Wirral Local SEND Reform Plan 2026

Local Area SEND Partnership Board

1. Report Summary

The Board is asked to endorse Wirral’s SEND Reform Strategy and Year One Delivery Plan as the Partnership’s shared roadmap for transforming the local SEND system over the next three years. The plan sets out a clear transition from a reactive, high-cost model towards a mainstream-first, inclusive and financially sustainable system, aligned with national SEND Reform and the Schools White Paper.

The Board is also asked to support the proposed implementation approach, including the rollout of the ‘Experts at Hand’ model, the expansion of inclusion bases, strengthened coproduction arrangements, and the in-principle investment in workforce capability, data maturity and locality-based multidisciplinary working.

Endorsement of the plan will enable the Partnership to proceed with joint commissioning discussions, workforce mobilisation, capital planning and delivery against the agreed milestones and success measures. This strategy provides a coherent framework for improving outcomes for children and young people with SEND whilst addressing system pressures, strengthening mainstream inclusion and supporting long-term financial sustainability.

2. Recommendation/S To Board

The Board is asked to recommend the plan to key signatories, including:

• Wirral LA Ceo • Cheshire and Merseyside Icb Ceo • Wirral LA Dcs • Icb NHS Place Director • Wirral LA Cfo • Parent Carer Participation Wirral Chair • Wirral Association of Secondary Headteachers Chair • Primary Headteachers Consultative Group Chair • Wirral Special Headteachers Association Chair

3. Links To Which Improvement Point Of 2025 Improvement Notice

There is only one point for improvement in the 2025 inspection report, which relates

to communication. This plan links directly to this point as effective communications is a central aspect of effective SEND provision.

4. Background Information/Content

The Department for Education has requested that all local area partnerships submit a

detailed SEND Reform Strategy and Local Delivery Plan as a condition of receiving national inclusion and reform funding for 2026–27. For Wirral, this is worth ~£55m.

The purpose of the plan is to demonstrate how local systems will align with the national

SEND and Alternative Provision reform agenda, including the development of mainstream-inclusive practice, earlier intervention, strengthened partnership working, and improved financial sustainability.

Wirral’s submission sets out the Partnership’s strategic vision, implementation

milestones, governance arrangements and measurable outcomes across education, health and care, providing assurance that investment will support sustainable system reform and improved outcomes for children and young people with SEND.

5. Impact On Children, Young People And Families

The implementation of this plan is intended to improve outcomes and experiences for children and young people with SEND by ensuring needs are identified and supported earlier, closer to home and within mainstream settings wherever possible.

Children, young people and families should experience more timely access to specialist advice and support, improved consistency across schools and services, stronger preparation for adulthood pathways, and greater transparency in decision- making. The plan also places a strong emphasis on meaningful coproduction, ensuring that families and young people have a more active role in shaping services and evaluating impact.

As the system transitions towards a mainstream-first approach, ongoing communication and engagement with families will be essential to build confidence, manage expectations and ensure that changes are implemented in a way that strengthens inclusion and trust across the Partnership.

6. Financial Implications

The plan has significant financial implications for the SEND Partnership and wider local area system. Approval of the strategy will enable Wirral to access national SEND reform and inclusion funding, including investment linked to the rollout of the Experts at Hand model and wider system transformation activity.

The plan aligns closely with the Dsg Management Plan, SEND Sufficiency Strategy and capital investment programme, with a clear emphasis on improving long-term financial sustainability through earlier intervention, strengthened mainstream inclusion and reduced reliance on high-cost specialist and out-of-borough placements.

Delivery will require coordinated investment across education, health and care, including workforce expansion, inclusion base development, digital and data infrastructure, and joint commissioning arrangements with the Icb. Robust programme governance, monitoring and benefits realisation arrangements will be essential to ensure investment delivers measurable impact and value for money over time.

7. Legal Implications

The SEND Reform Strategy and Delivery Plan support the Partnership’s statutory responsibilities under the Children and Families Act 2014, the SEND Code of Practice, the Equality Act 2010 and associated education, health and social care legislation.

