Appendix 1

Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities

BEST VALUE IMPROVEMENT PLAN

PROGRESS REPORT

Background

A Best Value Joint Review undertaken by the Directorates of Education and Social Services & Housing was completed between April 2001 and March 2002.

The purpose and expected outcomes of the review were:

· to identify existing services which meet the identified needs of the children, to the satisfaction of children and carers.

· to compare performance in terms of quality and cost with those of other agencies.

· to identify areas for service development taking account of the views of service users and other stakeholders and audits of need.

· to develop service development plans taking account of the above factors

· to ensure that services are developed in a way which promotes effective collaboration between the statutory, voluntary and private sector agencies

· to ensure that services are accessible to those who will most benefit from them and promote equality of opportunity

· to develop services which respond to the identified needs and represent value for money

A number of key objectives were identified within the improvement plan:

1. Create a more seamless and simplified service by improving joint working and exploring future integration.

2. Develop fair and equitable services through improvements to eligibility criteria.

3. Enable areas to have access to transport services which help meet assessed needs.

4a Make services more inclusive by developing good working practices.

4b Make services more inclusive by improving access and availability.

5. Improving information for service users and other stakeholders.

6. Developing services through user involvement

Progress to date in relation to identified objectives

Objective 1. Create a more seamless and simplified service by improving joint working and exploring future integration.

(i) Initial work has commenced between Health & Social Services and Education regarding joint training programmes. Existing training and development programmes are highlighting relevant issues for other directorate/Professional staff. *

(ii) Cross service meetings have been held to consider improved operations in delivering services for children. Some of this work has already been superseded by the Government drive towards developing integrated services for children. Initial development work has involved local members and officers in discussion with senior Health officials.

(iii) A project officer has been appointed to develop work surrounding assessment approaches. The practice development team is now superseded by the Joint Working Group considering integrated Children’s Service development.

(iv) Information exchange is superseded through a government Identification Referral and Tracking System. Funding is anticipated from government to develop a system for information exchange particularly in relation to children at risk. A baseline statement, as submitted to the Children and Young Persons Unit is at Appendix 3.

Objective 2: Develop fair and equitable services through improvements to eligibility criteria.

(i) A matrix of indicators has been developed to support the process of decision making regarding pupils with special educational needs. This matrix has to be consulted upon with Headteachers and other stakeholders. Criteria for decision making has also been developed in relation to eligibility for services within Social Services.

(ii) An information booklet for parents has been produced in relation to special educational needs and this is also available on the website: www.eduwight.iow.gov.uk. An Information and communications strategy has been developed, within the Social Services and Housing Directorate.

iii) Work with regard to applying eligibility criteria consistently remains ongoing.

Objective 3: Enable areas to have access to transport services which help meet assessed needs.

(i) The LEA, through its transport pathfinder scheme has facilitated the purchase of ‘People Movers’ to High Schools and a shared vehicle between the two special schools. In addition, people movers have been purchased for the Pupil Referral Units. These vehicles will be made available to staff to enable young people involved with social services to have access to a wider range of opportunities.

(ii) Work with other transport providers regarding provision of services has not been progressed at this stage.

(iii) The LEA has amended its transport policy in order for children looked after by the local authority to have access to free public transport, via a school bus pass, in order for them to maintain continuity of educational placement. Approved by the Executive Committee, August 2002.

Objective 4a: Make services more inclusive by developing good working practices

(i) Services are now achieving national targets in relation to SEN statementing deadlines, and within social services, through the initial assessment process. ‘Core assessments’ within social services are not, as yet, being achieved within the defined time scale.

(ii) A consultative forum with parents is agreed to inform and contribute to service standards. A multi-agency team within the Early Years is contributing to joint working. Multi-agency work is also contributing to improved assessments for complex cases such as Autism/ADHD.

(iii) Social Services is currently investing in a new IT system. Ensuring interface capability with IRT Systems and other data systems is still ongoing.

(iv) Increased parental involvement in training opportunities has been provided. Greater participation is contributing to service improvement through feedback mechanisms via the consultative forum. A parent representative sits on the Early Years sub-committee in relation to protage management.

(v) All schools are required to have an Accessibility Plan in place by April 2003. This is required under Disability and Discrimination Act legislation. Local training has been provided for school staff and governors, together with a ‘template’ for school plans.

(vi) Development work on inclusive practice in schools is being undertaken through further work in schools via the ‘Healthy Schools Framework’. The Early Years unit has achieved a quality standard mark.

