Launch of the SEND and Alternative Provision strategy 2025 to 2030

Launch of the SEND and Alternative Provision strategy 2025 to 2030

Jemima Flintoff and Katie Booth talking about the SEND and AP Strategy 2025-2030.

 

Summarised video transcript

Presented by:

  • Jemima Flintoff – Assistant Director for Education and Inclusion, Calderdale Council
  • Katie Booth – Designated Clinical Officer for SEND, Calderdale

Introduction

Jemima introduced the SEND and AP Strategy, highlighting its availability on the Local Offer website and plans for printed copies. She emphasised the collaborative nature of the strategy’s development, involving a wide range of stakeholders.

The strategy was co-produced with:

  • NHS colleagues
  • Council teams (children’s and adults’ services)
  • Elected members
  • Family Voice Calderdale
  • SEND Youth Representatives

The aim was to ensure the strategy reflects real needs and lived experiences across Calderdale.

Vision and Timeline

  • Goal: Enable children and young people with SEND to live fuller lives.
  • Duration: 2025–2030
  • Delivery Plan: Already underway, with short- and long-term actions.

SEND in Calderdale – Key Statistics

  • 61,000 children and young people aged 0–25
  • 4,600 receiving SEND support
  • 2,600+ with EHCPs
  • EHCP assessments are meeting the 20-week timeline 99% of the time, placing Calderdale in the top 5–10 authorities nationally

Strategic Goals

1. Inclusive Mainstream Education

  • Support children to thrive in mainstream settings
  • Provide targeted support and short-term placements for assessment and reintegration
  • Ensure specialist placements are available locally
  • Tiered Support Model
  • Tier 1: Support in the child’s own school
  • Tier 2: Support in another mainstream school’s Alternative Provision
  • Tier 3: Long-term placement in specialist Alternative Provision settings

2. Empowering Families and Youth

  • Increase youth participation in SEND groups
  • Ensure voices of children with communication challenges are heard
  • Use feedback to inform commissioning and service development

3. Mental Health and Wellbeing (Katie)

  • Neurodevelopmental pathway awareness raised through school presentations
  • Sleep support commissioned via parent carer forums
  • Services are needs-led, not diagnosis-led
  • Open Minds mental health teams working in schools

4. Early Identification

  • Focus on development from conception to age 5
  • Partnering with Dingley’s Promise for inclusive early years settings
  • Launching a web-based mainstream inclusion toolkit in October
  • Aligning training across council, health, and specialist schools
  • Centralising resources for easier access

5. Local Provision Expansion

  • Proposed free school for autism and SEM in North Halifax (200 places)
  • Investment in existing specialist schools and resource-based provisions
  • Tier 3 AP free school with Delta Academies Trust pending government approval

6. Visibility and Inclusion in Communities

  • Ensuring access to leisure, sport, and cultural activities
  • Addressing safety concerns for SEND youth in public spaces
  • Promoting inclusive environments and a sense of belonging

Youth Voice – Poppy’s Contribution

Poppy shared a spoken word piece about feeling “not normal” and struggling with unpredictable environments. Her words highlighted how unmet needs can manifest as challenging behaviour, reinforcing the importance of understanding and support.

Family Voice Calderdale

  • They are a key partner in strategy development
  • Provide training (e.g., sleep support) and gather parent feedback
  • Ensure lived experiences shape services