SEND - Local offer

"The information might be difficult for some people to access"

The SEND News page now features a SEND Local Offer Accessbility Tool video that describes to users what the accessbility tool is, how to use it and how it might help them to navigate and access all of the information on the website. The New to SEND? page also features a SEND Local Offer overview video which offers a useful starting point and signposts users to essential information.

Parent carers were unaware of the available services and support during the Early Years and felt that there was a lack of information

The Early Years page has been completely revamped in collaboration with the Early Years and Childcare team. The updated page aims to reassure parent carers and guide them through the initial stages of their journey. The information is now more accessible, using jargon-free language and providing quick links to useful websites. Please get in touch and share your thoughts Feedback form.

"The SEND Support page is quite out of date"

The SEND Support page has been completely revamped in collaboration with SEND professionals. It now features accessible language and images, along with updated information and clear signposting, all designed to assist parent carers in navigating the SEND system.

"It can be hard to know where to start on the Local Offer"

Following user feedback, the homepage now includes a carousel that directs visitors to recent updates, events, and information. It provides quick links to useful pages and ensures access to reliable, up-to-date content.

"It can be hard to find information on the Preparing for Adulthood page"

The Preparing for Adulthood page has undergone a complete refresh in collaboration with the Preparing for Adulthood team and shared with our parent carer representatives for feedback. It now features updated content, including new pages on living independently and leisure and social activities. Please get in touch and share your thoughts Feedback form.

"I have never heard of Portage before, what is it?

The Portage information page has been reviewed and updated in collaboration with the Portage team. Additional links have been added to guide parent carers. The content has been carefully reviewed to ensure it is accessible, easy to navigate, and accurately reflects the updated Portage offer.

"I dont know what health services are avaliable for my child"

The Health page has been thoroughly reviewed and updated by health professionals. To make it easier for parents to access information, services are now categorised into specialist and universal. Additionally, ongoing work with health professionals and local health services aims to expand the page with more details about available services and reasonable adjustments. Please get in touch and share your thoughts Feedback form.

"It's hard to find information on the EHCP page"

The Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan page has been reviewed and updated in collaboration with SEND professionals. New content has been added to help families and young people understand the EHCP process more clearly. This includes dedicated pages on 'What is an EHCP?', 'Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment (EHCNA)', and 'Annual Review of EHCP'.

Resources, guidance, and documentation for SENCos and educational settings have now been relocated to the SENCo Space.

Please get in touch and share your thoughts Feedback form.

"The difference between the pre-16 and post-16 eligibility criteria is confusing and hard to understand"

In response to feedback, the Travel Assistance homepage now features a comparison table outlining the key eligibility criteria for school travel support for both pre-16 and post-16 students, based on Telford & Wrekin’s statutory policies. This update aims to help families better understand the available support and how the criteria changes as young people move into post-16 education.

"There is no information on money or financial support"

Following feedback, we’ve developed a new ‘Personal Budgets and Financial Support’ section, which has been reviewed by professionals. This updated page includes helpful links to key information and resources, along with a brand-new section on ‘Benefits, Allowances and Support'.

"I can't find much information on social care"

Based on feedback, we’ve created a new information page: Moving to Adult Social Care from SEND. This page has been co-produced with the Adult Social Care team and includes helpful links to key resources and guidance for families.

For more information about children's social care visit Short Breaks.

"The Local Offer is not up to date and information can't be relied upon"

The Local Offer is currently being reviewed and developed with input from the SEND Team, other relevant professionals and alongside our Working Together for Parent Participation group (WTPP). This work is focused on ensuring the information provided is accurate, comprehensive, and reflective of the local community's current needs. SEND Local Offer Updates

Parent carers were unsure about interventions used in school and wanted to know more

Based on feedback, we've created a SEND intervention page with brief descriptions and useful links. Information was collected from SENCos at a Network Meeting and reviewed by SEND professionals.

"It can be hard to know where to start on the Local Offer"

Following user feedback, the homepage now includes a carousel that directs visitors to recent updates, events, and information. It provides quick links to useful pages and ensures access to reliable, up-to-date content.

Parent carers were concerned they didnt understand the FAQs around Transport

An updated FAQs guide was created to guide parent carers through the process of applying for travel assitance. Coproduction work on the Local Offer and council website with key stakeholders streamlined the guidance and is now shared on one accessible and up to date website. Travel Assistance workshops have also been arranged in April 2025 for parent carers to recieve support and guidance.

Parent carers were unaware of the available services and support during the Early Years and felt that there was a lack of information

The Early Years page has been completely revamped in collaboration with the Early Years and Childcare team. The updated page aims to reassure parent carers and guide them through the initial stages of their journey. The information is now more accessible, using jargon-free language and providing quick links to useful websites. Please get in touch and share your thoughts Feedback form.

Parent carers were concerned they didnt understand the FAQs around Transport

An updated FAQs guide was created to guide parent carers through the process of applying for travel assitance. Coproduction work on the Local Offer and council website with key stakeholders streamlined the guidance and is now shared on one accessible and up to date website. Travel Assistance workshops have also been arranged in April 2025 for parent carers to recieve support and guidance.

