Bromley Local SEND Reform Plan 2026

The Local SEND Reform Plan

June 2026

Annex A: Local SEND Reform Plan

Developing a Local SEND Reform Plan is an important first step for local areas to set out how they will lay the foundation for reform, and design an approach tailored to their local context. A shared plan which focuses on co-designing the local approach as system partners and with children, young people and families will help foster collective responsibility for delivering the reforms.

It is critical that all system partners, including health, education and childcare settings, work together to design and deliver the Local SEND Reform Plan, under the local authority’s leadership. It is also crucial that representative family carers e.g. the local Parent Carer Forum, are involved in the development of the plan.

The expectation is that this plan is discussed, agreed, and signed off at your relevant SEND Governance Board. As a minimum, the plan must be formally signed off by the Local Authority Chief Executive (Ceo), the Integrated Care Board (Icb) Chief Executive, the Local Authority Director of Children’s Service (Dcs), the Integrated Care Board NHS Place Director, and the Local Authority Chief Financial Officer (Cfo/Section 151 Officer). We encourage other colleagues and partners who have contributed to also review and sign-off the plan, particularly early years, school, college and trust leaders.

Name of Local Authority: London Borough of Bromley

Name of Integrated Care Board: South East London Icb Local SEND Reform Plan Sro: Jared Nehra, Director of Education

Signatories

Executive Summary

A brief summary of your local system ‘change story’ – your local context, where you are now, where you want to get to in the next 3 years, how you know you are succeeding and how you will know you have achieved your vision for the next 3 years. Please include a brief qualitative summary. This summary should also include your assessment of current and forecast performance against the headline metrics.

Please structure your ‘change story’ using the following aims:

• Build a 0-25 system where children and young people receive support to achieve and thrive through (a) more inclusive settings and
• stronger local partnerships
• Improve capacity and capability of the mainstream and specialist workforce to identify and meet need
• Improve confidence of children, families, and stakeholders in reform and readiness of the system
• Stabilise finances and improve value for money

Bromley’s Local SEND Reform Plan sets out a clear and ambitious programme of system reform for children and young people aged 0–25. Demand for SEND support has grown significantly, with 4,784 children and young people with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) in 2025, placing sustained pressure on mainstream inclusion, specialist sufficiency, workforce capacity and the financial sustainability of the high needs system. A high proportion of need continues to escalate to statutory processes and specialist provision, including reliance on independent and out-of-borough placements. While strengths exist, particularly in partnership working, parental confidence has been variable, reflected in complaints, mediation and tribunal activity.

Over the next three years, Bromley will deliver a fundamental shift from a system characterised by escalation and high-cost provision to one focused on earlier intervention, inclusive mainstream practice and coordinated partnership delivery. By 2029, Bromley will moderate EHCP growth to 5,633 (see Data template, 6), increase the number of children and young people supported in mainstream provision to 2,385 (see Data template, 6), and reduce spend on independent and non-maintained specialist placements from 2028 onwards (see Data template, 1), supported by increased local capacity and a strengthened workforce. This shift will be

driven by the implementation of the Experts at Hand model (see Appendix A), workforce development (see Appendix B) and targeted investment in inclusion and sufficiency (see Appendix C).

This change model is reflected consistently across the maturity assessment, delivery roadmap, success measures and data template (see Appendix D), ensuring a clear line of sight from system need to measurable outcomes.

Building a more inclusive 0–25 system

Bromley will build a more inclusive system where children and young people receive the right support at the right time within their local communities. This includes strengthening SEN Support, expanding inclusion bases and local specialist provision, and improving alignment across education, health and care. Our Experts at Hand model is a system-wide approach to strengthening inclusion and improving outcomes for children and young people with SEND by enabling earlier, more effective support in mainstream settings (see Appendix A). Success will be demonstrated through increased mainstream inclusion, reduced reliance on out-of-borough placements, and improved outcomes including attendance, reduced exclusions, persistent absence and education loss (including Eotisc).

Improving workforce capacity and capability

The Plan delivers a step change in workforce capacity across speech and language therapy, occupational therapy and educational psychology, enabling earlier identification and intervention at scale. This will increase system capability and consistency in mainstream settings. Success will be evidenced through significant increases in the number of children supported without EHCPs, reduced waiting times, and reduced escalation to statutory processes from 2027 onwards (see Appendix B).

Improving confidence in the system

Bromley will strengthen co-production, communication and accountability to improve trust and consistency across the system. This includes embedding meaningful participation of children, young people and families in decision-making. Success will be demonstrated through reduced tribunal rates (from 2% to 1%, Data template, 20), alongside reductions in complaints and mediation and measurable improvements in parent and carer confidence.

Stabilising finances and improving value for money

A core aim of the Plan is to stabilise the high needs system and improve value for money. This will be achieved through moderated demand, increased local sufficiency (see Appendix C) and reduced reliance on high-cost provision. Investment in early intervention and workforce capacity will support more children successfully in mainstream and local provision. Success will be demonstrated

through reduced growth in demand, improved cost efficiency, reduced use of independent provision, and stronger alignment between investment, outcomes and system need. The partnership anticipates a total High Needs budget cost reduction of £12.52m by 2029/30 (see Data table 1 and Assumptions) and a £1.67m reduced expenditure on SEN Transport by 2029/30 (see data table 3 and Assumptions) as a quantifiable impact of the local SEND Reforms

How we will know we are succeeding

Progress will be monitored through Bromley’s SEND Dashboard, financial monitoring, the DfE data template and the SEND Outcomes Framework. Early indicators will include increased access to early intervention, workforce growth and improved engagement with families. From 2027, Bromley expects to see reduced escalation to statutory processes and increasing mainstream inclusion. By 2028/29, a clear inflection point will be evident, with moderated EHCP growth, reduced reliance on out-of-borough provision, improved outcomes for children and young people, and a more sustainable and confident SEND system.

In summary, Bromley’s change story is one of systematic and phased reform, moving from a system under pressure to one that is inclusive, proactive and sustainable, delivering better outcomes for children and young people, greater confidence for families, and improved value for money across the partnership.

Please note we have added the Executive Summary as text outside of the textbox provided, due to formatting issues with the textbox in this template.

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Section 1 – Vision and Goals

• What the local area partnership is trying to achieve?

Please set out your goals for your local system. These should be clear, aligned to the vision set out in the Schools White Paper, small in number and measurable. These goals should include clear reference to:

• Outcomes for children
• Confidence of parents, carers and young people in the system
• Management of finances to secure value for money

In Bromley, our vision is for every child and young person with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), from birth to 25, to achieve, belong and thrive within an inclusive, high-quality education system and their wider communities.

We are committed to building a single, inclusive local SEND system which meets our key priorities.

Our four Key priorities:

1. Strengthening inclusion across education settings

Inclusion is everyone’s responsibility, with a shared vision for what 'good’ inclusion means in practice and feels like for children and young people. High quality, inclusive practice in mainstream settings is the foundation of support, underpinned by clear expectations, confident leadership and a skilled workforce developed through additional capacity via Experts at Hand (see Appendix A).

2. System leadership, local partnership collaboration and co-production

Children, young people and families are equal partners in decisions about support, with their voices shaping planning, delivery and evaluation through coproduction and engagement. In recognition of Pillar 5 in our maturity assessment, we will work towards a mature partnership and robust system leadership across all agencies, to deliver a consistent offer with shared accountabilities embedded.

3. Access to specialist support and local placements

All children and young people have their needs identified early and met effectively and consistently in their local early years setting, school or college, without delay or unnecessary escalation ensuring value for money. Recognising the role of specialist schools as a vital and valued part of Bromley’s inclusive SEND system, providing high-quality education for children and young people with the most complex needs, while also contributing expertise, outreach and system leadership to strengthen inclusive practice across the wider education community. In recognition of Pillar 6, quality and timeliness of support will be achieved through investing in workforce capacity, capability and confidence, as well as system improvement ensuring that lived experience shapes professional learning and partnership priorities.

• Encouraging inclusive culture and behaviours to drive sustainability and shared accountabilities

A financially sustainable system where earlier intervention, strengthened mainstream provision and consistent application of the graduated approach reduce reliance on high-cost specialist placements, improve value for money and ensure resources are targeted to need. Outcomes are strong and parents, carers and young people have confidence in the local SEND system, reducing reliance on statutory processes to support needs through earlier support and thereby reducing costs.

See Outcome Measures, Monitoring and Evaluation and Appendix D for how the Partnership will ensure the outcomes are achieved.

Section 2 – Strategy

• Where the local area partnership expects to be in the next 3 years

A description of what your local system would look like in the next 3 years in line with the national vision set out in the Schools White Paper and set within the context of where you are starting from as a local system.

In particular, as commissioning system partners, you should reflect on and agree what your fully fledged Experts At Hand Offer model should be and how this will be deployed via mainstream settings and providers (including those not based in your area – e.g. further education colleges attended by your young people) to build their capacity as well as identify and meet the needs of children and young people earlier and without the need for a statutory assessment for Education, Health and Care.

To help you fully consider the scope and scale of change required, you may find it useful to structure your response using these 4 building blocks of an inclusive system, reflecting on what is working well in your system, what you are most worried about, what needs to change, and how the enablers will help you achieve your 3 year vision.

When summarising where your local area partnership currently is, please include an assessment of where you are in reference to the core minimum requirements above and how you bridge the gap, making reference to and attaching additional documents that provide underlying evidence for your summary.

Through our partnership maturity assessment, we have a clear understanding of both the strengths of the Bromley system and the areas requiring further development. This provides a strong foundation from which to build a sustainable SEND system aligned to the five core reform principles of early, local, fair, effective and shared.

Our Year 1 delivery will focus on establishing the conditions for system reform. This includes undertaking a comprehensive mapping of need across Bromley to inform targeted deployment of resources, and working with schools and settings to assess the support required to strengthen inclusive mainstream provision.

We will also establish the core enablers of change. These include the Experts at Hand (Eah) model (Appendix A) as the primary delivery mechanism for early intervention, a co-produced system-wide workforce development strategy (Appendix B) to build capacity, consistency of practice, and strengthened co-production and engagement to deepen our reach with families and build confidence in the system. These directly respond to areas identified for development through the maturity assessment, particularly in relation to consistency of practice, workforce alignment and co-production reach.

These enablers will be supported by robust governance, data and financial oversight, including strengthened monitoring through the SEND Governance Board and improved alignment between resources, demand and outcomes. Together, this will ensure shared accountability across the partnership and support effective, evidence-informed decision-making, including strengthening multi-agency financial oversight and resource alignment (Appendices C & D).

This approach will enable Bromley to scale existing strengths and address areas of variability, delivering a more inclusive and consistent mainstream offer. Over the next three years, this will result in earlier identification of need, reduced reliance on statutory processes and specialist placements, and sustainable support embedded within schools and settings through the Experts at Hand model.

The delivery of this strategy is underpinned by a system-wide workforce development approach, detailed in Appendix B, and a capital and sufficiency programme (Appendix C), which together set out how capacity, capability and provision will be strengthened to support inclusive practice and early intervention across the system.

This strategy responds directly to the findings of the partnership maturity assessment and is operationalised through the three-year roadmap and Year 1 delivery plan. Progress is evidenced through the success measures and performance framework in Appendix D and reflected in the data template projections, ensuring a clear line of sight from system need to measurable outcomes and financial sustainability across the partnership.

This strategy will deliver the headline measures set out below, including moderated EHCP growth, increased mainstream inclusion, reduced EHCP demand, and reduced reliance on independent provision.

Strengthening inclusion across education settings

Bromley has a strong foundation of inclusive practice, with generally strong educational outcomes for children and young people with SEND and high levels of engagement from schools. There are established networks and structures that support inclusion, including SENDCo forums, locality-based Sendat cluster meetings and high- quality advisory and outreach services across Early Years inclusion, Isat and Sendat. A number of mainstream schools have already developed inclusion bases (currently 23), alongside a well- established tiered alternative provision system and growing work to support children experiencing Ebsa and those at risk of Eotisc.

Inclusion will be consistently embedded across all Bromley settings, underpinned by a co-produced Universal Offer Agreement aligned to emerging National Inclusion Standards. Expectations for inclusive practice, the graduated response and access to support will be clearly defined, quality assured and consistently applied across early years, schools, MATs and post-16 providers.

Enablers:

Co-produced Universal Offer with commitment to inclusion in mainstream,

Eah Hub and inclusion practitioners embedding practice in settings

System-wide SEND training & SENCo leadership development programme

Scaled Uts therapy models (SaLT and Ot) across all phases

Expansion of inclusion bases and mainstream adaptations, supported by capital funding. Existing inclusion bases to build from and model ‘what works’ in Bromley

Good engagement from system partners

Established networks and structures, eg – SENDCo forums

Well-established tiered AP

High-quality advisory and outreach services

Ey provision is strong, with established inclusion practice with resources/toolkits available

Alignment with Best Start in Life and Family Hub development

Parent carers recognised as partners in the graduated response

All mainstream schools will have access to high-quality inclusion bases or equivalent provision, developed through capital investment and co-produced with schools, ensuring children and young people are supported effectively within their local setting wherever possible. Practice will be underpinned by quality first teaching, strengthened leadership and a confident workforce supported through system-wide training, collaboration and specialist outreach.

However, the maturity and consistency of inclusive practice vary across settings, with differences in knowledge, confidence and application of the graduated approach. While training and support are available, access is not yet equitable across all phases, and there is not yet a consistently understood or applied definition of what ‘good’ inclusion looks and feels like in practice. This contributes to variability in outcomes, reliance on reactive responses and continued pressure in areas such as attendance, exclusions, reduction in unmet need related Ehe and part-time timetables.

The Experts at Hand (Eah) model will be fully embedded across all phases, including early years and post-16, enabling equitable access to multi-disciplinary support and consistent early intervention. This will include extension of the Salt Uts model into early years and post-16, implementation of an Ot Uts model, and strengthened early identification through Best Start in Life and Family Hubs. (Please refer to Appendix A for further details).

