Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Strategy Impact Report 2024 to 2025

Introduction 

Leaders remain committed to being open and accountable, working closely with young people and families to keep improving and achieve the best outcomes together. 

Inspection of Local Authority Children’s Services (ILACS) – Ofsted  

All local authorities are inspected by the regulatory body Ofsted, who check the quality of services provided for children. Following the positive Local Area SEND inspection in 2024, Dorset had an ILACS inspection in March 2025. The inspection identified that Dorset provides 'outstanding' services for children:  

• 'Children in Dorset receive exceptional services that help meet their needs and reduce risks, supporting them to have better experiences and reach their potential.'  
• 'Ambitious, family focused and child-centred senior leaders, including political and corporate leaders alongside multi-agency partners, have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to children.' 

Progress of co-produced Belonging Strategy 

The Belonging Strategy and Plan 2024 to 2027 was launched last year and published on the Dorset Council website in November 2024. It builds on Priority 2 of the Education Strategy: Helping all children and young people feel they belong. 

Key activities in 2024 to 2025 include: 

• 38 more schools took part in the 3-day ‘Therapeutic Thinking Tutor’ training, with 15 schools joining the ‘Therapeutic Thinking Behaviour Curriculum’ training, which helps schools create a structured approach to teaching and assessing pro-social behaviour skills
  
  Impact: This has helped more schools use a therapeutic and understanding approach to meet children’s needs. As a result, they’re spotting issues earlier, which has reduced suspensions, and improved attendance. 
   
• Dorset Virtual school for Children in Care published a co-produced Belonging Toolkit with University College London and schools in the Knowledge Exchange Programme
  
  Impact: We have been able to use the toolkit to support schools leading to an increase in the number of children in fulltime education, reducing those on part-time timetables. 

Birth to Settled Adulthood update 

The service now offers full support from birth, with Best Start in Life advisors helping children aged 0 to 5 years with their development and learning. The service also helps young people up to age 25 move towards a stable adult life, although some may reach this point before they turn 25. 

Being settled means:

• living in a stable environment
• getting the right support
• engaging in work or meaningful activities
• maintaining good health
• having friends
• and being part of the community

The ‘Outcomes Framework’ has been created together with children, young people, and their families, and B2SA is making sure it is used more in assessments and plans for those children and young people. 

Planning for adulthood starts at age 14. This gives families and young people time to talk about their goals and the support they’ll need, following the SEND Code of Practice.” 

All young people in Year 9 in September 2025 will receive a preparing for adulthood guide to help with their planning for the future. 

Care Act assessment and care and support planning is now being used more by children’s practitioners when it’s needed beyond age 18. Adult social workers will also do the same with young people under 18 who have complex needs. This helps make support more consistent for the young person. 

The Children’s Occupational Therapy Team continues to provide equipment and adaptations for children and young people and are working hard to reduce waiting times.  

Facts and figures: 

There are 373 children up to the age of 17 who are receiving a short break service - 343 of these children receive direct payments. 

24 children and young people access overnight short breaks in registered childrens homes. 

14 children regularly use Hayeswood Short breaks service for overnight short breaks - Hayeswood Children’s Home has been rated as Outstanding by Ofsted. 

103 young carers receive support from the Young Carers team to ensure their mental health and social wellbeing is supported. 

Impact: Children and young people get the right support to reach their specific goals, build independence, and start preparing for adult life earlier. 

Sufficiency Strategy (strategic priorities 5 and 6) 

Dorset’s Sufficiency Strategy is helping us plan smarter and create more inclusive schools. By using data and working closely with education leaders, we’re making sure every child gets the right support in the right place. We are using significant analysis when we plan specialist places, so that it should meet the needs of families. This will also ensure we invest funds better and reduce reliance on high-cost independent placements. ‘This strategy isn’t just about new buildings. It’s about creating an inclusive culture in all schools, improving outreach, and developing guidance together with education leaders. This joined-up approach is already improving reintegration, reducing escalation, and building confidence in local provision. 

Impact: Children and young people are increasingly supported to thrive in their local schools, with the right help in the right place at the right time. 

Care leaver offer (strategic priorities 4 and 5) 

We understand that young people with SEND, who have also been in care, can find the move into adulthood challenging, so they are a top priority for the care leaving team and Dorset Council. In the academic year Sept 2024 to July 2025, we had 71 of these young people actively supported by the leaving care team. We introduce our personal advisors (PAs) to our young people shortly after they turn 16 to build relationships in good time before their 18th birthday. We have found having a strong relationship based on trust works best in navigating transitions into adulthood.  

We support and plan with our young people from an early age of 16 in a ‘one council’ approach, working with multiple services areas who they may be involved with. Plans, letters and any communications are written in easy read format and adapted to ensure they meet the individual needs of the young person. We work alongside a range of other professionals and partners to support and meet the needs of our young people. This may include the young person’s personal advisor working with other professionals from birth to settled adulthood service (B2SA), Special education needs and disability teams (SEND), as well as Adult Services.  

Impact: With this approach, there is time for plans to be created and reviewed to promote positive outcomes for our young people in relation to their education, training and employment, level of independent skills and accommodation. 