The plan reinforces the requirement to secure appropriate provision for children and young people with SEND, promote inclusion, improve accessibility and ensure effective joint commissioning arrangements across partners. Continued focus on EHCP timeliness, quality assurance, coproduction and transparent decision-making will help mitigate legal challenge and reduce reliance on tribunals.

As implementation progresses, the Partnership will need to ensure that all reforms, commissioning arrangements, data-sharing practices and use of digital or AI-enabled systems remain compliant with public sector equality duties, data protection legislation and relevant governance requirements.

8. Resource Implications: Staffing, Ict And Assets

Delivery of the SEND Reform Strategy will require coordinated resource allocation across education, health and care partners. Key staffing implications include the recruitment and deployment of additional Educational Psychologists, therapists, therapy assistants, Nd and Semh specialists, alongside investment in workforce development, leadership capacity and programme management.

There are also Ict and digital implications associated with enhancing the SEND dashboard, improving data analytics capability, developing integrated reporting

systems and supporting digital consultation models linked to Experts at Hand. Asset and capital implications include the expansion of inclusion bases, adaptation of mainstream learning environments, development of co-located multidisciplinary provision within schools and Family Hubs, and wider sufficiency planning aligned to the capital programme.

Effective delivery will also require ongoing administrative support, communications capacity and strengthened partnership infrastructure to coordinate implementation, governance and coproduction activity across the local area system.

9. Relevant Risks

It is recommended that the following risks are added to the Partnership’s risk register:

- Delays (or anticipated delays) in introducing SEND Reform legislation in 2029 impact on our ability to realise the target outcomes and the envisaged system transformation.

- Historically, Wirral’s approach to capital delivery has fallen short of expectations. This could take some time to turn-around.

- The success of the Experts at Hand model and wider SEND reforms is heavily dependent on the availability of a skilled, multidisciplinary workforce. There is a risk that insufficient recruitment, retention challenges, and/or national workforce shortages will limit Wirral’s ability to scale early intervention and to reduce reliance on EHCPs.

- Post-16 In-Borough provision, on-site AP, and mainstream inclusion could cost more than existing arrangements for accessing specialist provision.

10. Engagement/Consultation

In addition to targeted engagement with multiple groups and individuals, there have been weekly SEND Reform meetings with the following membership:

• Elizabeth Hartley
• Adam Boddison
• Dan Kirwan
• Mark Bellamy
• Adrian Leach
• Melissa Berry
• Stuart Glavin
• Julia Bryant
• Helen Turner
• Jo Simpson
• Sarah Turner
• James Dewar

11. Appendices

- Local Delivery Plan for 2026-2027 - Word Count Summaries (merged)1 - Governance - Wirral Local Area Partnership Three Year Vision - Three Year Roadmap - Risks and Mitigations - SEND Reform Plan Signatories Sheet - Local Partnership Maturity Assessment Tool* - Local SEND Reform Plan Data Template*

* these datasets are not included in this report pack, and have been shared separately via email alongside the report pack

1 These are sections of an online form that need to be completed when the plan is submitted to DfE

Local Delivery Plan 2026-2027

• Reduced waiting times for access to specialist support:
• Reduced waiting

times for access to specialist support:

• Reduced waiting

times for access to specialist support:

• Reduced waiting

times for access to specialist support:

o Ep (% of Psychological Advices o Ep (% of o Ep (% of o Ep (% of completed within 6 weeks) = 21.8% o SaLT (average waiting time for Psychological Advices completed within 6 weeks) = 21.4% o SaLT (average Psychological Advices completed within 6 weeks) = 21.6% o SaLT (average Psychological Advices completed within 6 weeks) = 21.8% o SaLT (average initial assessment) ≤ 6 weeks o Nd (% of children and young people receiving first appointment with community paediatrician within 18 weeks) = 15.1% o Semh (12-month rolling average number on waiting list for 1st appointment with Choice) = 88 o Ot (% of children and young people waiting time for initial assessment) ≤ 6 weeks o Nd (% of waiting time for initial assessment) ≤ 6 weeks o Nd (% of waiting time for initial assessment) ≤ 6 weeks o Nd (% of receiving first appointment with paediatric Ot service within 18 weeks) ≥ 64.2%

