Gateshead SEND Local Offer Website
You told us that the former Local Offer website was cold and bland and needed more accessible information. We redesigned the website so that it is now more welcoming and easier to use. We are continually updating the website with more accessible information, for example short animated films like this one:
Information, Advice, Services and Support
Let us know what you think of the website:
Gateshead Local Offer Feedback (office.com)
Gateshead SEND Young People's Forum
A mapping exercise was undertaken in 2020 to identify the level of interest there would be for a new forum for children and young people with SEND. Feedback from young people, SENCos and existing student councils around the idea was positive; most people thought the idea was valuable and would be something they would like to contribute to.
The Gateshead SEND Young People’s Forum was set up as a response to this. The Forum meets monthly and accessible minutes from all of this year’s meetings can be found here:
Gateshead SEND Youth Forum Accessible Minutes 2023
SEND Careers Event
Feedback from young people and parent carers consistently identified the amount of information around SEND post-16 options and careers as a problem. Gateshead Council’s SEND Team and the Learning and Skills team worked together to develop a dedicated SEND careers event which has been running for the past two years. Information and feedback from 2022’s event can be found here:
SEND-News-Issue-9.pdf (gateshead-localoffer.org)
Gateshead-SEND-Newsletter-Issue-10.pdf (gateshead-localoffer.org)
SEND Swimming Sessions
A consultation exercise was undertaken around SEND leisure service provision post-pandemic. Feedback from the consultation identified that dedicated SEND swimming sessions which were available before the pandemic were not currently running. Gateshead Council’s SEND Team worked with GO Gateshead leisure service to set up weekly SEND-specific swimming sessions at Dunston and Blaydon Leisure Centres:
Gateshead SEND Strategy - Young People's Views
In March 2023, feedback was sought from children and young people regarding the Gateshead system’s draft SEND Strategy. Overall, Gateshead’s SEND Involvement Worker and SEND Young Ambassador consulted with 61 children and young people from a range of settings in Gateshead:
- Dryden School Student Council
- Dryden School Sixth Form
- Cedars School Student Council
- Gateshead Learning and Skills SoTA College
To ensure it was as accessible as possible, the consultation was designed to be in person and interactive. Priorities were rephrased in order to aid children and young people’s understanding, and picture symbols were utilised to reinforce messages. Participants were asked to answer ‘Yes’, ‘No’ or ‘Don’t Know’ to the questions asked. To aid visual and kinaesthetic feedback, participants were asked to place a coloured ball into a box with the appropriate questions on – a green ball for ‘Yes’, a red ball for ‘No’ and yellow for ‘Don’t Know’. The results were collated as follows:
Our Vision
To what extent do you agree/disagree?
|
Agree
54
|
Disagree
1 |
Don’t know
6 |
Priority 1:
|
Agree
55
|
Disagree |
Don’t know
6 |
Priority 2:
|
Agree
52
|
Disagree
6 |
Don’t know
3 |
Priority 3:
|
Agree
48
|
Disagree
6 |
Don’t know
7 |
Priority 4:
|
Agree
48
|
Disagree
6 |
Don’t know
7 |
From the results, it seems that most children and young people agree with the vision and priorities outlined in the draft strategy. ‘Our Vision’ and Priority 1 were particularly popular amongst participants, whereas Priorities 3 and 4 were slightly less popular. Those who were able to expand on why outlined that they found it more difficult to attribute these priorities to their lives and lived experiences – the concept of ‘next steps’ in particular was difficult for some people to understand, even when rephrased as ‘your future’ and ‘when you’re older’. For Priority 3, it was evident that some participants were unsure as to the different people and teams who were involved with their welfare. Overall, most participants found the exercise enjoyable and were happy to give their views.
To see the completed strategy, click Gateshead SEND Strategy 2023-26
Early Years SEND Communication and Engagement
Feedback was sought from local parent carers regarding their experiences of using local SEND early years provisions. Working in partnership with local parent/carers in this way allows services to be coproduced and fully informed by their experiences.
As a direct result of this work:
– PCF members are now represented on each SEND sub-group – including Early Years – ensuring that strategy and service delivery is directly influenced by service user experience.
– To help information sharing between families the PCF have organised a regular series of coffee mornings and open days with representatives from Health, SENDiass and the council SEND team present when appropriate.
– The PCF now release a monthly newsletter-style communication which promotes events, activities and services for parent carers and families.
For more information about the project and it’s outcomes, click here:
Early Years SEND Communication and Engagement
Electronic Views Forms
Feedback from parent carers and young people identified the electronic accessibility of EHCP Annual Review forms as an issue. Gateshead Council’s SEND Involvement Worker created various electronically accessible views forms so that the opinions and experiences of SEND children, young people and their parent carers can be captured and discussed in Annual Review meetings:
Gateshead SEND Participation Strategy
Gateshead Council’s SEND Team worked in partnership with the Gateshead SEND Youth Forum, Gateshead Parent Carer Forum and the Gateshead SEND Strategic Board to coproduce its 2023-26 SEND Participation Strategy. To ensure it is as accessible as possible, Gateshead’s strategy has three distinct versions – the written strategy, an easy-read version and an inclusive, animated version.
Click here to view the strategy: