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SEND

SEND Information Report - see policy section for SEND policy and accessibility plan

West sussex Local Offer

Our SENCO at Woodgate Primary Academy is Mrs Jenny Bird.

Mrs Bird is in school Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

If you would like to make an appointment please contact the school office on 01444 461329.

Thought-full transition events for parents

West Sussex Parent Carer Forum ‘Find It Out’ events: how to work positively with your child/young person’s setting
Please share this information with your setting's families:
Informative and practical sessions, exploring how parent carers and schools can work together to support children and young people. Jane Crawford from West Sussex County Council’s Autism and Social Communication Team will be in attendance.

During the session, they will:

Explore and understand the basic principles of successful collaboration between families and settings
Learn what co-production is by exploring real-life examples of working together at both an individual and setting level, and how parent carer voices can influence positive change
Learn effective ways to communicate and build strong relationships with setting staff
Discover resources and support available across West Sussex to help parent carers participate in co-production and partnership working
Gain practical tips to help ensure your child/young person’s needs and views are heard and understood

Two dates are available, and both are taking place online via Microsoft Teams. Booking links are below:

Reaching Families Courses for parents

SEND Reform in West Sussex

West Sussex County Council is already planning what SEND Reform WILL look like locally over the coming years.
These plans are being developed NOW for West Sussex.

If families don’t speak up at this stage, decisions risk being made without truly understanding real-life experiences of SEND in West Sussex.

By completing this survey, you are telling WSCC:

What is working well for your child and family,
What is not working and causes stress or delay,
And what MUST change to improve support in the future.

This feedback will be used directly to inform local SEND Reform planning happening NOW in West Sussex.

Your voice helps shape priorities, funding decisions, and the focus of future SEND support.

Why is this important?

Because if decision‑makers don’t clearly hear from parent carers now, they may assume the system is working better than it is. This is your opportunity to make sure lived experience drives local change.

The survey closes: Sunday, 10^th May

Have your say now:

SEND Reform Parent Carer Survey

Please share this with other parent carers - every response strengthens the collective voice.

This survey also links directly to our Have Your Voice Heard (HYVH) event, where parent carer views will be discussed and strengthened further.

Find out more here: Have Your Voice Heard - Education - West Sussex Parent Carer Forum

SEND Reform National White Paper

Families are telling us they feel anxious, exhausted and uncertain about what the proposed SEND reforms could mean for their children.

Across the country, parent carers are describing a system that already feels fragile, and a consultation that raises as many questions as it answers, particularly about legal rights, accountability and what might be lost, not just what is being proposed. We hear those concerns clearly.

We are parent carers too, and we share the same worries about what these changes could mean for children, young people and families now and in the future.

Many families are especially concerned about issues that do not sit clearly within the consultation questions at all, such as enforceable protections, access to EHCPs, routes of challenge, and what happens if support in mainstream settings does not materialise.
These concerns are coming up again and again in conversations between families and Parent Carer Forums across England. That’s why we’ve created a dedicated webpage to make it easier for West Sussex SEND families to share what really matters to them, in ways that feel manageable and meaningful.

Our dedicated webpage offers three clear routes for these families to have their say:
1. Take part in the SEND consultation, focusing only on the questions that matter most to them
2. Add their voice to wider campaigns, particularly where key issues fall outside the consultation itself
3. Share their views with us, so we can bring together themes and evidence and represent families’ experiences on their behalf, locally, regionally and nationally

By bringing individual voices together, Parent Carer Forums help turn lived experience into collective insight that decision-makers cannot ignore.

You can also see how Parent Carer Forums across Sussex are working together, strengthening representation and ensuring that families’ voices are fed into the National

Network of Parent Carer Forums, where they directly inform national discussions with government.

This is a critical moment.
Nothing has changed yet, and how families, and those who support them, engage now will influence what happens next.

The West Sussex Parent Carer Forum's Parent Carer guide to SEND support in mainstream settings

Please sign-post your parent carers to the West Sussex Parent Carer Forum's (WSPCF) guide, or download a copy to add to your school website (see below or https://www.wspcf.org.uk/wspcf-guides/.

We know how overwhelming it can be to know what support is/should be in place when a child or young person is struggling at school. So, we’ve created a clear, practical guide to help parent carers understand what support should look like for children and young people in mainstream education.

Inside the guide, you’ll find:

What support can be in place without an EHCP
Practical examples of inclusive practice
Checklists and tools to help parent carers prepare for conversations with their child’s setting
Simple explanations written by parent carers, for parent carers

We hope this guide helps parent carers feel informed, confident and empowered. Please click here to download the guide.

WSPCF-Guide-to-SEND-Support-in-Mainstream.pdf

Parenting Course

Flyer Introduction to Connective Parenting NVR (1).pdf

New class photo books - for parents to share with children over the Summer Holidays

transition-books-2025 with staff pictures.docx

Transition Support

Summer Support Flyer 2025.pdf

Short Breaks Statement 2025-2028

The new Short Breaks Statement 2025-2028 has now been published.

Short Breaks are clubs and activities tailored to the support needs of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

The Statement sets out the Council’s Short Breaks offer, detailing:

how the programme has been developed
the different types of breaks
eligibility criteria
cost
what families can expect from a Short Break
details of universal services, the West Sussex Disability Register and other supports that are available for children/young people and their families

We have also produced a Summary Statement, which gives a brief overview of the programme.

We are grateful to the West Sussex Parent Carer Forum who have helped to update the documents and collaborated with us.

The Statement and Summary Statement can be found at the bottom of the Short Breaks page on the Local Offer Community activities and Short Breaks - West Sussex County Council

What is SEND Stay and Play?