Early Years provision in Bromley is a relative strength, supported by established inclusion practice, the early years inclusion team and strong engagement from Pvi settings. Early identification is supported through existing tools, integrated reviews and alignment with Best Start in Life and Family Hub development. All six of our Children and Family Centres are recognised as the first port of call for families seeking support in relation to a range of SEND services; support, advice, activities and parenting. This will be further developed and embedded as they transition into Best Start Family Hubs and the Best Start in Life Inclusion Practitioners take up post. However, there

Support will be embedded across settings to improve outcomes for all children and young people with SEND, including those at risk of Ebsa and Eotisc, with earlier identification, more effective intervention and increased reintegration into inclusive mainstream provision. Special school outreach and expertise will be fully integrated into mainstream practice, strengthening system-wide capability.

A culture of inclusion and belonging will be evident across the system, with parent carers recognised as partners in the graduated response and supported through clear pathways, engagement and

is wider variability in access to specialist advice and consistency of practice across settings, and further alignment is required to ensure all children with emerging needs are identified and supported early within universal provision.

communication. Inclusive practice will extend beyond education into wider services, including Family Hubs, youth provision and preparation for adulthood pathways.

Outcomes will demonstrate improved attendance, reduced exclusions, reduction in unmet need related Ehe, and part-time timetables, reduction in unmet need related Ehe, reduced escalation to statutory processes, fewer complaints, mediations and tribunals, and improved attainment and participation outcomes for children and young people with SEND as needs are met earlier and more consistently. (See Appendix D for further details).

Post-16 provision benefits from established partnerships and a growing focus on preparation for adulthood, including supported internships and transition planning. Strong collaboration across education, health and social care supports young people with more complex needs. However, pathways into and through post-16 provision are not yet consistently defined, and earlier, more coordinated support is required to improve transitions, increase participation in education, employment or training, and reduce the risk of young people becoming Neet.

An upskilled and confident workforce, whereby there is an embedded ‘no wrong door’ approach, with a frictionless pathway to enable a highly competent workforce to support children and families in all settings and meet newly established standards.

Key enablers are well-developed but not yet fully aligned or scaled. These include strong outreach services, early years toolkits and successful models such as the Salt Uts approach. These provide a strong platform for reform but require further integration, a co-produced Universal Offer, and clearer shared expectations to deliver consistent inclusion across the system.

A strong, eager and motivated workforce across the Bromley partnership, though significant opportunities to integrate further, enabling collective development and reducing inequity of ‘service’ received by children and families.

See Pillar 4 and 6

System leadership, local partnership collaboration and co-production

Bromley benefits from a well-established and increasingly mature partnership across education, health and social care, supported by strong governance arrangements, joint commissioning and a shared commitment to improving outcomes for children and young people with SEND. This includes active engagement across a highly academised school system, with collaboration through Trust SEND Leads, school networks and multi-agency forums. Co- production is a particular strength, with established engagement through Bromley Parent Carer Forum, Your Voice in Health and Social Care, Champions 4 Change (SEND Youth Forum) and wider SEND engagement activity.

Bromley will operate as a fully aligned and increasingly mature SEND partnership, with shared accountability embedded across education, health and care, including MATs, schools, early years and post-16 providers. All partners will work within a clear accountability framework for inclusive practice and outcomes, supported by strengthened governance arrangements and oversight through the SEND Governance Board and wider partnership structures.

Enablers:

Strong SEND Governance Board with shared accountability framework

Strong local partnership across education, health and social care

Established co-production across parent/carers and cyp

Governance boards, co- production structures and alignment with wider reforms such as Families First, Best Start in Life, Family Hubs and Integrated Neighbourhood Teams.

Senior leaders are engaged and committed to better outcomes for children and families with SEND

Integrated SEND dashboard and shared data standards

Joint LA–Icb commissioning (Eah, therapies, AP outreach).

Co-production will be fully embedded across the system, with parent carers, children and young people consistently recognised as equal partners in the design, delivery and evaluation of services. Engagement will extend to all communities, including those who have previously been under-represented, with clear, accessible communication and transparent “you said, we did” feedback mechanisms building confidence in the system.

While these foundations are strong, there is variability in the consistency and reach of engagement, particularly in relation to under- represented families and across all providers, including some early years and post-16 settings. Information sharing across services is not yet fully integrated, and data is not consistently used across partners to support earlier identification, joint decision-making and proactive intervention outside statutory processes.

Data will be fully integrated across the partnership through a shared SEND dashboard and improved systems, enabling earlier identification of need, joint decision-making and targeted intervention informed by outcomes and demand. Families will have access to clearer information about pathways, support and progress, supported by consistent communication and improved system navigation.

Key enablers are in place, including governance boards, co-production structures and alignment with wider reforms such as Families First, Best Start in Life, Family Hubs and Integrated Neighbourhood Teams. These require further strengthening through improved data integration, clearer shared accountability across all partners, more consistent communication, and broader system engagement to embed collective responsibility for inclusive practice.

Delivery will be aligned across SEND reform, Families First, Best Start in Life and Integrated Neighbourhood Teams, creating a coherent, place-based system of support. Transitions across all phases, including preparation for adulthood from Year 9, will be consistently well planned and delivered, improving outcomes for young people and increasing participation in education, employment and training.

Improved partnership working, communication and co- production will support earlier resolution of concerns, reducing reliance on complaints, mediation and tribunal processes. System leaders, including Trust SEND Leads and special school leaders, will play a critical role in

Senior leaders are engaged and committed to better outcomes for children and families with SEND. This is evidenced by the continued prioritisation of this workstream across Bromley

governance, as well as the continued increase in resourcing to better meet the needs of children and young people with additional needs.

driving consistency across the highly academised system.

The system will demonstrate improved confidence from children, young people and families, stronger collaboration across partners, and consistently earlier, more effective support delivered through inclusive mainstream provision and the Experts at Hand model (Appendix A).

See Pillars 1 and 2 The local partnership will have a thorough and common understanding of the workforce capacity, capability and confidence of the workforce, with the workforce strategy being the key document in understanding current and future needs, planning ahead of time and evolving our workforce in anticipation of the future needs of the local population. This will be enabled by the system-wide workforce strategy (Appendix B), including universal training, leadership development and outreach support to ensure consistent inclusive practice across all settings.

Access to specialist support and local placements

Bromley has a well-developed range of specialist services and pathways, including educational psychology, SEND advisory teams, commissioned alternative provision and strong graduated mental health and AP offers. The Salt Uts model has been implemented across mainstream primary and secondary settings and is improving access to early support. Special school outreach and advisory services are highly valued, and there are established pathways supporting children with complex needs, including neurodevelopmental assessment and mental health services.

Access to specialist support in Bromley will be equitable, timely and delivered through a coherent, integrated system, with the Experts at Hand (Eah) model, set out in Appendix A, providing the primary route to multi-disciplinary early intervention across all settings. Support will no longer be predominantly referral-led, with a shift to proactive, setting-based delivery enabling earlier identification and response to need.

Enablers:

Salt Uts model will be fully embedded across mainstream primary and secondary settings and is improving access to early support.

Special school outreach and advisory services are highly valued and effective, strengthened by Riverhead satellite provision

Experts at Hand (Eah) model, set out in Appendix A, providing the primary route to multi-disciplinary early intervention across all settings and phases

Workforce strategy (Appendix B) to build sustainable capacity within mainstream

Evidence-based interventions keep us focused on what will deliver impact and outcomes for cyp, and value for money through unmet need/escalation

Expansion of inclusion bases to support access to local mainstream

Streamlined neurodevelopment pathways and ‘waiting well’ offer.

The Eah model will be fully embedded across early years, mainstream and post-16 provision, building on established strengths including Sendat, Isat, special school outreach and the Salt Universal, Targeted and Specialist (Uts) model. This will include extension of Salt Uts into early years and post16, alongside implementation of an Ot Uts model, enabling consistent access to therapy support and reducing reliance on statutory processes. This model is supported by the workforce strategy (Appendix B), which sets out how specialist expertise will be deployed through coaching, joint practice and training to build sustainable capacity within mainstream settings.

Despite these strengths, access to specialist support remains inconsistent and is still too reliant on referral-based pathways. Demand for EHCPs continues to rise, and Bromley has a higher proportion of children placed in independent and out-of-borough specialist provision, with over 400 placements, many outside the borough. This creates cost pressures and impacts on children’s experience, including travel and access to local support.

Neurodevelopmental pathways will be streamlined, with more timely assessment and a strengthened “waiting well” offer that supports children and young people at the point of need. Evidence-based early intervention approaches, particularly in speech and language, social communication and Semh, will be embedded across settings, supported by initiatives such as Scerts hubs and targeted workforce development.

Key enablers are developing to address these challenges. These include plans to expand inclusion bases and local specialist provision, the development of the Rivermead at Bromley satellite provision and Autism Centre of Excellence and strengthened outreach capacity across special schools. These elements are not yet integrated into a single, equitable system of access and will be brought together through the Experts at Hand model to provide earlier, consistent and locally delivered support.

Local provision will be significantly strengthened, with expansion of inclusion bases across mainstream schools and delivery of additional specialist capacity, including the Rivermead Inclusive Trust provision and Autism Centre of Excellence. Special schools and specialist providers will play a core system leadership role through fully embedded outreach, training and peer support for mainstream settings.

See Pillars 4, 6, 7 Targeted, earlier support will reduce the number of children requiring specialist placements, including those experiencing Ebsa and at risk of Eotisc, with improved reintegration into mainstream settings supported through Eah and Team around the Child approaches. Targeted outreach will ensure vulnerable and harder-to-reach cohorts are supported effectively.

As a result, reliance on independent and out-of-borough placements will reduce, with more children and young people educated closer to home, improved continuity of support and better outcomes, including increased independence and stronger preparation for adulthood through expanded supported internships and post-16 pathways.

Encouraging inclusive culture and behaviours to drive sustainability and shared accountabilities

Bromley has strong and well-established partnership arrangements, underpinned by a shared commitment to improving outcomes for children and young people with SEND. This is supported by effective governance, joint commissioning activity and a collaborative culture across education, health and care, with further work underway to strengthen consistency and alignment across all partners.

Bromley will have a fully aligned and sustainable SEND system, with shared accountability embedded across all partners, including education, health, social care, MATs, early years and post-16 providers. Inclusive practice and early intervention will be consistently prioritised across commissioning, service delivery and workforce development, supported by a clear local accountability framework aligned to emerging national inclusion expectations.

Enablers:

SEND Governance Board review performance data and provides strategic oversight across the system, identifying emerging pressures and taking swift collective action

Multi-agency financial monitoring framework, including aligned placement panels and oversight through governance structures.

Focus on workforce development to upskill existing staff in mainstream (see Appendix B)

‘Grow our own’ approach to Experts at Hand mode, to mitigate recruitment challenges and embrace/develop Assistant roles

Incentives for early support and mainstream inclusion through funding and commissioning, to avoid escalation.

The SEND Governance Board provides strategic oversight across the system, enabling partners to review performance, identify emerging pressures and take collective action to respond to local need.

A co-produced, system-wide SEND workforce development strategy will be fully implemented, ensuring consistent access to training, improved workforce capacity and confidence, and a sustainable pipeline of skilled professionals. Workforce development will be embedded through the Experts at Hand (Eah) model and SEND Training Collaborative, with expertise integrated directly into mainstream settings and supported by peer networks, outreach and lived experience.

There is increasing alignment between service delivery, performance monitoring and strategic priorities, with developing arrangements for joint financial oversight. Existing placement panels and partnership governance structures provide scrutiny of resource use, with further work underway to strengthen a more systematic, multi-agency approach to financial monitoring and ensure clearer alignment between spend, outcomes and demand.

Financial sustainability will be strengthened through a fully embedded multi-agency financial monitoring framework, including aligned placement panels and oversight through governance structures. This will ensure

resources are scrutinised jointly, with decisions consistently informed by data, demand and outcomes.

Bromley is also building on strong system enablers, including the SEND Training Collaborative training offer and specialist expertise within mainstream settings. Alongside this, the partnership is strengthening its understanding of local need through a planned Year 1 mapping exercise, informed by the maturity assessment and wider system data, to support more targeted and equitable use of resources. A co-produced workforce development strategy (Appendix B) underpins this approach, ensuring the system has sufficient capacity, capability and leadership to deliver reform and sustain improvements over time.

The use of Descriptors of Need (DoN), locality-based funding models and transparent top-up arrangements will support fair, consistent and evidence-based resource allocation across the system.

System-wide data and intelligence will drive decision- making, with annual mapping of need and an integrated SEND dashboard informing commissioning, workforce planning and sufficiency. This will enable targeted deployment of resources, including Eah, and ensure that investment is aligned to areas of greatest need, including early years and post-16 transitions.

However, the system is not yet fully aligned in terms of workforce, resource oversight and shared accountability. The maturity assessment identifies the absence of a single, system-wide SEND workforce development strategy, resulting in variability in access to training, confidence and consistency of practice across sectors. In addition, while governance structures are in place, further development is required to ensure that decision-making is consistently informed by robust data and linked to outcomes.

Inclusive practice will be embedded beyond education, reflected in commissioning across wider services including Family Hubs, short breaks, youth provision and preparation for adulthood pathways. Early years capacity will be strengthened through the Effective Early Years Fund, improving inclusion and early intervention from birth.

These changes will reduce reliance on EHCPs, high-cost placements and reactive support, improve value for money and ensure long-term sustainability. The system will demonstrate improved outcomes, reduced escalation (including complaints, mediation and tribunals) and increased confidence from children, young people and families.

Demand for SEND support continues to increase, particularly in relation to EHCPs and specialist placements, placing pressure on system sustainability. As a highly academised system, there is also a need to strengthen collective accountability across all partners to ensure that inclusive practice, early intervention and resource use are consistently aligned to local priorities. These areas provide a clear baseline for reform, with existing enablers offering a strong platform to align workforce, resources and accountability in support of a more sustainable and inclusive system.

See Pillars 3, 4 and 7 Success measures Where we are Where we will be in the next 3 years Baseline Target Metrics Nb This section should be read in conjunction (outline the baseline for your success measures reflecting where you are now – these should be drawn from the metrics in the data template) (outline the target metrics that will demonstrate you have achieved the vision summarized above – these should be drawn from the metrics in the data template) with Appendix D, where further details of the performance framework and data is set out, including the frequency of data reviews and data sources. These Unless otherwise stated, baseline figures reflect the 2025 position as aligned to the DfE data template, with 2026 figures used in narrative sections to describe the most recent system position.

baseline positions reflect findings from the partnership maturity assessment and directly inform the Year 1 delivery plan and 3-year roadmap.

