Here you will find all the articles, Toolkit items and Q&As relating to Multi-agency working.
Scroll down to see the articles, supporting Toolkit documents and Q&As in this section. You will find the most recent ones listed at the top.
Articles
-
Helping children overcome school refusal
When a child becomes reluctant to attend school, but there is no clear reason, such as bullying or struggling with academic pressures, it can be difficult to know how best to help. In this article, Dr. Pooky Knightsmith provides practical advice about what schools can do.
-
Who is accountable?
Parents of children with SEND often ask, ‘Who is accountable for ensuring that support is provided?’ Tania Tirraoro looks at the answers.
-
Reviewing your SEN register
Is it time to take a look at who is on your SEND list? Kenny Wheeler tackles the admin.
-
SEND Tribunal: National trial update
With the new national trial of extended powers for Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Tribunals having started on 3 April 2018 this year, parents, SENCos and other professionals in this area are understandably keen to see how the proposed changes impact on the process for securing vital support for children with SEND. Erin Smart explains.
-
Strategic planning for SENCos: Implementation
In the second of two articles, Kenny Wheeler gives advice on implementing strategic decisions including the two key components: communication and managing change.
-
Off-rolling: Called to account
Schools that shed those who drain their resources and reduce their performance: it’s a practice that has now drawn government attention. Suzanne O’Connell outlines this un-inclusive behaviour and what the DfE can do to deter it.
-
Education hot topics
A look at what’s currently being discussed, debated and determined in the world of education.
-
Time to review your exclusions practice
Statistics show that the number of exclusions is on the increase and is particularly worrying in relation to pupils with SEN. The publication of revised government guidance means schools should review their practice. Suzanne O’Connell outlines some of the main changes.
-
Strategic planning for SENCos: Organising the operational
In the first of two articles, Kenny Wheeler looks at how to take control of operational issues with a view to opening up time and space for SENCos to make effective strategic decisions.
-
SEN facts and figures in 2017
The DfE has released its 2017 SEN statistics report. In addition to highlighting overall figures of SEN identification in the UK, the report includes breakdowns by age, national curriculum year group, gender, ethnicity, English as a first language and free school meal eligibility. It also includes information about the type of schools that pupils with SEN attend. Natalie Packer explains the impact that these findings have for schools.
-
Assessment: An inclusive approach
Natalie Packer examines whether current approaches to assessment reflect the needs of all pupils.
-
Working with schools to support young carers
Schools can vastly underestimate the number of young carers in their classrooms. Rachel Trotter explains how awareness is increasing and how campaigns with services working together are leading to practical support.
-
Linking mental health services and schools
With an increasing number of referrals and a stretched system, how can schools better access the support that is available for mental health? Suzanne O’Connell reports back on a recent mental health services pilot scheme.
-
Successful transitions: Six steps to success
In the second part of this series, Matt Bromley focuses on the six steps that must be taken to ensure SEN pupils have a successful transition from primary to secondary school, specifically from Year 6 into Year 7.
-
From compliance to concern: Taking safeguarding seriously
Effective safeguarding is about much more than following procedures. Dr Richard Steward explains the importance of vigilance and what schools can do to develop this culture.
-
Signing to support communication
Using signing in the classroom is not limited to supporting deaf children. Rosie Eachus, speech and language therapist, outlines her thoughts on signing and what she sees helping in practice.
-
Attainment and progress: Rochford Review
In October 2016, the final Rochford Review was published. It was established to tackle the assessment of pupils who don’t meet the standards required to take the national curriculum tests. Tony Powell reports on the recommendations.
-
Evaluation article: Autism - Championing transitions to university
The University of Bath’s Summer School for students on the autism spectrum has experience in easing the transition between school and university. Steph Calley, a research assistant at the summer school, pulls together suggestions for schools on preparing students with autism for the social, educational and practical challenges of progressing to higher education.
-
Successful transitions: Step by step
In part one of a two-part series, Matt Bromley focuses on a pupil’s transition from primary to secondary school - from Year 6 into Year 7 - which is often a big and stressful change for pupils. In this article he looks at transition best practice, before looking specifically at children with SEN in the next issue of the SEN Leader magazine.
-
Data sources for SEN
The process of self-evaluation entails tracking the progress the school, and its pupils, have made. The recent publication of SEN data sources should help to make the process easier.
-
Safeguarding: Everyone’s responsibility
New statutory guidance for safeguarding makes it quite clear: it is everyone’s responsibility to ensure that the pupils in a school are safe. In this article Suzanne O’Connell outlines the most important messages.
-
Young carers: Arrangements and allowances
How can schools raise awareness of the issues that young carers face? This article discusses how teachers can best support pupils who are young carers, and reviews the resources available.
-
Making safeguarding a priority
There have been gaps in safeguarding provision in some schools and LAs. The DfE has set about amending their guidance, but will it be enough to make schools the safe places they should be?
-
Getting it right for children in custody
A high proportion of children and young people in custody have SEN. Making sure they receive the right provision is crucial. Suzanne O’Connell outlines the new statutory requirements.
-
A guide to working with partner agencies
In the last issue of SEN LEADER magazine we established the connection between truancy and SEN. In this article Ben Whitney goes behind the statistics and explains how a multi-agency approach to the problem gives hope to vulnerable children.
-
Extra sources of support for SENCOs and teachers
A review of useful resources, where SENCos can go for support and important information.