Objective 4b: Make services more inclusive by improving Access and Availability.

(i) Exploring the viability of a single point of access for as many services as possible, is currently being explored within the council, ‘Great access to Great Services’.

(ii) Initial discussions have taken place within Social Services, heads and governors of the two special schools, to investigate the feasibility of extending the school working day/week/year. Initial proposals are focussing upon a 9 hour day – 7 day week – 52 week year, for a small number of pupils, to be developed as a pilot scheme.

Social activities have been developed through Oak House ISB, and initial discussions have been held with the Head of Youth Services to consider how the youth service can contribute to developments in this area.

(iii) A system for accessing respite services has been established – see

Appendix 4.

(iv) In order to improve responses to crisis situations, a multi-agency team is being developed (Sept 2003). The team leader post is advertised for the ‘Intensive Behaviour Intervention Team’; other appointments will follow.

Objective 5: Improving information for service users and other stakeholders.

(i) Information is now available in booklet formats within the statutory services, and available on the website.

A guide to services, including sign-posting, has been provided through Oak House and the Family Information Zone.

(ii) Initial work has been undertaken in developing locally based inter-agency staff in order to increase and improve inter-agency communication, particularly at local level. This work is still at an early stage of development and relates to the development of ‘Children’s Services’ (objective 1:ii)

(iii) Information with regard to assessment processes, including timescales and rights of appeal, are available on the website: eduwight.iow.gov.uk.

Information regarding developments within services, which is made available to all parents, is included within the parent partnership news letter.

Objective 6: Developing Services through user involvement.

(i) A consultative focus group of parents has been established to provide feedback on the progress on the Best Value Review and other service developments.

A reference and strategy group is also established with multi-agency input to consider service developments.

CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS AND DISABILITIES

BEST VALUE IMPROVEMENT PLAN

1. Objective: Create a more seamless and simplified service by improving joint working and exploring future integration. (Feb 2003)

	IMPROVEMENT	SOLUTIONS	ACTIONS	WHO/WHEN	COST	INDICATORS	STATUS
(i)	Working perspectives and statutory requirements differ across agencies which can result in a lack of understanding across agencies.	Develop joint training/professional development	All SS and ED staff and health and allied professionals including users (Policy and OP plan) to have access to joint training. Develop one training programme.	Claire Shand Carol Walker 2003/4	Officer time, estimated 4 days	Cross referenced training programme	Ongoing
(ii)	Each agency has operated within its own boundaries with restricted joint working.	Develop and implement a cross service approach (inc health), ie joint appointments/budget management. Secondments. Joint systems. Joint strategic planning and thinking. Joint commissioning plan (built on BV Review)	Development of joint commissioning plan and strategy via Partnership Planning Group (PPG)	September 2002 Assistant Director of Education (ADE) Head of Children’s Services (Soc Serv) Commissioning Manager (Health)	With existing resource and groups.	Plan established and taken forward.	Project Officer appointed to undertake this work.
(iii)	Service currently operate largely through single agency procedures which can lead to duplication of procedures/times and inefficiencies.	Establish a Practice development team (PDT) who will develop common assessment guidelines based on national guidance, and; Develop joint service standards based on practice development	To establish a PDT with Terms Of Reference to include multi-agency and user and voluntary organisations input. Also to deliver joint services - standards benchmarked with best practice	September 2002-2004 Asst Director of Education (ADE) Head of Children’s Services (Soc Serv) (Health Rep)	120 days’ officer time. Project office (joint post) £50,000 inc. Admin.	Agreed guidelines published and implemented. Service Standards established	PDT subsumed by ‘Children’s Services Group. Officer appointed.
(iv)	Information exchange is currently inefficient compounded by incompatible IT/info systems. See 4a(ii)	Develop protocols for info exchange Intelligent IT arrangements which can share common information.	Joint planning group (IT-weighted) possibly sub group of PDT to cover IT arrangements	Assistant Director (Planning & Resources) Head of Children’s Services (Soc Rep) (Health Rep)	12 days Officer time.	Agreed protocol on information exchange.	IRT will encapsulate some of this work. Compatibility of Sheridan Swift with Capita EMS needs to be clarified.

