SEND local offer - professionals

SEND professionals Microsoft Teams document site 

Our SEND professionals Microsoft Teams site includes many useful local and national documents that can be downloaded for your use.

By joining our Microsoft Teams site you can:  

• get access to a range of print documents including teaching and learning resources
• get access to the most up to date information, as we will continue to update and add to the documents 
• be notified when there are new resources available  
• quickly find the resources you need by using the search function on Microsoft Teams to locate the most relevant documents  

Sign up to the SEND professionals Microsoft Teams document site

Professionals portal

The professionals portal is used by any professional involved in the EHCP assessment process.

This includes: 

• schools and academies
• early years settings
• post 16 establishments
• educational psychologists
• medical professionals
• speech and language professionals
• occupational physio professionals
• social care professionals
• health professionals

Visit the professionals portal

Help using our professionals portal

If you need help to use the portal you can:  

• watch a video on how to use our professional portal
• join our SEND professionals Microsoft Teams document site to download a PDF user guide 
• contact the SEN Team on 01642 527145

SEND Projects

Delivering Better Value

Why are Stockton-on-Tees included in the Delivering Better Value in SEND Programme?

In 2022, Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council (SBC) participated in the Delivering Better Value (DBV) Programme at the request of the Department for Education (DfE). Following a period of consultation, research and engagement, SBC were one of 55 Local Authorities who secured funding to participate in an exciting and forward-thinking project dedicated to improving outcomes for children and young people with Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) in Stockton-on-Tees.

What are our projects?

8 project areas have been developed and to and  have been aligned with Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council's Powering Our Future Transformation Programme.

The projects to be delivered over a three-year period are:

1.    capital funds to increase capacity in local mainstream schools

2.    strengthen support in Early Years

3.    review of AP and specialist support

4.    development of a Post-16 offer to provide more opportunities

5.    strengthen Local Offer through greater buy in from partners

6.    increase training and support in mainstream schools

7.    strengthen our EHCP annual review process

8.    develop and implement a strategic banding review for mainstream schools

The DBV team

The DBV team is made up of Project Team Leader, Project Caseworkers, Subject Matter Experts and an Engagement Caseworker. The team currently works alongside the already existing services in Stockton Borough Council's SEND service and the Education, Inclusion and Achievement Service.

You can contact the DBV team by emailing DBV@stockton.gov.uk

Additional information

Delivering Better Value in SEND Programme

The Change Programme

The SEND and Alternative Provision (AP) Improvement Plan published on 2 March set out plans for reforming the system. The Department for Education (DfE) are committed to testing, refining and in some cases developing the most significant reforms to ensure they get the changes right via a £70m Change Programme.

The Government are using The Change Programme to test ideas and make sure any changes to the SEND and AP system fulfil children's potential, build parents' trust and provide financial sustainability.

Testing will take place in up to 9 Change Programme Partnerships (CPP) each made up of 3 to 4 local authorities and their partners. The North East CCP is led by Hartlepool and includes Durham, Gateshead and Stockton-on-Tees. All CCPs will be testing the same reforms. They will gather evidence about what works and what doesn't work which will help the DfE understand and learn what it will take to make a change to the SEND and AP system.

Over the next two years, the areas that all CCPs will focus on are:

• Local Area Inclusion Plan 
• SEND and AP Inclusion Dashboard 
• EHCP Standardisation 
• Multi-Agency Panels 
• Strengthened Approaches to SEND Mediation 
• Alternative Provision Reform - 3-Tier Model 
• Framework for National Standards 
• Bands and Tariffs 
• Advisory Tailored Lists 
• Early Language and Support for Every Child (ELSEC) 

What is not changing?

There are no plans to change the law on support for children and young people with SEND. All existing legal obligations for local authorities and schools are still the same.

What does this mean for Stockton-on-Tees?

The Change Programme is an exciting opportunity for Stockton-on-Tees to make positive changes to the way the SEND service currently works by:

• investing in upskilling council staff
• increase in training and support for schools, professionals, parents and carers
• the development of a Front Door service
• earlier identification of needs which enables support to be accessed earlier
• testing of a new EHCP template from the DfE
• development of a preventative model for permanent exclusions

For further information please contact changeprogramme@stockton.gov.uk

Additional Information

SEND and alternative provision improvement plan

Reaching Excellence and Ambition for all Children

SEND Change Programme: what you need to know

Employers

Resources

Business Disability Forum 

This organisation makes it easier to employ disabled people and more rewarding for you as an employer. They do this by:

• providing practical support
• sharing expertise
• giving advice
• providing training
• helping with networking opportunities
• helping organisations to become fully accessible to disabled customers and employees 

Their aim is to transform the life chances and experience of disabled people as employees and consumers. 

Visit the Business Disability Forum website for more information.

Mencap

Mencap is a charity that provides support to adults and young people with learning disabilities. They listen to people with a learning disability to support them to fight for their rights and to realise their hopes and dreams. 

Visit the Mencap website for more information. 

The Shaw Trust

The Shaw Trust is a national charity that provides routes to work for people who are disadvantaged in the workplace because of a disability, ill health or social circumstances. 

Visit The Shaw Trust website for more information. 

Employment Law

Employment law regulates the relationship between employers and employees. It governs what employers can expect from employees, what employers can ask employees to do, and employees' rights at work.

The Equality Act 2010 legally protects people from discrimination in the workplace and in wider society. It replaced previous anti-discrimination laws with a single Act to make the law easier to understand. 

You can find out who is protected from discrimination, the types of discrimination under the law and what action you can take if you feel you've been unfairly discriminated against.

Visit the Gov.uk website for more information on discrimination and your rights.