Encouraging inclusive culture and behaviours to drive sustainability and shared accountabilities Total specialist capacity is 1,401 places, with continued reliance on high-cost provision including Nmss and independent placements.

Total specialist capacity increases to 1,543 places by 2029, including: - Specialist bases increasing from 419 to 477 places - Special school places increasing from 847 to 931 - Inclusion/Support bases (mainstream) increase from zero to 340

435 children and young people are placed in Nmss or independent provision, with associated high unit costs and financial pressure on the high needs block.

Reliance on Nmss and independent provision stabilises and reduces from 2028 onwards, with a corresponding reduction in high-cost placements and improved local sufficiency.

High needs system is under sustained financial pressure, with demand growth outpacing local capacity and increasing reliance on expensive placements and transport.

Moderated growth in EHC plans to 5,633 by 2029 contributes to improved financial sustainability and demand management.

Workforce capacity constraints limit the system’s ability to provide early intervention at scale, resulting in higher escalation to statutory processes.

Increased proportion of children and young people supported locally in mainstream and local specialist provision, setting up the environment to reduce transport costs and overall costs per placement beyond the 3 years, though impact for reduction in costs for Nmss or independent school placements by Y3 (see Table 1, data template)

Value for money and impact of spend is variable, with limited ability to consistently demonstrate the link between investment, outcomes and demand reduction.

Workforce expansion enables earlier intervention at scale, reducing escalation to EHCPs and high-cost provision.

Improved value for money across the high needs system, with clearer alignment between spend, outcomes and demand reduction.

Sustainable high needs system with improved financial trajectory, supported by reduced reliance on independent provision, more efficient use of local capacity, and strengthened accountability through performance and outcomes frameworks.

Please also see Appendix D.

• What is the local area partnership’s strategy for delivering on the above?

A brief summary of your local system’s theory of change or reform strategy. Reflect on the output of your Local Partnership Maturity Assessment Tool, particularly your Local System ‘change story.’

Our strategy is to shift Bromley’s SEND system from a reactive, specialist-led model to a proactive, inclusive system delivered through mainstream settings, structured around four connected priorities aligned to our delivery roadmap, enablers and success measures. This reflects the partnership’s maturity assessment, which identifies strong and increasingly mature foundations alongside key areas for further development, particularly in consistency of delivery, co-production reach, workforce alignment and system-wide use of data. Strengthening inclusion across education settings focuses on embedding high-quality inclusive practice through a co-produced Universal Offer Agreement and Bromley Inclusion and Belonging Commitment, aligned to emerging National Inclusion Standards. In Year 1, we will map variation and establish consistent expectations across settings. By Years 2–3, this will deliver improved attendance, reduced exclusions, unmet need related Ehe and part-time timetables, and greater consistency in outcomes across early years, schools and post-16 provision. System leadership, partnership and co-production will ensure shared accountability across Bromley’s highly academised system. Building on strong and well-established co-production arrangements, we will widen engagement, improve representativeness and strengthen consistency of parent, carer and young person voice, including within statutory processes. We will also strengthen communication and data-sharing across partners. This will improve confidence, support earlier resolution of concerns, and reduce reliance on complaints, mediation and tribunal processes. Access to specialist support and local placements will be transformed through the Experts at Hand (Eah) model (Appendix A) as the primary delivery mechanism for early intervention. In Year 1, we will establish the Eah Hub and equitable access model, building on strengths including Salt Uts, Ot Uts, Sendat and special school outreach. By Years 2– 3, this will deliver earlier intervention, increased SEN Support and reduced demand for EHCPs and independent placements, alongside expanded inclusion bases and strengthened local provision, including Rivermead. Encouraging inclusive culture and behaviours to drive sustainability and shared accountability will align commissioning, workforce and resources to need. A co-produced workforce strategy, strengthened financial oversight and locality- based accountability models will support improved value for money and long-term sustainability. This includes further strengthening joint commissioning and ensuring that assessed needs are consistently matched to commissioned and in-house provision across education, health and social care. These priorities, underpinned by Eah (see Appendix A), workforce development (see Appendix B), capital and sufficiency (see Appendix C), and strengthened governance and data arrangements, will deliver increased inclusion, earlier support and improved outcomes, tracked through the SEND Dashboard and agreed success measures. The partnership will use its maturity assessment to track progress across these pillars, aiming to move consistently from developing to maturing practice over the three-year period. This Plan addresses all Core Minimum Requirements, with supporting evidence provided across Appendices A–D, the Maturity Assessment and the accompanying Data Template.

• Please upload a completed copy of the Local Partnership Maturity Assessment Tool.

The partnership maturity assessment confirms that Bromley has strong and increasingly mature foundations across all seven pillars, with established strengths in leadership, governance, inclusion and partnership working, alongside clear development priorities in co-production reach, data integration, workforce consistency, social care alignment and resource oversight.

Nb See Maturity Assessment Tool attached

• What is the local area partnership roadmap for the next 3 years?

Reflecting on the broad timescales and expectation for deliverables set out in the Schools White Paper, key documents and core minimum requirements set out in this document, please provide a high-level roadmap for the next 3 years. Please highlight key milestones and a trajectory to the target metrics identified above, including leading indicators.

In the 2026-27 column, in particular, please reference how you plan to meet the core minimum requirements in your narrative, including details and evidence in supporting documents.

You can insert or upload supporting documents including graphics/visuals that illustrate your data trajectory.

The 2026–27 delivery plan prioritises meeting core minimum requirements, including establishment of the Experts at Hand offer, co- production of the Universal Offer, strengthening of workforce development and implementation of shared governance and monitoring arrangements. The roadmap sets out a phased approach from mobilisation (Year 1), through implementation and scaling (Year 2), to full system embedding and impact (Year 3). Year 1 delivery includes the rollout of the Experts at Hand model (Appendix A) aligned to the development and initial implementation of the system-wide workforce strategy (Appendix B).

While this plan focuses on the three-year reform period, the partnership’s longer-term ambition extends beyond 2029. The full impact of reforms, particularly in relation to demand management, inclusion and financial sustainability, is expected to continue beyond this period, as cohorts benefiting from earlier intervention progress through the system.

Recruit and train parent and young people Ambassadors

Consistency of settings’ inclusion approaches, including universal workforce training/collaboration and Individual Support Plans (ISPs) aligned to new National Inclusion Standards.

Support embedded across schools and settings to close attainment gaps and ensure children and young people reach their full potential via the right layer of support, including those Pks at national assessments

Reduce the number of complaints, mediation and appeals through effective practice and communications.

Clear, fair and independent route for families who need to raise concerns if needs not met through consistent universal, targeted or targeted plus offer

Inclusion, and how this will be delivered, to be core part of commissioning of services and contracts across partners. This will include outside of school e.g. – Haf, youth provision, family hubs, with PfA ambitions to support inclusion in the local community and workforce, not just education

Universal aspect of Ot and Salt provision enable whole school adaptations to support inclusion

provision (Inclusion hubs) and create best practice guidelines for Bromley education settings

Co-produce an Inclusion and Belonging Commitment across the partnership, and with Cyp and families, to support high-quality practice in schools and settings in the borough

Co-design the SEND Workforce Development Strategy for EYs settings, schools and Post 16 providers including Innms and Alternative Provision with a focus on Inclusion.

Review recommendations from Ebsa pilot, and develop appropriate adjustments across settings, using Experts at Hand.

Develop a model whereby parent carers are included as equal partners and ‘experts’ in their child.

Inclusion to inform commissioning of services beyond education settings

Empower and equip SENCOs, health practitioners, and social care workers to understand

provision across the borough supported by collaboration with Trust SEND Leads

Work with Parent Engagement partners and Champions 4 Change to develop Parent and Young People SEND Ambassadors.

Work with Engagement partners to establish parent forums in Localities/Mats

Monitor the impact of Ebsa strategies and Experts at Hand on Cyp falling out of regular attendance

Develop access to universal and targeted out of school activities and youth support.

Implement Ot Uts model across all settings.

Eotisc Panel impact reduces numbers of Eotisc cases, with children and young people supported and reintegrated into inclusive mainstream wherever possible via Experts at Hand.

Provide enhanced/bespoke training for leaders across the partnership to enable them to create a culture of inclusion within their agencies and settings

Fully integrated pathways across Experts at Hand, Oap and wider universal services in education and health.

An established ‘no wrong door’ approach whereby children and families can access the wider range of provision irrespective of where need is identified.

and promote the SEND Local Offer as a tool for co- production, enabling informed choices and fostering collaborative partnerships across services to improve outcomes.

Support Cyp to successfully transition at key stages through ongoing events and information sharing

Increase parental confidence in the continuum of inclusive support (Oap/Graduated approach)

Embed Inclusion practitioners within Best Start in Life Hubs.

Agree a consistent definition of Eotisc and developing multi-agency panel to oversee this cohort

Personalised Education Service model extending to Cyp with EHCPs.

Identify and support SEND workforce system leaders/champions across sectors to drive change locally.

Include workforce development as part of the

existing multi-agency governance to enable senior oversight on progress and challenges

Establish an Advanced Practitioner Salt role across the SEL Icb to lead on workforce development and capacity

Explore support from local Teaching School Hub to identify need and embed Quality First Teaching best practice sustainable through future workforce

• Create a coordinated,

Align outcomes across SEND Reforms, Families First, Best Start in Life and Integrated Neighbourhood Teams

Embed the Integrated Transition Register (Itr) to track and monitor the needs of children as they move into adult life.

Accurately identify and decrease the number of young people who are Neet/at risk of becoming Neet by strengthening data collection and analysis from 16-25

PfA is strong and consistent from year 9 across Education, Health and social care

Manage a system-wide transition from current SEND system and EHCPs to new tiered model, subject to legislative changes and further guidance.

Every child has a successful phase transition, including from pre-school to school and post-16

Data, expertise and knowledge shared across services at an early stage, to promptly identify appropriate layer of support at targeted, targeted plus or specialist level without delay or reliance on statutory processes

System leadership, local partnership collaboration and co-production

multi-channel communication framework that ensures families, professionals, and young people receive timely, consistent, and accessible information about SEND processes, support, and reforms.

Design co-production and engagement practices that are ongoing and embedded in day-to-day workings

Work with Bpcf & Yvhsc to co-design a programme of parent workshops that are co-delivered to parent

Parent carers and children and young people fully embedded as co-producers and ‘experts’, with wider reach to all families, greater confidence in the system and mapped continuum of inclusive support to build transparency.

Consistent engagement and partnership with all Trusts, including Trust SEND Lead collaboration, to ensure provision is early, local and fair.

Pilot and cascade Ot Uts model across mainstream settings

Utilise the Eah and special school outreach offer to provide head teacher to head teacher support and coaching

Develop tailored training and development across the partnership, co- produced and with parent/carers as both provider and recipient

Support routinely delivered through inclusive ordinarily available provision and Experts at Hand, with professionals championing inclusive mainstream to build confidence with parent carers.

Up to 3 Scerts hubs creating strong network of support to delivery of Scerts behaviours and interventions

Annual report on the position of the partnership’s workforce, with reflections, learning and recommendations for the following 12 months.

Leaders have oversight and hold accountability for the ongoing development of the workforce.

carers and reach currently under-represented and engaged families

Develop an improved data dashboard (0-25) with stronger outcomes data and incorporate into SEND Performance reporting

Create a data-sharing protocol to support early identification and right support

Co-design Experts at Hand model including Special School outreach service

Integrated Transition register accurately records young people who will require support from Adult Social Care.

Develop a network of Trust Inclusion Leads to drive consistency across Trusts and schools.

Co-produce communications plan and engagement across partners, to consistently support understanding and confidence of parent carers.

Use data analysis and robust planning to manage effective, best value use of funding on placement costs

Develop a Scerts hub to coordinate training &

support implementation of practice in mainstream schools

Establish the strategic objectives within the wider ‘One Bromley’ structure

Acknowledge and engage parent/carers as part of the ‘unprofessional’ workforce, understanding areas of development required for the wider familial structure

Co-produce a workforce strategy across all partners, enabling a consensus targets and objectives, as well as providing ownership and partnership accountability

Further development of Bromley special school network and outreach support model

Special school cohorts’ needs/provision packages set out as a partnership.

Map existing outreach and specialist support offer to future provision model, including Experts at Hand.

Further develop inclusion bases (currently ‘mini provisions’) and extend to more local schools.

Slt Uts extended to Ey and 18-25 settings, reducing reliance on statutory processes.

Earlier identification of neurodiversity across phases, and identified cohorts with particular vulnerabilities such as Cla, including greater alignment between services to ensure timely completion of assessments and coordinated support across pathways.

Increase further our wider supported internship and work experience opportunities to support transition from school to workplace, delivered across partners. May include opportunities for young people to explore the SEND workforce, and for those without an EHCP.

Sufficient local provision to meet need, including delivery of planned specialist places and reduced reliance on independent and out-of-borough placements

Access to specialist support and

local placements

Adoption of evidence-led early interventions, particularly speech and language and social comms

Development of Bromley special schools network including local and out-of-borough providers supporting Bromley children and young people

Recognition of the continuing role of special schools for some young people, whose needs cannot be met elsewhere, with needs/provision packages set out as a partnership.

Codesign offer to be delivered through the Autism Centre of Excellence

Codesign Ot Uts model

Increased percentage of workforce upskilled to provide specialist support to a wider range of children

Wider workforce analysis aligns to Eah model, ensuring immediate access to support as well as long term trajectories of increase capacity to specialist provision, in a mainstream setting

Establish a Scerts hub to deliver training and peer led support. Explore if this may support Eah offer.

Adoption of evidence-led early interventions, particularly speech and language and social comms

Special school outreach fully embedded, with all specialist providers engaged on agreed areas of specialism

Embed Experts at Hand offer, dovetailing with special school outreach.

Embed inclusion bases offer across schools.

Universal, whole-school approach to mental health and emotional resilience offer embedded in all schools

Rivermead Inclusive Trust to open a special school from January 2027 (subject to consultation) with associated Autism Centre of Excellence.

