Extended Services and Special Schools Workshop London 29

Extended Services and Special Schools Workshop, London, 29 th April Output from ‘Discover, dream, challenge’ exercise developing people, improving young lives

BP 1 2

Childcare - BP 1 What’s working well? • Holiday clubs – Captain Cook trail from Middlesbrough to Whitby – Art and Craft Club – Fishing – Exploring local areas by Minibus 5 • • After school and holiday activities – subsidised by council • 3 Aiming High – Short Breaks money give small grants to providers through ES provision and include children with disabilities (East Sussex) Use of special schools for holiday programmes 114 52

Childcare BP 1 What could we do if only? • Extended day for all pupils 1 day per week provided by each of the 3 schools (1 x special, 2 x. Primary) within local cluster • Providing wider choice about what happens and where it happens • All pupils accessing range of after school activities with their peers in their own communities – all we need are access, facilities (e. g. personalised care) staff training, resources, medical supervision, etc… • Providing wider choice about what and where it happens What’s getting in the way? • • Staffing • 4 ‘Action for all’ money – can not use it to pay school staff Transport – getting people home (Parents – getting them into school)

Varied Menu of Activities - BP 1 What’s working well? • • • 5 114 Consultation exercises with children, young people and families 114 Inclusion sub group with small budget that can fund specific activities e. g. bike club/ D of E After School Art Group in partnership with local sec college using Year 10 students as buddies (Rutland) Arts club led by outside agencies who have secured funding themselves (e. g. British Gospel Arts, R. A Dance) at lunchtimes 111 Access to non-maintained school’s scout troupe 52 Creative Partnerships work with special schools 52 Connections between mainstream and special schools e. g. Sports Club, Drama Club (ADHD) Sailing – Tees Sailing Club – Tees Barrage. 1 evening a week for 12 weeks – school minibus, then children 5 are taken home by 2 members of staff who have supported the activity 1 evening per week – working with artist to produce an animated film 5 Lunchtime clubs – ICT – approx 13 computers – youth club – computer – wi fit and snooker – open classroom – wi fit and computer games – football 5

Varied Menu of Activities - BP 1 What could we do if only? • • In the future Cycling Proficiency classes for all Y 5 and Y 6. Also French Classes, chess, etc Increasingly taking targeted activities into mainstream settings Access in local school, even in different LA Including out of county pupils in home community What’s getting in the way? • • • 6 Many mainstream services don’t think special school pupils e. g. Youth Opp. Transport issues Reduce H+S strait jackets - responsible risk taking

Parenting Support – BP 1 What’s working well? . 7 85 • Consult! • PSA set up and established ADHD parent support group within special school for parents of children with ADHD from all schools 5 • Parental Information contacts in every school 52 • Young Carers Group - self determining in all senses 85 85 • Siblings Group with volunteers from local public school • Parent Coffee Mornings on PECS and other specialist approaches (Write Dance, Intensive 111 Interaction, Sensory Integration, etc…) • Key worker home based support for families 85 • Counselling for families 85

Parenting Support – BP 1 What could we do if only? • ‘A life more ordinary’ • Access to support in locality - ‘Think Family’ even across LA What’s getting in the way? • Better communication of entitlement 8

Swift and Easy Access – BP 1 What’s working well? • Close working with Family Support Centre/ Early Support to ensure effective signposting • Multi-agency teams - wide range of disciplines, swift response What could we do if only? • Special clinics around health take place in school What’s getting in the way? • 9 Different cultures – education and health 52

Community Access – BP 1 What’s working well? • • Space for sport and arts – community facility based in special school providing community with base (daily/regularly) for: gymnastics, football, and occasionally for: dance, table tennis, badminton, rugby 5 • Dance company ‘Dance Factory N. E. ’ providing classes, lessons, etc. for contemporary and street dance. Open after school day and weekends. Also supporting/ leading Gifted and Talented programme across LA 5 • Community use of pool • School facilities used by numerous volunteer groups, weekends and holidays • Wide range of specialist groups use school facilities e. g. sensory room, Sussex Autistic Society • Local PRU had open day for local community – de-mystified PRU • PRU runs an ASD youth club for more than their own YP • 10 Integrated working leading to greater understanding and opportunities in a variety of sports activity 5 Reverse inclusion to special school activities 85 85 52 52 85 52

Community Access – BP 1 What could we do if only? • Facilities of special schools available to community What’s getting in the way? • • Definition of community – What is my community? • Safeguarding – especially where there is community access • 11 Special schools don’t pay rates but if charge community became liable for rates Training/workforce development

Extended Services: General - BP 1 What’s working well? • Partnerships and Personalisation • Flexible definition of ES • Cluster Partnership • Consultation is key • Special schools as ‘founder’ members of clusters What could we do if only? • • 12 A life more ordinary Linking to schools where they live, to access ES

BP 2 13

Childcare – BP 2 What’s working well? • Using childcare that is in the educare centre in the mainstream primary school in the cluster • Manage own school transport 74 What could we do if only? • Direct funding for core activities from government • …we had funding for it that is sustainable. • Parallel work force so that 8 -6 provisions can be made. • Appropriately trained staff e. g. team teach, medical support, moving and handling. What’s getting in the way? • • Transport • 14 Bid culture Health and safety requirement.

Varied Menu of Activities - BP 2 What’s working well? • • Using providers on the special school site. (Evidence= School council/ parental questionnaire) Holiday activities that are supported by 1: 1 (Evidence = take up) Mainstream pupils from specialist sports college taking activities (under supervision) (Evidence = take up) Special school pupils attending mainstream youth club after school (Westminster) Good range of activities (Evidence audit/ QISS kite mark/ parents + YP evaluation) 69 Extended services lunchtime clubs. 45 mins per day, rolling prog of varied activities for 1 year 72 Early Bird programme (For parents with young children with autism) What could we do if only? • • • Drama based arts +crafts- need sustainable funding Solve issues re- transport More, more +more! Providing… usually leads to children or families What’s getting in the way? • • 15 Poor relationships with other agencies Lack of resources (human)+ potential burn out.

Parenting Support – BP 2 What’s working well? . • Offering credited non-accredited courses. (Evidence: Number of parents that have become TAs or teachers) • Advice + guidance- medical, behaviour etc. • Home/school guidance on behaviour management • Programme of parents info groups - topics decided by parents What could we do if only? • If only we could have parenting courses that focus on parenting pupils with SEN. What’s getting in the way? • Working in silos • Strength/ or lack of cluster • Inadequate skill base of workforce (out of school hours) 16

Swift and Easy Access – BP 2 What’s working well? • Business as usual -so good in Sheffield (Audit evidence) • Multi agency involvement focuses around school, eg, joint ‘clinics’. • Using the special school and its co-located team as a 1 stop shop for all schools in cluster (20). This being delivered by 3 special schools geographically located across the LA= borough wide provision • Extended school co-ordinator “cluster” provides advice + funding 70 74 What could we do if only? • Agencies worked together • Professional boundaries were fudged (less defined) • There was equity between primary +secondary support What’s getting in the way? • • Sustainability (short term funding). • 17 Workload on head teachers. Health and safety of children under providers’ supervision + the accountability of the head.

Community Access – BP 2 What’s working well? • Water babies using swimming pool • Summer play scheme run by SNIPS What could we do if only? What’s getting in the way? • 18 Recruitment and retention of professionals like SALT and Ed Psychs

Extended Services: General - BP 2 What’s working well? • Work in clusters - Some more successful than others (Evidence = audit ) • Model to ensure school, governors+ parents charity work in partnership to deliver ‘Extended School’. What could we do if only? • How do we know if children with SEN in mainstream are accessing provision? • Children transported to mainstream schools (with or without units) - do we know if they access any provision? • Moral issue about pulling funding from school budget. What’s getting in the way? • • Sustainability- funding+ staff • 19 Signposting- who is responsible- will we be seen as endorsing something? Recession spending cuts

BP 3 20

Childcare – BP 3 What’s working well? • Working with social care re direct care and respite for some SLD/PMLD/PD • 29 Staff commitment and goodwill. What could we do if only? • Integrated nursery, expand Childcare Partner schemes (PVI&CCS) to maintained setting/school (two-way) expertise. • Unlimited transport availability. Equality with mainstream Jump on/off. What’s getting in the way? • • Transport to enable access to a range of extended services. • 21 Labelling DPACT (? ) assessments don’t always support access for all (pg MLD/CLD/EBSD Transport issues.

