Ambition 2
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What did you tell us?
You told us you want clearer, timely approaches to independence with tailored support for all those with a SEND not just those with an EHCP. This support must be consistent, start early and continue into adulthood through smooth transitions.
What does this mean?
Children and young people with SEND will have access to advice, guidance and support that allows them to explore their aspirations, understand their options and make informed decisions as they move into adulthood.
How will we do this?
a) For those who are eligible for statutory support in adulthood under the Care Act 2014:
- Continue our commitment to provide support to young people who are likely to be eligible for Adults Social Care support, whether they are supported through an EHCP or receiving SEN Support, working to identify them from Year 9
- continue our commitment that each young person with potential Adults Continuing Health Care (CHC) eligibility has a thorough assessment of their health needs from age 17 and a planned transition to Adults Continuing Health Care
b) General planning for adulthood:
- providing accessible information at all stages of a child and young person’s journey towards adulthood
- any barriers impacting or impeding a child or young person’s opportunity to explore their options will be identified and responded to in a timely manner
c) Life skills and Independent Living:
- enable young people to have choice and control over their lives and the support they receive, their accommodation and living arrangements
d) Education, Employment, Training and Volunteering:
- explore different opportunities across education, employment, training and volunteering to support the aspirations of individual children and young people
- expand Supported Internships programme, increasing our post 16 offer
e) Participating in society:
- support young people in building healthy, long-term friendships and relationships
- enable young people to contribute to the local community
f) Health
- young people with specific health needs which will need ongoing support in adulthood are identified and signposted to appropriate and clear pathways
- all our children and young people will be supported to stay as healthy as possible throughout their lives, including learning how to stay safe, achieve good health and wellbeing and knowing how to access health services available to them
How will we know we are making progress?
- our young people tell us that they have a better quality of life with increased control over their lives
- a narrowing gap between the educational attainment of those with SEND and their peers
- increased % of our children and young people in education, employment or training after the age of compulsory education
- increased number of young people completing Supported Internships
- increased % of young people entering employment following the completion of a Supported Internship
- reduced number of young people being permanently excluded or at risk of exclusion from school.
- increased % of young people with SEND living independently
Increased number of children and young people accessing social, cultural, leisure and heritage events and attractions which assist them in living healthy and active lives.
Delivery plan
| Theme | Action | Link to Safety Valve Programme | Link to Priority Action Plan | Deadline | Responsible Lead | Progress/Milestones | Expected outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Information, Advice and Guidance | To create a Local Offer Apprenticeship Post with the purpose of ensuring continual review of the Preparing for adulthood information by a young person with young people. | 1.2.1 | Jul-23 | Head of SEND LBB, Children, Young People and Maternity Programme Manager, ICB | There is additional capacity to ensure that the Local Offer is reviewed with children and young people. Children and Young People tell us via a survey that they have access to impartial information, advice and support that enable them to make informed choices about their future. | ||
| Information, Advice and Guidance | To review the Preparing for Adulthood information and guidance available on The Local Offer and ensure that impartial information and advice is available. | 1.2.2 | Young Person with SEN and Disabilities Group Co-production Lead (new post) Local Offer Officer SENDIAS Lead ICB Bexley Communications and Engagement Officer | The hits on the Preparing for Adulthood pages of The Local Offer increase indicating that more children and young people are accessing this information. Children and young people tell us via a survey that they have access to impartial information and advice that enable them to make informed choices about their future. | |||
| Information, Advice and Guidance | To increase the reach of The Local Offer by fully implementing the marketing plan. | 1.2.3 | Head of SEND, LBB Local Offer Officer, LBB | Every SENCo has a poster about SEND to hand out/ talk to/ share with parents and the child/young person. 70% of Bexley SENCo’s report that they are aware of The Local Offer and able to access the information they need on The Local Offer and signpost young people and parents to The Local Offer. The hits on The Local Offer website increase. | |||
| Information, Advice and Guidance | To provide additional joint funding to the SENDIAS Service to allow the recruitment of a Young Persons Preparing for Adulthood Advisor. | 1.2.4 | Jul-24 | IASS (Information Advice & Support Service) Service Lead Head of SEND Community Safety Manager Children Young People and Maternity Programme Manager ICB | Feedback gathered by the SENDIAS Service shows that children, young people and their families report that they received a timely response and appropriate preparing for adulthood advice and support from the SENDIAS Service. | ||
| Voice of the Child and Co-Production | Continue the Bexley Voice and partners programme of Preparing for Adulthood workshops that are delivered to parent carers by providing speakers and materials on specific topics, as requested by Bexley Voice. | 1.2.5 | May-24 | Head of SEND Designated Clinical Officer SEND Designated Social Care Officer | Parents and carers tell us that through facilitated workshops they accessed speakers and practitioners to have access to impartial information, advice and support that enable them to make informed choices about their future. The voices of parents and carers are heard and used to shape service developments | ||