The full Dorset Care Leaver offer can be accessed in several ways:

• Via a downloadable app - see Local Offer for care leavers 
• Dorset | Graduating Care South West 

New children’s homes – Louise Drury (strategic priorities 2, 3 and 4)

What Hayeswood does well: 

• communicates well with families and professionals
• attends multi-agency meetings and become part of the network for families
• provides a safe environment for children and young people to develop their skills
• are child focussed
• well-trained staff who are positive about the children and young people they work with

Feedback given from parents and professionals for Hayeswood’s Bi-annual Quality of care report

Lesley Mellor - DPCC Chair: 

• “Outreach provided before overnight stays were taken and the communication between Management, families and key staff are excellent” 
• “it is seen as a family home environment which helps also setting outcomes of life skills, sitting at a dining table for a meal with someone else so positive” 
• “the thought of setting achievable learning points, taking shoes off, putting away on unit, beds being made are all small steps to life skills that the staff by encouragement do so well. But without making the parents feel useless because they haven’t sorted it before” 

Fiona Eatwell, class teacher to LC: 

• “Such a pleasure reading these overviews - L is clearly enjoying his time with you and gets such a lot from the opportunities you provide. Many thanks for sharing these with us.” 

AG’s Mum: 

• “The security and reassurance you have provided us, has been amazing” 
• “I can’t rate Hayeswood highly enough, the security and reassurance that you have provided A and us, as a family, has been amazing, especially when overnight respite was such an overwhelming thought and decision to make. A thoroughly enjoys his stays with you and loves to come home and tell us all about what he’s been up to. Also, the short break has given us focus on the other children and be able to give them more of our time without the stress or worry of how an activity might affect A or us having to focus so much on what A’s doing and whether he’s happy and safe has made a massive impact on us as a whole family
• We’ve also found that A has become much more relaxed after his stays, at first, he would come home and ‘unleash’ and it would take him a long time to get used to being back at home but now he is much happier, and we are seeing much less of the outbursts on a Wednesday morning before his stays with you or a Thursday evening after
• We are really grateful for the wonderful opportunity Hayeswood has given us and for the amazing care surrounding A during his stays.  Many thanks”

NW’s Parents: 

• “We are absolutely delighted with the provision our son receives at Hayeswood. He has been going for about 6 months now and loves it every time. He has settled really well with the help of the staff. He used to have some issues with transitioning around the house and to and from school but the staff have worked really hard with him and he now doesn't have any issues with this
• It's great for N to spend time away from our house and to sleep in a bed by himself successfully to show him that he can do this. It's also nice for him to get out and about doing the activities that the staff plan
• It's good for the rest of us to have some time away from N to either spend being able to relax at home or to go out and do things that we can't usually do” 
• “We really appreciate the support that Hayeswood provides to us as a whole family. It has made such a huge positive difference to us over the last 6 months” 

Post SEND inspection review (March 2025)  

As part of the new SEND inspection framework, local areas are revisited by Ofsted, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and NHS England to review progress at regular intervals. Dorset's first review took place on 12th March 2025 and was a very positive experience. The meeting was supported by Dorset Council, NHS Dorset, SENDIASS, DPCC and staff from early years and school settings. The visiting team were impressed that the Local Area Partnership has continued to perform strongly and work together to ensure children and young people’s needs are identified as early as possible and appropriate support is offered.  

The next visit is likely to be in the autumn of 2025 and will be reported through the SEND & Inclusion Partnership Board and updated in next year’s annual impact report.  

SEND and Inclusion Partnership Board (Strategic priority 6) 

Progress: Established during 23/24, the SEND & Inclusion Partnership Board is a strategic group of leaders who meet quarterly to review the activity of the Local Area Partnership in the SEND & Inclusion space. The Board is the governance of the SEND Strategy (2024-2027) and is made up of partners from: 

• the local authority 
• NHS Integrated Care Board and provider teams 
• parents, carers and families through the Dorset Parent Carer Council 
• leaders in education (from early years to further education) 

The Board is chaired on rotation by representatives of the above sectors.  

Key Activities: Oversight of the SEND Strategy Delivery Plan. Hold partners to account for activity that has been agreed both through the current SEND Strategy and through the 2024 Local Area SEND Inspection action plan. The Board also look at potential innovative projects and how these might benefit children and settings. Key progress that is highlighted through this Impact Report has been signed off by the SEND & Inclusion Partnership Board.  

Impact: 

Children, young people and families voices are heard and respected by system leaders. 

The activity of the SEND local area partnership is scrutinised to ensure that projects and programmes of work progress and are on target.  

Autism Education Trust focused work (Strategic priorities 1, 2 and 3) 

Dorset Educational Psychologists and specialist teachers have delivered Autism Education Trust (AET) training ‘Making Sense of Autism’ to 33 schools and 5 Early years settings.  Across 17 settings, they have implemented the Progression Framework: a whole-setting solution for assessing, planning, implementing and reviewing the progression of autistic children and young people. We have also co-produced workshops with DPCC parents on understanding autism – these have been delivered across family hubs in each locality area.  

