Feedback from PPS Conference Parent Discussion Groups
Over 70 parents and carers attended the Parent Partnership Conference in March. The theme of
the Conference was to look at the new SEND reforms, and to give parents and carers the
opportunity to consider what impact the Reforms may have for them and their families.
Presentations were given on:
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The content of the SEND Reforms – including the Draft Code of Practice
An overview of the funding arrangements
A progress report on how Suffolk is intending to meet the new requirements
The opportunity to hear experience from a Pathfinder Authority parent from Hertfordshire.
After the presentations, the delegates were then divided into 4 discussion groups to allow the
parents to share their thoughts on what they’d heard, compare experiences with regard to current
provision and to identify any questions that they wanted an answer to. The groups were then asked
to share any thoughts they had regarding the positive aspects of the proposed reforms, any
elements that raised concerns for them and also to suggest any actions that they felt were
necessary to be able to make progress with the implementation.
The complete list of parent comments can be found at the end of this document. Where possible,
comments on a similar theme have been grouped together to give a sense of the number of parents
with similar views.
Over view of Points Raised
There are many elements of the Reforms that parent and carers see as positive strategies, the most
commonly identified theme being the requirement for all future provision to be delivered in a person
centred style that will take account of individual strengths and needs. The next most common
identified positive element identified by the groups was the requirement for joined up working across
the agencies, with a clear route for access of information. The broadening of the age of access to
support, up to age 25 where appropriate, is also welcomed by many parents and carers, as is the
requirement for active participation in the process for both parents, young people and children alike.
It is not surprising however, that such extensive proposed change has also triggered a high level of
concern and, for some, it is just the amount of change itself that is concerning. There are common
themes occurring as well. Funding structures, and the ability to deliver the reforms in the light of the
Local Authority Spending Review, is a re-current topic of concern for the parents. Accountability in
delivering the Reforms is also a key concern, along with identification of the key contact people for
addressing concerns. Access to appropriate support for children with SEN, who will not be eligible
for an EHC Plan is also a key area for concern and this links to the concern regarding parental
access to information in general. Training for teachers, SENCOs and other professionals linked to
the SEN Reforms, is also a key concern – especially when considered in view of the timeframe for
delivery.
The Personal Budget is a topic that appears in both the Positive Elements, and also the Points for
Concern lists. This is likely to indicate that many parents are interested in what a Personal Budget
may have to offer but are, as yet, unsure as to how this will work, or what will be available.
With regard to suggestions for ways to take forward, parents were able to offer a varied range of
proposals. Many of these were linked to more effective communication practice, some of which
should be covered by the requirements for the SEND reform linked to the Local Offer. The list also
serves to indicate what type of information parents would value having access to.
There was also a strong core of suggestions linked to training requirements, which may suggest
underlying concerns about the ability of professionals to be able to deliver the new Reforms
successfully .
Other suggestions were examples of practice that can be found within the Reforms for example, the
request for advocacy for parents across the transition period may be addressed by the allocation of
Independent Support within the first two years. The request for best practice to be shared could be
addressed by sharing information across the Pathfinders, although the suggestion actually
stipulates that it should be shared across Suffolk, so there is obviously work to be done there in
achieving cross county consistency. The suggestion that progress should be tracked, and
monitored, across the year mirrors the requirement for the LA to report on parental feedback on an
annual basis. However, it would also serve to form the basis of a future parent conference to look a
progress over the year, both nationally and locally.
Finally, possibly the greatest underlying message throughout all of the comments received is that
parents and carers are keen to contribute to the planning and delivery of SEN provision for their
children, and they are willing to work alongside the relevant agencies to achieve this. Key themes
for the new Code of Practice are for personalisation and participation. The range of comments
recorded from parents would suggest that they would welcome this. Consequently, service
providers will to well to acknowledge this and use it a basis from which to work forward together to
meet the requirements of the SEND reforms.
