The Knowsley Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND) and Inclusion Strategy 2023-2026 has been approved by members at a meeting of Knowsley Council’s Cabinet.
Co-produced with the Council’s partners, local children and young people and their families, the strategy builds on Knowsley’s previous SEND strategy.
It’s also been developed alongside the delivery of the Written Statement of Action following Knowsley’s Joint SEND Local Area Inspection in March 2022. The local area inspection highlighted the significant improvements made in the identification, assessment and outcomes for children and young people with SEND, with particularly pace since 2019, and also identified the strength in Knowsley’s own self-evaluation of necessary improvement activity still required.
The new strategy has four priorities:-
- Priority One – Improving our information, advice and support offer;
- Priority Two – Ensuring that our children and young people are supported to be safe and healthy;
- Priority Three – Improving the educational experience for pupils with SEND; and,
- Priority Four – Ensuring that our children and young people are prepared for adulthood.
Cllr Margaret Harvey, Knowsley Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, said:
“We want Knowsley to be a place where all children have the best start in life, where every family thrives and where all young people achieve their potential and that includes our children and young people with special educational needs and, or disabilities.
“This strategy builds on Knowsley’s previous SEND strategy and highlights some of the progress we have made, but also focuses on the challenges continuing to face young people with SEND and their families.
“It’s been co-produced with our children, young people and their families to ensure they are always at the centre of everything we do. They are key to us achieving the priorities and outcomes set out in the strategy and we will continue to engage and work with our children and families in Knowsley ensuring the outcomes and vision that we have for children and young people with SEND become a reality.”
You can read the Cabinet report and the Knowsley SEND and Inclusion Strategy 2023-2026 on the Council’s website.