2. Objective: Develop fair and equitable services through improvements to eligibility criteria (Feb 2003)

	IMPROVEMENT	SOLUTIONS	ACTION	WHO/WHEN	COST	INDICATORS	STATUS
(i)	Criteria for services need to be clear and applied consistently.	Explore the potential for common eligibility criteria	Linked to investigation of future integration. Need to pilot possible changes. User feedback on current and new arrangements	Head of Children’s Services Assistant Director of Education September 2002	15 days Officer time	Criteria agreed and published with Quality Assurance Framework procedures established.	Sen Matrix developed
(ii)	Services available are not widely understood by service users.	Publish Eligibility Criteria in a single plain English document	Create systems for publication and targeting information	Head of Children’s Services Assistant Director of Education Corporate Information Team Complete by December 2003	2 days	Documentation available in a variety of formats. LEA Disability Strategy Document.	Informative booklet available, published on website. Information pack via FIZ
(iii)	Application of eligibility criteria is currently inconsistent.	Audit and review current Eligibility Criteria and their application.	Implement Quality Assurance Framework for managers to apply consistently. Training for staff and awareness raising for service users.	Head of Children’s Services Assistant Director of Education Complete December 2003	6 days officer time.	Quality framework established and reviewed in Practice. Training delivered.	Ongoing.

3. Objective: Enable users to have access to transport services which help meet assessed needs. (Feb 2003)

	IMPROVEMENT	SOLUTIONS	ACTION	WHO/WHEN	COST	INDICATORS	STATUS
(i)	Specialist Transport for social contact to enable young people to travel independently is variable	Improve access to local services to reduce need to travel. Quantify the demand for transport, including service users ability to pay and local potential. Evaluate the use of Council Transport resources (ie specialist select transport at weekend).	Long term development of access to community-based activities through audit and action planning. To include long term audit of demand (BVR of Youth Services) BVR of transport to consider transport as a corporate issue. Explore possibility of a grant-funded dial-a-bus service for disabled people	Head of Children’s Services Assistant Director of Education Partnership working groups, e.g. Children’s Fund, Principal Youth Officer Head of Children’s Disability Service Principal Education Officer (SEN) Commence July 2002		Integrate directory for Social Activities. Audit of need completed. Report completed with recommendations	Transport Pathfinder scheme may allow people movers to be utilised to support community activity. Not yet undertaken
(ii)	Maintaining continuity of education for children in the care of the local authority	Joint funding for children in public care from existing resources where placement changes put education at risk.	Joint working between Directorates.	Head of Children’s Services Principal Education Officer (SEN) September 2002	Cost within existing resources.	Fewer school movements for children in public care.	Transport policy amended.

4. (a) Objective: Make Services more inclusive by developing Good Working Practices (Feb 2003)

	IMPROVEMENT	SOLUTIONS	ACTIONS	WHO/WHEN	COST	INDICATORS	STATUS
(i)	Make services more inclusive through establishing good working practices; “framework for assessment”/SEN “Code of Practice”.	Set and hit targets for compliance with national processes and standards.	Achieve inter-agency agreements.	Education officer (SEN) Fieldwork Service (S/S)	Within existing resourcing	Cross reference with 1(iii)	Statement targets achieved. Initial assessments achieved. Core Assessments not yet achieved.
(ii)	Service standards are variable in terms of: § joint work § availability § complexity eligibility criteria (ref. Objective 2)	Agree service standards with service users and other stakeholders. Further development of joint location / working / processes ie common assessment tools, to include Council & Health services.	Establish standards and targets. Set up consultative forum with parents Incorporate joint forums into existing and future information strategies.			Achieve: § multi-agency working § responsive and timely services § streamlined assessments § differentiated responses to presenting need	Multi-agency team established in Early Years. Filtering system agreed. ADHD/Autism diagnostic clinics established.
(iii)	IT systems between directorates are inadequate and incompatible.	Develop data and information exchange through improved systems.	Improvement to IT systems and reporting systems and electronic performance management systems.	Assistant Director of Education (Planning and Resources) Head of Central Support Service (SS)	£600,000 (Social Services)	IT Systems with interface capability.	IRT will impact see 1.(iv)
(iv)	Restricted parental participation in contributing to service improvement.	Greater involvement of a wide range of users, carers and continuous and varied approaches and communicate findings to all stakeholders.	Training for staff in joint working and best practice, including Health ie a joint programme. Obtain feedback through member focus groups.	Heads of Service within Social Services, Education and Health.	TBA	Training activity through joint training. Focus group meetings held.	Second focus group meeting arranged. Parent rep on Early Years sub committee for portage management.
(v)	Collaboration and inclusive work with schools is variable.	Development of existing forums for collaboration eg PPG. Inclusion of SEN Strategy Group into PPG.	Further work on extending joint working processes and the location of services. Explore regional developments for local quality standards. Develop a parental survey of schools’ inclusivity.	Education Officer (SEN) SEN Reference & Strategy Group		Compliance with the Disability Discrimination Act. Positive outcome from survey.	LEA inclusion policy developed. Inclusive practice is being supported via Healthy Schools Standard. Early Years Quality Standard mark.