| Voice of the Child and Co-Production | To work with young people, their parent/carers and SENCo’s to review and implement an improved process for Post 14 annual reviews. | 1.3.1 | Jun-25 | Head of SEND Designated Clinical Officer SEND Senior Quality Assurance SEND Officer Deputy Manager for Preparing for adulthood (Adult Social Care) SEND Project Officer/ Change Lead Programme Manager | The Post 14 EHCP format co-produced by young people, their parent/carers and SENCo’s is reviewed and supports the revised Preparing for Adulthood Process. Children, young people and their families tell us that their Post 14 annual review process is valuable and was held on time. By December 2024, 45% of children and young people tell us their Post 14 annual reviews are helpful and that they are clear about the provision they will receive to prepare them for adulthood. By June 2025, 80% of children and young people tell us their Post 14 EHCP annual reviews are helpful and that they are clear about the provision they will receive to prepare them for adulthood. | ||
| Post 16 Offer | To identify a Local Area who support young people preparing for adulthood well and review their Post 14/Transition Annual Review Process and paperwork to identify areas of good practice we can learn from and embed in Bexley Local Area. | 1.3.2 | Jun-24 | Children, young people and their families tell us that their Post 14 annual review process is valuable and was held on time. By December 2024, 45% of children and young people tell us their Post 14 annual reviews are helpful and that they are clear about the provision they will receive to prepare them for adulthood. By June 2025, 80% of children and young people tell us their Post 14 annual reviews are helpful and that they are clear about the provision they will receive to prepare them for adulthood. | |||
| Post 16 Offer | Identify and secure external support from a Preparing for Adulthood organisation to assist us to identify areas of good practice to inform a review and reform of our EHCP Annual Review and Preparing for Adulthood process. | 1.3.3 | Aug-24 | ICB and Local Authority Leads | Children and young people’s needs have been accurately identified as they move towards year 9. Children, young people and their families tell us that their Post 14 annual review process is valuable and was held on time. By December 2024, 45% of children and young people tell us their Post 14 annual reviews are helpful and that they are clear about the provision they will receive to prepare them for adulthood. By June 2025, 80% of children and young people tell us their Post 14 annual reviews are helpful and that they are clear about the provision they will receive to prepare them for adulthood | ||
| Early Intervention | Early Intervention Team Planning meetings will specifically identify children with EHCPs in year 9 to explore where additional professional involvement is required to support preparing for adulthood. | 1.3.4 | Children and young people’s needs have been accurately identified as they move towards year 9. Children, young people and their families tell us that their Post 14 annual review process is valuable and was held on time. By December 2024, 45% of children and young people tell us their Post 14 annual reviews are helpful and that they are clear about the provision they will receive to prepare them for adulthood. By June 2025, 80% of children and young people tell us their Post 14 annual reviews are helpful and that they are clear about the provision they will receive to prepare them for adulthood | ||||
| Early Intervention | Identify tools that can routinely be used to identify priorities and support decision making, on services and professionals who need to be involved with an individual young person such as the Health. | 1.4.1 | Sep-24 | Chair of Preparing for Adulthood Task and Finish Group | Tools are identified and implemented and are successful at identifying young people with less complex needs who may not have an EHCP but who need advice and/ or support to achieve their preparing for adulthood outcomes. Leaders have quantitative and qualitative insight to the needs and number of young people without EHCP requiring transition support, to inform service design and commissioning intentions. | ||
| Early Intervention | Develop a tool to be used by SEN Case Officers at Year 9 review which will identify young people who are likely to be Care Act eligible and/or require support from wider services as they prepare for adulthood. | 1.4.2 | Sep-24 | SEND Team Manager, LBB Associate Director, Adult Social Care | All young people with an EHCP who are likely to be eligible for Care Act provision as adults are identified by or at Year 9 annual review and referrals made to Preparing for Adulthood Team in Adult Social Care. This will ensure that they are known to the Adult Social Care Service and early care planning can take place to ensure young people and their families are aware of any support they will receive as adults. | ||
| Information, Advice and Guidance | SEN Case Officers to be provided with Care Act eligible training by Adult Social Care staff. | Apr-25 | Associate Director of Adult Social Care | All young people with an EHCP who are likely to be eligible for Care Act provision as adults are identified by or at Year 9 annual review and referrals made to Preparing for Adulthood Team in Adult Social Care. This will ensure that they are known to the Adult Social Care Service and early care planning can take place to ensure young people and their families are aware of any support they will receive as adults. | |||
| Early Intervention | To identify best practice models used by other Local Area SEND Partnerships ICB to identify the best model of support for preparing young people with SEND support needs and vulnerable young people for adulthood including young people who are not in education, educated out of area, electively home educated, attending alternative provision, leaving care, on the dynamic support register, or who have needs resulting from mental ill-health or neurodiversity | 1.5.1 | Sep-24 | There are clear processes in place to ensure that children and young people who do not have an EHCP receive the advice, information and any support they require to prepare them for adulthood | |||
| Information, Advice and Guidance | Preparing for Adulthood Pathways are mapped and clearly set out in a document to assist with Preparing for Adulthood Planning | 1.5.3 | Jan-25 | Chair of Preparing for Adulthood Task and Finish Group | Children, young people and their families say they are aware of the possible pathways to higher education, employment, increased independence and adult health and social care | ||
| Health Pathways | To assure that children’s community health pathways include transition and preparing for adulthood in standard operating procedures (SOP) from age 14. | 1.5.4 | Dec-24 | Oxleas NHS Trust Specialist Children’s Services, CAMHS, Adult LD Service Managers Bromley Healthcare Bexley 0-19 Manager Designated Medical Officer | From age 14 to 17 any changes in health provision are shared, to prepare young people, and any new health services documented at the annual review from Year 9 | ||
| Supported Internships | Expand Supported Internships through supporting 10 learners per year from September 2025. | 3.7 | Sep-28 | Head of SEND | Young people gain employment at the end of the Supported Internship programme. |