Introduction to this resource and how to use it
Introduction to this resource and how to use it
Introduction to this resource and how to use it
Why did we develop this resource?
In the past parents have told us they have difficulties with SEND processes at the early stages of identifying needs and raising concerns. That processes and timescales are confusing, and support can be inconsistent between schools. Our aim in Bury is for all children and families to feel confident that their children’s needs can be met in any of our schools and educational settings, at all levels of need.
We launched a project in 2021 to work with families and services to develop a resource to raise the standards of education and support for SEND children and young people, through sharing best practice and empowering parents to understand SEND systems.
Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators (SENCOs) in Bury have contributed by sharing ways of working that are effective in their schools and settings (practice-based evidence). They have been generous with their ideas and are committed to promoting high standards for children and young people with SEND. The full list of contributors to the development of this toolkit can be found here.
This resource provides a toolkit to support excellent SEND practice in educational settings across Bury, to ensure positive outcomes for children and young people with SEND. This provides the local authority’s graduated approach to SEND based on the Children and Families Act 2014. It is collaborative, puts children and families at the centre, has a focus on outcomes and is transparent.
How to use this resource
The resource is separated in to three parts; ‘SENCO Best Practice’, ‘Areas of Need – Graduated Approach’ and ‘Getting Risk Support’.
‘Best Practice Walkthrough’ gives an overview of Special Educational Needs (SEN) and the graduated response. It also provides guidance documents for parents.
The ‘Main THRIVE Tool’ is organised by type of need and key stage. The sections cover:
Getting Advice (Adjustments in the Classroom)
Getting Help (Targeted Interventions)
Getting More Help (Specialist Interventions)
Strategies are suggestions and not a tick list and it should be the case that some children just need the first section and others need the first two and others need all three.
Hyperlinks have been included within the document to make it easy to locate information about suggested approaches and interventions. A Intervention Overview is included at the end of each key stage, detailing information and costings for each intervention in response to consultation with schools and settings.
The Thrive framework’s ‘Getting Risk Support’ category covers support schools and settings to manage risk in relation to SEND. It is acknowledged that this is a standalone section that maybe used at any point by staff to support with planning around children and young people presenting with risk alongside, the graduated approach covered in by the Getting advice, help and more help categories. It is in no way a replacement for advice from local safeguarding boards or children mental health pathways.
This resource is aligned to both the SEND Code of Practice and Thrive Framework.
The Thrive Framework was designed by the Tavistock and Portman NHS Trust and the Anna Freud Centre. It is a way to organise different types of support needed by families at different times.
We have used the Thrive framework to develop the Bury Graduated Approach Toolkit because the language is positive and helpful for families, and it fits with how mental health services are organised, so brings together SEND and mental health support in schools*.
*Department of Health; Department of Education; Transforming Children and Young Peoples Mental Health: A Green Paper (December 2017) / Special Educational Need and Disability Code of Practice (0-25) 2014
The strategies in the guidance are suggestions and not a tick list.
The Getting Risk Support section is designed to help schools with planning for children or young people whose needs mean that they need specialist support to be safe. This standalone section is designed to be used by schools alongside the Graduated Approach. It is not meant to be a replacement for advice on safeguarding or mental health from local services.