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SEN Team
Purpose of the Service:
The SEN Team manages the statutory assessment process for children and young people with severe and complex SEN on behalf of Walsall Children's Services. The SEN Team manages this process with regard to the Code of Practice on special educational needs.
Under new statutory duties, the SEN Team will:
monitor delegated/devolved SEN funding to schools and the support and achievement of children and young people with SEN.
provide advice and support to schools on the approach to meeting the needs of children and young people through School Focused Groups.
provide information and support to parents in relation to statutory assessment. The SEN Team will, whenever possible, enter conciliation and mediation with parents in order to reach agreement.
the Service will continue to work with SEN and behaviour support services, health and social services to develop and plan SEN provision to meet future needs.
develop and maintain the SEN policy and plan, alongside Heads of Service and Directors for Learning.
the Service will continue to develop its data in order to inform its service planning.
The Service can be contacted as follows;
E mail
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Tel: 01922 686385
Fax: 01922 686379
Education Support Centre
Field Road
Bloxwich
Walsall. WS3 3JF
What the Service does:
Organises a fortnightly statutory assessment panel, which is made up of headteachers, SENCOs and support services which recommends to Walsall Children's Services those pupils with the most complex special educational needs who need a statutory assessment and are likely to need a statement of special educational needs.
Issues statements of special educational needs within 18 weeks of the beginning of the process excluding those with “exceptions to the rule”.
Issues notes-in lieu to those pupils who have undergone a statutory assessment but whose needs can be met from within schools’ own resources.
Ensures that Walsall Children's Services has regard to the Statutory Assessment process in line with the SEN Code of Practice and adheres to Best Value indicators.
Arranges admissions for pupils with statements of special educational needs:
Transition admissions – Nursery – Reception; Year 6 – Year 7; Post 19 placements
Out of borough schools
Special schools
And works closely with the Admissions and Transport Service to co-ordinate admissions for pupils with Statements to mainstream schools.
Monitors Annual Reviews of statements of special educational needs [and 6 monthly reviews for children aged below 5.]
Provides statistical information and reports
Offers a conciliation meeting with parents and/or Parent Partnership Service
Represents Education Walsall at Tribunals
Monitors SEN budgets delegated to schools with particular focus on the attendance, participation and progress of children with SEN.
How the Service is Organised:
The Service Structure section gives a clear picture of the SEN Team structure.
Who the Service works with:
Individual children and young people who require special provision
Parents/Carers who are requesting a statutory assessment and/or whose child or young person has a statement of special educational needs;
Schools – mainstream and special(maintained, non-maintained and independent) FE Colleges within Walsall borough and elsewhere; [ Appendix A describes membership of School Focus Teams]
Parent Partnership Service
Voluntary Sector
Early Years Providers
Other LA SEN Services
Health
Social Services
Disability SEN and Inclusion Support Services
Access and Entitlement Services Team
West Midlands SEN Regional Partnership
Police
Access to the Service:
Schools and Parents telephone the service for advice and information – this will be developed into a help line.
Parents and schools make requests in writing for children/young people to be considered for statutory assessment;
Parent Partnership Service requests information for parents
Comments, Compliments and Complaints:
The SEN Team follows the Comments and Complaints Policy adopted by Walsall Children's Services .In particular we are always keen to hear the views of parents and carers.
We always want to hear parental views which should be initially raised with the member of the SEN Team concerned.In the case of a complaint them, if the problem cannot be resolved informally complaints should then be addressed to the relevant Manager of the service and ultimately the Head of Service as necessary.Should dissatisfaction with the service remain unresolved, then Walsall Children's Services complaints procedures would be followed.
How the Service is monitored:
The Service is monitored by its performance on Best Value Indicators 43a and 43b.
BV43a…… percentages of statements of special educational need issued by Walsall Children's Services in a financial year which are prepared within 18 weeks without exceptions
BV43b…..percentages of statements of special educational need issued by Walsall Children's Services in a financial year and prepared within 18 weeks, with exceptions.
All parents who have gone through the statutory assessment procedure are asked to complete a questionnaire which is analysed and used to make improvements to the service.[Appendix B].
The service maintains detailed data, for example on numbers of statements of special educational needs, number and outcomes of Tribunals and the numbers of pupils in special schools. The service also benchmarks itself against the performance of other LAs through participation in the SEN Regional Partnership.
Revised August 2004.
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SEN 