Parent / Carer Comments
What Parents like about SEND Reforms:
1. Person centred approach to focus on outcomes x 14
2. Welcome person centred reviews – experience at Thomas Wolsey and the Warren has
been very positive
3. The idea of bringing agencies together for joined up thinking and working, improved
cohesion x 12
4. A transparent approach / easier to access information / one website to include all the
services as a Local Offer x 7
5. Clear options as to what schools can provide
6. Awareness of what support can access for SEN needs without a EHC plan
7. Clear descriptors and language that everyone can understand
8. Availability over the 0 – 25 years age range x 8
9. Better transition to include Further Education and Training
10. Listening to parents and children / taking their feelings into account x 5
11. Parents will be involved from the beginning x 4
12. Outcome / needs based rather than fitting the standard model x 2
13. Positive outcomes for children
14. Opportunity for Personal Budget x 2
15. That the accountability chain will be described
16. Having the opportunity to choose a key worker / facilitator
17. The layout of the new paper work, with the child seen as an individual
What Parents are concerned about:
1. How services will be provided following cuts of one third at Council level / or if
implementation not cost neutral, how will it be sustained long term? X 8
2. Efficient use of SEN allocated money by schools x 3
3. Will school SEN budgets be more transparent? X2
4. How services will be regulated to meet ‘supply and demand’
5. The SEN funding formula looks impersonal – not reflecting individual’s needs
6. How do we know at what point the service may be withdrawn?
7. Access to, and availability of, personal budgets and how identify suitable provision x 4
8. What support will children on School Action / School Action + ( or equivalent) have and
how would this be triggered? X 6
9. Will additional hours of SEN support be available if the children need it?
10. What happens to children without an obvious educational need?
11. Who is going to check on the progress / ensure that professionals are working together?
x6
12. Lack of clarity in how NHS will participate, contribute and be held accountable x3
13. Who to approach if have concerns? X 2
14. Joint meetings – how to dovetail services and how can we assure attendance? X 3
15. How to make things work properly if things break down – who to contact and what to do?
X2
16. Where will the training for Sencos fit into the plans? X 4
17. Will professionals access appropriate training – should this be mandatory? X 2
18. Current difficulties with professionals not knowing how, or when, to refer on to other
services.
19. Are keyworkers available only for children with EHC plans
20. That key workers will be genuinely independent
21. Keyworkers will need to be able to build effective relationship with the child / young
person.
22. The transition arrangements for children who currently have statements – the timescales
/ some conflicting information exists x 5
23. Will the new plans carry the same weight as a Statement of SEN? X 2.
24. Why can’t an EHCP be accessed via health?
25. Will schools / professionals listen to parents without an EHCP? X 2
26. Professionals should have respect for the parents’ view
27. How will children / young people with communication difficulties take an active part in the
process?
28. How will parents find out about all that’s available x2
29. That the lack of infrastructure may impact on the service delivery x2
30. The implementation of such a huge change
31. The cultural change needed for workforce and HR
32. Will the ‘practice’ match the theory?
33. Do parents have any control over the security of shared information – eg data stored in a
folder rather than a cloud?
34. Parental overload within the process
35. It’s another set of forms to complete and review
36. IT problems
Suggestions for Ways to Take Forward:
1. One overall Helpline for the whole EHC Plan and all children, young people, with SEN
2. To have a mechanism whereby parents are informed of changes as they occur / or are
agreed
3. Effective communication – what questions do we need to ask?
4. To produce a Flowchart which includes named contacts, and pathways, for inclusion on
the information website
5. To have a keyworker, attached to school pyramids, for working with complaints
6. Clarification on what ‘Outcomes’ means and to help parents understand this. We all need
to be brave enough with a share ethos to aim high
7. Clarification of provision available at SEN Support stage ( old SA / SA+)
8. To work collaboratively to break down barriers
9. To feel able to challenge the LA, and support, with the changes
10. Professionals should have respect for the parents’ view
11. Senco training should be a priority
12. Increased teacher training around inclusion / diversity issues
13. For School nurses to have appropriate training
14. Mandatory training for professionals
15. To allocate sufficient time to Sencos to be able to perform their role, including their
availability to attend meetings
16. Enhanced SALT provision
17. For best practice to be shared across Suffolk, and with other counties
18. Utilise the OFSTED Parent View website
19. Track and monitor the progress across the next year
20. To advocate for parents to help navigate the transition period.
21. Access to child advocacy
22. Parents should have more of the budget to spend directly with their chosen school