To address Pillar 5, a ‘Developing’ area around Social Care, we will align commissioned provision with 'in house' service delivery across Lbb and the Icb, notably building on the improvement work to close any gaps

Expert at Hand model fully embedded to support waiting well and access to education

Prevention and reintegration of Ebsa/Eotisc via Experts at Hand and Team Around the Child to co-produce recovery plans and provide earlier support for parents.

Universal, whole-school approach to mental health and emotional resilience offer embedded in all schools.

Seamless and timely Nd assessments, with reduced delays and a further enhanced waiting well offer to support presenting needs

Fully embed an Ot Uts model across mainstream settings.

between Csc Ot service offer and that of the Icb commissioned provision.

Coproduce a SEND Workforce & Cpf strategy/framework

Consider funding models to incentivise early support and reduction in statutory processes

Explore locality-based models to provide peer challenge and support, developing further accountability

Review all joint commissioning and oversight panels, including High-Cost panel, Joint Placement panel to align to new accountability model

Establish termly SEN placement review meetings to review data and expenditure, to ensure resources are used to improve outcomes, shape provision and manage demand sustainably

Inclusion base set-up and ongoing sustainability and Qa built into planning

Develop local accountability framework reflecting

Clear shared accountabilities through development of joint accountability framework, with clear guidance for families escalating concerns

Develop and embed fair and transparent funding model through locality- based model

Adapt work undertaken locally to develop Descriptors of Need (Don) to inform funding model for Targeted Plus support.

Review of use of child- level Health funding against impact and outcomes

A tiered training model will be offered across the partnership, ranging from universal training accessible to all, through to bespoke/tailored training and support to inclusion in mainstream educational settings. Training opportunities to

Cease Funded Inclusion Plan (Fip) incorporating support for Cyp without an EHCP into the tiered model and funded through (see data template 5.2) delegated school inclusion fund,

Embedded shared accountability and confidence in effectiveness of locality-based funding model across schools and parent carers, with positive outcomes for Cyp

Sustainable recruitment and retention programme, utilising roles such as the Salt Advanced Practitioner to initiate and develop relationships with universities, providing a sustainable flow of entry level professionals.

Established career progression pathways, enabling a ‘grow our own’ culture whereby retention is high, irrespective of national fluctuations and shortages of specialist roles.

Encouraging inclusive culture and

behaviours to drive sustainability

and shared accountabilities

strengthened SEN Support.

needs assessment.

absence and Eotisc for Cyp with SEND.

sources. These baseline positions reflect findings from the partnership maturity assessment and directly inform the Year 1 delivery plan and 3-year roadmap.

Initial improvements in access to early intervention, with increased numbers of Cyp supported without EHCPs.

Expansion of inclusion bases and specialist capacity begins to reduce reliance on out-of-area placements.

Tribunal appeal rate reduces to 1%, alongside sustained improvements in parent and carer confidence.

Specialist capacity increases to 1,543 places, supporting sufficiency and local placement stability.

Stabilisation of tribunal rates and improved engagement with families through strengthened co- production.

Workforce capacity increases significantly, improving access, reducing waiting times and increasing system capability.

Sustainable high needs system evidenced through improved value for money, reduced reliance on high-cost placements and stronger alignment between demand, provision and outcomes.

Capital programme mobilisation and establishment of delivery pipeline for additional specialist places and inclusion bases.

Reductions in tribunal activity, complaints and escalation begin to be evidenced.

Setting up the environment to reduce transport costs and overall costs per placement beyond the 3 years (See Table 1 of Data template)

Non-maintained independent placements out of borough stabilise, as do costs, as more need supported locally (See Table 1 of Data template)

See Appendix D for Performance Data and Success Measures

• What will the local area partnership deliver in the first year?

Please outline the key workstreams, milestones and trajectory your local area partnership will deliver and achieve in 2026-27 as well as how you plan to spend the investment allocation that will help fund this year’s delivery. Please share key milestones and anticipated dates, success measures, cost breakdown and category. These should incorporate the core minimum requirements, be mapped to the building blocks above and should reflect a more detailed trajectory to the narrative, milestones and target metrics outlined in the 2026-27 column above.

The Year 1 roadmap focuses on planning and set-up for successful delivery of SEND Reform. This includes early mapping and identification of local need across key workstreams:

• Inclusive system: a consistent graduated response ensuring support is timely and locally delivered, an identification of need for

inclusion bases.

• Workforce and capability: building on existing networks and training, we will implement a system-wide workforce development

strategy to ensure consistent practice and equitable access to expertise (Appendix B).

• Commissioning, sufficiency and Eah delivery: integrating existing models (e.g. tiered therapy approaches, advisory services and

outreach) into a coherent, jointly commissioned offer, alongside planned expansion of local provision through Experts at Hand (Appendix A).

• Shared accountability to build confidence across the local area for SEND from 0-25, delivered through joint governance and co-

production, and improvements to monitoring of both activity and outcomes (Appendix D). This will include the lived experience of parent/carers and children and young people.

experience belonging and participation

Success measures

Reduced exclusions, increased attendance, reduction in pt timetables, increased confidence via Cyp and parent/carer voice

System leadership,

Head Codesign Consistent Launch Increased Embed Measurable

local

of SEND/ communication communic communication engagement; coproduction in increase in

partnership collabor

SEND framework (plain ation framework across improved governance parent carer and

ation and co-

Program language, approach system; Deliver clarity of structures Cyp confidence;

production

me accessibility); Agree agreed; engagement information across system; evidence of Manager system-wide engageme activity; Refresh Introduce wider influence on

Workstream

expectations for nt baseline “you said, we did”

regular decisions Strengthen communication; establishe feedback to reporting on coproduction, commu Further develop d ensure covers all lived nication and shared Cyp and parent audiences and experience; accountability across engagement plan, updates on Align the system to identify hard to progress not just engagement to reach families success Eah delivery

Outcome

Parents, carers and Cyp feel informed, heard and confident; partners share responsibility

Success measures

Increased parent, carer and Cyp confidence, increased engagemen t and participation, Cyp voice informs decisions, decrease in complaints/ escalation SEN & Map current Clear Launch Eah Increased Scale outreach Cyp

Access to specialist

AP outreach and model(s) consultation and uptake of and accessing appro

support and local

Commiss specialist support agreed; outreach model; early support; consultation priate

placements (incorpo

ioning offer, baseline Begin aligning early model; Embed Inclusion Base

rating Experts at

Manager data Inclusion Bases to reduction in Inclusion Base offer,

Hand)

Settings to self- captured defined escalation pathways improved progre assess “inclusion role(s); Establish p (entry/exit/reint ssion and readiness”

rogramme of egration); attainment

Workstream

and identify gaps for introducing Review impact outcome Improve equitable acc Eah support Inclusion Bases; on AP and ess to early specialist Improve access placement advice and outreach, Liaise with special routes to reduce trends including Eah and schools and AP to inequity between Inclusion Bases shape additional out schools reach offers,

Developing a ment analysis tools,

need /

wide workforce Number of on analysis of ce Board, with confident, skilled Group approaches,

skills

analysis partners and system specific action workforce in frameworks

gaps

individuals capacity plan mainstream

identified

Liaise with engaged in and capabilities incorporated into

Outcome

Map current support schools, Arps an the analysis the strategic Comprehensive and tools d AP to and deep action plan analysis of current understand the dive workforce capacity, specific education sessions capability, strengths a workforce nd gaps across all challenges partners.

A co-produced Map current workforce support and tools development strategy, clearly outlining objectives an d priorities

Success Measure

Partnership wide agreement on workforce priorities, sign off of workforce strategy, alignment with Eah model.

Projected Investment Spend per

quarter

The Eah funding allocation aligns with the expected 80/10/10 funding model, ensuring that the majority of investment – more than 80% - is directed towards frontline delivery through the Experts at Hand workforce. This Please specify funding source for includes multi-disciplinary clinical input, embedded workforce support and specialist outreach, maximising the impact each category on early intervention, mainstream inclusion and reduced reliance on statutory processes. A proportion of funding is allocated to programme leadership, administration and transformation activity required to establish, embed and Note, please see Appendix A Eah sustain the model at scale, in line with national funding expectations, as set out in the table below: Model for further details.

£265,979 – Provisional admin breakdown Year 1

• How will the local area partnership deliver the first-year plan?

Please set out how you will ensure the required capacity and capability is in place from organisational corporate functions to support implementation of the plan. This could include reference to how you plan to build or bring in project delivery capability to manage delivery against the plan, support prioritisation, and effective use of resources; and how you plan to build the capacity and capability in data and analytics to support effective tracking against the measures in the plan and reporting that informs decision making.

This plan has been co-produced, within the available timeframe, with schools, colleges, early years settings and parent carers. This engagement has ensured that a wide range of stakeholders understand the aims of the SEND Reform programme and Bromley’s approach to delivery. Building on these strong foundations, further co-production and engagement will be essential to widen reach, improve representativeness and strengthen consistency of involvement across the system. This will be delivered through established networks, including the SEND Governance Board, Headteacher forums and the Parent Carer Forum, which are well embedded in Bromley.

As outlined in the Dependencies section, the partnership will build on locality-based reform activity across Bromley to optimise resource, strengthen integration and extend engagement with families. This approach brings together integrated multi-agency teams and supports a single, coordinated assessment and planning approach, enabling earlier identification of need, reduced duplication and more effective, joined-up intervention.

As set out in the Experts at Hand Appendix A, funding will support the establishment of strong system leadership for the delivery model, including a dedicated Experts at Hand Specialist Teacher / Clinical Lead and leadership for Speech and Language Therapy and Occupational Therapy. This will ensure effective implementation, system-wide coordination and sustainable delivery at scale.

8. Other funding Local Authorities.

Block Transfers: If you have made a block transfer (Schools Block to High Needs Block) for 26-27, please set out how your plans for this funding align with the activities outlined above.

n/a Capital: We have announced at least £3 billion in high needs capital between 2026-27 and 2029-30 to support children and young people (Cyp) with SEND, or those requiring alternative provision (AP). This funding is intended to support place delivery across the full 0-25 age range, including early years and post-16. We expect funding to support the following outcomes: a. Inclusion at the core of high needs sufficiency strategy, resulting in more children and young people with SEND accessing suitable places in mainstream settings, across all phases of education b. Every child or young person who needs a place in an inclusion base can access one c. Fewer children and young people with SEND needing to travel a long way to access a suitable placement d. Improved suitability of the mainstream estate to support children and young people with SEND, with adaptations to improve inclusivity and accessibility of the physical environment We also welcome innovative uses of high needs capital to drive inclusion, for example, investment in assistive technology for use in mainstream settings.

Please outline your strategy for how this funding will meet the outcomes above, with reference to the core minimum requirements and other workstreams in this reform plan where appropriate. We would like to see detail around your plans to increase capacity for inclusion bases (formerly known as SEN units, resourced provision and pupil support units – Su/Rp/PSUs), such as schools, colleges or early years providers identified, engagement with relevant settings and trusts, and target cohort of needs.

If your plans include increases to places in special schools or specialist post-16 institutions, please include a clear rationale, showing the need that is being met, and why it cannot be met through other types of provision, such as inclusion bases.

If you are receiving additional capital funding to replace one or more planned special or AP free schools, please set out how this funding will meet need in your area, and plans for engaging relevant trusts in your sufficiency planning.

• Supporting mainstream inclusion

Inclusion is central to Bromley’s high needs sufficiency strategy. Ahead of the SEN White Paper, we have prioritised capital investment to strengthen mainstream inclusion. In 2025, we launched the SEN Mainstream Inclusion Capital Fund, providing 80% funding for school-led initiatives, aligned to the Government’s approach. £500k was awarded to 13 schools, with a further £1.45m allocated within the capital programme. Specialist bases remain a key part of provision, with 19 schools delivering over 400 places. A borough-wide high needs estates review (2022–2024) identified proposals to create an additional 50 specialist base places by 2029, with further feasibility work underway.

• Addressing high independent placements

Bromley has a higher proportion of pupils with EHCPs in independent/non-maintained schools (7%) than national and London averages (5%). Over 400 children are placed in these settings, often outside the borough, increasing transport and placement costs. Our strategy focuses on expanding local provision, particularly for Slcn, Asd, Semh, and complex needs. The Experts at Hand offer will support pupils with emotionally based school avoidance through outreach, educational psychology, and specialist staff. Earlier intervention is expected to reduce demand for costly independent placements.

• Replacing planned special free school places

Following capital allocation to replace a cancelled special free school (152 places), Bromley will deliver provision through two satellite sites (100 and 60 places) linked to existing special schools. The first, with Rivermead Inclusive Trust, opens in January 2027. It will include an Autism Centre of Excellence, offering borough-wide training, support for families, and targeted provision for Eotis pupils and those unable to attend school, with a focus on reintegration. See additional Appendix C for further information and assumptions.

Nb This section should be read in conjunction with Appendix C, which provides further details regarding the Council’s plans for increasing inclusive mainstream provision and specialist capacity.

9. System partner and stakeholder engagement, and co-production.

Please outline how the local area partnership plans to engage system partners and stakeholders to develop and implement the plan – include planned engagement with schools and early years settings, alternative providers, Fe and post-16 providers (including those your young people attend that are not within your local area), Parents and Carers and children and young people with SEND, with reference to the core minimum requirements. Consider changing roles and responsibilities in the context of the Schools White Paper and how you work collaboratively to manage the transition. Please indicate where additional support is required to engage partners or stakeholders - senior officials at the Department for Education will be available to contribute to summer term events with education leaders and parent carer forum.

The partnership is adopting a whole-system, sustained engagement approach to design, test and deliver the SEND Reform Plan. This embeds co- production, transparency and shared accountability across partners, ensuring lived experience and frontline expertise shape implementation and system reform. Please refer to Appendix D for further information.

Engagement has directly influenced key elements of the reform plan, including refinement of the Experts at Hand access model (Appendix A), prioritisation of workforce development (Appendix B), and improvements to communication and system navigation for families. Co-production is embedded across design, delivery and evaluation, with feedback informing implementation, delivery planning and performance monitoring.

Engagement with Education Providers

Targeted engagement sessions have been delivered with schools, alternative provision, early years and post-16 providers, moving beyond awareness raising to active co-design. This ensures proposals are grounded in operational reality and supports the shift to a more inclusive, mainstream-led system. Bromley Virtual School ensures the needs of children in care and those with additional vulnerabilities are embedded.