Impact

Following the training practitioners reported:

• a better understanding of the strengths and needs of autistic children and young people  
• an increase in their confidence in being able to support autistic children and young people 
• a better knowledge about strategies to use and specific actions to complete to improve inclusion across the school 

Families report that the workshops have supported them in being able to understand their child and adapt their approach.

Emotionally Based School Avoidance (Strategic priorities 1, 2, 3 and 4) 

Dorset Educational Psychologists have delivered whole school training to 20 schools and have launched a suite of resources and information for schools.  They have supported Dorset Council staff working with families and children to understand the causes of Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA) and how to support children experiencing this.  

Impact

Settings have an increased confidence in understanding the causes of EBSA and their ability to reduce these by making adjustments:

• earlier identification of children at risk with EBSA  
• improved joint working with families  
• improved attendance of children at risk of EBSA 

Starting School Early Years to Reception Pathway (strategic priorities 1, 2 and 3) 

Strategic Priorities 1,2, 3 and 5 

In Summer 2024 we identified a small number of children who were moving from early years into school who required enhanced support.  By using the ‘Valuing SEND’ tool and working with Dorset Council educational psychologists, specialist teachers, and special schools, we gave extra support from summer to autumn 2024, which helped settings meet the children’s needs, enabling every child to make good progress and stay in their local mainstream school. 

We have extended this approach to all early years settings to strengthen the ‘early years to school pathway’ using the ‘Valuing SEND’ tool to identify need and the settings’ readiness to meet them.  152 children’s profiles have been completed by early years settings of which 132 were matched with their primary or first school.  

Impact:

• improved outcomes for children due to earlier identification of needs, and better understanding of mainstream readiness
• strengthened collaboration and confidence - practitioners in schools and early years settings reported an increase in their confidence in understanding the child’s needs and in collaborating together and with the families

Capital Programme

The SEND Capital Programme has delivered a significant expansion of local specialist provision, including new special school places and a growing network of Inclusion Hubs. These hubs provide targeted support for communication and interaction needs and Social, Emotional, and Mental Health (SEMH) needs, while offering outreach to mainstream schools to improve inclusive practice system-wide. With four new Inclusion Hubs for September 2025, and further developments underway, the programme is reducing travel, improving outcomes, and enabling more children to stay connected to their communities. The Inclusion Hub model is now recognised as a cost-effective, high-impact alternative to out-of-area placements.

Impact

Children and families benefit from high-quality, inclusive support closer to home, reducing disruption and improving long-term outcomes.

SEND data 

(2024/25) Current SEND data:

• 52% of pupils with an EHCP are in mainstream schools 
• 68% of pupils with an EHCP are male 
• 32% of pupils with an EHCP are female 
• 57% of pupils with SEN Support are male 
• 43% of pupils with SEN Support are female 
• 22% of pupils with an EHCP have Speech, Language and Communication as primary need 
• 620 EHCPs have been issued, which led to a 16% increase in the total number of EHCPs
• 340 EHCPs have ceased (because they were no longer needed), which led to a 9% decrease in total EHCP numbers
• there was a net increase of 280 in active EHCPs, a 7% increase in the total number

Moving on to paid employment (Strategic Priorities 4 and 6) 

Data shows that for EHCPs that ended between 1 December 2024 and 31 January 2025, 31% of these young people moved on to paid employment. 
The previous year (1 December 2023 and 31 January 2024) only 12% moved onto paid employment. 

National data on this has only been collected since 2023, with the 23/24 data showing just 8% moving into paid employment. 

Impact

More Young People in Dorset are prepared for work and are able to take up jobs. 

Our 6 strategic priorities are:

1. Early identification and support vision
   We will make sure we identify, assess and support children’s needs both early in life and when issues arise.
2. Inclusion vision
   We will make sure there is a commitment to services and support that is inclusive of children, young people and adults with SEND. We are committed to inclusion in mainstream settings and firmly believe every teacher is a teacher of special needs.
3. SEND pathway vision
   We will make sure that children and young people with SEND and their families can access the right support from services easily and quickly.
4. SEND provision and sufficiency vision
   We will make sure we increase the education we provide for all children and young people with SEND so that they can stay in Dorset and thrive in their local communities. They will have access to health services, early years provision and post-16 services. There will also be community resources for adults with learning disabilities.
5. Transitions and preparation for adulthood vision
   We are committed to making every move for our students, whether between school stages or into adulthood, as smooth and supportive as possible. 
6. Managing money and resources vision
   We will make sure that we manage our SEND funding from the dedicated schools grant (DSG) effectively and efficiently so that we can have the best impact and outcomes for our children and young people with the resources available. 

Our vision is clear and focused

We want our children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) to be healthy, happy and safe and able to achieve their potential to lead a fulfilling life. We want them to have and to expect the same opportunities in life as other children and young people.

