Management Information Sheet
Reshaping Norfolk's SEN Services - Invitation to Focus Groups
As you may be aware, Norfolk County Council began a Big Conversation with all residents and stakeholders, following the outcome of the Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR), in October 2010. The CSR confirmed that over the next three years NCC would have a funding gap of £155 million; due to a combination of reduced income and increased funding pressures, as a result of demographic change.
The Big Conversation not only outlined a range of funding reductions, across specific services within each department of the Council, but also outlined the need for NCC to change the way it operates and to redefine its core purpose. In brief, NCC has an intention to become a 'commissioning led authority'; with an approach in the future which will move away from an assumption of direct service provision.
The implications are a need for funding / service reductions and a commissioning led approach for 'SEN Services', as outlined in the Big Conversation as 'B6: 'B6: Re-design and re-shape special educational needs service, so that fewer statements of SEN are required. We propose to consider devolving to schools the full budget for SEN to meet their pupils' needs in a more cost-effective way than the current service, continuing our policy aim of reducing the number of Statements issued.'
The SEN Services reduction proposal (B6) relates to a total reduction of £1.9 million - originally planned to be implemented in 'equal instalments' over a three year period, but now amended to £1.9 m in year 2 (financial year 2012/13).
This funding reduction relates to a number of SEN services / functions, including: EPSS / SEN Caseworker / Parent Partnership etc.
The reduction in Children's Services staff and service is based upon a related proposal to delegate all SEN funding to schools; predominantly Pupil Specific Funding. This is currently being consulted on via the Fair Funding Consultation with Schools.
The government's White Paper on SEN&D should be published in December and we anticipate that it will outline a timeframe which will introduce interim measures (likely in forthcoming academic year) initial enactment from May 2012 and with significant changes (eg, end of Statements and replaced with Education, Health & Care Plans age 0-25) from 2014.
The Additional Needs Project has been tasked with implementing these changes and three main elements have been/will be progressed:
All proposals within this project will require fundamental service re-design and a change of behaviours / culture / expectations across the whole of the SEN system within Norfolk - it will be vital that a shared understanding of the proposal and its implications exists for all headteachers / governors / parents / officers. For this reason we would like to invite you take part in some Focus Groups.
Multi-Disciplinary Focus Groups
The purpose of the Focus Groups will be to:
Delegates will have the opportunity to provide input to our thinking within the following main areas of the project:
Following on from previous work, "ideal state" workshops will be held specifically for the people (schools, professionals and parents) who have already been involved in the earlier current state workshops Business Process Re-engineering (BPR) of statutory SEN processes.
The Focus Groups are being held on:
If you would like to attend please contact Marianne Knights, Additional Needs Project Manager to book your place and to receive details of the venue when confirmed.
Contact details are:
Tel: 01603 638183
Email: Marianne Knights
The Big Conversation not only outlined a range of funding reductions, across specific services within each department of the Council, but also outlined the need for NCC to change the way it operates and to redefine its core purpose. In brief, NCC has an intention to become a 'commissioning led authority'; with an approach in the future which will move away from an assumption of direct service provision.
The implications are a need for funding / service reductions and a commissioning led approach for 'SEN Services', as outlined in the Big Conversation as 'B6: 'B6: Re-design and re-shape special educational needs service, so that fewer statements of SEN are required. We propose to consider devolving to schools the full budget for SEN to meet their pupils' needs in a more cost-effective way than the current service, continuing our policy aim of reducing the number of Statements issued.'
The SEN Services reduction proposal (B6) relates to a total reduction of £1.9 million - originally planned to be implemented in 'equal instalments' over a three year period, but now amended to £1.9 m in year 2 (financial year 2012/13).
This funding reduction relates to a number of SEN services / functions, including: EPSS / SEN Caseworker / Parent Partnership etc.
The reduction in Children's Services staff and service is based upon a related proposal to delegate all SEN funding to schools; predominantly Pupil Specific Funding. This is currently being consulted on via the Fair Funding Consultation with Schools.
The government's White Paper on SEN&D should be published in December and we anticipate that it will outline a timeframe which will introduce interim measures (likely in forthcoming academic year) initial enactment from May 2012 and with significant changes (eg, end of Statements and replaced with Education, Health & Care Plans age 0-25) from 2014.
The Additional Needs Project has been tasked with implementing these changes and three main elements have been/will be progressed:
| Spring / Summer 2011 - Children's Services staff and school briefings / initial service redesign work / initial funding formula review work and modelling | |
| Autumn / Winter 2011 - fair funding consultation / stakeholder briefings | |
| Spring 2012 - decision making / human resource process |
All proposals within this project will require fundamental service re-design and a change of behaviours / culture / expectations across the whole of the SEN system within Norfolk - it will be vital that a shared understanding of the proposal and its implications exists for all headteachers / governors / parents / officers. For this reason we would like to invite you take part in some Focus Groups.
Multi-Disciplinary Focus Groups
The purpose of the Focus Groups will be to:
| Advise stakeholders on why we are doing this, our ideas so far and next steps | |
| To receive feedback from stakeholders on those ideas | |
| To answer any questions stakeholders may want to ask |
Delegates will have the opportunity to provide input to our thinking within the following main areas of the project:
| Educational Psychology & Specialist Support Service: What is most important to you about this Service? What would your priorities be | |
| Supporting children and young people with and without Statements of SEN: What is most important to you? | |
| Information, Advice & Guidance: What are the benefits of moving to a web-based service? In addition to web-based systems, how else do we need to provide advice and information in the future to parents and professionals? |
Following on from previous work, "ideal state" workshops will be held specifically for the people (schools, professionals and parents) who have already been involved in the earlier current state workshops Business Process Re-engineering (BPR) of statutory SEN processes.
The Focus Groups are being held on:
| Time | Date | Venue |
| 1.30 pm to 4.30 pm | Tuesday 8 November | Kings Lynn |
| 1.30 pm to 4.30 pm | Tuesday 15 November | Thetford |
| 1.30 pm to 4.30 pm | Tuesday 22 November | West Runton |
| 9.30 am to 12.30 pm | Friday 2 December | County Hall |
| 9.30 am to 12.30 pm | Thursday 8 December | Great Yarmouth |
| 9.30 am to 12.30 pm | Wednesday 14 December | Dereham |
If you would like to attend please contact Marianne Knights, Additional Needs Project Manager to book your place and to receive details of the venue when confirmed.
Contact details are:
Tel: 01603 638183
Email: Marianne Knights