to get a good education with the correct support he needs?

A: Understanding the diversity of SEND has changed significantly over the last 5 - 10 years and as a result, the cohort of children in special schools has significantly changed in complexity. We, like you, want the best outcomes for all our children with SEND. We need to upskill the educational workforce to meet the needs of all children. Some of the things the local authority have been working on over the last five years are:

• looking at the resource provisions children with SEMH, ASD and general learning difficulties in primary

• we have opened a special school for children with SEMH 

• we have provided training and support to mainstream schools to meet the needs of children with SEND

• opened the Oracle at Park for sixth form

• bringing Valley College into Blackpool for Post 18 this September

Over the next five years the local authority are also:

• • increasing the capacity of Highfurlong School 

  • building an intensive support centre for children with highly complex needs 

  • trialling a resource provision at a secondary school 

  • we are also hoping to open second school for children with SEMH

Q: I’d like to know why kids that are high functioning can’t access EHCPs when it can help them with their other needs, such as social and developmental in other areas. I’m on Blackpool parents forum Facebook group and so many kids with SEN needs such as autism are struggling with social and emotional needs that schools don’t seem to be able to understand or offer help with.

A: Education Health and Care plans (EHCPs) are for children and young people who have a special education need or disability that can’t be met by the support that is normally available in their school or college.

Most children and young people with SEND will access the support they need without an EHCP. By law, all schools including mainstream schools, nurseries and colleges, must provide support for SEND. In the Code of Practice this is called reasonable adjustments and best endeavours. On the Local Offer, this is called the Graduated Approach.

As a local authority, we want to support schools which is why we have our free Inclusion Service. They can deliver training like Elklan and the Autism Education Trust, as well as providing a link advisory role. I accept that this is something we can definitely improve on, and our work with the co-production teams and the Parent Carer Forum, are absolutely the best places to help us achieve this.

If we didn’t answer your question as some required more detail please email the send@blackpool.gov.uk inbox with the subject ‘For the attention of Charlotte Baron’ and I will personally be in touch.