Our shared values

Our shared values are:

• always putting children and families at the heart of everything we do – including how we develop and shape services
• no child or family left behind – we strive for equity of outcomes for all
• focusing on early intervention and prevention – offering the right help in the right place at the right time
• working restoratively – doing things with families, not to or for them
• thinking family – providing a joined-up approach
• focusing on and building on the strengths with individuals, families, and communities
• being inclusive – challenging discrimination where we see it and promoting a sense of belonging for all our children in communities
• taking a rights-based approach to our work
• delivering best value for money – spending the Dorset £ on the things that get the best outcomes for children and families
• always remaining hopeful and determined to achieve good outcomes for all

Learning circles

A learning circle is a structured and collaborative forum, designed to drive continuous improvement in the support provided to children and young people with SEND. It is typically run by SEND Quality Assurance (QA) in Children’s Services, and involves professionals from education, health, and social care. It’s purpose is to reflect on practice, shared learning, and identify improvements in SEND provision across services, ensuring that children and families receive high-quality, timely, and effective support.

Key components:

• Multi-Agency Participation: Brings together practitioners from different areas which helps strengthen relationships and collaborative working. (for example SEND co-ordinators in schools, social workers, educational psychologists, health professionals)
• Scenario-Based Learning: Use a child’s journey to explore what worked well, what could be improved, and how services can better collaborate
• Data and  Evidence Review: Includes analysis of audit findings, performance data, and feedback from children, young people, and families
• Reflective Dialogue: Encourages open discussion about challenges and successes in SEND practice, fostering a learning culture
• Action Planning: Outcomes from the circle often include agreed actions or recommendations for service improvement, which are tracked and reviewed

Benefits:

• enhances consistency and quality of SEND support
• promotes shared accountability and learning across services
• strengthens the voice of children and families in service development
• supports the implementation of the SEND Quality Assurance Framework

Closing the learning loop

Closing the learning loop means sharing what’s been learned (through audits, Learning Circles and reviews) so practitioners can keep improving their work. Where required, we create Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely (SMART) actions so we can drive effective improvements in practice.

In Dorset, we close the learning loop by sharing audit reports and key learning in team meetings, frontline managers meetings, and the Quality Assurance Practice and Action Group, as well as through our Quality Matters podcast.

Feedback from a professional about a learning circle

“The Learning Circle was a valuable opportunity to engage with colleagues across education, health and social care. It gave us space to reflect on how all of our services contribute to the EHCP process and where we can improve our communication and timeliness. I appreciated the focus on real-life scenarios and the collaborative approach to identifying solutions. It’s reassuring to see that our feedback is being used to shape practice and improve outcomes for children and families.”

Feedback from a family

"I just wanted to write and say thank you for the meeting you just held, it is the first time I feel listened to, and the needs of my son understood." 

Let’s Talk - online events (strategic priorities 1, 2 and 3)

Since introducing Let’s Talk SEND in March 2024, we’ve had over 1000 people sign-up to our online sessions. The initiative is a means for parents and carers to receive updates on a range of themes associated with SEND, then the opportunity to have any of their questions answered - over 200 Q&A’s have come through the sessions and are published on our website. The sessions are a true partnership event, with colleagues from DPCC, SENDIASS, Health, schools, and other organisations and charities regularly involved – this helps reflect the different interactions a family may have on their SEND journey and demonstrates that we are all working proactively to make this journey smoother. 

We also ran our first Let’s Talk SEND week in 2024. Building on from the virtual sessions, this was a series of face-to-face events across the Dorset Council area, starting with a large information event at Kingston Maurward, followed by local events at Family Hubs and Children’s Centres. As with the virtual sessions, we’re learning from and listening to our families all the time, to improve these touchpoints and build on their momentum. 

Furthermore, we use feedback and questions from the sessions to identify when our information, advice, and guidance online could be better. We are currently using this learning to improve our Educational Health Care Plan (EHCP) webpages, whilst working closely with partners and families.

Impact:

• feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with families appreciating, not just the information, openness, and honesty of these sessions, but having access to the very leaders and specialists that can help support and shape their own SEND journeys

SENDIASS update (strategic priorities 1 and 2) 

Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information, Advice & Support Service (SENDIASS) is delivered in Dorset by Family Action. The service provides free, confidential, accurate and impartial information, advice and support to children and young people with SEND and parents/carers living in Dorset Council’s area.

Their aims include: 

• empowering children and young people (aged 0-25) as well as their parents/carers to make informed choices about education, health and social care
• enabling service users to clearly understand their rights around SEND law and practices, providing local knowledge and signposting, so they can make sure their voice is heard and used to make continuous improvements
• working with local partners, including local parent and young people forums, to inform and influence policy and practice in the local area
• offering training to local education, health and social care professionals, children, young people and parents to increase knowledge of SEND law, guidance, local policy, issues and participation 

SENDIASS data

Impact facts and figures from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025:

•  responded to 1302 enquiries
• 48% of enquiries related to Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), of which 34% were enquiring about Appeal processes and 31% were enquiring about Parental Request for Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment; 19% of enquiries related to delivery of SEND Provision or Education Placement
• where the main SEN of the child/young person is known/disclosed, 44% account for enquiries related to Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) and 43% account for enquiries related to Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC)
• 42% of casework related to children aged 10-15 years, 32% to young people aged 16-25 years and 26% to children aged 5-9 years.
• casework to support 6 active cases with a Tribunal Hearing date between 1st April 2024 and 31st March 2025 with 100% outcome in favour of the appellant
• 92% of respondents to the feedback survey Strongly Agreed that they were satisfied with the response to their enquiry

Impact:

• Family Action delivers Dorset’s Special Educational Needs and Disability Information, Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS) impartially in-line with, and often exceeding, the DfE endorsed Minimum Standards.