Stay and Play is where young children can have fun in a secure, non-judgemental space where parent carers feel supported.

It is for children aged 2-5 with SEND: they do not need to have a diagnosis but need to be starting the process and waiting for a Child Development Centre (CDC) appointment. You can read more about it in this piece by Donna Brigden, SEND Stay and Play Co-ordinator.

West Sussex Parent Carer Forum (WSPCF)

With longer days and fresh energy in the air, we’re excited for the season ahead!

Are you a member of the WSPCF?

Sign up today to receive our exclusive newsletter! Stay informed with updates, professional development opportunities, and insights into the support we offer to families.

Don't miss out - Become a Professional Member here

We also welcome any enquiries—if you need information or signposting for the families you work with, don’t hesitate to reach out to us on office@wspcf.org.uk We're here to help!

You may start seeing the Together for Change logo on different documents and services. This means the document or service has been shaped with the help of our panel. It shows our commitment to working together and making a real difference for SEND families.

What is the Together for Change Panel?

It is a space where parent carers and professionals come together to share ideas, give feedback, and help make decisions. The panel focuses on improving services and making sure they truly meet the needs of families.

At the panel, we listen, learn, and take action. By working as a team, we can make real changes that have a positive impact on SEND services.

If you are a professional and have something you would like to bring to the panel or would like to attend as an observer, please email us at tfcpanel@wspcf.org.uk.

Here is a quote from someone who has submitted to the panel:

"Hearing the views of parent carers provides a balanced perspective on the next steps, ensuring we can make a greater impact on more families."

If you have any questions or would like to know more, please contact us on office@wspcf.org.uk. Or stay updated by heading over to our website, Facebook or Instagram.

The Disability Register

Have you signed up to the Disability Register?

The West Sussex Disability Register is a database that collects information on those living with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) aged 0-25 in West Sussex and is managed by West Sussex Library Service. This information is used by West Sussex County Council and its partners to help plan and deliver services now and into the future.

Anyone aged 0-25 with a disability living in West Sussex can sign up and you do not need to have a diagnosis to sign up.

You can sign up online or the Disability Register team can speak to you over the phone to help complete the form. Those aged 13+ can self-register on their own or with the help of a parent or carer. We have a handy animation which helps explain what the register is which you can watch here.

Sign up now to the West Sussex Disability Register

By joining the Register, you will:

Help West Sussex County Council and our partners to plan and deliver services for now and in the future.
Receive a monthly newsletter via email with local information and details of upcoming events and activities, including being the first to know about free SEND friendly activities in your local library.
Have access to a Library card with additional concessions, such as free reservations and free audiobook loans, as well as access to a range of free sensory resources.
Resources include free sensory stories, communication devices and switch adapted toys.
Access to a Max Card – a discount card with local and national offers.

Get in touch with the Disability Register team if you have any questions:

Email: disabilityregister@westsussex.gov.uk

Phone: 0330 222 7725

We are also on socials! Follow us for up-to-date information and to be in the know about events and activities taking place in libraries across West Sussex.

Facebook: WestSussexLibraries Instagram: @westsussexlibraries X (Twitter): @WSCCLibraries

Dental Pain (information from West Sussex)

For children who are experiencing dental pain or require urgent treatment, please contact the Sussex Dental Helpline - they can provide advice and help you find an urgent care appointment.

Phone: 0300 123 1663 (Monday to Friday, 08:00 - 16:00)
Email: kcht.dentalhelpdesk@nhs.net

The helpline provides advice, books urgent NHS dental appointments and supports access for vulnerable patients, including looked after children and care leavers. For more information please visit the Sussex Health and Care website.

Important Update for Parent Carers

from West Sussex Parent Carers forum

As a Parent Carer Forum (PCF) within the NNPCF, we understand and share the concerns many families have about recent changes to PIP, Universal Credit, and Carer’s Allowance.

While the Green Paper primarily focuses on benefits for disabled adults, DLA currently remains unaffected, aside from a proposed increase in the upper age limit to 18.

Families with young disabled adults receiving PIP or Universal Credit may be particularly worried about how these changes could impact their loved ones.

Contact has put together some helpful resources to support families:

Pathways to Work Disability Reform Green Paper
Disability Welfare Reform FAQ

We are committed to raising these concerns by writing to local MPs and through contributing to the NNPCF's response to the Green Paper Consultation.

Support while you wait for an assessment - new page on the Local Offer

NHS Sussex have been working with colleagues across West Sussex to support SEND inclusion.

In partnership with West Sussex County Council and the WSPCF, we have developed a dedicated “support while you wait for an assessment” page on the West Sussex Local Offer which has detailed guidance, resources and links to a wide range of condition-specific information. This includes Neurodevelopmental Pathways, Speech and Language Therapy, Physiotherapy, Dental, Community Paediatrics and child and adolescent mental health services.

The “Support Whilst Waiting” work will continue to be developed through a newly established Task and Finish Group. NHS Sussex recognises the importance of this work and is committed to improving the journey of the child, young person and their families whilst they wait for a specialist health assessment.

Neuro-developmental pathways animations
West Sussex County Council, NHS Sussex, the West Sussex Parent Carer Forum and Reaching Families have jointly developed some animations for children, young people and families going through ND assessments.

Animations for children and young people going through neurodevelopmental assessments

WSCC, NHS Sussex, West Sussex Parent Carer Forum and Reaching families have jointly developed some useful animations for children, young people and families going through neurodevelopmental assessments.

Please watch and share!

Autism assessment video

ADHD assessment video