• Average proportion of Neet children

and young people who have an EHCP = 20.5%

• Attendance rate for children and young

people with SEND: children and young people receiving first appointment with community paediatrician within 18 weeks) = 12.6% o Semh (12- children and young people receiving first appointment with community paediatrician within 18 weeks) = 13.7% o Semh (12- children and young people receiving first appointment with community paediatrician within 18 weeks) = 15.1% o Semh (12- o EHCP = 86.1% o SEN Support = 89.8% month rolling average number on waiting list for 1st appointment with Choice) = 96 o Ot (% of month rolling average number on waiting list for 1st appointment with Choice) = 93 o Ot (% of month rolling average number on waiting list for 1st appointment with Choice) = 88 o Ot (% of Data maturity level (measured against Gartner’s Analytics Maturity Model) = Diagnostic children and young people receiving first appointment with paediatric Ot service within 18 weeks) ≥ 57.1% children and young people receiving first appointment with paediatric Ot service within 18 weeks) ≥ 60.3% children and young people receiving first appointment with paediatric Ot service within 18 weeks) ≥ 64.2%

Executive Summary (500 words) Wirral’s local context is characterised by rising demand, historical weaknesses in Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) timeliness and quality, and financial pressures within the High Needs Block. Wirral also has the highest proportion of special school places across all Local Authorities. The system is now showing signs of stabilisation and improved partnership maturity. Backlogs in EHCP processes have reduced significantly (open episodes down to 260 from 647). There is stronger visibility of need through improved data and earlier sharing of insights. Governance has strengthened through an active Local Area SEND Partnership Board, with increasing alignment across education, health and care partners.

• Building a 0–25 inclusive system through stronger partnerships

Wirral is moving towards a more integrated 0–25 model. Key foundations include a strengthened Preparation for Adulthood (PfA) approach and improved neurodevelopmental pathways supported by multi-disciplinary teams. The ambition is to embed inclusive practice across mainstream settings and to reduce reliance on specialist placements. Success will be evidenced by more pupils being educated in their local mainstream school, reduced escalation to EHCPs, and more timely access to support. Diagnosis is no longer a pre-requisite to specialist support.

• Improving workforce capacity and capability

The system has invested in workforce development, including clinical coordinators, multi-agency working, and tools such as the neurodevelopmental profile. National reforms, including the “Experts at Hand” model, provide a significant opportunity to scale specialist support into mainstream settings. Over the next three years, Wirral will expand access to specialists using a skill-mix model, enabling earlier identification and intervention. Success will be measured through improved frontline confidence in meeting need.

• Improving confidence of children, families, and stakeholders

Historically, confidence in the SEND system has been low. The partnership has begun to address this through coproduction, improved communication strategies, and greater transparency via dashboards and case study impact sessions. Qualitative feedback indicates early improvements in lived experience, particularly where pathways are clearer and multi-agency working is visible. Over the next three years, Wirral will prioritise further improving communications and meaningful coproduction. Success will be evidenced through improved family feedback and increased SEND attendance.

• Stabilising finances and improving value for money

Financial sustainability remains a critical challenge. Nevertheless, Wirral is committed to ‘living within its means’ whilst also improving outcomes by shifting investment upstream into early intervention, prevention and mainstream inclusion. Opportunities to achieve this include strengthening annual reviews, targeting high-cost plans, and reducing reliance on costly out-of-area placements. Over the next three years, Wirral aims to reduce the cost growth in relation to High Needs expenditure. Success will be evidenced through shifting expenditure towards mainstream provision, post-16 in- Borough provision and on-site Alternative Provision. Performance and trajectory Current performance against headline metrics is mixed but improving. EHCP timeliness is improving, but remains below statutory expectations (24% issued within 20 weeks against a 46% target). Earlier stages of the process (e.g. decision-to-assess and advice timeliness) have improved, which is a leading indicator of progress. Forecast performance shows continued incremental improvement.