Varied Menu of Activities – BP 3 What’s working well? • • PIP/ High furlong activity club-Youth club (Park)-Summer activity scheme (Park) - ‘Stars’ summer fun scheme 29 “Special days” activities organised for families within the city that provide a varied menu of activities and experiences for the children throughout the school holidays 129 29 Good range of activities promoted by L. A. during school holidays Lunchtime menu of activities in many special schools: avoids issues around transport (Wolverhampton) 1 special school involved in disadvantage Subsidy Pathfinder. Huge impact upon pupils often engaging in a mainstream activity for the first time. 29 After school clubs: Sports, band, Tramshed, drama 29 8 after school clubs over 5 evenings. Contact with Central Youth Theatre. Annual play scheme - school holiday Short Breaks via residential hostel. Creative and Adventurous Activity Trail (play ground) on site. 127 What could we do if only? • • • 22 More opportunities for extended schools activities through mainstream outlets for special school pupils (particularly after school). Integrated services, interdisciplinary work Funding for partners (esp VCS) to provide OOSHL Centre of community specialist disability services Trained staff (front-line) Sufficient staff to support 8 -6: 2 teams, fully trained

What’s getting in the way? • Sustainability • Financial • Sustainable funding • Quality 23

Parenting Support – BP 3 What’s working well? • • • Share 30 Highly successful SHARE programme in 1 special school -> over-subscribed! Positive impact- parents confidence improved 127 School for parents (Scope) 1 day per week early years. TAC to schools. Coffee mornings 127 Early Years linking with Parents Partnership team who have direct access to families who would benefit from the Special Days activities 129 Strong Parenting Partnership supporting schools and families- opportunity to share concerns, meet others in similar circumstances 129 Staff in vol’ sector accessing mainstream training. Eg. Share prog. What could we do if only? • • • 24 Team around the child-available for all; e. g. new arrivals. Integrated CAMHS/ family support/ mental health Targeted funding strong for parental support Home- school liaison worker in every school Effective links to new-building children’s centres etc. to support parents

What’s getting in the way? • Lack of communication • Aiming High for MLD/E 3 SD • Respite not so easily accessible to MLD/EBSD pupil support 25

Swift Easy Access – BP 3 What’s working well? • Multi-agency working/CAF - Link to ES subsidy process/medical 29 • Supporting Children Model (right-hand side of windscreen) What could we do if only? • 26 Team around the family 129

Community Access – BP 3 What’s working well? • • • 131 Good links between primary, secondary + Vol through cluster 131 Through links, vol sector increased access to school- e. g. use of playing fields to meet local needs. 131, 127 Pillot at Penn Hall with YWCA Specialist MUGAs(Multi Use Games Area) 29 The weekly use of hydropool by PCT. Outreach club - supports up to 20 mainstream students with PD in 127 weekly club - leading to support for regional/national sport events What could we do if only? • • • 27 New hubs. New clusters. New services. Evening, weekend holiday services Dedicated parent rooms in all special schools Longer day early morning late evening 52 weeks a year. Open up community facilities for all

Community Access – BP 3 What’s getting in the way? • • 28 Appropriately skilled staff Currently finite amount of staff with expertise Skilled expert from line practioneers need to be resourced to face challenges These highly skilled front line practioneers need to work, collaborate across a range of complex system/services Capacity of school leadership teams and accountability/ responsibility Training issues Opportunities vs threat

Extended Services: General - BP 3 What’s working well? • 29 School business manager and site facilities manager manage and administer with HT support 127

BP 4 30

Childcare – BP 4 What’s working well? • Signposting to what’s on offer in child’s local area 78 • Joint working with early childhood service (children and family centres) • Training for as many staff in settings as possible to adopt Kids ‘Framework for Inclusion’ through Aiming High 40 • Close partnership with the vol. sector to train YP in mainstream schools to volunteer and run ASC/ holiday provision for disabled children 40 46 What could we do if only? • Have time to ensure childcare facilities on offer meet the needs of our pupils SLD/PMLD school • Shared provision with local schools What’s getting in the way? • • The offer of after care+ holiday play schemes in the community is limited because of issues relating to funding for transport and training of skilled play workers to meet the needs of CH + YP with complex needs. • Providing after school clubs within working work-life balance for staff. • 31 Child care provision, particularly 8 -6 for pupils with additional health needs. Spaces.

