Young people
“People at school really value my voice”
Parent carers
“…We had a fantastic experience with a consultant nurse [pain clinic], and wow did she know her stuff, she had read the notes beforehand, she was familiar with neurodivergence… and gave us some really good links to some really interesting research”
LA education
“…There was a school…a primary school where they have those drop-in events with parents. I went to that drop-in and it was so, so good, so powerful…it was so laid back”
Is valued…
- Investment in consistent relationships. ************* (13)
- When there is meaningful support. ****** (6)
- When there is genuine inclusion and flexibility to meet needs – young people and families want to participate and collaborate so long as reasonable adjustments are made for them. ***** (5)
Needs to be better…
- When there is an absence of adjustments and inclusion, or tokenism, all of which results in people feeling excluded.
- Gaps in services – are community and voluntary organisations needing to compensate?
- The result is an increase in the pressure for EHCs and specialist provision and support.
- When practitioners keep changing or are inconsistent. **
- This has become a barrier to forming relationships.
The number of EHCs in Devon and the legal processes involved impact negatively on relational practice, sometimes triggering adversarial language and more blame.
The sheer volume of referrals has a knock-on effect on relationships with specialists and their ability to carry out timely assessments, resulting in long waiting lists and the frustrations outlined by parent carers in Welcome and Care. Earlier intervention and support would ease pressure on the system.
Comments added at the Cornerstones event
- (YP) Thinking and talking about my future makes me ready and steady for my life changes (life planning). *
- Specialist caseworker for transitions between Key Stage Two and Three – it is important to get EHCPs changed as different ages need different thinking. *
- Community groups and volunteers take the place of much needed Devon services because they are not readily available. These groups and volunteers are already parent carers, exhausted and having to take on community issues and problems in order to support them. Where is the pot of money for volunteer community support groups? **
- Why do there seem to be fewer points on Value and Include?
- (YP) The school say they can search me whenever they like; I don’t like this.
- (YP) Reset means I miss lessons.
- (YP) We would like more choices where to be educated, not to have to sign away our right for freedom of expression.
- It is important to try to ensure equal representation of parent carers and CYP – the POET form may not represent ALL parent carers and the youth parliament/council groups do not represent ALL CYP views – avoid BIAS based on privilege and the ability of some of these groups to engage.
- Include the voices of all. Include families who feel excluded (for example, home educated and CYP missing in education).
- Structure around positives not negatives, celebrate strengths.
- Reduce barriers to services created by having long referral forms to complete, for example CFHD referral form and the new form for a child with a learning disability at special school.
- Currently systems do not reflect practitioner values or service user needs.