Engagement with Parents and Carers

Coproduction with families is central to the reform approach. An initial session with Bromley Parent Carer Forum generated rich insight into system strengths, barriers, and priorities for change. This has been supplemented using a Padlet platform to gather wider feedback, enabling inclusive and flexible participation.

Further in person and virtual sessions are planned, ensuring ongoing dialogue with families and demonstrating that their voices actively influence decision making. Engagement is strengthened through collaboration with SEND Information, Advice and Support Services (Iass), ensuring that families are supported to participate meaningfully and that engagement reaches those who may be less confident or visible. Targeted approaches are being used to engage under-represented groups, ensuring the reform programme reflects the diversity of the Bromley community and provides coherent cross-border support for those educated outside Bromley.

Engagement with Children and Young People and existing networks Children and young people are key partners through Champions 4 Change (Bromley’s SEND Youth Forum) and wider engagement events, including SEND Local Offer Live. Engagement is further embedded through established networks, including SEND Matters, SENCO briefings and Preparing for Adulthood networks, enabling continuous feedback, shared learning and system ownership. Voluntary sector partners are engaged through these networks and targeted activity, supporting reach into diverse and under-represented communities.

Engagement with Health Partners

Health partners have been engaged through reform briefings and coordinated input from frontline practitioners via the Icb, ensuring clinical perspectives inform integrated pathways and delivery models.

Communication and Transparency

A fortnightly SEND Partnership newsletter provides consistent updates, feedback opportunities, and visibility of progress. The Bromley SEND Local Offer is being utilised as a central communication platform, ensuring that families and professionals can access clear, accessible information about reforms, pathways, and support. Feedback mechanisms ensure that partners and families can see how their input has influenced decisions, strengthening transparency and accountability.

System wide Collaboration and Alignment

Ongoing partnership activity will sustain engagement throughout implementation, ensuring co-production remains embedded over time. This approach aligns with Nhse co-production standards and will support improved outcomes, stronger inclusion and long-term sustainability.

10. Risks and Mitigations

What are the key risks that could affect the successful implementation of your Local SEND Reform Plan, and what mitigation strategies are in place to manage these risks? Please include a maximum of 5 risks with impact and likelihood Rag for each risk. See Annex C for suggested risk matrix.

Build on strong system oversight through SEND Governance Board and Inclusion Partnership arrangements.

Continue aligning commissioning and delivery across education, health and care, including development of graduated therapy models and PfA pathways, to reduce variation in provision and outcomes.

Salt Advanced Practitioner and Experts at Hand Strategic Lead roles will lead services and coordinate care within and across boroughs.

Development of equitable, consistent universal offer to schools and settings through Experts at Hand will build buy- in, facilitating affordable bank of accessible and stable resource to support children and young people.

Establish fair and equitable process for mainstream capital funding bids for inclusion bases, to ensure limited funding targeted at need and builds sustainable capacity.

Workforce capability and

Critical Possible Amber-

Embed workforce development through Amber-

embedding of practice

Red the Bromley Experts at Hand “leave in”

Green Risk that workforce approach, supporting sustained practice development is not change within settings through consistently embedded coaching, modelling and in-setting across the partnership, support.

limiting improvements in Deliver a system-wide workforce inclusive practice and development strategy, improving reducing system-wide consistency across education, health and impact.

care and strengthening capacity in early years, mainstream and post-16 settings.

Improve access to training, induction and supervision across sectors, ensuring consistency in application of the graduated approach and inclusive practice.

Use outreach from special schools and advisory teams, alongside lived experience, to inform professional learning and build system-wide capability.

Monitor impact through staff confidence, SEN Support quality and reduced escalation, using SEND Dashboard and Eah reporting.

Workforce capacity and

Critical Likely Red Mitigate workforce pressures through a

Amber-Red

recruitment constraints

Bromley-wide approach combining LA Risk that national workforce and Icb joint commissioning, and shortages and local exploration of reciprocal arrangements competition limit the ability to across neighbouring boroughs.

recruit and retain sufficient Expand capacity through the Eah specialist and support staff workforce model, including to deliver the reform assistants, trainees and specialist programme at scale.

teaching assistants, reducing reliance on hard-to-recruit clinical roles.

Maximise existing system strengths, including experienced SENCOs, advisory services and special school outreach, to extend reach and support early intervention.

Implement a co-produced workforce strategy focused on recruitment, retention and pipeline development aligned to priority needs across Semh, Slcn and neurodiversity.

Parent and

Moderate Likely Amber-

Maturity matrix underlines strong Amber-

carer confidence in the

Red collaboration and developing trust Green

new reforms and

between parent carers and partners,

transition to universal,

though some families need to be better

early support

engaged.

Risk that parent carers do Strengthen trust through embedded co- not fully buy in to the production, recognising parent carers as reforms and access to partners in design and delivery of the support and services SEND system.

through earlier intervention Build on existing engagement through approaches Bromley Parent Carer Forum, Your Voice and wider engagement routes, with targeted approaches to reach under- represented families.

Improve communication and transparency, ensuring families can clearly understand pathways, access support and see how their feedback influences decisions.

Maintain confidence through consistent delivery of early support and improved experience, reducing reliance on statutory processes over time.

System complexity and

Moderate Possible Amber-

Align delivery of SEND, Families First, Amber-

transition across reforms

Red Family Hubs, Best Start in Life and health Green Risk that the interaction of reforms through shared governance, with SEND, Families First, Family Sro and SEND Governance Board Hubs and health oversight across interdependent reforms create complexity, programmes.

duplication or unclear Use the Eah Hub as the single, pathways, impacting delivery integrated access point, building on and experience for families.

Bromley’s Spoc arrangements to simplify pathways and reduce duplication.

Phase implementation (Q2–Q4) and test delivery through pilots (including Family Hub and Family Help models), using data and feedback to identify and resolve system interface issues early.

Strengthen locality-based working with Family Hubs and NHS neighbourhood teams, ensuring clear roles, consistent pathways and integrated support.

Monitor delivery through milestones, SEND Dashboard and Eah reporting, escalating issues through governance to ensure timely resolution.

11. Dependencies

Please detail the key areas of the local area partnership’s proposed SEND future state and roadmap that may be impacted by wider reforms nationally and locally and outline how you will manage these. We expect these will include but not be limited to:

• NHS reforms
• Local Government Re-organisation
• Reforms to Children’s Social Care
• Best Start in Life, including Family Hubs
• Best Start In Life Strategy
• Curriculum and Assessment Review

Our Eah approach (Appendix A) will directly support the co-development and delivery of a strengthened universal offer, enabling consistent access to early support, improving inclusive practice in mainstream settings and reducing escalation of need. These arrangements are co-produced with parents, carers and children and young people, ensuring that wider system reforms reflect lived experience and support more accessible and responsive services. These integrated arrangements support earlier identification of issues and more consistent decision-making, reducing the need for formal dispute resolution and enabling concerns to be addressed at the earliest stage.

The Children’s Social Care reforms, including Families First and the development of Family Hubs, provide a strong foundation for delivering the SEND reforms in Bromley by establishing a place-based, locality model of support for all children and families, including those with SEND. This approach brings together integrated multi- agency teams through the Family Help model and embeds a single assessment and plan, directly supporting SEND priorities of earlier identification, reduced duplication, and coordinated intervention.

In Bromley, the first Family Hub and pilot Family Help team are already in place to inform wider system development, enabling the simplification of referral pathways and expansion of a multi-agency front door into children’s services, improving access, consistency, and clarity for families. Family Hubs are aligned to NHS neighbourhood teams, strengthening integration between education, health, and care, and improving access to key services including speech and language therapy, neurodevelopmental pathways, health visiting, and parent and child mental health support. This co-location enables more effective information sharing, joint decision- making, and timely responses to emerging need, helping to reduce fragmentation across SEND pathways, improve experiences for families, and address Pillar 5, a ‘Developing’ area around Social Care and the wider partnership.

We will tap into the varied locality-based reform work being undertaken by the wider local area, thus optimising the use of resources and reach to families, enabling better, more joined up support at a local level. These locality-based models support engagement with all Early Years providers, schools and post-16 settings, reinforcing collective responsibility for inclusive practice across the system.

The Local Authority is working closely with the Integrated Care Board (Icb), Public Health, and wider partnership to ensure alignment across national and local reforms, with a clear focus on strengthening multi-agency working and place-based delivery models to reduce duplication and improve outcomes. Multi-agency design meetings are in place to agree clear, timebound pathways, roles, and partner contributions, particularly across health services which are critical to SEND delivery. Best Start in Life and the Family Hubs programme provide the infrastructure for early years identification and intervention, ensuring children with emerging SEND needs are identified and supported as early as possible within community settings. Alignment with the Families First and Family Help model ensures a coordinated approach across the continuum of need, enabling children and families to access appropriate support without unnecessary escalation to statutory services. Alignment across these programmes is underpinned by shared data, including joint dashboards and use of the partnership maturity matrix, ensuring consistent monitoring of impact and system effectiveness.

DfE policy has already expanded Virtual School Head (Vsh) duties beyond looked-after children to include children with a social worker and kinship cohorts, with a strong strategic leadership focus. Bromley Virtual School will act as a system leaders for vulnerable groups with SEND, particularly where care status and SEND overlap, requiring stronger oversight of outcomes across education, care and inclusion systems. This strengthens oversight of vulnerable cohorts across the integrated system and supports alignment between SEND, care and inclusion priorities.

The development of NHS Children and Young People’s Integrated Teams (Cyp INTs) represents a shift toward delivering more coordinated, place-based care across health, education, and social care. Within the One Bromley partnership and across South East London, Cyp INTs bring together multidisciplinary professionals—such as therapists, nurses, mental health practitioners, and paediatricians—into locality-based teams aligned with schools and communities. This model enables earlier identification of need, more timely interventions, and a reduced reliance on fragmented referral pathways. By integrating expertise within universal and targeted settings, Cyp INTs share some of the core principles in other national strategic objectives reflected in Families First and Best Start in Life, as well as there being a clear line into the SEND Reforms.

Cyp INTs directly complement the ambitions of the SEND reforms by operationalising key principles such as early intervention, inclusion, and joined-up working. They support the graduated response by providing advice, consultation, and targeted support to mainstream settings, thereby building capacity without defaulting to statutory processes such as EHCPs. Additionally, their multidisciplinary structure aligns with the reforms’ emphasis on consistent, person-centred planning and improved family experience, reducing duplication and improving communication across agencies. As such, Cyp INTs act as a critical enabler of SEND transformation, helping local areas move toward a proactive, integrated, and sustainable system of support. Whilst Icb’s are going through a significant transformation, the ‘Model Icb Blueprint’ still affirms SEND as a priority and responsibility continues to be held within the new organisational model.

Section 3 – Monitoring and Evaluation

• How will the local area partnership know delivery is on track?

Please set out how you will monitor and track progress referencing:

• Monitoring tools and processes - the specific tools, systems, and data you will use to track delivery milestones and measure

the impact on outcomes.

Some Local Area Partnerships hold data in a central SEND operational dashboard. This is used by teams on a weekly basis to identify trends in demand or inform conversations with local school or setting leaders.

In some Local Area Partnerships, a view of the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) is reviewed monthly by a SEND Board to take decisions on prioritisation, resourcing and delivery of services informed by regular data.

Please set out how you will use data to track demand (e.g., EHCP applications for assessment), Service delivery (e.g., Speech and Language Specialists deployment; places created), Service quality (e.g., parental satisfaction) and outputs (e.g., pupil attendance; pupil exclusions)

• Feedback and adaptation mechanisms - what feedback loops and stakeholder input you will use to review progress and adjust

your approach.

Our approach to monitoring and evaluation ensures robust outcome tracking and systematic use of evidence to drive continuous improvement. It is an integrated, cyclical process linking data, practice and strategic decision-making. Please refer to Appendix D for further details.

Strategic Monitoring

Performance is governed through a structured, multi-layered framework with operational and strategic oversight. The Bromley SEND Dashboard remains the central reporting tool, providing a balanced scorecard across demand, timeliness, sufficiency, quality and outcomes. This is complemented by a monthly Education Insights Report enabling rapid identification of variation and emerging risks.

In line with best practice, monitoring includes both leading and lagging indicators. Leading indicators (e.g. early identification, SEN Support uptake, timeliness of assessments) help anticipate future demand and system pressures, while lagging indicators (e.g. attainment, PfA outcomes) provide assurance on long-term impact.

Data, Insight, and Evaluation Capability

Data analysis is led by the Performance Team, drawing on a comprehensive evidence base including SEN2, school and AP census data, Early Years data, national attainment datasets, LA systems and partner information. Quantitative data is combined with qualitative intelligence from audits, case reviews and lived experience.

Benchmarking compares performance with statistical neighbours and national averages to ensure appropriate improvement trajectories. Where data quality issues exist, particularly across partner systems, these are proactively addressed through joint data validation protocols and shared data standards.

Connected Data and System Integration

The SEND Partnership is strengthening system interoperability to enable a holistic understanding of children and young people’s journeys. Data is increasingly linked across education, health, and social care, allowing for more sophisticated cohort tracking and outcome analysis.

Access to data is purposefully tiered to support action at all levels: practitioners access real-time operational dashboards to inform casework; service managers review performance trends and variation; and strategic leaders and partners receive integrated reports through governance forums. This ensures that insight is both accessible and actionable.

Progress against the reforms will be tracked through defined milestones, delivery plans and performance indicators aligned to each workstream.

Outcomes Focused Evaluation

The data template projections reflect Bromley’s strategic ambition to moderate demand and increase mainstream inclusion, with trajectory adjustments from 2028 onwards based on the expected impact of early intervention, workforce expansion and the Experts at Hand model. Appendix D sets out the full performance framework, including baseline data, target metrics and monitoring arrangements, aligned to the DfE data template and SEND Dashboard.

The co-produced SEND Outcomes Framework provides the “golden thread” for evaluation, ensuring alignment between individual outcomes in SEN Support and EHC plans, service delivery, and commissioning priorities. Key outcome measures include EHCP demand and timeliness, mainstream inclusion, attendance, preparation for adulthood outcomes and parental confidence. Progress against workforce development will be monitored through the SEND Governance Board, with reporting aligned to the measures set out in Appendix B and the wider SEND Dashboard.

