Issue - meetings

Background:

This report provided details of the Joint Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Strategy, which had been developed by the Council and Medway Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG). This Strategy set out the local area’s vision, guiding principles and the key areas of development that would be the focus for Medway’s children and young people with SEND over the coming five years.

The report provided details of the Strategy’s vision for children and young people in Medway:

·         Be happy, healthy and safe;

·         Achieve their potential;

·         Be part of, and contribute to, their communities;

·         Be resilient and as independent as possible and be able to make choices about their future.

The report also provided details of the Strategy’s seven joint strategic priorities and a set of principles for children and young people with SEND, as set out in paragraphs 2.4 and 2.5 of the report.

The report set out details of the consultation process, as set out in section 5 of the report.

The Strategy had been considered by the Children and Young People Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 3 October 2019 and the Health and Wellbeing Board on 5 November 2019, details of which were set out in sections 7 and 8 of the report.

A Diversity Impact Assessment had been undertaken on the Strategy, details of which were set out in Appendix 5 to the report.

Reasons:

The Strategy is a Local Area Joint Strategy, reflecting shared strategic direction of travel for the local area, including key partners in health and education settings.

The Strategy was informed by the views of parents and young people and focuses on key areas for improvement across the Council, health, social care and education with the key aim of improving the opportunities for young people with SEND to live fulfilled lives and achieve independence in or near their local community.