Varied Menu of Activities – BP 4 What’s working well? • • • Child accessing all out of school activities with siblings and friends in home village. L. A funded equipment, and renegotiated transport (not dropping child at home but venue). Summer scheme- Forest school experience for children and YP plus siblings and parents. Joint initiative between variety of organisations. All special schools share Good Practice 78 Family Learning LAC -Funding to provide more engaging programme 40 Rent 2 ‘people carriers’ - school staff take home 40 Clear links estab between AHDC (SB) + ES Dis subsidy (WSCC) Networking ES, Kids, LAFTS, Motive 8, Grassroots NAPA, Sports development 40 Community youth tutors in special schools: partnership between schools/ youth services for YP to access activities in their own communities 40 Planning pilot to look at “safe place to be” (secondary special) 50 What could we do if only? • • • Funding partnership with Y. O. T prevention programme e. g. Model Village Work more in collaboration instead of duplication What’s getting in the way? • 32 Not knowing the full picture. Are schools etc. not identifying a need because there is no need, or because parents have no expectation of it being there.

Parenting Support – BP 4 What’s working well? • • • Shared activities within the cluster e. g. parents support workshops delivered by the individual schools available to all cluster schools- behaviour management, internet security, helping your child read. PSA pilot - impact of a new network of school staff (Barnsley) 40 PSAs/ FLOs (pilot)- Authorities proving free training and support for these posts in schools All special school in Hull hold joint events 78 Parent consultation very well attended - excellent feedback - request for more 78 Introduction of a designated member of staff to develop positive parental links had big impact on partnerships, e. g. working together to improve behaviour, introduction parent support groups, offer of 47 resources etc What could we do if only? • • • Sustainability of current pilot funding i. e. PSAs Parent mentoring and networks to support info sharing and access to services for children with disability esp. in mainstream provisions. Community rooms in each school for parents to meet, socialise and discuss problems without feeling they are being judged What’s getting in the way? • Negative attitude from professional to disengaged pupils and families • • Pupils from other authority attending Hull schools. Not been given the opportunity Children being turned away from clubs- such as dance, football etc because the club staff are not trained in their needs (Hull/L. A) Other members of staff Getting parents into school-not school gate culture. Some live 5 -6 miles away from school • • 33

Swift and Easy Access – BP 4 What’s working well? • • • Cluster supported cluster co-ordinator SLD, MLD, PMLD, - Hull partnership with comm. disability team +other agencies BESD have their own MAST Multi-agency working. Improved access to a range of support services has started to improve personalised provision e. g. counselling therapies etc 47 What could we do if only? • • Funding!!! Now+2010 Influence decision on how funding is allocated within the LA and passported to schools. Funding caretakers Complex funding streams +Starting things which are not sustainable What’s getting in the way? • • 34 Transport for VM and childcare Distance – living in catchment

Community Access – BP 4 What’s working well? 78 • Offering sensory room to KIDS during school holidays • C. A. to hydrotherapy pool by community groups. • Special school being used by community as summer venue for provision 46 What could we do if only? • Have facilities to enable me to offer out to the community What’s getting in the way? • • 35 Caretaking unlocking + locking up of school Security 46

BP 5 36

Childcare – BP 5 What’s working well? • • Childminding information booked in schools for parents to access. Parents able to see services offer by local childminders. Childminders able to promote their service direct to parents 49 Positive recruitment of home based child carers to provide specialist care. 49 Supporting and training childcare providers to provide for children with special needs (4 Children) Use of skilled child carers in local community. What could we do if only? • • • 37 There was funding to enable C/MS to take fewer children and enable them to meet the needs of children with additional needs (Mary Bruce). Appropriate transport for PMLD students (Thurrock) If we could offer parents the choice of provision either school based in the local community with funding +transport no issues then we could begin to meet parental need in a flexible way (4 children). Ensure clear link is made with those responsible for the sufficiency duties in L. A. This will release strategic thinking +consequently funding (4 Children). If funding went direct to special schools Gateway now going to pilot transport funding/ devolved! ECM outcome 6 - Dream and aspire!! All schools used person centred planning Fast access to realistic, sustained funding Could do with a “virtual school role”. Pupil in own L. community school roll. Special school. Services commissioned.