Feedback Quotes

“The support was amazing as I felt I was actually listened to which has not always been the case in other organisations. The information received was an eye opener but very informative. It has enabled us to understand what we are entitled to and where we can go if more advice is required.”

“Such a comfort to know someone can advise and listen. Thank you. I feel great relief knowing someone can support who understands the system and child’s rights etc.”

“It has supported us along this whole journey, it has been explained in a way we understand, it supported us in getting the best outcome for our son.”

“What a great service to have for parents like us, it can be extremely daunting not knowing what you’re entitled to and how best to achieve our goal, we couldn't have done it without this service, thank you.”

Family Hubs - Dorset’s Community Network Approach (strategic priorities 1, 2, 3 and 4) 

“Family Hubs are a place-based way of joining up locally in the planning and delivery of family services” (Department for Education):

• Our Family Hub Network builds on the strengths of local communities, creating more support and resources where families need them most
• where possible, Voluntary and Community Sector Organisations are taking on the role of Family Hub Lead Organisation, with management responsibility for a Family Hub in community buildings, such as Community Centres, former Children’s Centres and Libraries - we are championing development of community and parent led approaches to service delivery
• Local Alliance Groups (LAG) – forum to enable partnership contribution to design and ongoing delivery of Family Hub Approach

Impact

Our ‘network’ approach acknowledges and addresses the challenges in accessing support for many families, especially those living in more rural areas and those whereby transport and travel are a barrier, by providing more spaces across the designated county, with systems and processes to join-up family support across partners, like health services.

Easy Peasy Parenting App

Building upon the Family Hub website and Start for Life guide, this easy to use app brings together the best ideas, advice, and inspiration from a diverse community of parents, experts, and brands supporting families and their 0 to 5 year olds during the crucial early years. Parents can access thousands of simple, fun, and educational parenting tips and activities, tailored to their child’s age and development stage, designed to use everyday materials that families already have access to at home.

Residents can download the EasyPeasy app from the App Store or the Google Play store on their mobile devices now, where they can enjoy free, premium access as part of this partnership. The app has reached 865 Dorset families and 1661 children (27% of which were from under resourced families) since recently launching. 5 main areas of support included communication, playtime, relationships, self-regulation and wellbeing. You can find a link and QR code for the app at Local Offer for care leavers - Dorset Council

Family voices and stories

Dorset’s Parent Infant Partnership are leading development of a new Parent and Carer panel forum and working with Home Start Wessex to recruit and support parents and carers to ensure our Family Hubs are parent and carer led.

Family Hubs have provided comprehensive support to children by addressing their emotional, social, and educational needs. Children benefited from support to access early education, resources and enriching activities that fostered their development: 

• they received support, which improved their emotional well-being, and to access education ensuring continued learning and stability
• social interactions and developmental activities at the hubs enhanced their social skills and early childhood development
• family hubs have significantly impacted parents by providing coordinated support that addresses their emotional, financial, and practical needs
• parents benefited from increased confidence in parenting, emotional support during challenging times, and improved mental health. They received financial assistance, housing advice, and access to community services, which helped alleviate stress and improve their overall well-being
• additionally, parents were able to build supportive relationships within the community, enhancing their social interactions and reducing feelings of isolation
• overall, Family Hubs played a crucial role in empowering parents, fostering resilience, and creating a supportive environment for both them and their children

Impact

Family comments:

• “I had my third child and was really struggling. I did not know what to do, and there was no one around. I walked in here, found support, and felt safe” 
• “The Family hub has definitely made me feel more connected to my local community” 
• “The Family Hub is not just for families in crisis. You can come for any help you need, even if it's just a chat. Sometimes, a simple conversation can be exactly what you need. The hub provides a wide range of support, and it takes that burden off of trying to find the right services when you're stuck and not sure where to go. It's all here. It's very supportive” 
• “Had a lovely time, the worker is amazing”  
• “The worker has been amazing, great support”  
• “I would recommend this group. Really good group” 
• “I have been recommending it to all mums I meet”  
• “The worker is a credit to the centre, always has time to talk about important things and has put my mind at ease on multiple occasions”  
• “Loved coming to group it is warm and inviting, brilliantly lead and organised by the team” 

Inclusion hubs (strategic priorities 1, 2, 3 and 5)

We are committed to developing a joined-up and consistent service in each locality to meet a range of special educational needs.  In Autumn 2024 we opened the first Inclusion hub for children with Social Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs at Wyke Regis Primary School. 

We have been working with other schools and will be opening a further 4 inclusion hubs in September 2025 for children with communication and interaction needs.  

Impact:

• children’s needs were identified and met earlier improving their sense of belonging to their local school
• children remained in their local school
• families reported confidence in the approach in meeting their child’s needs

Outreach intervention and support (strategic priorities 1, 2 and 3)

Outreach support is provided to all schools from 5 of the Dorset special schools and from September 2024 from the 4 Learning Centres for children with social, emotional and mental health needs (SEMH).  During this year they have provided support to 175 children of which 33 of these were children with SEMH needs. Similarly to last year 48% of the children did not have an EHCP.  Schools received this support across all localities with the highest requests and support provided to Chesil, Dorchester and North locality schools.