Evaluation focuses on whether interventions lead to meaningful improvements in children and young people’s lives, particularly in areas such as inclusion, independence, and preparation for adulthood.

The framework supports formative evaluation (understanding what is working and why) and summative evaluation (assessing overall impact), enabling targeted action where data indicates variation or unmet need.

Continuous Improvement and Learning

Monitoring findings inform service design, commissioning, workforce and resource allocation, triangulated with feedback from families, schools and partners. This is already shaping decisions, including targeting early intervention capacity, workforce investment and service access.

A continuous improvement cycle is embedded across the partnership, ensuring learning is systematically captured and acted upon. This approach ensures that the SEND system remains responsive, equitable, and focused on delivering improved outcomes for all children and young people with SEND in Bromley.

13. Reporting to DfE

Using the attached data template, the local area partnership is required to provide quarterly data returns to DfE against selected key metrics. DfE will, in turn, provide quarterly data reports with visualised analysis and benchmarking that will support your local delivery, monitoring and evaluation. This will include data the department holds on Attendance, Exclusions, and Unauthorised

absence.

Please use the attached data template to upload your initial data return to DfE.

Nb See Data Template attached

Section 4 – Governance

• How will the local area partnership ensure delivery of plans remain on track?

Please outline the governance structures in place to oversee delivery. Clearly set out who is responsible for overseeing reform delivery, what each governance group or individual is accountable for, and how these arrangements ensure progress is monitored and decisions are made transparently. Please identify where the named Sro for the Local SEND Reform Plan sits within the governance structure and ensure your response incorporates the core minimum requirements.

of SEND implementation across representatives including Governance Board) the local partnership Pcf, representatives from Ey settings, mainstream schools (primary and secondary), post-16, special schools and AP.

SEL Icb (Bromley) Oversees the Bcyp Chair is the Place NHS Bi-monthly Strategic, including commissioning, models of care and some financial One Bromley Bcyp Programme health-initiated Exec Lead. Includes Local Care Board priorities, including strategic leads from Partnership SEND.

Health, Education, (Lcp) and/or Social Care, Clinical SEL Icb Board Leadership from primary/secondary care, Senior Leads from Health providers in physical and Mh services.

SEL Icb (Bromley) Develop, inform, Chaired by Senior Bi-Monthly Strategic, financial and operational One Bromley Local Care oversee and scrutinise Clinical Lead in Bromley, Executive Partnership with wide ranging attendees at

delivering on the Pfa strategic priorities.

Children’s Responsible for taking Chaired by Cyp Monthly Strategic, operational and some financial Cyp Programme Integrated forward the national Associate Director for Board and Neighbourhood mandate on the Commissioning.

Bromley Team (newly development of Neighbourhood Members from across formed) integrated Development health, education, public neighbourhood teams Group health and social care.

and neighbourhood working.

Social Care Reform Provides overall Chair: Chief Executive; Monthly Primary decision- making authority for programme design, investment and implementation.

Chief Executive / Board strategic leadership and Director of Children’s Safeguarding governance for the Services; Partners Families First Transformation Lead; Partnership Place Executive Lead Programme. Sets (Icb); Associate Director direction for Children’s transformation across Commissioning (Icb); Family Help, Best Start Chief Nurse (Icb); Family Hubs and Deputy Chief Nurse safeguarding arrangements; oversees delivery, risks (Icb); Metropolitan and funding.

Police Superintendent Bromley Provides independent Chair: Independent Quarterly Strategic challenge and assurance National Safeguarding multi-agency oversight Chair; Local Authority, safeguarding Children and assurance of Police, Icb, Education, bodies / informs Partnership (Bscp) safeguarding Health, Voluntary Sector Reform Board arrangements and alignment to reforms.

Families First Leads implementation Chair: Director of Monthly Operational delivery decisions Executive Board Operational / of Families First reforms Children’s Social Care; / Social Care Delivery Board including Family Hubs, Multi-agency operational Reform Board / Family Help, MACPTs leads (LA, Icb, Police, Bscp and Fgdm; monitors Education, Voluntary performance, risk and sector) delivery.

Workstreams

Bromley Inclusion Monthly This group will lead on the SEND Reform Responsible for Strengthening Inclusion across Education settings Chaired by Head of Access to Education and Inclusion Partnership Group (Strengthening Inclusion and Belonging culture Inclusion including Inclusion bases)

Data, Sufficiency Responsible for Chaired by Head of Monthly This will lead on the development of finance monitoring and data and sufficiency SEND Reform and Resources monitoring of sufficiency Sufficiency Group data and resources Membership across includes data sharing SEND partnership with across partnership, key leads from LA and SEND Data dashboards Icb

Section 5 – Central Government Support

15. How can we help you?

Please outline any practical support you need from central government to implement your plan effectively.

This may include:

• Access to specialist expertise or advisory support
• Help with workforce development or recruitment challenges
• Tools or templates to support data collection, reporting, or evaluation
• Facilitation of peer learning or regional collaboration
• Support with system-level coordination across education, health, and care
• Guidance on navigating regulatory or policy barriers
• Earlier publication of National Inclusion standards
• Support to connect SEND Reform and wider national reforms to avoid duplication/support collaboration
• Cost/profit breakdown matrix for independent placement fees, to support discussions/negotiations with providers
• Change programme support – other local authorities participating have additional support to get them ahead.

Please note Appendices A. B, C and D referenced throughout, plus our Maturity Assessment and Data template, are submitted as separate attachments and should be referenced outside of this plan document.

Appendix A - Bromley Experts at Hand Offer

This Appendix primarily supports Sections 1 and 2 in the SEND Reform Plan Annex A attachment

Executive Summary – Bromley Experts at Hand Offer

Bromley’s Experts at Hand (Eah) model is a system-wide approach to strengthening inclusion and improving outcomes for children and young people with SEND by enabling earlier, more effective support in mainstream settings.

The model builds on Bromley’s strong partnership foundations, established outreach services and strong joint working arrangements. It is designed to address identified system challenges, particularly variability in access, workforce fragmentation and the need for earlier intervention, without duplicating existing provision.

See workflow representation below workflow representation below.

At the core of the model is a single, integrated access point (Eah Hub), supported by Targeted Navigators to ensure equitable, consistent access across all settings. This approach creates a “no wrong door” system, enabling settings to access timely, proportionate, multi-disciplinary support aligned to need, and supplemented with local delivery.

Delivery is underpinned by a jointly commissioned workforce across the Local Authority and Integrated Care Board, combining clinical expertise, specialist outreach and embedded support roles. This includes investment in assistants and practitioners to maximise reach through group-based delivery, alongside coaching and in-setting support to ensure practice change is sustained.

The model is explicitly designed to:

• Strengthen mainstream inclusion through earlier intervention
• Reduce reliance on statutory processes and specialist placements
• Improve consistency and confidence across the system
• Deliver better outcomes and experiences for children, young people and families

Eah funding will enhance system capacity rather than replace existing provision, with a minimum of 80% of investment directed to frontline delivery.

Over time, the model will support the transition to a more inclusive, sustainable SEND system in Bromley – one where needs are identified early, support is delivered locally wherever possible, and children and young people are enabled to achieve and thrive.

Context

This initial outline of the Bromley offer has been developed following consultation events with local education settings (Ey, school aged and Fe), parents and carers, young people with SEN, and staff working across the local partnership (including NHS and LA) as well as guidance and direction from a SEND Reforms Steering Group (that has representation across the area).

Its focus is to build on the effective services and systems already available in Bromley, adding and extending the offer to incorporate all required aspects of Experts at Hand as outlined by the Government.

In year one, to bridge the gap, the Eah offer will focus on the key needs presented via Ehcna and our AP Gateway Panel that are affecting pupil’s ability to attend, access or engage with learning. This will include children and young people with needs across one or more of the following areas:

• Semh
• sensory differences (including Hi and Vi)
• social communication
• emotional regulation and literacy
• Speech and Language Needs

The outcomes from the setting self-assessments will identify any additional specific areas of need. Eah will focus on evidenced, effective, early interventions to address needs and support better engagement in learning.

From year two, the identification of need and access to specialist support will be through the fully implemented Access Model as set out below.

Primary need profile of Bromley Cyp who have SEND The chart below shows the primary need profile of pupils attending Bromley state funded schools and settings for those with an EHCP and SEN Support.

The highest primary need for those on SEN Support is Social, Emotional and Mental Health (Semh) and Speech, Language and Communication Needs (Slcn). For those with an EHCP, Slcn remains the highest primary need with Autism and Semh the next highest primary needs. See Pillar 3 of the Maturity Assessment Matrix.

Partnership design and evidence base

The Eah model has been co-developed through: - Multi-agency consultation with schools (early years, mainstream and Fe), health partners and the Parent Carer Forum - Engagement events with children and young people - Input from SEND Reforms Steering Group representing LA, Icb, education and voluntary sector partners Design was informed by analysis of: - EHCP growth trends and placement data - Therapy waiting times and access patterns - School inclusion maturity and engagement levels - Demand for specialist and out-of-area placements This ensured the model is needs-led, evidence-based and jointly owned across the partnership.

Principles

Build on the high quality, effective support already in place Start from individual schools starting points Leave in practitioners who can embed learning Build on… As evidenced through our maturity assessment and consistent feedback from settings, Bromley has several high quality, well-respected outreach and support teams that support our local settings to be inclusive.

These include Lbb advisory teachers covering general inclusion and SEN support for schools; specialist EHCP support for schools and local Fe settings; hearing impairment; visual impairment; and Ey settings as well as commissioned AP outreach to support behaviours in schools.

These teams are already delivering the key Experts at Hand requirements. The focus in Bromley will be to align this support and extend its reach.

Alignment will be required with our Family Hubs and Best Start Inclusion Practitioner roles, with the Bsip’s acting as a key part of the overall Eah offer. Family Hubs will support early identification and intervention, with a 0-5 focus, and act as a trusted, local hub for early support and advice for families.

We recognise that the area that most needs to be built up is support to Fe settings. This will be a priority in Year 2.

To ensure we have a clear understanding of the offers across our existing services and our gaps/ overlaps, we will map them against the Eah requirement as part of our initial work in mobilising the offer.

Start From… Lbb has a good working partnership with the Icb and a strong relationship with its education settings. However, for school aged settings, the area is highly academised with several academic trusts operating across the area. Each trust and school have their own culture, priorities and strengths. A “one fits all” approach will not be appropriate. This is the same for our Ey settings, with the majority of support offered via Pvi.

While we host a large Fe college, Bromley has a high percentage of 16+ pupils in out of borough settings (average 35%). Again, the out of borough settings will need individual approaches to meet their needs from their current starting points.

In order to build support that responds to the starting point for our settings, we will support each setting to carry out an inclusion self-assessment to identify their current gaps in approach and provision compared to the Government’s ambitions (as set out in the Every Child Achieving and Thriving White Paper). This will be used to identify what support is needed to fill those gaps and how it needs to be delivered in accordance with the individual setting’s culture and teaching pedagogy and methodology.

Settings will work with Eah staff to reflect on their evaluation to jointly develop an annual plan based on their self-assessment, focussing on whole school and individual staff training and support. This will outline how the setting, wider trust (where applicable) and Eah will work together to improve the inclusivity of their provision.

Leave in… In order to embed advice and support, the Eah offer in Bromley will have a team of Inclusion Practitioners who will spend time in the setting after the Eah initial involvement, helping to embed the learning into action and into the day-to-day work of the setting. These professionals will work on a locality basis, aligned to other key frontline support models (Family Hubs, INTs etc).

Qualified professionals (Speech & Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Specialist Teachers and Educational Psychologists) will also be supported by trainees and assistants who will deliver training and support as well as embed learning.

A key feature of the Eah offer will be the provision of coaching to support setting staff to have the confidence to carry their learning through in their practice.

These roles will be delivered by a mix of LA, health and school staff to offer a multi- disciplinary joint offer to settings.

Delivery and commissioning model

Bromley has reviewed the models of Eah offers proposed via the Rise programme to identify which model, or a blended approach, would best suit the area, recognising that some provision in the area such as our Salt Uts model already goes beyond the Eah requirements.

After reviewing our systems, we believe we already operate like a “system integrator”, not a fragmented system. As set out in our Maturity Assessment, we believe our main challenges are consistency of access and system coherence. Increased capacity at a local level will further improve the ability of the system to support and challenge settings and provide earlier intervention.

The Experts at Hand offer will be jointly commissioned between the Local Authority and South East London Icb. Delivery will be through a partnership model combining:

- LA-employed advisory and inclusion and Ep teams - ICB-commissioned therapy services - Special school and AP outreach provision - Additional EAH-funded workforce Formal partnership arrangements will be governed through joint commissioning agreements and reporting to the SEND Governance Board, with clear performance oversight and accountability. The recruitment to the team will be via Bromley LA and the NHS as part of the area’s wider workforce development strategy.

Bromley has recently adopted the Scerts (Social Communication, Emotional Regulation, Transactional Support) framework as its leading approach to supporting pupils with social communication and emotional regulation needs (including autism). As part of the Eah offer, we will be establishing a Scerts hub in one of our maintained special schools. The hub will host all training events and facilitate peer to peer learning groups as well as offering mainstream staff the opportunity to join the school for a day to see the Scerts model in practice. Part of the special school and AP outreach offer will include supporting mainstream schools to embed Scerts practices in their day-to-day work.

Evaluation against current arrangements

The strengths in our area that will support our Eah offer are:

• Strong system leadership & governance
• High school engagement
• Embedded graduated approach and early intervention
• Strong multi-agency working
• Successful tiered models already (including SaLT Uts and Isat)

The key gaps identified through our Maturity Assessment, that our Eah offer needs to address are:

• Variability in school engagement and impact
• Fragmented workforce / no single system-wide workforce strategy
• Therapies not yet fully embedded at universal/targeted level (esp. Ot)
• Access can still feel complex for families/settings
• Risk of disjointed offers across reforms / services

Our proposed model is a blended approach suited to Bromley’s individual strengths and needs. The model will entail a Central Hub with Targeted Navigators to ensure consistent and transparent access to support and specialist guidance, whilst having locality-based delivery of Specialist Teaching support, aligned to other local services.

