Have your say on SEND provision in Suffolk
A consultation's underway
Last updated 5th Feb 2021
Suffolk's parents and carers of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) are being invited to have their say on the proposed SEND strategy for 2021-2023.
As demand for specialist education provision in Suffolk continues to grow due to population growth and increasing complexity of special educational needs, Suffolk County Council must ensure there is the right provision in place to support children and young people with SEND.
In 2017 Suffolk launched its first SEND Strategy and over the last three years partners across Education, Health and Care have worked hard to deliver the commitments for improving services for children and young people with SEND and their families. As a result, there are new specialist school units and special schools opening, better access to speech and language therapy and more timely statutory assessments.
Through SCC's "Time to listen about SEND" campaign which started in February 2020, SCC have already had many conversations with children and young people, families, practitioners and partner organisations, including Suffolk Parent Carer Network to help co-produce the new draft strategy. This work was paused due to the covid-19 pandemic and this consultation will help to resume this work.
The four-week consultation is running until 1 March 2021.
Councillor Mary Evans, Cabinet Member for Children's Services, Education and Skills said:
"I would encourage parents and carers to take part in this consultation and have their say on this very important strategy. We need your help to make sure the SEND Strategy for 2021-2023 focuses on the right priorities and ensure that SEND provision in Suffolk is sustainable and able to meet future demand.
"I would like to thank everyone who has been involved in producing this strategy up to this point, working with families and colleagues such as Suffolk Parent Carer Network has allowed us to gather valuable feedback and ideas."
Anne Humphrys Co-Chair of Suffolk Parent Carer Network said:
"We were pleased to jointly host some open forum sessions for families with PACT and Suffolk County Council to talk about the strategy and their views and ideas were reported directly back to the SEND Programme Board. It is vital that children, young people, families and practitioners have their say on the draft strategy. SCC need to know if they have the right priorities and, more importantly, if they have missed anything. Those with lived experience of the SEND system are best placed to say what is needed."
To read the proposed strategy and/or have your say click here.