Vision and Goals (250 words) Wirral’s vision is to create a mainstream-first 0–25 SEND system where children and young people receive support as early as possible, enabling them to achieve, thrive and prepare for adulthood. Aligned to the Schools White Paper, the partnership will shift from a reactive, high-cost system to one that prioritises early identification, coproduction and strong multi-agency collaboration. To deliver this vision, the partnership has identified six sets of measurable outcomes:

• Needs met earlier and locally – reduced reliance on statutory processes
• Improved outcomes for children and young people with SEND
• Financially sustainable SEND system – ‘living within our means’
• Trusted and transparent Partnership
• High levels of stakeholder confidence – families, schools, services, settings
• Responsive and data-driven strategic decision-making

By 2029, Wirral’s SEND Partnership will deliver a more inclusive, responsive and sustainable system in which children and young people receive the right support at the right time, as close to home as possible. Mainstream settings will be increasingly confident and equipped to meet a wider range of needs, supported by earlier access to specialist expertise through the Experts at Hand model. Families will experience a system built on trust, transparency and meaningful coproduction, whilst education, health and care partners work together through shared accountability and data-informed decision-making. Through sustained investment in workforce capability, local provision and inclusive practice, the Partnership will improve outcomes for children and young people with SEND whilst creating a financially sustainable system fit for future reform.

Theory of Change (250 words) By strengthening inclusion in mainstream settings, improving early identification, and aligning education, health and care delivery, the system will reduce demand for high-cost statutory interventions whilst also improving outcomes and experiences for children, young people and their families. The partnership will deliver reform through four interconnected pillars:

• Mainstream-first system

Investment shifts upstream towards early help and SEND support in mainstream settings. Through ‘Experts at Hand’, settings will have earlier access to specialist advice and outreach, enabling needs to be met without statutory escalation.

• Integrated 0–25 pathways

Education, health, social care and childcare partners will align pathways, particularly in neurodevelopmental services, Semh support and preparation for adulthood. Multi-disciplinary teams and improved data sharing will ensure children receive coordinated, timely support. Pathways will be structured around needs rather than services.

• Workforce consistency and development

Capability will be built through training, guidance, and quality assurance. This includes improving annual reviews and embedding consistent standards across all mainstream settings.

• Strong governance, data and coproduction

The Local Area SEND Partnership Board will act as system convener, using real-time performance data, risk management, and lived experience (e.g. Experts by Experience) to drive improvement. Transparent reporting and meaningful coproduction will ensure user-level accountability and build trust. By aggregating a series of ‘10% improvements’ across a range of self-reinforcing areas, Wirral creates the ideal conditions for systemic change. As the new SEND legislation comes into force in 2029, Wirral will be set to amplify and accelerate its change programme to deliver ‘System Transformation’.

Year One Plan Summary (250 words)

In year one, Wirral will focus on further stabilising the system and building delivery capacity. All activity will align with our updated Dsg Management Plan.

A key priority will be developing the approach to meeting predictable needs as demonstrated from our Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA). This includes neurodevelopmental support (building on the ‘Knowing Me’ tool) and Semh support.

Workforce capacity will be expanded through targeted recruitment of professionals as part of a skill- mix model. This will be Wirral’s early implementation of ‘Experts at Hand’, ensuring that mainstream settings have access to specialist advice as early as possible, reducing the need for statutory escalation. Training and guidance will be rolled out across education, health and care to embed a more consistent graduated approach. Cpd will be provided to develop the capability and confidence of the Schools Forum. Schools Forum will be shared via webcast for increased transparency and scrutiny.

Wirral will also invest in data and analytics capability to enhance the SEND dashboard, so it can provide real-time performance data, strengthening forecasting of demand and cost, and reporting clear metrics aligned to national expectations. Data will be used to inform strategic decision-making and to pursue Wirral’s stated principle of ‘good money after good’ rather than targeting resources to prop up approaches that are not working.

The partnership will prioritise communication and coproduction, emphasising expectations around ordinarily-available provision and strengthening engagement with a broader representation of families to further build trust and confidence.

