SE SEND Benchmarking Workshop 4 Tuesday 9th February

The next SE SEND Benchmarking Workshop will be held on Tuesday 9th February in the Longley Room at Crawley Library from 10am to 3pm (although we expect that it may be shorter than that). The library is close to Crawley Railway Station and there is a car park next to the library. 

The ‘SEND Benchmarking Mar-16 Data Collection’ template which includes the full list of indicators for the return has already been distributed by e-mail. This list will be subject to review at the workshop so there is the potential for some changes, however several LA’s have been asking for the list so that they can begin planning their returns.

A final agenda and any other papers will be distributed closer to the meeting date.

As with previous workshops, coffee will be available from 9:30 and a light lunch will be provided- if you are attending please let joseph.hutchings@eastsussex.gov.uk

know if you have any special dietary requirements when responding to this invite.

Numbers of EHE learners in England, ADCS state of the nation survey

All DCSs have been sent an email about the ADCS state of the nation survey of Electively Home Educated children. The context of this is that the ADCS Educational Achievement Policy Committee has been looking at the subject of elective home education (EHE) over the last 12 – 18 months.  Numbers of EHE learners in England are not routinely captured in a national data return however an independent education consultant has collated top level data via the use of FOI requests. In July 2014 – the most recent figures available – local authorities in England recorded that 27,292 children and young people were educated at home, an increase of 17% on July 2013 (23,243).

ADCS would be highly appreciative if LAs could submit as much information as possible in response to the questions asked in the survey to enable a summary report and a national position statement to be developed and shared with the wider membership. A snapshot of EHE on Thursday 21 January 2016, school census day, should be used to answer the questions and a response made to the survey (https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/ADCS_ehe_survey) by Friday 19th February. Full information and a list of the questions in the Survey Monkey survey is provided in the “EHE info request document”.

SE Adoption Leadership Board Next Meeting 12th February 2016 11.00-1.00 at Shute End, Wokingham

The minutes of the last meeting will be circulated in due course

Dates and times for the rest of the year are set out below (all at Shute End Wokingham)

28 April 11:30 to 1:30 

27 June 11:00 to 1:00 

15 September 11:00 to 1:00 

24 November 11:00 to 1:00 

E-safety update from SEGfL

On 22^nd December 2015, Nicky Morgan MP released a consultation on strengthening the requirements on schools and colleges to keep children safe- including online. As part of the NEN, SEGfL will be responding to the consultation but you maybe interested in support material that the Technical Group of the NEN has published over the last few years to support schools and local authorities in the areas covered in the consultation. All SEGfL suppliers offer comprehensive filtering and monitoring services as per the proposed changes but schools will be expected to provide appropriate training, education, policies and management for their settings.

See full information in the SEGfL E-safety Newsletter

SE Regional Data Network meetings

The following dates have been confirmed for our SE Regional Data Network meetings- please note that the September date is different to the provisional date sent previously:

*         Tuesday 22nd March 2016

*         Thursday 16th June 2016

*         Wednesday 14th September 2016

*         Thursday 15th December 2016

All meetings to be held in the Longley Room at Crawley Library from 10am to 3pm.

Outlook requests will be sent to group members in the near future

South East IRO Network Regional Conference Friday 20 May 2016

More details from https://www.eventbrite.com/e/planning-for-permanence-tickets-19871007719?ref=wphero

SE IRON page at the National IRO Network website 

Sharon Martin, IRO Manager BHCC, Chair of SEIRON and Vice Chair of the National IRO Manager Partnership has written: 

“This conference aims to increase understanding of the role of permanence in children’s lives and enable participants to make permanence plans geared to improving the outcomes for children and young people. Participants will hear from people with direct experience of care, as well learn from key policy makers about how some services are implementing best practice. Attendance at this event will contribute to IROs ongoing learning and service development.”

3rd February 2016

Leadership Development

A second Train the Trainer course is being planned for 3rd February 2016. All enquiries to Di Smith please (see contact box below).

Early Help

The Early Help Group has published its Evaluation Framework (draft) and accompanying Literature Review

The evaluation framework is aimed at all those working in early help.  It therefore includes all partners across the continuum of work: Local Authority services, Health Trusts, early years and childcare providers, schools, the Police; voluntary sector organisations; and LSCB Chairs and partners etc.