Impact

Feedback is sought following the completion of the Outreach work with a specific focus on what difference has it made to the child.

In 71% of the response the following was reported: 

• improved attendance
• an increase in the child being in the class with their peers
• an improvement in their achievement 
• an increase in staff confidence in meeting the child’s needs 

Comments from settings show what a difference the Outreach support make to the individual child and others:

• “We are supporting pupils with much higher levels of need and this outreach has meant that we can include them in the classroom”
• “Strategies can be applied to whole class situations or other individuals in need of support”
• “We have been able to implement strategies to support numerous pupils in the setting. We feel better equipped with approaches to take with similar pupils with whom we may be able to make more impact at an earlier stage. (SEMH)”

Section 23 (Strategic priorities 1 and 3)

Background

This is a statutory duty to enable health professionals to notify the local authority when a child under 5 may have SEND. Dorset Council has worked with BCP Council and NHS Dorset to remove paper-based processing and make it digital, which aims to improve efficiency, strengthen multi-agency collaboration, and enhance early support for families. 

To support understanding and engagement, Dorset developed: 

• family-facing webpages explaining Section 23 and available support
• two flyers designed for use in conversations with families, outlining what support looks like and how it can help
• direct connection to the Valuing SEND model, aiming to promote inclusive practices and early intervention

Key data:

• 94 families have accepted support from a Best Start in Life Advisor
• 18 Advisors are trained to guide families through small, achievable steps to support their child’s development in the home and their setting
• 28 children who have complex needs or do not attend early years settings are primarily supported through the Birth to Settled Adulthood Service 

We are actively reviewing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to monitor the effectiveness of this relatively new approach. 

Ongoing discussions are taking place with the NHS Designated Clinical Officer (DCO) for SEND to ensure the outcomes align with health services. 

Impact

The digitalisation of Section 23 has: 

• improved coordination between health and local authority services
• enhanced accessibility of information for families
• enabled earlier and more tailored support, particularly for those not in early years settings
• highlighted those families who do not wish to access support but whose children are considered by Health to have, or likely to have SEND. This will enable us to plan for effectively for transition to special school provision in the future

 By embedding the Valuing SEND model and Portage Principles, Dorset aims to: 

• increase family confidence in their child’s development
• support transitions into mainstream provision, where appropriate
• empower families to take an active role in their child’s learning journey

SEND INSET Day (January 2025) (Strategic priorities 1 and 2)

Context

The West Dorset Schools’ Collaboration (WDSC) is a group of maintained primary schools in the West. They reached out for support in organising a combined INSET day for a group of seven schools, bringing together approximately one hundred members of teaching and support staff. The day was organised by the Education Challenge Lead (ECL), who worked closely with WDSC Headteachers to ensure it aligned with their strategic aims and the needs of SEND Coordinators and school staff.

Strategic aims of the WDSC:

1. To promote and support wellbeing and positive mental health for pupils and staff
2. To improve outcomes for pupils with SEND
3. To improve outcomes for disadvantaged pupils

The day involved nine workshops, all chosen to meet the needs of the schools, as identified by Headteachers and through the SENCO networking group. Workshops included sessions on Neurodiversity, Family Systems, Supporting Children with Spelling, and Therapy through Nature, among others. This was the second INSET of its kind and was planned with Specialist Teachers, the Teaching Alliance of Dorset Special Schools (TADSS), staff from Dorset’s Mental Health Services, Educational Psychologists, and other external experts.

The INSET day aimed to strengthen and extend understanding of teaching children with SEND and to provide practical strategies and takeaways that could be implemented in the classroom immediately.

Impact

The INSET training was rated 4.46 out of 5 overall, with overwhelmingly positive feedback from delegates:

• “Brilliant workshops – lovely to have the opportunity to meet up with other local schools”
• “I really enjoyed all the workshops I attended and got something from each one”
• “I enjoyed the practical tips and adaptations that could be made for all learners”

Ofsted feedback (spring and summer term 2025) (strategic priorities 1 and 2)

Context

Schools in Dorset have been working extremely hard to meet the varied and often complex needs of pupils in their classrooms. Recent Ofsted reports demonstrate the positive impact of this work, highlighting that our schools are progressing towards delivering an inclusive and adapted curriculum.

Impact

Examples of recent Ofsted feedback in Dorset:

• secondary school:
  “The school is precise and diagnostic in identifying the needs of pupils. It tailors the support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This means that teachers provide pupils with SEND with the adaptations they need to learn the curriculum”
• primary school:
  “The school is ambitious for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). It works closely with outside agencies to identify and provide pupils with SEND the help they need”
• special school:
  “The school has high expectations of pupils. It places high importance on a bespoke curriculum, including individualised therapeutic approaches to meet pupils’ needs. Pupils benefit from a strong focus on communication, early reading, writing and mathematics. They experience success because staff understand their individual needs extremely well”

Locality SEND reception staff training (autumn term 2024) (strategic priorities 1 and 2)

Context

Feedback from Dorset schools highlighted that teachers and support staff working in Reception years were finding it increasingly challenging to meet the complex needs of children joining their classes. To address this, the Education Challenge Lead (ECL), Specialist Teachers, and Educational Psychologists from each locality offered a free training opportunity to all Dorset schools. The training was designed and based on feedback from SEND Coordinators and Reception staff, who reported difficulties in supporting some of the more complex needs in their classrooms.