Childcare – BP 5. What’s getting in the way? • • 38 Costs of providing 1 -to-1 support (4 Children) Transport (4 children) Anxiety - parents and C/MS knowledge and understanding- parents and childminding funding Lack of clarity in funding streams especially for kids families without a social worker Concept of community; geog versus families Lack of clarity about how we define “disabled” children Sometimes time and resources

Varied Menu of Activities - BP 5 What’s working well? • • Camps (School Holiday) • Craft week during summer Holiday • SNAC- Special needs activity club- runs weekly after- school activity in special schools. + Holiday Activity Programme • Lead partnership managers who have a particular interest in ES and special schools • 3 week holiday childcare in a number of special schools. • Swimming group organised and run by parents out of school hours • Outreach team in schools working with childminders for special needs children. • Travel training enabling access • After school social group • 39 School set up a charity for out-of-school hours activity clubs. Running 3 x Saturday clubs (3 x locations), 2 x Saturday clubs + after school 49 After school clubs for from special +mainstream school organised and run by physios+ LSAs 64 64 67 100 58 64 100

Parenting Support – BP 5 What’s working well? 67 • Good process already in special schools • Home visits link workers In-house • In house clinics +assessments (multi-disciplinary): SSAT money used to build conference room + 59 therapy/medical suite. • Parents trained as person centred planning facilitators • Having a children services co-ordinator • School offers training for parents in Relationship Education • Workers able to offer range of parenting support including parenting programmes, but also informal dropping (4 children). 64 59 What could we do if only? • 40 59 We could have a sustainable sibling group. 100

Swift and Easy Access – BP 5 What’s working well? • CAF and multi agency groups have resulted in APPROPRIATE referrals- Reduced waiting lists for most services - Swifter+ Easier Access when needed 100 What could we do if only? • 41 Employment law could change to make it easier to employ people from different disciplines eg therapists, nurses

Community Access – BP 5 What’s working well? 62 • • Adult learning opportunities for wider communication • Young parent group working with 3 rd sector Youth Provider to address diversity issues using infant school as a focus. 100 • Community cohesion • 42 Youth club running on site Specialist school capital grant used to build training/conference facility+ therapy/medical suite 62 59

Extended Services: General – BP 5 What’s working well? • • Being creative determined to find a solution Person centred planning is used extensively to design services Being a part of a well functioning learning community Core promise - SLA between LAs and families. 59 59 What could we do if only? • If funding went direct to special schools • Gateway now going to pilot transport funding/ devolved! • ECM outcome 6 - Dream and aspire!! • All schools used person centred planning • Fast access to realistic, sustained funding • Could do with a “virtual school role”. Pupil in own L. community school roll. Special school. Services commissioned What’s getting in the way? • • Concept of community; geog versus families • Lack of clarity about how we define “disabled” children • 43 Lack of clarity in funding streams especially for kids families without a social worker Sometimes time and resources

BP 6 44

Childcare – BP 6 What’s working well? • • • • 45 ES represented on D-CATCH steering group 10 PSP (A) Supported LA to consult parents of YP in special school to complete childcare sufficiency audit. Children referred funded to access holiday childcare to provide parents with a “short break”- link to Saturday clubs and play schemes 88 Excellent + consultation carried out by vol. sector for aiming high for short breaks. Core planning Group for AHSB wide membership. 88 Children aged 3 -11 from special schools transport to a network of out of school clubs @ primary school. Transporting young people aged 16+ back to site to access range of services for raised menu and childcare 88 Vol. sector organisation working with special school - raising funds providing activities 7 DCATCH programme pilot in local children’s centre 13 Close partnership working to develop opportunities 13 Childcare @ St Giles special school - project supported by short breaks, childcare and extended services funding 88 Inclusion pilot- training and support to group to local childcare settings to build expertise+ increase staff ratios for inclusion. Plans for this to be cascaded to all providers 110 Specialist “play” support 7 7 Beginning to link into “short breaks” thinking/provision)

