Delivering Better Value (DBV) in SEND

Objective: Reduction in escalating Social and Emotional Mental Health (SEMH) needs across settings, fewer requests for statutory assessment, fewer Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), improved attendance, fewer exclusions, fewer Maintained Special Schools (MSS) placements, fewer Independent Non-Maintained Special Schools (INMSS) placements.

Approach: Multi-faceted approach including full-rollout of DfE-accredited training, online profiling and action planning tool, pilots of high need dependency units within mainstream settings, Lead Practitioners in place across localities, review and restructure of Emotional Based School Non Attendance (EBSNA) pathway.

This is a programme targeting all settings across Halton at all age ranges and requires the input, engagement and support of multiple stakeholders. The programme requires the carefully managed and phased roll-out of trauma informed training across the Borough, embedding the Thrive model across all settings. Thrive is a trauma-informed, whole authority approach to improving the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people. Thrive offers DfE-accredited training and an award-winning profiling and action planning tool, Thrive-Online. It also provides the means to measure impact. This training will be supported and partly delivered by our Educational Psychology and Specialist Outreach Service and will allow this model to be sustainable over the long-term.

Who will be responsible for the workstream?

 Responsible Officer: Mike Stapleton-Chambers

 Training roll-out and implementation of online profiling and action planning tool

• Local Authority (LA) Teams, Education Settings and Health Partners

High Need Dependency Units

• LA Teams, Education Settings and Health Partners

Lead Practitioner

• LA, Educational settings and Health Partners

EBSNA Pathway

• LA and Health Partners

What top-level measures do you track? What shorter term indicators can we track?

Top level measures:

• Request for Statutory assessment SEMH
• Exclusions
• Attendance
• Placement into MSS SEMH
• Placement into INMSS SEMH
• Thrive online profiling tool, EHE levels, Unit cost INMSS.
• Placement into High Needs (HN) Dependency Units
• SEND transport spend

Short term indicators:

• School/setting uptake of training offer
• Appointment of Project Managers
• Implementation of training programme
• Lead Practitioner (LP) identification and appointment.
• Launch of HN Dependency Units

Any additional risks not captured in programme level risks?

Setting non-engagement, inability to identify Lead Practitioners (LPs), difficulty securing pilot settings, weakness around data support., change-fatigue amongst settings, capacity among all stakeholder groups.

Dependencies: What needs to happen in order for this to be successful?

• Secure grant
• Secure partnership working arrangements, appointment of project management
• Secure agreement via LA governance boards, gain approval via LA governance
• Appointment/identification of key staff
• Gain agreement for roll out/delivery schedule

If using fixed term resource/pilots, what steps will be taken to assess effectiveness? How do you ensure the benefits are sustained?

• Train the trainer for long-term training capacity
• Restructure the Specialist Outreach Support offer, adding LP advice and support into the menu. This allows schools to continue to access SEMH support, for a nominal fee going forward, and builds sustainability into the model. As settings develop their wider skill and expertise in this area over time, the requirement for external support and advice will be diminished.
• Agree ongoing investment for HN Dependency Unit as cost avoidance strategy.
• Demonstrate added value via pilots in order to secure future investment from settings.

SENCO AND SCHOOL LEADERS SEND CPD CONFERENCE – Monday 11 November 2024

• Flyer nasen DBV Conference 11.11.24
• AGENDA nasen DBV Conference 11.11.24
• TEAM BIOS nasen

Objective: Children with a wide range for special needs to be included within mainstream settings, without recourse to statutory assessment or movement into MSS. Reduce exclusion, reduce the number of requests for statutory assessment of SEND and the need for MSS and NMSS placements.  Inclusive practice celebrated visibly, and greater support made available across settings.

Approach: Implementation of a borough-wide Inclusion programme to promote and recognise excellent inclusive practice across all age ranges – with a specific focus on EYFSS and primary Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN) and Communication and Interaction (CI) learners. 

Establishment of an Inclusion Quality Mark with accompanying toolkit and self-assessment framework. DBV funding will be used to develop the accompanying systems and resources, also drawing on the expertise already existing within borough. The appointment of Inclusion Lead Practitioners (IPLs)within settings, can be funded via DBV on a 2-year pilot. These ILPs will require a salary uplift. Which would be funded via DBV as a pilot for 2 years. It is intended that the added value showed through improvement metrics, will encourage settings to continue with this investment going forward, making it sustainable. Peer coach and influence monitoring model in place to be led by IPLs

• The Exclusion As A Last Resort – A Positive Behaviour Management Approach
• Preventative Measures to School Exclusion
• Team Around the School – Strategies

Who will be responsible for the workstream?

 Responsible Officer: Mike Stapleton-Chambers

• LA teams
• School settings
• Health partners
• Specifically commissioned Speech and Language Therapy (SALT) service

What top-level measures do you track? What shorter term indicators can we track?

Top level measures:

• Request for statutory assessment, exclusions, attendance figures
• Placement into MSS
• Placement into INMSS
• EHE levels
• Unit cost INMSS
• SEND Transport spend

Short term indicators:

• School/ setting uptake of training offer
• Lead practitioner identification and appointment.
• Key staff appointment/identification

Any additional risks not captured in programme level risks?

Setting non-engagement, inability to identify Lead Practitioners (LPs), difficulty securing pilot settings, weakness around data support., change-fatigue amongst settings, capacity among all stakeholder groups.

Dependencies: What needs to happen in order for this to be successful?

• Secure grant
• Secure partnership working arrangements, appointment of project management
• Secure agreement via LA governance boards, gain approval via LA governance
• Appointment/identification of key staff

If using fixed term resource/pilots, what steps will be taken to assess effectiveness? How do you ensure the benefits are sustained?

• Train the trainer. Ongoing training capacity availability across Borough
• Resources developed which remain available going forward
• Demonstrate added value via pilots in order to secure future investment from settings

• Education today – thrive
• Public Sector Executive – mental health support