CDC National Virtual Event – Approaches to Inclusion and Collaboration

19 Sep 2024

When

19 Sep 2024 15:29

On Thursday 19th September 2024, the Council for Disabled Children (CDC) ran a national virtual event for SEND Leads, DCO/DMOs and Commissioners from across the country. The theme of the event was ‘Approaches to Inclusion and Collaboration’, and the aim of the event was to update the sector, share knowledge and best practice and learn from each other. The main plenary session consisted of:

  • Welcome, introduction, and a reflection on the National Policy Context by Amanda Allard (Director of CDC).
  • An introduction to Targeted Performance Support through RISE (Sam Gomarsall, Systems Improvement Programme Lead, CDC).
  • A presentation from the University of Warwick on findings from qualitative research: how local areas can support schools to improve inclusion (Penny Smith and Sarah Gorin, University of Warwick).
  • A presentation from NHS England on the ‘Partnerships for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools’ (PINS) programme (Phil Brayshaw, National Learning Disability and Autism Programme, NHS England).

A recording of the plenary session can be found here.

Attendees at the event were also given the opportunity to attend 2x workshops on a variety of topics. Please find the workshop recordings below:

  1. Sharing the improvement journey undertaken by the Children and Young People’s Hertfordshire Integrated Therapy Service, in transforming the service, capturing the challenges, successes and future next steps (Karen Woollard, Children and Young People’s Integrated Therapy Services Manager, Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust; Julie Reddish, Senior Commissioning Manager, SEND Commissioning, Children’s Service, Hertfordshire County Council; and Julie Morris & Anneka Wilson, Clinical Quality Leads, Children and Young People’s Therapy Service, Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust).
  2. Building Belonging: Transforming SEND Education through Inclusion and Collaboration  (Reshmi Copperthwaite, Education Programme Lead, CDC).
  3. How to reach out to and support migrant families of children with special educational needs and disabilities (Suchismita Majumdar and Nasteha Jama, Education and Skills Development Group (ESDEG)).
  4. What makes a good neurodevelopmental pathway? (Marie Hunt, Health Programme Manager, CDC).
  5. Inclusion and collaboration through DfE and NHSE’s ‘Early Language Support for Every Child (ELSEC)’ programme (Sophie Hale, Programme Manager for ELSEC, NHS England; Tristan Shorrock, Department for Education (DfE) – in partnership with colleagues from the London, Barnet ELSEC pathfinder site: Georgia Roskin and Marion Newman).
  6. Inclusion and Collaboration – a co-production approach (Alice McColl, Development Lead for Children and Young People, National Development Team for Inclusion (NDTI) – in partnership with young people from NDTI’s ‘Time to Talk Next Steps’ project).
  1. Getting it right first time in challenging times – SENDIAS services and the importance of inclusion and collaboration (Tom Quilter, Programme Manager at the Information, Advice, and Support Services Network (IASSN), CDC – in partnership with Steven Booth, Salford SENDIASS; Anita Bey, Lambeth SENDIASS; and members of the IASSN Children and Young People’s Steering Group). Please note: this session was not recorded but the workshop slides are available here.
  2. Barnet: Supporting inclusion in the mainstream (Karen Flanagan, Director of SEND and Inclusion, Barnet Council; Kim Miller - Head of Specialist Inclusion Services, Barnet Education Learning Services; Joann Moore - Strategic Lead Inclusion Advisory Team/ Head of Service, Barnet Early Years SEND Team – in partnership with Nazlee Sinclair and Hannah Martin, SENCos from two local schools).

Slides from the plenary session and the workshops are attached below.