Childcare – BP 6 What could we do if only? • • • • 46 Long term vision - sufficient funding to support the establishment of childcare and sustain developments so that parents feel confident to access care Fully accessible premises Money for rebuilds/new builds took ES provision- not just ad hoc, but strategically planned Confidence in sustainability of funding would support development of after school and breakfast clubs Nurture groups etc. If we had the funding to follow through some 24 hr services with the dream of a new build Utilise childcare in child’s local community for a variety of purposes - short break, varied menu, childcare choice for families. Specialist childcare and support in response to parent/ child needs. Local childcare able to meet needs of all children locally - fully trained supported staff. A new school mini bus and driver Funding for one to one work on a sustainable basis for both childcare/ varied menu of activities to develop life skills. Use of local community facilities A new school to have “music room”, better sensory room, art room, cooking area for pupils Transport @ end of session as well as end of school day. PFI schools charged on affordable rate for school use. The challenge of being able to give the “time” to development of opportunities

Childcare – BP 6 What’s getting in the way? • • • 47 Long term funding strategy for special schools and local authorities Funding No secure long term funding PFI schools TAs are already over worked Workforce not enough Time restraint to support parents Limited specialist workforce Security and maintenance of costly equipment. HS ISSUES TOO Staffing The challenge of being able to give the “time” to development of opportunities

Varied Menu of Activities – BP 6 What’s working well? 110 • • Core planning group for Aiming High SB-wide membership • Development of “Breaks in partnership”. 7 hours of play in mainstream settings each week during school 90 holidays 5 -19 year olds • Development of specialist Saturday clubs. 1 Saturday per month (increasing to 2) in 7 districts of Notts 5 -14 year olds (short breaks funded). . 90 • Development of specialist Holiday clubs 5 -hours (1 day) per week during school holidays. In 7 districts of Notts. 5 -14 year olds. 90 • Residential activities offered to all students (min 1 per year) • Range of after school clubs - one for every pupil in school • School sports co-ordinators • School currently offering after school clubs- 3. 30 -4. 30 including sports, photography, gardening, cooking and film club • Range of activities accessed by teenagers - off site • Range of clubs after school and lunchtime • Work with MMF – performance opportunities • Residential activities- accessible +appropriate to all • Cluster of schools - activities (music, dance, art, residential) • KS 3 Club- focussed on life skill • 48 Excellent consultation carried out by vol sector for Aiming High for Short Breaks School for severe LD and Complex Needs Partnership with a local high school for block of afterschool activities run by theatre group 112 110 85 10 108 7 108 85 85

• Development family fun days. For all family members. 2 per year. Experience of range of activities available in Nottinghamshire. 5 -19 year olds + families • After school clubs - for all students 89 • Being part of E. S. Cluster arrangements 7 • Vol. sector supporting children to access summer holiday and Saturday activity sessions based in 13 school • Summer holiday ‘fun days 89 What could we do if only? • Flexible transport • Full response to children’s needs from consultation • Flexible transport • Better youth club provision for YP with complex needs • Free hire of PFI for SEN support • More funding and flexibility to provide short breaks after school and meet needs of more families children and YP • Become a centre of excellence. What’s getting in the way? • Parental confidence in skills of staff providing activities 49

Parenting Support – BP 6 What’s working well? • • • • • 50 Offer of workshops to parents delivered by school or outside providers Parents forum (1 x per term) 89 Training through Tamhs with Jenny Mosely Circle Time + Nurture Groups ‘Self-Esteem for free’ for staff to share with parents. 10 Have offered sumer school lasting up to 2 weeks. Usually first two weeks of summer hols -range of activities: dance, technology, animation, sports +field trips. 10 Parents coffee morning 1 per month – list of speakers 10 Parent support adviser role 7 PSA role consultation with parents+ individual parental support e. g. signposting info. Parent support partner offering support of the highest quality including advice on DLA+ other benefits, supporting parents to attend annual reviews etc. access to multi professional services (health etc. ) Healthy schools parents involved through working party 85 SEAL assembly- invite parents to engage with emotional needs of pupils Development of PSA role in supporting parents Schools must co-coordinating all health and medical needs Support from schools as befrienders 10 Parental drop ins - to discuss child’s needs who do not attend our school to signpost School nurse supporting all health/medical needs Parent supporter partners. Coffee mornings 10 One Partnership PSP based in a special school Matching parents - focussed support for each other.