Access model

Settings will access Eah through a single, integrated front door model, building on existing Spoc arrangements. The Eah Hub will triage requests and deploy appropriate support across the multi-disciplinary offer. Triage will be informed by setting self-assessment, demand data and professional judgement to ensure support is allocated proportionately and aligned to need.

To ensure equitable access: - Targeted Navigators will proactively engage lower-engagement settings - Data will be used to identify variation in access and target support accordingly - Access will not be demand-led, preventing disproportionate use by more proactive settings The Hub will have virtual access to a team that includes professionals and assistants/ trainees from a wide cohort including advisory teachers and teachers from special schools, Educational Psychologists, Occupational Therapists, Speech and Language Therapists, leaders from special schools.

In addition to the individual professions, the team will specialise in supporting a wide range of needs including behaviour management, speech, language and communication needs, supporting activities of daily living, managing emotionally based school avoidance, neurodiversity, sensory needs (including Vi and Hi), emerging needs and understanding learning literacy.

Our settings already have officers who are their specified point of contact/ integrated single point of access for SEN support and these SPOCs will continue to operate as the “front door” to support. They will have the Eah Hub to help determine the type and range of support to deploy.

Specialist and AP outreach will be coordinated through the Eah Hub utilising the unique skills and expertise in our five maintained special schools Work will be begin in the second quarter to fully develop each strand of the outreach offer.

As with school aged support, the Ey Eah offer builds on an effective and valued advisory teacher model. The offer will expand to include Salt, Ot and Ep support and align to the specific needs of the settings in Bromley, recognising the high number of Pvi settings. The Eah offer needs to deliver maximum impact while recognising settings have low staff availability for training and support outside of their frontline work. A key focus will be on ensuring sufficient resources and training is available that can be accessed as needed.

The Eah model deliberately phases the roll out to Further Education in year two to enable a vocational preparation course pilot to be undertaken in partnership with Lsec Bromley. The course will embed life skills, maths and English qualifications and be delivered by a tutor with supervision by a qualified Educational Psychologist to ensure additional needs of young people can be met inclusively.

In addition, there will be Targeted Navigators for priority settings in the area. This will not be a universal offer/ allocation but targeted at settings with low engagement with the Eah hub or identified rising demand/ issues. The Navigators will offer fast access to advice and refer the settings in to the Eah Hub for more intensive support.

This model is optimal for Bromley because it builds on an already mature, integrated system, addressing identified gaps in access, consistency and workforce alignment without

duplicating existing provision. It enables scalable early intervention while maintaining strong local relationships with settings.

We believe this model will:

Address the gap in clarity of offer – while we have strong support services, the Hub and Navigators support settings navigate the support available

Create “no wrong door” – the services and individuals that settings already know are incorporated into the offer and ensure they are directed to the right support they need

Protects equity across all schools – by ensuring more pro-active schools don’t receive a disproportionate allocation of support/ resources, and ensuring reach to less engaged schools

Use our workforce efficiently – by triaging demand and avoiding spreading specialists across all schools indiscriminately

Builds on what already works

We will be jointly reviewing the effectiveness of this model quarterly to ensure that it remains the most appropriate and effective one for the area. It may be that in time, the model of delivery will need to change as the local offer in settings change. We will carry out an annual review of the Eah offer at the end of each academic year, which will include a check that the model of delivery continues to be the most effective and cost-efficient option.

Integration with existing services

Therapy and Outreach Services Eah funding will enhance, not replace, existing provision by:

Expanding capacity of therapy and outreach services - Increasing group-based and preventative interventions

Extending reach of existing models (e.g. Salt Uts)

Eah will be aligned with existing funding streams (including High Needs and transformation funding) to ensure a coherent, non-duplicative system offer. The model is being implemented alongside other key systemic changes including Best Start in Life, Families First Partnership and Integrated Neighbourhood (Health) Teams – see dependencies for further information.

Alternative Provision Alternative Provision reform is a key component of the Eah model, supporting earlier intervention, preventing exclusion and strengthening reintegration pathways. The partnership will review and align Alternative Provision outreach to the Eah model, ensuring consistency with emerging 3-tier/Alternative Provision Specialist Taskforce (Apst) approaches.

This will include:

Reviewing current AP & AP outreach commissioning including PRUs and the behavioural outreach offer

Exploring integration with Eah delivery where appropriate

Ensuring AP contributes to preventative and reintegration pathways, with outreach expected to provide time-limited support and intervention

Post-16 and out-of-area provision The Eah offer will include:

Access routes for Bromley young people attending out-of-area Fe settings via the Hub

Targeted engagement with key Fe providers

Development of a bespoke Fe delivery model in Year 2

Discussions will be held with neighbouring Boroughs and Counties with the aim of ensuring a cohesive and consistent offer across LA boundaries. This has been identified as a

particular priority by school leaders with high numbers of cross-border pupils. This work will ensure equitable access regardless of setting location.

Costs and structure

Eah funding will be used to expand and enhance system capacity, rather than replace funding of services, with a primary focus on direct delivery to settings.

This allocation aligns with the expected 80/10/10 funding model, ensuring that the majority of investment – more than 80% - is directed towards frontline delivery through the Experts at Hand workforce. This includes multi-disciplinary clinical input, embedded workforce support and specialist outreach, maximising the impact on early intervention, mainstream inclusion and reduced reliance on statutory processes. A proportion of funding is allocated to programme leadership, administration and transformation activity required to establish, embed and sustain the model at scale, in line with national funding expectations, as set out in the table below.:

The Eah offer will work alongside existing, high-quality advice, outreach and support services to expand the range and amount of support available to our mainstream settings to enable them to become more inclusive and able to support more pupils with SEN.

In addition to existing commissioned and LA services, the offer will include:

1. Strategic and System Leadership Roles

2. Core Multi-Disciplinary Clinical Workforce

3. Inclusion and Embedded Practice Workforce

Total £447,500

4. Specialist Outreach and System Capacity

This workforce model combines strategic leadership, multi-disciplinary clinical expertise and embedded support roles to deliver a scalable Experts at Hand offer. It maximises reach through group-based delivery while building sustainable capacity within mainstream settings.

The balancing figure of c£532,469 will be allocated to Strategic Project Management / Transformation / Admin. This includes programme management, coordination, data and change capacity required to mobilise and sustain the Eah model, with more than 80% of funding remaining focused on direct delivery.

An early priority will be developing an effective recruitment strategy in line with our joint workforce development strategy.

Governance and Accountability

The Eah programme is overseen by the Local SEND Reform Plan Sro (Director of Education), who is accountable for delivery, performance and alignment with wider reform priorities.

The Eah working group will continue to meet monthly to further enhance and ensure implementation of this model of delivery. The working group will report into the revised Bromley Inclusion Partnership, which in turn reports into the SEND Governance Board. Bip is a strategic partnership designed to oversee the delivery, quality and sufficiency of AP in Bromley. It is soon to be expanded to focus on the principles of inclusion outlined in the reforms, including ensuring representation from all areas of the partnership.

Initially, members of the Eah offer (Hub and Navigators) will report weekly to the commissioner on activities and issues. This will ensure initial problems are quickly identified and that planned reach and impact are monitored from the start.

The Eah working group will review this feedback monthly and support the quarterly Sro feedback to DfE. Termly reports will be made to the SEND Governance Board.

The Eah working group’s key function will be to ensure the Eah offer is effective, impactful and cost effective. This will be achieved via review of reporting matrices; setting, family and Cyp feedback; and overall system outcomes including early identification of needs,

contributing to improved inclusion, reduced escalation to statutory processes and better long-term outcomes for children and young people.

A detailed breakdown of the increase in staffing and associated costs for Salt, Ot and Ep is included within the table below. This table should be read in conjunction with the Data Template Tables 15 and 16 and the Assumptions tab.

Implementation Plan – Year 1

Year 2 Key deliverables

• Expand reach of Eah by increasing numbers of staff (particular focus on Ot roles as Uts model agreed and implemented)
• Further develop offer by implementing Fe focussed provision (including SEN career advisors) after working with settings and neighbouring LA’s to determine most effective model/s of delivery
• Further develop offer by implementing offer for pupils not in an educational setting
• Review model of delivery and support provision to ensure offer is effective and Vfm
• Review staffing arrangements to ensure appropriate and effective
• Develop 1-2 more Scerts hubs
• Review if AP outreach commissioning needs to be adapted to better meet Eah offer

Year 3 Key deliverables

• Review impact of Eah offer to determine ongoing model with particular focus on pupil cohorts (e.g. neurodiverse; persistent disruptive behaviour)
• Develop and expand staffing team to support areas needing enhanced improvement

Recruitment Risks and Mitigations

This section should be read in conjunction with Risks in the main Plan.

Delivery assumptions are based on phased recruitment, use of mixed workforce roles and existing service capacity. Contingency arrangements include use of outreach, agency capacity and prioritised roll-out to ensure deliverability in the context of national workforce pressures.

Bromley recognises that there will be significant competition for the additional roles identified as every local area in England will be looking to recruit at the same time. The unmitigated risk is considered to be Red/High Risk. However, by creating a varied workforce within the offer (e.g. qualified and unqualified staff) we hope to be able to bring in a high proportion of the roles within this financial year.

The workforce model has been designed to address system-wide workforce challenges, combining qualified professionals, assistants and trainees to maximise capacity, support sustainability and build future workforce pipelines.

Mitigation strategy for proposed staffing:

Success measures

This section should be read in conjunction with the local Success Measures.

Bromley has an agreed range of success measures for the area which will evaluate how well the overall system change is progressing. For the Eah offer, success will focus on:

Number of mainstream settings supported (reach & impact)

Number of children supported without a need for specialist assessment or diagnosis

Mainstream staff confidence index (measured via termly surveys on identifying needs early; delivering interventions)

Parent, carer and young people confidence index

Changes in external referral rates or new EHCP assessment requests in individual settings

Changes in placement breakdown/ requests for move to a more specialist setting

The following qualitative data will support review of the offer and ongoing staffing cohort required:

Number of group-based or cohort-led interventions delivered.

Staff coaching sessions completed

School environment audit completions

Success of "time-limited" support models—are settings becoming independent, or is dependency forming?

Year 1 success metrics/KPIs include: - % of mainstream settings accessing Eah support by setting type - Number and % of Cyp supported without escalation to EHC Needs Assessment - Reduction in average waiting time for early support - Staff confidence scores (baseline and termly improvement) These measures will be triangulated with system-level outcomes including reduced escalation to statutory processes, improved mainstream inclusion and reduced reliance on specialist placements, aligned to the co-produced Bromley Outcomes Framework.

Appendix B: SEND Workforce Development

This Appendix primarily supports Sections 1 and 2 in the SEND Reform Plan Annex A attachment

1. Context and Strategic Imperative

1.1 Delivering the ambitions of the SEND and Alternative Provision (AP) reforms requires a step change in how local areas develop, deploy, and sustain their workforce. At the heart of reform is a more inclusive, earlier intervention model of support for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), underpinned by stronger partnership working across education, health, and care.

1.2 In Bromley this will necessitate the development of a co-produced, coherent and system wide workforce strategy that ensures practitioners have the capacity, capability, and confidence to deliver high quality, integrated, person-centred services.

1.3 Workforce development is not a standalone activity but a core enabler of reform delivery, directly linked to improvements in outcomes, experience, and financial sustainability.

1.4 The Bromley SEND Reforms Plan has workforce as a golden thread and a key enabler to help deliver on our intentions. The wider workforce development considers the planning and development of the Experts at Hand model in Bromley, as well as the learning which will be drawn from this new way of working.

1.5 This workforce strategy directly underpins the four priorities of the SEND Reform Plan, particularly strengthening inclusion, enabling early intervention through Experts at Hand, and supporting system-wide sustainability and shared accountability.

1.6 The key intention in Bromley is to build from a strong base to accelerate our transition from a ‘reactive’ system to a proactive, needs led approach, delivered by all professionals in an integrated model of care and support or children and families.

1.7 The Experts at Hand (Eah) model (see Appendix C) is the primary delivery mechanism for workforce development in Bromley, enabling the transfer of specialist expertise into mainstream settings through coaching, modelling and joint practice.

2. Workforce Vision

2.1 Bromley’s vision is to develop a confident, skilled and integrated SEND partnership workforce that enables more children and young people to thrive in mainstream education settings, through building a strong, integrated, focused and skilled workforce, delivering high-quality support.

2.2 This vision is aligned to One Bromley principles of prevention, early intervention, and integrated care, and is underpinned by three system priorities:

Inclusion as everyone’s responsibility: All practitioners are equipped to support a wider range of needs within universal provision

Integrated multidisciplinary practice: Professionals work across organisational boundaries with shared frameworks and language

A sustainable workforce model: Recruitment, retention and development are proactively managed to meet current and future demand

2.3 The intended outcomes of this approach include improved and increased levels of inclusion in mainstream settings, reduced reliance on statutory processes, and better experiences for children, young people and families.

2.4 Progress will be tracked through the SEND Dashboard and linked success measures, including reductions in EHCP demand, improved attendance and inclusion, increased workforce confidence, and reduced reliance on specialist placements.

3. Key Workforce Development Priorities

Strengthening Inclusive Practice in Mainstream Settings 3.1 In line with national reform priorities, Bromley will prioritise workforce development in mainstream education to ensure that most needs can be met without escalation to specialist services. In Year 1, delivery will prioritise establishing core training, leadership capacity and Eah delivery. Years 2–3 will focus on scaling, embedding and sustaining workforce capability across all settings.

Key actions include:

Delivering a core SEND training offer for all schools, aligned with best practice and national standards

Strengthening the role of SENCOs as strategic leaders, including leadership development and peer networks

Expanding access to evidence-based interventions and inclusive teaching approaches

Developing outreach models from specialist settings to support mainstream capacity

Utilisation of the Eah model to provide rapid expertise, ‘live coaching’ and supporting to embed best practice

3.2 This will enable earlier support, reduce avoidable escalation, and improve outcomes for children and families

Embedding Integrated Multi-Agency Working 3.3 Building on the One Bromley model, workforce development will support more effective multi-disciplinary collaboration by:

Designing and delivering joint training programmes across education, health and social care

Establishing shared competencies and practice standards for SEND across the partnership

Develop a partnership workforce strategy, establishing a common reference point of objective, progress and enablers

• Embedding consistent approaches to assessment, planning, and review

3.4 This will improve coordination, reduce duplication, and ensure that families experience a more seamless system of support.

