Your July SEND Newsletter
Welcome to the first edition of SENDing you News. With so much happening across Tameside from our partners, parents and carers to support children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), I'm really pleased that we can share news and updates with you on a regular basis with our new Local Offer newsletter. Early in the autumn term we will co-produce a communication plan with parents and carers and our other key stakeholders.
I do hope you find this newsletter informative.
Have a lovely summer!
Jane Sowerby
Assistant Director of Education - Tameside Council
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Welcoming a new Head of SEND
I wanted to let you know that we have appointed a new Head of SEND for Tameside Council. There was a strong field of candidates, and after a robust external recruitment process, three people were interviewed by a stakeholder panel, headteacher panel and a final interview with our Director of Children’s Services and myself. The panels were unanimous in their preference and the post was offered to Mhairi McDonald-Junor, who will start in September.
Mhairi currently heads up SEND Transformation in Leicestershire and has bags of experience and success behind her. She has taught in schools and has worked in an Academy Trust, as well as in local authorities, so brings a wealth of varied experience to the role.
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SEND Team Restructure
We are currently in the process of restructuring the type of posts that exist in the SEND team and how it operates. Some of the key principles we are applying include:
- more capacity for SEND case workers,
- named case workers to be aligned to specific schools to improve the knowledge and relationships with schools, and the children and young people with SEND that they support,
- improved opportunities for early and effective co-production,
- a reduction in the number of officers involved in the journey of our children and young people, by introducing a named caseworker model for families to provide a single point of contact for assessment, reviews and support.
The changes will be fully operational from October.
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New SEND Governance
In order to connect and effectively govern all the strands of improvements across the SEND system, a new SEND Inclusion and Partnership Board has been established, which met for the first time in June. This Board is chaired by Jane Sowerby (Assistant Director of Education), and members will include senior colleagues from across the SEND Partnership and parent and carer representation.
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Local Offer Update
We’re currently in the process of reviewing and launching a new Local Offer website, which is being designed in collaboration with families and partners in the area, to provide the most suitable solution for those in our communities. We anticipate it will go live in the autumn, so will share updates when we have them.
The team at Our Kids Eyes (OKE) are excited to launch the Navigator Service to give families access to help and advice 7-days a week. The service will provide support to understand and navigate complex health systems, including for families on waiting lists for the Therapy and CAMHS/ASD services, as well as to liaise with the relevant health co-ordinators as appropriate. You can contact the OKE team on 07867 484290 or on their website.
The Mencap Family Engagement Programme to connect with other parents and caregivers, to share experiences, gain knowledge and feel empowered. To find out more, contact Laura on 07815 483266. Groups meet:
- 1st Wednesday of the month from 10am-11.30am - The Together Centre, Loxley House, 287 Birch Lane, Dukinfield, SK16 5AU
- 3rd Wednesday of the month from 10am-11.30am – The 4C Community Centre, Taunton Road, Ashton, OL7 9DR
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Family Fun Day at East Family Hub
Our East Family Hub is holding a family fun day with lots of fun activities for children and will welcome families to learn more about our Tameside Local Offer and Family Hubs. There will also be an opportunity to learn about becoming a foster carer in Tameside and how to become involved with our Cared for Children Council or SEND Council. Simply drop in on Friday 1st September between 1pm-4pm. Find out more about Family Hubs.
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Increasing SEN School Places Across Tameside
Over the past three years, there has been a real drive to increase the number of SEND specialist school places across Tameside. The number of Special School and Resource Provision places has increased by 48% in the last three years. An example of which is the replacement and expansion of Hawthorns Special School which is due to open in September 2024. Additional places are being created at Oakdale Special School, and new Resource Provisions are planned to open at St. James CE Primary School, Dane Bank Primary School and Longendale High School.
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Tameside’s Delivering Better Value in SEND Plan submitted
Tameside is one of 55 local authorities to join the DFE Delivering Better Value (DBV) in SEND programme. The programme has a clear focus on utilising SEND resources to achieve the best outcomes for children and young people with SEND. The analysis, case reviews and extensive engagement with everyone across the SEND system has led to a bid for £1m to test different ways of working that will have the most positive impact for Tameside children and young people. Plans include:
- Inclusion – create an Inclusion Quality and Outreach team, linked to existing Special Schools and Resource Provisions, and to introduce a programme of training and workforce development (including parents and carers as appropriate)
- Transitions – establish a new Early Years Assessment Centre with co-located wrap around services. The plan also looks to improve the effectiveness and confidence surrounding transitions from Year 6 to Year 7.
The DFE will announce the outcome of our DBV submission towards the end of August.
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Tameside Joins the Autism in Schools Programme
We are delighted to confirm we have joined the Greater Manchester Autism in Schools programme. This will improve outcomes for children and young people with autism by supporting our schools through action learning sets and forums (including parents and carers) to make positive changes in school, to upskill and build confidence, and effectively support children with autism at school and at home.
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Support
There are lots of wonderful organisations offering support for children with SEND and their families. You can find details via these links:
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What is the MAX Card?
The Max Card is the UK’s leading discount card for foster families and families of children with additional needs. Families can use their Max Card at venues across the UK to get free or discounted admission on days out such as visiting castles, zoos, bowling alleys and trampoline parks. Apply for you card from OKE online.
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Things to do in Tameside
If you’re looking for ideas for things to do during the summer school holidays, there are some brilliant websites and apps with plenty on offer.
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