What could we only do if? • A whole new build for a parents/ family room with a residential annex for respite care and life skills • Swift and easy access: the special school in a cluster is well placed to co-ordinate this. • Have a PSA in every special school • Regular workshops for parents in schools • Work with families to develop/ support them in determining their needs/hopes • If parent support did not always mean parenting support ie more focused on how to support paretns rather than to make them better parents, it would enhance their confidence and achieve better outcomes What’s getting in the way? • Premise not suitable for some activities • Space is a BIG issue • The challenge of building infrastructure+ sustainability- to become the “norm”. 51

Swift and Easy Access – BP 6 What’s working well? • • • 52 Sharing ‘resources’ with mainstream schools e. g. specially qualified staff from special schools can support mainstream eg as trainers Occupational therapy - home visits for all that need it 85 Continence clinic - outside agency providing individual support for parents 85 Team of play workers and specialists supporting childcare settings to effectively meet the needs of children of young people with complex needs. 88 Special school head is proactive member of clusters 110 Continence orthotic seating clinics ‘one stop shop’. Extended services- Termly meetings of multi- agency professionals for our partnership/ cluster of schools. 10 13 Time to link into Disabled Children Multi-agency Forum In reach/ out with mainstream schools for specific support on a practical basis - assessments, literacy/numeracy, physical behaviour, communication 10 CAMHS worker in school one day per week has made access so much easier 108 P’ship model-managed/steered by multi agency committee- including staff from specialist support services.

What could we do if only? • Ensuring that every family’s needs were identified and at least partially met • Reduction of ‘red tape’ across PCT, Soc Care, education, other boroughs • A social worker attached to school • Multi- agency co-location- in school • School + social care developing joint support/policies • Play therapy available for schools (outside support coming into school) • Special school to become hub for children + families with SEN (mainstream) What’s getting in the way? • Too many multi- agency and initiatives 53

Community Access – BP 6 What’s working well? • • Young carers using premises benefits our families 108 Opening up the school community use has benefited both school and local community (e. g. church use building) Swimming pool used to provide swimming lessons. 2 x private providers who hire 112 New building for school will give opportunities to offer community use of facilities. Local community partnership liaison. 13 Community groups have opportunity to access school hall, fields and media suite for a range of activities. Partnership with other schools 10 Mainstream children access our swimming and P. E lessons 10. What could we do if only? • • • Someone at Senior level in children's services with background + understanding of children with disabilities would make a huge difference to just about everything Someone employed to manage it all and be responsible during out of school hours activities who is in SMT At the moment the SMT share this as these staff aren’t up to speed yet. Equity for special schools in term of support from cluster co-ordinator Link with direct payment Capital funding to incorporate community/ specialist use of schools Special schools are never “second thought”, “deal with them later”. • 54

• Wider information of what is available to children in their own community and not just the school they attend • The community" feels” part of the school and uses its facilities • A genuine understanding at senior commissioning level of the new cost of providing services for disabled children would be wonderful. • The school reaches out to all of its communities, geographical and specialist. • The challenge of building an infrastructure becomes the norm • Provision of buddying which meets social +ethnic needs 55

Extended Services: General – BP 6 What’s working well? • • Extended services co-ordinator for our partnership • 56 Used LA funding to match fund co-ordinator post in 3 special schools In this LA special schools have been part of partnerships (clusters) for years and play a key role in these structures 10 10

BP 7 57

Childcare – BP 7 What’s working well? • Holiday Clubs - provision around the authority • Family days based in special schools during the holiday • Using extensive skills of TA staff - often need more work - under utilised resources • Cluster working allows for inclusive provision. The more childcare places we fill for non-disabled children the more places we can offer to disabled children at the same cost 17 • Project for YP with autism and their siblings - holiday club- from special school • Cluster working across 2 special schools, children centre and several primary schools for inclusive holiday club. 97 26 16 18 18 What could we do if only? • • 365 24/7. Responsibility for transport. Fully integrated multi-disc base. • Identify things in pupils own patch. • 58 Re ASD Extreme behaviour difficulties. A short- break facility to link school success with improvements in home, enabling greater access to opportunities/ varied menu. Supported activities for siblings

