Devon’s SEND Local Offer

People involved in the project

Focus groups

55 participants attended focus groups

Young people

Two online focus groups were held involving seven participants from a mainstream secondary school and five participants from two different
special schools. Some of the young people were also members of Champions for Change, a group of young people with SEND who work to ensure that the voices of children and young people with SEND are heard and valued. They actively participate in various projects and initiatives aimed at improving services and opportunities for young people with SEND in Devon.

Parent carers

Two focus groups were held, one online and another face to face.

There were 21 participants including representation from the two Co-Chairs of PCFD, some of Devon’s Ambassador Volunteers and military-based families. There was also one written submission and comments shared in the Teams chat during the online focus group. Collectively, the parent carers have children or young people between the ages of six and 19 with SEND which include:

  • diagnosed/undiagnosed autism (including PDA profiles)
  • ADHD
  • mental health issues such as eating disorders, OCD, anxiety, depression, self-harm
  • selective mutism; dyslexia and other specific learning needs
  • sensory processing needs
  • visual impairment; physical and medical needs including acquired brain injury
  • severe and complex needs.

The children attend mainstream and specialist settings, and post-16 colleges (including independent specialist) or they are not currently attending school (either because they are accessing an EOTAS package, they are electively home educated or struggling to attend for emotionally-based reasons). Many but not all the children and young people have EHCPs.

Schools and settings

Five participants from schools including:

  • Specialist School Principal
  • Federation SENDCo
  • Specialist School Communication Lead and Teacher
  • Specialist School Assistant Headteacher
  • Early Years Leader/SENDCo and Reviews Coordinator within a Specialist School.

LA Education

Seven participants including:

  • Head of SEND Operations
  • SEND Statutory Team Service Manager
  • Senior Educational Psychologist and Interim Lead for Education Key Workers
  • Early Years Complex Needs Service Lead (changing role to Locality Lead for Exeter and East Devon)
  • Four Cornerstones Partner and Ambassador Volunteer Coordinator (with DIAS, Parent Carer Forum and families)
  • Head of Service for Educational Psychology and Specialist Support Services
  • SEND Advisor Team Lead (changing role to Service Lead for Schools in Exeter and East Devon).

Care

Six Participants from Social Care (Devon County Council) including:

  • Assistant Director for People with Disabilities in Adult Social Care
  • Team Manager for the Adult Social Care – Transitions Team
  • Senior Commissioning and Market Development Manager for Integrated Adult Social Care
  • Commissioning and Market Development Manager in Integrated Adult Social Care
  • Practise Supervisor within the Family Intervention Team
  • Social Worker in the Disabled Children’s Service.

Health

Four participants from Health including:

  • Children’s Commissioner, NHS Devon
  • Nurse Specialist for the ADHD/Neurodevelopmental Services, Children and Family Health
  • Designated Clinical Officer for SEND, ICB
  • Associate Clinical Director for Children and Family Health & Participation and Patient Experience Lead.

Online survey

126 responses completed by:

  • one young person
  • 104 parent carers
  • 21 practitioners

Representing Genuine Partnerships

  • Kayleigh Harrison (Parent Carer joint lead) Genuine Partnerships Strategic Management Group and Voice and Influence Manager Rotherham Parent Carers Forum, Co-Chair Yorkshire and Humber Regional Forum – also co-facilitating the parent carer and LA Education focus groups.
  • Claire Whiting (Practitioner joint lead) Genuine Partnerships Co-Strategic Lead, Area Specialist Educational Psychologist (RMBC) participation and engagement and Doctor of Educational and Child Psychology Placement Director/tutor (University of Sheffield) – co-facilitator parent carer, LA Education and LA Care focus groups.
  • Nick Fletcher Genuine Partnerships Implementation Team, Educational Psychologist (RMBC) – co-facilitator of both the young people’s focus groups.
  • Maisie Harrison Genuine Partnerships Implementation Team and young person representative.

Genuine Partnerships’ focus group facilitators, transcribers and analysers

  • Marie Butcher Genuine Partnerships Implementation Team and Rotherham PCF sibling support and PINS – co-facilitator of both the young people’s focus groups and schools/settings.
  • Matthew Hodgkinson Genuine Partnerships Implementation Team, Rotherham PCF peer support worker – co-facilitator of the LA Care and Health focus groups.
  • Lynne Kaye Genuine Partnerships Implementation Team, Educational Psychologist (RMBC) – transcribed and analysed the LA Social Care focus group.
  • Lisa Morris Genuine Partnerships Strategic Management Group, Area Specialist Educational Psychologist (RMBC) Social, Emotional and Mental Health – cofacilitator of the Health focus group.
  • Jo Payton Genuine Partnerships Implementation Team, Educational Psychologist (RMBC) – co-facilitator of the schools/settings focus group.

Other contributors

  • Sarah Hadfield Genuine Partnerships Implementation Team and Rotherham PCF project officer.
  • Eva Ogden Genuine Partnerships Project Lead and Rotherham PCF volunteer.