Training was delivered in each locality, with the agenda adapted to suit individual needs - for example, the training in West and Dorchester focused on Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN), sensory needs, Individual Learning Plan (ILP) writing, with purposeful small steps, and self-regulation.

Impact

Individual feedback from Dorchester and West schools rated the training 4.78 out of 5.

“Better understanding of supporting children with sensory differences and how to provide a sensory-friendly environment. Access to audit toolkits to help implement effective targeted support. Support with how to ensure ILP targets are outlining steps for success to evidence progress more successfully.”

Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLC) Transformation (strategic priorities: 1, 2 and 3)

Dorset Council and NHS Dorset continues to work together to embed the new ‘whole system’ SLC pathway for early years and children and young people in mainstream educational settings. The Balanced System for speech and language in Dorset enables parents and carers of children and young people, who may be worried about their communication, to access the support they need at the right level. Over the last 12 months we have continued this progress including:

• more rapid access to speech and language support for families with under 5’s, when concerns are first identified 
• enhanced support and intervention provided in preschool settings and the creation of skilled communication champions in early years settings to ensure speech and language support is continuous and embedded throughout locations that children are accessing regularly
• all mainstream schools have a speech and language therapist link role. This model aims to identify shared priorities for the term, review support required for identified children and to discuss training requirements for the setting

Impact:

• children and young people, and their families, have quicker access to speech and language advice and support in their local community. Professionals across education, health and social care are being supported to identify needs at the earliest opportunity, and to deliver targeted interventions to prevent escalation of need

Annual health checks for young people with a learning disability (strategic priorities 2, 3, 4 and 5)

The number of annual health checks and Health Action Plans for people registered with a learning disability in Dorset has remained stable in 2024/2025, compared to 2023/2024.  Moving forward, there is an opportunity to expand efforts aimed at increasing participation in annual health checks to ensure more individuals with learning disabilities receive regular and comprehensive health assessments.

1. NHS Dorset has been leading a campaign, with wider engagement from stakeholders, to encourage more children and young people with a learning disability to attend their annual health check during the school summer holidays. The outcome of this promotion will be examined during the autumn term, with findings used to assess its effectiveness and inform future approaches to improving uptake among this age group.
   
   Impact: This targeted initiative aims to make it easier for families to access appointments outside of term time, reducing barriers related to school attendance and scheduling.
    
2. NHS Dorset conducted a survey with people with learning disabilities and their families in 2022/2023 to gather feedback on their experiences of the annual health check and identify areas for improvement. To build on this work, the same survey was relaunched in June 2025 during Learning Disability Week, aiming to capture updated feedback, compare results with the previous findings, and highlight any further improvements needed.
   
   Impact: This ongoing engagement ensures that the voices of people with learning disabilities and their families continue to shape the development of services and support in Dorset.
    
3. Active Dorset has been working in partnership with People First Dorset to make action plans more accessible and easier to understand for people with learning disabilities. 
   
   Impact: The expected impact is to support individuals in getting the most out of their annual health checks by helping them access clear advice, find and take part in healthy activities they enjoy, and make better use of services like LiveWell Dorset to improve their overall health and wellbeing.

Children and young people mental health transformation: (strategic priorities: 1 and 3) 

A review of children and young people’s mental health services (CYP MH) has identified the need to change and respond to new and emerging emotional and mental health needs in children and young people, alongside addressing the gaps in the services available.  The new way of working will use the nationally recognised and evidenced-based model called ‘Thrive’. This includes a ‘no wrong door’ policy, early help services, 24/7 crisis response, and changes to Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).  The goal is for children, young people, and their families to have positive experiences and receive timely and appropriate emotional and mental health support.

Over the last 12months, a series of design workshops have been in progress with key stakeholders to ensure that the new model can be realised with the Dorset council and Dorset place footprint.  This has contributed to the development of a full business case that was approved in early July 2025.  The next six months will be focused on mobilisation, followed by 12 months to implement the phase 1 key areas: 

• mobilisation and implementation of Getting Help Workforce (new early help teams and the planned integrated front door team)
• mobilisation and implementation of Getting Risk Support Workforce (including crisis response)
• embedding of wave 11 of Mental Health Support Teams (MHST) in schools
• expanding access to community support and services 
• discovery project supporting lived experience and training

Impact

Identification, assessment, and support for mental health and emotional wellbeing needs will be timely and tailored to the specific level and type of need. 

Partnerships for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools (PINS) project (strategic priorities 1 and 3)

This project represents an innovative, formal partnership between Department for Education, Department for Health, Social Care, and NHS England, to enable NHS Dorset to access funding to develop ways to support the needs of neurodiverse children and families within schools, though a whole school approach.

