'SEND children school exclusions will be reduced'

The plan will set out the next five years of support

The number of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) being excluded from school will be reduced, a council has pledged.

This is one of many new priorities listed in Wiltshire Council's new SEND strategy, which was approved on Tuesday.

The strategy includes offering a "greater range of opportunities" to SEND children and their families.

Cabinet member for SEND and Inclusion Jane Davies said: “Our goal is to be ambitious for all children and young people, providing cohesive, holistic support, centred around their aspirations."

The strategy is called "Meeting Needs Together – ambitious for all" and includes the families of children and young people with SEND.

It commits to working with partners from other agencies, such as Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon, and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board (ICB).

Among the six pledges are:

• Acting on children's needs at the earliest opportunity

• Those working in the network will have the "training" to "enable effective collaboration across services".

• Ensure information is easy to access and use

Under the proposals, parent and carers will be offered more support in mainstream schools or settings, a council reports states.

This will lead to a reduction in the number of suspensions and permanent exclusions for SEND children, the report added.

SEND children are three times as likely to be suspended multiple times from school, according to a report from the Education Policy Institute (EPI).

'Great start in life'

Ms Davies, the council's cabinet member for SEND, said: “We recognise that some great work is already being done, but we must continue listening to our SEND families and work alongside them to turn these words into meaningful actions."

Chief nurse on BSW ICB Gill May said: “One of the priorities of our ICB is to ensure all children have a great start in life, and this new plan sets out in black and white how that promise extends to our young people who live with additional needs and extra care requirements.

"The plan itself is a testament to that commitment, as we’ve made sure that young voices, as well as those of their parents and carers, are included throughout.”