"What happens once I submit my child's Travel Assistance application form?"

A Travel Assistance Application Timeline has now been published on the Travel Assistance homepage.

"The difference between the pre-16 and post-16 eligibility criteria is confusing and hard to understand"

In response to feedback, the Travel Assistance homepage now features a comparison table outlining the key eligibility criteria for school travel support for both pre-16 and post-16 students, based on Telford & Wrekin’s statutory policies. This update aims to help families better understand the available support and how the criteria changes as young people move into post-16 education.

Parent carers enquired about waiting times to receive contact/intervention from portage

In response to parent carer feedback, Portage has introduced: the portage advice line, the portage short intervention programme (running alongside the original home visiting service) and a new letter to parent carers. This letter acknowledges that portage have received the referral from health and invites parent carers to take advantage of the advice line before the referral has been triaged. This means that parent carers can have immediate contact and intervention with portage if they choose to do so.

"It can be hard to navigate the Local Offer."

New to SEND and SEND News area is under construction. 
Glossary of Terms is being developed to support direct links into the Local Offer and other relevant websites. 
As part of our review and development, the navigation bar has been made more accessible and ongoing work in 2025 will see a uniformity across all pages.

"Collate newsletters to share on the Local Offer in one place."

All newsletters are now in SEND News on the Local Offer.

"Can you make it easier to find out where we can get support."

Parent Carer Zone on Local Offer being developed in coproduction with parent carer groups.
SEND Team contact page updated.

"Create more regular family newsletters."

We now create half termly Family and seperate SENCO newsletters.

"There are too many acronyms and jargon used in the world of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities."

Updated Glossary of Terms, with links direct into content on the SEND Local offer. 

"Can future parent carer summits consider evening times."

We completed evening session on Health services​. 
Workshop recordings for further queries will be aviable on the Local Offer in 2025.

Workshop development​​

Video workshops for a range of requested queries are being built into SEND and AP action plan, and will be published in 2025 on the Local Offer.

"We have learnt more about different parent groups from the summit, how can we share the information wider?"

Market place events are held with our Parent Carer Forums. 
Inform parent carers who our key parent groups are as part of the Parent Carer Communication group. 
Parent Carer group leads to be more involved with Parent Carer communications group, developing sections in the SEND Family newsletter and the Parent Carer Zone on Local Offer.

"What are the next steps were for the Parent Carer meetings?"

Annual Parent Carer Summit review - November
Working with Parent Carer groups at the annual sumit exploring next steps for the group.
​1. How to best deliver information to you; moving to monthly calendared meetings, for updates from Education, Health and social care.
2. Workshop videos will be uploaded to the Local Offer Spring term 2025.
3. Coproduction work on refresh and development of the local offer and SEND Family newsletter.

"What is SEND Governance and all of the different groups?"

June's parent summit focused on describing current arrangements that were in place for parents and carers.

"There is not enough time to respond to the POD's parent carer survey."

We arranged an extension to the survey to ensure a collective response.

"The Local Offer doesn't hold enough information on it for 'Preparing for Adulthood'."

A Local offer development and update is in place. PFA review of Local offer is ongoing. Additional pages and information will be created and reviewed to demonstrate what was available.

"There is no suitable local provision for our children when they go into Post 16."

We expanded our Full-time Post 16 offer locally, opening a Derwen Satellite site, Really NEET and increasing the Supported Internship offer. This is reviewed annually to ensure the right provision is in place for our Post 16 learners.

"Post 16 communications needs improving."

We have recommended Post 16 providers issue monthly communication via email and face to face meetings. We have engaged with post 16 providers as part of a SENCO network meetings.

"Making an application to transport is too hard and we have to repeat information."

The implementation of a new travel assistance system where applications can be made and information not repeated. Feedback sessions with developers on what would be required. Training sessions so parents knew how to access the system. Amendments made to questions and FAQ's where parents did not understand the language.

"Travel assistance workshops in 2023 were only during the day."

PODs facilitated this year and ran twilight sessions.
Travel assistance workshops are now offered annually and dates will be advertised in advance. A video guide will also be avaliable on the Local Offer to support travel assistance applications.

"What types of travel assistance are provided?"

In 2023 we arranged a meeting where the travel assistance teams are based so parent carers were able to see "behind the scences" to the travel assitance team. We have been working with POD's parent carer forum to publish FAQs based on questions asked by parent carer forum.

We have created a new information page regarding Moving Forward Meetings.

Please click here for more information

We are pleased to announce that a new draft Strategy has been developed, following the consultation we will be collating all the feedback that has been provided.

Working together for better SEND and AP outcomes in Telford and Wrekin 2023-2028 has been developed using feedback from parents, carers, young people and professionals across health, social care, education support services, early years settings, schools and post 16 providers.

Click here for more information

Telford & Wrekin Local Partnership

In Telford & Wrekin the local partnership is committed to co-produce services with families for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities at every stage.

The SEND Working Together Charter has been developed by Parents, Carers, Children, Young People, Telford & Wrekin Council, Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin NHS and partners.

Click here for more information