Aims:

• closer collaboration between education and health
• upskilling of staff and improving confidence in working with Neurodiversity
• creation of environments that facilitate best possible outcomes
• establishment of structures for strengthened and continued engagement with parent carers
• to cover a range of needs, including but not limited to:
  • ADHD
  • Autism
  • Dyslexia
  • Dyspraxia
  • Dyscalculia
  • Developmental Language Disorder
  • and other forms of Learning differences and needs

Impact

34 schools were supported across the whole of Dorset and benefitted from a mix of training, bespoke support, resources and coaching.

Unstoppables (strategic priorities 1, 2, 3 and 4)

In March 2025 we launched the Dorset Unstoppables. Run as a network, the group is just one space where we can work alongside young people with SEND to shape and influence services that affect them and their peers. Keeping the United Nations Rights of the Child as the foundation for this work, young people work together in holding professionals to account, so they get it right.

Since launching we have a regular group of committed young people who take part in opportunities. The Dorset Unstoppables has helped to strengthen our relationships with colleagues and partners in all sectors that work with children and young people. So far, young people have held an interview panel for the role of Corporate Director for Education and Learning, taking on leading roles at the Education and Strategic Alliance Conferences 2025, and started to form constructive feedback to inform our Play Strategy as part of our Best Place to Live priority in our children, young people and families plan 2023 to 33. 

Impact

Young people have told us that they feel included and that where there isn’t many SEND groups like the Dorset Unstoppables, they feel that they have been heard and that this is important because, in their words “I have an opinion”. They feel that the group is welcoming and fun, where young people can take part in new opportunities in new places, having peers that are relatable. 

Opening line

I would recommend this group ‘’if you want your voice to be heard and you feel it’s important to have the opportunity to speak up’’.  

New recording system for SEND (strategic priorities 1, 3 and 6)

In May 2025, Dorset Council’s SEND teams started using a ‘case management system’ to record information about the children and young people with Education, Health and Care Plans. This has been a huge piece of work, which has taken over two years to commission, prepare and implement. It will take our teams a little while to get used to a more effective way of recording information, but in the long term it will mean that all of our children and young people’s information is in one place. In the next 2 years, we are planning to offer parents and carers a way of accessing this information, which will mean fewer emails, better communication, and a more consistent way of working with families. 

Impact

Children and young people’s information is accurate, accessible and enables us to work more efficiently, leading to fewer delays.

Responding to disagreements (strategic priority 1) 

We have seen a consistent rise in complaints, not just in SEND, but across services for residents. To respond proactively to complaints in the SEND space, particularly where there are frustrations about not being able to get hold of a named worker, we have piloted an appointments project in the East and Purbeck localities through the Spring and Summer 2025 terms. Parents/carers have been able to request a 20-minute call from a member of the SEND team. 

Of those who provided feedback following a call:

• 100% said they found it easy or very easy to book an appointment
• 91% said they found the call useful or extremely useful
• 91% said their query was partially or completely resolved

Feedback from callers has included:

• “It fulfilled everything I required”
• “It was useful being able to talk to someone for information regarding your child’s EHCP”
• “Having S give me an update and actually speaking to someone on the phone was exactly what I needed to feel less anxious”

With the success of the trial, we plan to roll-out the appointments more widely. 

Impact

Parents and carers feel supported. Advice/support is offered quickly to avoid problems escalating. 

Youth Justice Service: Re-engage programme – David Webb content (strategic priorities 1, 2, 3 and 4)

The Re-Engage project is funded by the Youth Justice Service, recognising that children in the youth justice system often have unidentified communication needs and a history of school exclusions. A child’s behaviour in school may mask underlying communication difficulties. The project offers speech and language assessments and support for children in Key Stage 3 who are at risk of school exclusion and future offending. The Re-Engage speech and language practitioners also work with schools to provide coaching and support to meet children’s communication needs. 

During the first year of the project:

• 75 referrals were accepted from 23 schools and pupil referral units across Dorset and BCP
• 52 assessments had been completed by the end of June
• 41 of these children were assessed as having speech, language and communication difficulties, with 14 of the assessments (27%) identifying Developmental Language Disorder
• these communication needs had not been identified before the Re-Engage intervention

Impact

Comment from a parent: “Since receiving speech and language therapy, in the past my son would storm off when upset, but now he is trying to explain why he is upset. I’m very grateful for the input from the Re-Engage team”.

From a school: “For the young people of Dorset you have given them the understanding of themselves that does not include labels they have previously been given such as challenging, naughty etc.  Knowing about their challenges has enabled our students to understand why aspects of life has and continues to be challenging but also offered them strategies that will be sustained into adulthood.”

Contacts and further help:

• Find your local Education and Early help (SEND) team
• Children's Advice and Duty Service (ChAD) 
• Dorset Special Educational Needs Information, Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS) 
• Dorset Parent Carer Council (DPCC) 
• For further support for families, children and young people and for the full SEND strategy visit Dorset’s SEND Local Offer 
• Find a support group run by other parent carers who have children with similar difficulties on our directory 
• Family Support and Advice Line

Easy Read version of Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Strategy Impact Report 2024 to 2025