Firstly, let me say Happy New Year and wish you a good and peaceful 2017. This is my first update for the chronological year 2017 - in this update, you find sections entitled:
As I always say, I know how busy everyone is, so please feel free to either just read the sections that are of interest to you or read everything; the choice is always yours. Don’t forget, to ensure that you never miss out on one, you can get my SEN updates personally by completing your email details below, using our App ‘SEN.fyi’, or by following me on one of the Social Media platforms that I use at the bottom of this page. You can also easily share this update with others (please only do so if it may be relevant to them) by using one of the icons to the right of this page (if on a computer), at the top of this page (if on a mobile device), or on our 'SEN.fyi' App (by using the ‘share’ feature at the bottom of the page). WE’RE WATCHING YOU (JOINT OFSTED/CQC INSPECTIONS) From April last year, Ofsted and CQC (the Care Quality Commission) now jointly inspect local areas, to see how well they are fulfilling their responsibilities to children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This was following the Government issuing a document entitled: ‘The Framework for the Inspection of Local Areas’ Effectiveness in Identifying and Meeting the Needs of Children and Young People Who Have Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities’. It is a fairly short document, running to just 12 pages and, aside from explaining about ‘Inspections of Local Areas and Providers’, it also explains other things, including chapters entitled: ‘The Purpose of Inspections’, ‘The Focus of Inspections’ and ‘Conduct During Inspections’. It states that: “The inspection leads to a published report that:
It adds: “It is important to note that these inspections will evaluate how effectively the local area meets its responsibilities, and not just the local authority. The local area includes the local authority, clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), public health, NHS England for specialist services, early year’s settings, schools and further education providers.” During an inspection, inspectors are supposed to visit providers (e.g. nurseries, schools, colleges and specialist services, such as Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services [CAMHS]). Inspections are supposed to be constructive for local areas, as well as to be able to hold them to account. Inspectors will provide a ‘Written Statement Of Action’ if they find that something is ‘not fit for purpose’, which will make recommendations as to how to improve things. The local area should then make these changes. Things that inspections look at include (this is not an exhaustive list):
One of the things that inspections focus on are how well the local area communicates with children & young people and their parents or carers |