Childcare – BP 7 What’s getting in the way? • • Allowing and perpetuating parents expectations that they didn’t have to pay or they will have to provide transport. This promotes over dependence by parents and… often means the service is not valued! • 59 Ofsted focus on data re- standards without commenting on extended services Competition between schools for pupils, barriers to clustering

Varied Menu of Activities – BP 7 What’s working well? • • • What could we do if only? • • 60 16 5 night/evenings. 3. 30 -5 skiing. Cottonshed Theatre Co. , cycling, multi sports weekend activities summer play scheme Let me in! Project 26 17 Small amounts of funding to build capacity in after school clubs-either capital or staffing Cluster working to signpost children to services being offered by different schools within the cluster. Extensive residential experience minimum 1 year ( varied menu, child care) Tooth cleaning club via extension of mid-day assistants hours. Highly successful at our PMLD school. 16, 97 Sports coaches Lunchtime clubs, Grandparent days 16 Family learning week 97 …governance and management allowed schools the capacity and flexibility to manage the process in a sustainable way so that head teachers are not so overwhelmed by it all. Wider range of accreditation routes for 16+ Individualised transport options Training opportunities for mainstream schools to enable all needs to be met

Varied Menu of Activities – BP 7 What’s getting in the way? • • • 61 Don’t let transport be a barrier. If parents want their child(ren) to access ES, they need to take responsibility for collecting their children Short term funding - preventing sustainability Training of coaches for specialist activities/ provision/ areas of need Clarity about sustainability funding for ES co-ordinators for PSAs beyond 2011. Will the funding be “mainstreamed”? Parental expectation

Parenting Support – BP 7 What’s working well? • School nurses - working in special schools 16 • Parent Support Teachers teaching parents • Wonderful PSAs • District based parenting forums beginning to link with parents/carers forum for CYP & SEN 18 • Parental engagement and consultation has now become second nature in most schools 16 96 92, 97 What could we do if only? • Wide range of groups for parents • Establishing parents partnerships that inform and support. Provide advocacy for parents • Barriers to parental engagement are removed and all schools cease to become intimidating and are welcoming places to be. What’s getting in the way? • • 62 Consistent funding needed Specialist information sharing network (ICT) needs in community

Swift and Easy Access – BP 7 What’s working well? 96, 97 • • • Named point of contact in school • Excellent provision exist although sometimes too slow School nurse - health services/social workers in school - soc. Services/ pastoral system 97 Closer working with social work teams and special schools to smooth the way to easier access/ better understanding/comms Clinics take place on-site 26 Collaboration with social care/ joint commissioners and extended schools co-ordinator to look at pooling “resources” to maximise access 122 What could we do if only? • • Broaden the scope to provide SEA as a matter of course for parents and carers • …the term ‘respite care’ was wholly replaced by term ”short breaks” to avoid negative connotation Develop further the concept and reality of “team around a school” where range of services are located and delivered via and within special schools What’s getting in the way? • • 63 18 Leadership training for strategic managers Disjointed organisation - across different services and provisions

Community Access – BP 7 What’s working well? • • • Barriers are coming down. There is less of a sense of the school being a property that belongs to the governors/head teachers and is more of a community resource. 28 Grandparents afternoon Very good community access (out of school hours mainly). Wide variety of groups - evening and weekends (sports/arts/religion) 94 96 Baby group/ adult with LD/ ? / mainstream pupils using the pool. Collaborative school-church partnerships Community use of buildings every night of the week and weekends and 48 weeks of the year. “Taxpayers pay, they should use” 17 26 Shared Sites. Special Primary/primary: PRU/ Primary What could we do if only? • • Special schools often have unique resources that could be of benefit to all if the cost of hire/leasing were offset by spirit of sharing. Special schools could be funded to be open for activities for 48 weeks per year so that we didn’t have to “bid” for funding from other sources What’s getting in the way? • • • 64 Use of school grounds by local community – damage/security Governors are concerned about allowing the community use of the building. They are concerned about litigation if there is an incident Unsuitable premises Lack of suitability of some of our buildings Not being included in Building Schools for the Future.

Extended Services: General - BP 7 What could we do if only? • • 65 Special schools as the “social anchor” for their communities Link every C&YP who is placed in a residential/day out of county special school with a special or mainstream school in their community to help them access local extended service activities