-
What is the local offer?
A key feature of the proposed SEN legislation and guidance is the local offer,which is intended to bring information together about what is available locally. We investigate what it might mean for schools.
-
Working together to safeguard children: New guidance
The new safeguarding guidance is an important document for SENCos and their schools. In this article we highlight some of its main features.
-
The Troubled Families Programme
Councils have been given the task of identifying their troubled families and implementing strategies to help them. This article explores what this programme is about and how it might affect our schools.
Toolkit
-
Worked example – Improving your school’s approach to sexual harassment
To download this document click on the link:
-
Checklist – Ensuring GPDR compliance: The 10-step checklist
To download this document click on the link:
-
Form – Helping children overcome school refusal: Goal setting
To download this document click on the link:
-
Form – Helping children overcome school refusal: Sample mood journal
To download this document click on the link:
-
Handout – Helping children overcome school refusal: Creating a mood journal
To download this document click on the link:
-
Checklist – SEND Tribunal: Will the national trial impact on your appeal?
To download this document click on the link:
-
Worked example – Supporting pupils with mental health needs policy
To download this document click on the link:
-
Checklist – How communication-friendly is your school (physical environment)?
To download this document click on the link:
-
Checklist – Strategies to help with non-motor aspects of dyspraxia
To download this document click on the link:
-
Form – Reflecting on our approach to assessment for pupils with SEND
To download this document click on the link:
-
Worked example - Critical success factors for joint working arrangements
To download this document click on the link:
-
Form - Critical success factors for joint working arrangements
To download this document click on the link:
-
Handout - Supporting children who are carers of a parent with a mental illness
To download this document click on the link:
-
Form – Questionnaire for young carers: Scoring MACA-YC18
To download this document click on the link:
-
Handout – PHSE (Secondary): Session outline for pupils on the subject of young carers
To download this document click on the link:
-
Worked example – Developing your action plan: Stage three
To download this document click on the link:
-
Form – Action plan to support school attendance for pupils with autism
To download this document click on the link:
-
Checklist – Adult behaviour protocol for growth mindset
To download this document click on the link:
-
Form – Prepare students with autism for higher education
To download this document click on the link:
-
Handout – Key people who support university students with autism
To download this document click on the link:
-
Worked example - How 'young carer friendly' is our school?
To download this document click on the link:
-
Form - Record of family receiving support from the Troubled Families Programme
To download this document, click on the link:
Q&A
-
Q. We have a child with SEND who is now refusing to come to school. How can we help her?
A. Your priority is to look very closely at the provision that you are making for her. There are many reasons why children are reluctant to come to school. However, if her needs are not being met then this could well be the main issue. Discuss the situation with the child’s class teacher and check that there is sufficient academic support in place.
-
Q. I am concerned that pressure to improve our exam results is leading to some of our students demonstrating symptoms of eating disorders. What should I do?
A. There are many reasons why children and young people develop eating disorders. However, anxiety caused by the pressure leading up to and during examinations can certainly contribute. You need to approach this on two levels. First, if there is an issue with eating disorders in your school you need to consider how this can be addressed.
-
Q. We are struggling to get the speech and language support that our children need. Do you have any advice?
A. Bercow: Ten Years On is an independent report that looks again at speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) since the original review 10 years ago. It comes to some disappointing conclusions about the progress made since the original report into provision in schools. Access to therapy services remains a weakness and the negative consequences of austerity and cuts in services are now being felt.
-
Q. I am concerned that we are putting insufficient resources into our pupils on school support. How can I raise their profile again?
A. This situation is not unusual in schools at the moment.
-
Q. We are concerned that bullying of our SEN pupils seems to be on the increase. What can our department do to help them?
A. First of all, this is not specifically a problem for your department.
-
Q. We are aware that several of our pupils live in households where domestic violence is an issue. What are the main messages from Ofsted’s report and how might they apply to us?
A. The report The Multi-agency Response to Children Living with Domestic Abuse helps to raise awareness of what has been a neglected subject in the past; how can children be best protected in an abusive household.
-
Q. Lee Scott was critical of the medical care given in schools. What should we be doing exactly?
A. Lee Scott in his report SEND: The Schools and Colleges Experience: A Report to the Secretary of State for Education by Lee Scott highlighted the need for improved support for children and young people with medical needs. He points out that:
-
Q. Following the Rochford Review’s final report, what is the future for P scales?
A. The Rochford Review: Final Report is clear in its recommendation that the statutory requirement to assess pupils using P scales should be removed. Instead, the reviewers recommend that the interim pre-key stage standards for pupils working below the standards of the national curriculum tests, should become permanent.
-
Q. Our local authority is keeping to time with its EHC plans but we’re not convinced about their quality. Do you have any advice about how we should approach this?
A. Special needs departments in schools and local authorities have been through a period of real turmoil. The introduction of the SEND Code of Practice was close to revolutionary in terms of how pupils’ SEND is addressed. It is not surprising that, after such upheaval, the result is still less than perfect.
-
Q. An ‘independent supporter’ is going to be visiting our school to discuss a pupil who needs an EHC plan. Who are they and what can I expect?
A. The role of independent supporter was introduced as part of the SEN reform.
-
Q. I understand that there are new commissioning arrangements for some services. Which services are involved?
A. Public health has become the responsibility of local government since the transfer from the NHS to LAs in April 2013.