4. (b) Objective: Make Services more inclusive by improving Access and Availability (Feb 2003)

	IMPROVEMENT	SOLUTIONS	IMPLICATIONS	WHO/WHEN	COST	INDICATORS	STATUS
(i)	People are unclear how to access appropriate services when in need.	Explore the viability of a single point of access for as many services as possible.	Feasibility study: - investigate the approach of other councils, including electronic systems.	Project Officer, to lead Jan 2003	TBA	Options paper produced	Currently being explored within the Council. “Great Access to Great Services.”
(ii)	Fragmented service provision from user perspective. Dissatisfaction with access to respite care, including social activities.	Maintain and improve consistent filtering of referrals/enquiries. Build upon existing joint work/co-location, e.g. Oak House	Replicate Oak House model in another area of service delivery.	Head of Children’s Services. Assistant Director of Education. Commissioning Manager (Health) Commence Jan 2003	TBA	Joint service provision. Improved user satisfaction.	Joint initiative under consideration in partnership with special schools.
(iii)	Lack of Clarity regarding respite provision and access.	Respite care resources should be more clearly explained and targeted effectively and flexibly.	Investigate the potential of charging for respite services. Promotional activity on the respite resources that are available - unmet need. Recruitment of a range of respite/social activities. Explain all the forms that respite can take. Analysis of existing data.	Team manager Children’s Disability Team. Joint Commissioning Board Partnership Planning Group (PPG) Commence July 2002	Within existing resources.	Cost/Benefit analysis for charging. Service leaflet on respite provision.	System established.
(iv)	Dissatisfaction with crisis responses.	Improve crisis management response through co-ordination of resources and joint team/agency working.	Training and change in culture. Develop joint team approach as a pilot project.	PPG	TBA	Reduction in family breakdown and children received into care.	Intensive Behaviour Intervention Team Structure agreed. Lead post advertised.

5. Objective: Improving Information for Service Users and Other Stakeholders (Feb 2003)

	IMPROVEMENT	SOLUTIONS	ACTIONS	WHO/WHEN	COST	INDICATOR	STATUS
(i)	People are unsure what is available and what they are entitled to.	Information should be easy to find and in a variety of forms Better sign-posting of help and support	Information Strategy which is clear about what people need to know, when and how to communicate with them. To include information, advice, translation, variety of media, continue contact and updating.	Head of Central Support Service (Social Services) Assistant Director (Planning & R) Commissioning Manager (Primary Care Trust) 2002/3		Develop a joint information plan based on the SSD information strategy. Plain English and a variety of media to be made available. Directory of services - build and keep up-to-date.	Information on website. Information Booklet.
(ii)	Inter service agency communication is variable.	Creating a whole system approach to communication	Partnerships with other information providers and develop channels for communication. Make full use of e-government opportunities.	Identify & collaborate with key partners		Increased service efficiency and effectiveness of service delivery.	Local multi-agency meetings to be arranged. First held on 11 April 03.
(iii)	Lack of understanding of assessment processes.	Involvement of users in assessment and other key processes, keeping people informed and up-to-date.	Better explanation of process including information about “next steps”, timescale, standards, charters, complaints, rights of appeal, etc	Head of Central Support Service. Assistant Director (Planning & R) 2002/3 Commissioning Manager (Primary Care Trust)		Develop a medium for exchanging information, e.g. newsletter	Through the consultation focus group.

6. Objective: Developing services through user involvement. (Feb 2003)

	ISSUES	SOLUTIONS	ACTIONS	WHO/WHEN	COST	INDICATOR	STATUS
(i)	Ensuring feedback from service users – informs future planning.	Provide opportunities for gathering feedback from service users.	Agree systems and processes. Develop structured opinion-gathering system/ process which is co-ordinated across services. Set up focus group discussion sessions.	Head of Service Commence July 2002/3		Increased user feedback may reduce complaints. Satisfaction levels reported. Information to be fed back to service managers.	See 4(iv) A consultative focus group of parents is established. A multi-agency reference and strategy group is also established.