Early Identification and Intervention 3.5 A key shift within will be to move from reactive to proactive support. Bromley will strengthen workforce capability in early identification through:

• Targeted training for early years practitioners, schools, and health professionals
• Improved use of screening tools and graduated response approaches
• Strengthening the role of universal services as the first point of support

Aligning workforce development with early help and prevention strategies across the partnership

3.6 This will enable needs to be identified and addressed earlier, reducing reliance on statutory assessments.

Workforce Recruitment, Retention, and Career Pathways 3.7 To ensure a sustainable workforce, Bromley will adopt a proactive and collaborative approach to workforce planning:

Developing “grow your own” pathways, including progression routes from ‘assistants’ and support staff into specialist roles

Establishing and nurture relationships with colleges and universities, providing an effective stream of newly qualified professionals into the Bromley system

Expanding training pipelines for shortage professions, working with regional and national partners

• Promoting flexible workforce models, including shared roles across organisations

Strengthening retention through professional development, supervision, and wellbeing support

3.8 These actions will improve workforce stability and reduce reliance on temporary or external provision.

Leadership and System Capability 3.9 Delivery of the Bromley SEND Reforms plan will require strong leadership across the system. Bromley will:

Deliver leadership development programmes for SEND leads across education, health and care

• Strengthen system leadership capacity within the One Bromley partnership

Support commissioning capability to align workforce investment with service transformation

• Embed a culture of continuous improvement and shared accountability

3.10 This will support workforce development being strategically aligned and consistently implemented.

4. Delivery Model and Enablers

Partnership Delivery 4.1 Reflecting the scope and priorities of delivering on the SEND Reforms, governance and oversight will span current structures, though the primary accountable board will be the SEND Governance Board. The Board will direct governance and oversight of workforce development, ensuring alignment with wider transformation programmes and enabling joint ownership across partners.

Data Lead Delivery 4.2 Bromley will strengthen its use of data to inform workforce planning, including:

• Demand modelling (e.g. EHCP trends, service utilisation)
• Workforce supply and capacity analysis
• Outcomes and performance data

4.3 This will support ongoing evaluation, unbiased scrutiny and challenge, as well as providing a robust baseline for colleagues to set their objectives against. This, in turn, will directly inform workforce deployment, commissioning decisions and targeting of the Experts at Hand model to areas of greatest need.

Alignment with National Programmes 4.4 Where feasible, the Bromley partnership will align the delivery of the SEND Reforms plan against other national strategic objectives which have similar principles around early identification, increased access and reduced dependency on statutory/specialist services 4.5 Most notably, the families First Programme and the development of Integrated Neighbourhood Teams/Neighbourhood working provide an opportunity to get economies of scale within the Bromley workforce. The approach broadly being that the workforce development in one area will directly support the partnership competencies across the other strategic objectives.

Co-production with Children, Young People and Families 4.6 The Bromley workforce strategy will be co-produced with families and delivery partners, ensuring that training reflects lived experience, and recognising parents and carers as equal partners with lived expertise in their child’s needs

5. Impact and Outcomes

5.1 The workforce development strategy will contribute directly to the outcomes set out in the SEND Reform Plan, including,

• Increased inclusion and reduced exclusions in mainstream education
• Reduced demand for statutory assessment and EHCPs over time
• Improved timeliness and quality of support
• Better multi-agency working and family experience

Greater financial sustainability through earlier intervention and reduced reliance on high-cost provision

5.2 The detail of ‘how’ and the capturing of Kpi’s and outcomes will be explored, developed and committed to the workforce strategy.

Appendix C – Capital and Sufficiency of the Local SEND Reform Plan – Operational and Outcome Data This Appendix primarily supports Sections 1 and 2 in the SEND Reform Plan Annex A attachment

This section provides further detail with regards Questions 13 & 14 The narrative below provides additional information regarding the Council’s plans for increasing inclusive mainstream provision and specialist capacity, aligned to the SEND Reform Plan and supporting a shift towards earlier intervention, reduced reliance on statutory processes and improved local sufficiency. Expansion of mainstream provision The Council is prioritising investment in mainstream provision to support inclusion and reduce reliance on specialist placements.

The Council allocates £100k per annum to support adaptations within mainstream schools that enable children and young people with EHCPs to be supported effectively within local settings. This includes environmental and sensory adaptations, creation of regulation and breakout spaces, improved accessibility and targeted classroom modifications.

In addition, the Council has invested capital funding to support the development of inclusion/support bases and enhanced provision within mainstream schools. This includes:

o £900k previously allocated o £500k in 2025, awarded supporting 13 schools o £1.05m in 2026 to continue the programme This investment supports Bromley’s ambition, aligned to the wider SEND Reform Plan, to develop a comprehensive network of inclusion/support bases across the majority of mainstream schools, enabling settings to meet a wider range of needs locally and consistently. Over time, this will support a system shift whereby mainstream provision can meet the needs of the majority of children and young people with SEND, reducing reliance on escalation to specialist placements. Inclusion/support bases will operate as part of a tiered system of support, underpinned by the Experts at Hand model and specialist outreach, ensuring access to expertise, training and multi-disciplinary input. These developments increase capacity within mainstream provision to meet a wider range of needs locally and support the delivery of a consistent, high-quality Universal Offer. As part of this programme, successful applicants are required to provide monitoring information on outcomes. Future funding rounds will align data collection with DfE requirements, including reporting on additional placements supported and impact on inclusion and reduced escalation. The Council expects 50 places to be delivered by the first pilot round launched in 2025 to be delivered from 2026 at an estimated average cost of £10k per places. By 2029 a further 290 places are planned to be delivered at an estimated average of £5k per place. Total expenditure £1.95m. It is intended that this programme will be extended with future high needs provision capital allocations.

Between 2026 and 2029, the Council will:

• expand two existing specialist bases, adding 20 places
• establish one new specialist base, adding 30 places

This sits alongside additional capacity of 30 places already delivered through expansion works in 2025/26 and 2026/27, which are not reflected in the outcome data tables. This investment supports inclusive mainstream provision and is aligned to the Experts at Hand model, enabling earlier intervention and strengthening local capacity. The programme also aligns with Bromley’s early intervention strategy, including the development of school-based nurseries and strengthening early years provision, ensuring needs are identified and supported as early as possible. Expansion of specialist provision The Council is planning targeted expansion of specialist provision to address identified gaps in local capacity and reduce reliance on independent and out-of-borough placements. This includes the expansion of an existing special school by up to 80 places, at a cost of approximately £51k per place through repurposing and remodelling adjacent accommodation. While delivery is expected to take place from 2029/30, this forms part of the longer-term sufficiency strategy. This expansion addresses historic under-capacity within the local system and supports improved sufficiency of local specialist provision. Please note that data in Operation and Outcome Data Template is based on capacity as recorded on Gias as opposed school rolls. Replacement of special free school provision Nb the capital funding for these places is through a dedicated DfE grant of £9m. The associated funding requirements specifically require Bromley to provide at least 152 places in new satellite provision. Bromley is delivering the 152 satellite places required by DfE and originally planned through its special free school programme, to be provided by two strategic satellite provisions. This approach accelerates delivery of local specialist places and supports the development of a more flexible and integrated system of provision. The satellite sites are intended to reduce the need for expansive non-maintained special schools of which Bromley is an outlier as outlined in 8 above. The impact of this approach can be seen in the projected reduction in LA funded placements at Nmss or independent schools from 2027 onwards as demonstrated by Section 6 of the Operational and Outcome Data template. This reduction will continue following the opening of the second satellite site in 2029/20, beyond the scope of the data spreadsheet. Satellite 1 – Rivermead at Bromley Subject to approval of the associated significant change process:

• 60 local places will be delivered from January 2027 by Rivermead Inclusive Trust
• expanding to 100 local places by 2029/30

The final 16 places associated with this development fall outside the timeframe of the current plan and are therefore not included in the outcome data tables. Satellite 2

A second satellite is currently in development and is expected to deliver a further 60 places from 2029/30 onwards. These developments will:

• provide local, high-quality specialist provision
• enable children and young people to be educated closer to home
• reduce reliance on independent and out-of-borough placements
• improve continuity of support and outcomes

Strategic context and impact The medium term expansion of specialist provision is not intended to directly increase reliance on specialist provision, but to address historic gaps in local capacity, address the historic high proportion of Bromley pupils in non-maintained special schools and rebalance the system toward a more inclusive model. Over time this will enable a shift in provision types to maintained specialist provision and mainstream provision. It should also be noted the LA has a requirement to provide 152 special school satellite places as a condition of the £9m capital grant, provided in lieu of the Redwood special free school. Combined with the Experts at Hand model and wider workforce and inclusion strategies, this investment will:

support earlier intervention within mainstream settings

increase local capacity to meet need at lower tiers

reduce demand for EHCPs and specialist placements over time

improve value for money and system sustainability

optimise opportunities to create physical spaces and inclusion bases from falling school rolls, though noting this is happening at a different rates across parts of the borough Together, this approach strengthens Bromley’s ability to deliver a system that is:

• early
• local
• inclusive
• sustainable

Travel Impact Assessment An assessment of the impact of proposed capital expansion, inclusion bases and growth in local specialist provision on travel arrangements is underway and will be refined as projects progress. Bromley expects the proportion of children requiring out-of-borough placements and associated long-distance travel to reduce from 2028 onwards, aligned with increased local capacity and reduced reliance on independent provision. Baseline position A proportion of children and young people currently access provision outside of Bromley, often resulting in longer travel distances and journey times, and contributing to higher transport demand and cost. Local specialist capacity limits the ability to meet need within the borough. Expected impact Planned expansion of specialist provision and inclusion bases is expected to:

Increase access to local placements, reducing reliance on out-of-borough provision from 2028 onwards

Reduce average travel distances and journey times for children and young people with SEND

• Improve access to provision within local communities, supporting inclusion and participation
• Contribute to stabilisation of transport demand and costs over time

The increase in specialist capacity and mainstream inclusion will enable more children and young people to be supported within a reasonable distance of their home. Travel-related mitigations To support implementation, Bromley will:

• Phase delivery of new provision to minimise disruption
• Prioritise local placements where appropriate
• Work closely with transport services to align routes and capacity
• Regularly review journey times and suitability
• Engage with families on placement and transition planning

Where longer journeys remain necessary, these will be regularly reviewed to ensure they are appropriate to individual need. Nb See Data Template Table 3 and Assumptions tab for underlying calculations showing the anticipated impact of the SEND Reform Plan on SEN Transport expenditure (c£1.672m by 2029/30)

Appendix D – Performance Data and Success Measures

This Appendix primarily supports Sections 1, 2 and 3 in the SEND Reform Plan Annex A attachment

Purpose of this appendix

This appendix sets out the full performance framework for the Bromley Local SEND Reform Plan. It provides:

• Baseline measures drawn from the 2025 position and DfE data template
• Target metrics to 2029 aligned to the strategic ambitions of the Plan
• Additional supporting indicators to evidence system reform

Clear linkages to the monitoring and evaluation framework, the SEND Dashboard and supporting appendices

The measures in this appendix underpin the headline success measures and local blueprint priorities and will be used to track delivery, impact and sustainability across the partnership.

All measures will be monitored quarterly, using a combination of DfE data returns, local performance dashboards and qualitative evidence from families and partners.

Each measure will be tracked through: - DfE data template returns - Bromley SEND Dashboard - SEND Outcomes Framework (qualitative measures) See Appendix D for performance data and success measures Projected improvements in demand, inclusion and sufficiency are directly linked to implementation of the Experts at Hand model (see Appendix A), workforce development (see Appendix B) and increased local provision and sufficiency (see Appendix C). These changes underpin the trajectory adjustments seen from 2028 onwards within the data template projections.

D1. Headline performance measures

D2. Priority-level performance measures

Priority 1 – Strengthening inclusion across education settings

Core measures

Interpretation

Improvement will be evidenced through reduced education loss and improved ability of mainstream settings to meet need without escalation.

Priority 2 – System leadership, partnership and co-production

Interpretation

Progress will be shown through reduced conflict and improved trust across the system.

Priority 3 – Access to specialist support and local provision

Workforce and early intervention

Provision and placement

Interpretation

This priority is the primary driver of system reform through early intervention, workforce expansion and local provision.

Priority 4 – Encouraging inclusive culture and behaviours to drive sustainability and shared accountabilities

Financial sustainability and sufficiency

Demand and system efficiency

Interpretation

Sustainability will be demonstrated through:

• moderated demand growth
• reduced reliance on high-cost provision
• improved value for money
• stronger alignment between spend and outcomes

D3. Leading indicators

These indicators will provide early evidence of system shift:

• SEN Support uptake and quality
• Access to Experts at Hand across settings
• Waiting times for early support
• Workforce confidence and capability
• Early years identification rates
• Engagement in co-production

These measures are expected to show improvement ahead of lagging indicators such as EHCP demand and placement patterns.

D4. Monitoring and evaluation framework

Performance will be monitored through:

• The DfE Local SEND Reform data template (initial return and quarterly updates)
• The Bromley SEND Dashboard, integrating education, health and care data
• The SEND Outcomes Framework, including qualitative feedback from families
• Regular review through:

o SEND Governance Board

o Inclusion Partnership governance structures

o Directorate and corporate performance reporting

Reporting cycle

• Quarterly: data template refresh and performance reporting
• Biannual: deep-dive analysis of system trends
• Annual: full evaluation of impact and update to trajectory

D5. Key assumptions and trajectory

The trajectory set out in this appendix reflects the following assumptions:

• Continued demand growth to 2027
• A clear inflection point from 2028 onwards, driven by:

o Experts at Hand implementation

o workforce expansion

o increased local capacity

• Earlier intervention reduces escalation to statutory processes
• Increased mainstream inclusion reduces reliance on high-cost placements

D6. Linkages to other sections of the Plan

This appendix should be read alongside:

• Strategy section – overall system ambition and delivery model
• Success Measures section – headline indicators and narrative
• Appendix A – Experts at Hand Offer – early intervention model
• Appendix B – Workforce Development – workforce growth and capability
• Appendix C – Capital and Sufficiency – place planning and provision

Together, these sections provide a coherent framework linking strategy → delivery → metrics → evaluation.