As a local area partnership, we are committed to improving the lives of Bristol children and young people with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND).
The local area partnership is made up of education partners, health and social care partners, as well as Bristol Parent Carer Forum, The Listening Partnership and organisations working in our local communities.
The Bristol SEND and Inclusion strategy 2024 to 2028 has been developed by our partnership. This strategy sets out how our partnership will make things better for children and young people with SEND over the next four years.
We have also created a Bristol Co-production Charter and Memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Bristol Parent Carer Forum and NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board (ICB).
The Bristol Co-production Charter and MoU have been created to show how we will all work together to create better long-term outcomes for children and young people with SEND across Bristol.
This guide explains these three pieces of work and how they will support us in working together to improve the lives of children and young people with SEND.
The Bristol SEND and Inclusion strategy has been written with people living in our city, for our city. The Bristol SEND and Inclusion strategy 2024 to 2028 has been developed by our partnership. Children and young people with SEND and their parent carers have also helped us decide what to include.
The strategy sets out how our partnership will make things better for children and young people with SEND over the next four years. It's based on the SEND self-evaluation that we completed in 2023, which we will update every year.
Not every child, young person and family living in the city has always felt welcomed and supported in all aspects of education and community life. As a local area partnership, we are committed to changing this so everyone feels valued and included, and children and young people can reach their full potential.
We recognise that we must work together across all services that support children and young people to deliver the Bristol SEND and Inclusion Strategy. To do this we have set out six priority areas that we'll focus on together.
Our six priorities
- Priority 1: Understanding needs
Work with children and young people with SEND and their parent carers so we understand what they are good at, what they find difficult and what they need to thrive. - Priority 2: Listening to families
Listen to what children and young people with SEND and their parent carers tell us so we can make decisions together as equal partners. - Priority 3: Right help right time
Provide our children and young people with SEND with the right help at the right time so they can achieve good outcomes. - Priority 4: Inclusive educational provision
Develop more high-quality and inclusive educational provision. - Priority 5: Preparing for the future
Prepare our children and young people with SEND for changes in their lives and their futures so they can reach their potential. - Priority 6: Feeling safe and included
Work together so children and young people with SEND feel safe and included in their educational settings and their communities.
Achieving these priorities
To achieve the priorities discussed above, we've already created a detailed action plan outlining the specific steps we will take to meet each goal.
Our priorities are based on what we're doing well, areas for improvement, and feedback from children, young people with SEND, and their parent carers, as well as legal requirements.
What is co-production
Co-production involves organisations coming together in equal partnership to work with service users to help create services. The intention behind co-production is the idea that those who use local services are best to help design them.
Our co-production charter
The Bristol Co-production Charter sets out each organisation's commitment to working together to provide support and services for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities in Bristol.
The charter describes how we include co-production into our services, set out through the five core principles of the charter.
pdf
Read Bristol's Co-Production Charter
(3.39 MB)
We have also produced a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Bristol Parent Carer Forum and NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board (ICB) to go alongside the Bristol Co-production Charter.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is a document that outlines an agreement between two or more parties. It's not a legally binding document, but shows that the parties involved have reached a mutual understanding and are committed to working together.
The MoU outlines how we will work together collaboratively to carry out the promises and commitments set out in the Co-production Charter.
pdf
Read the Memorandum of Understanding
(338 KB)
We created the co-production charter in line with the Bristol SEND and Inclusion Strategy draft 2024 to 2028.
We have co-produced this strategy with multiple partners to outline our approach for SEND and Inclusion over the next four years, reflecting the city's needs.