Block Transfers (250 words)

N/A - no block transfers (Schools Block to High Needs Block) are in place for 2026/27.

Capital Expenditure Plans (500 words) Historically, Wirral’s approach to capital delivery has fallen short of expectations. Consequently, Wirral has appointed a Director for Capital Programmes and Assets, who will introduce a Schools Capital Team with increased resource to improve delivery. Wirral’s new capital strategy will drive a shift towards a more inclusive, locally delivered SEND and Alternative Provision (AP) system, aligned with its sufficiency strategy and wider reforms. The focus is on reducing reliance on high-cost, distant specialist placements by strengthening local provision and expanding the number of inclusion bases. Inclusion at the core of sufficiency planning Capital investment will prioritise mainstream settings so they can meet a broader range of needs, including on-site AP. This includes adapting classrooms, creating sensory and therapeutic spaces, and investing in assistive technology. These improvements will enable earlier intervention, reduce escalation to EHCPs, and improve outcomes. Alongside existing ordinarily-available provision guidance, minimum standards for inclusive learning environments will be introduced. Inclusion bases will follow a standard specification tailored to need, informed by inclusive design principles. Wirral currently has the highest proportion of specialist provision in England, which will reduce to the national average over the next seven years, supported by its Dsg plan. Inclusion base expansion The number of inclusion bases in mainstream schools will increase. These will support pupils with autism, Adhd, Slcn, and Semh, reflecting local demand. Delivery will be collaborative with schools and Trusts, replicating existing strong inclusive practice. Bases will be geographically distributed to improve access and reduce inequalities. Early years investment will support inclusive provision in Family Hubs and nurseries. All mainstream secondary schools are expected to have inclusion bases (particularly for KS3 nurture), to reduce transitions to specialist provision at age 11. Over time, strengthened mainstream provision will ensure that more pupils can be supported locally. A targeted communications strategy will build confidence in mainstream provision amongst families, schools and services. Falling birth rates create an opportunity to repurpose existing spaces rather than building new, thereby improving value for money. Reducing reliance on distant placements Investment will address gaps in local provision, especially for complex needs, reducing the need for out-of-area placements. Expanding local capacity will shorten travel times and strengthen community connections. Post-16 provision remains a challenge, and the local college is already working with the authority to develop in-Borough solutions. Targeted specialist provision Specialist placements will remain necessary for the most complex needs, but capital investment will be carefully targeted based on evidence of demand. The focus will be on adapting existing provision rather than expanding special schools, ensuring a broader range of needs can be met locally. All settings will balance specialist expertise with a stronger generalist offer to meet community needs effectively. There are no plans to expand alternative provision. Instead, the focus is on replicating effective onsite provision and improving mainstream reintegration. Integration with wider reforms Capital investment will align with workforce development and service transformation. Inclusion bases will operate within a wider system supported by multidisciplinary teams and strengthened SEND pathways, ensuring sustainable impact.

Stakeholder Engagement and Coproduction (500 words) Effective stakeholder engagement and meaningful coproduction are central to Wirral’s SEND reform. Sustainable system change requires strong, collaborative partnerships and our approach reflects the expectation that the Local Authority acts as a system convener, bringing partners together to deliver shared priorities and improved outcomes.

• System-wide partnership engagement

Wirral will continue to strengthen the Local Area SEND Partnership Board (Laspb) as the key forum for joint ownership and accountability. This includes representation from schools, Trusts, early years providers, health partners, alternative provision, and post-16 settings. Engagement includes thematic deep dives (e.g. mainstream inclusion, neurodevelopmental and Semh pathways, EHCP quality), ensuring that partners are actively involved in both strategy and implementation. For example, Wirral has already identified that children and young people involved with Youth Justice or being supported with ketamine misuse often have SEND. This is an example of where improved engagement across services supports earlier intervention. Schools and early years settings are central to reform delivery. We will work closely with them to co- design inclusive practice, develop inclusion bases, and implement the graduated approach. Early years providers will be engaged through Family Hubs and inclusion networks to strengthen early identification. Alternative provision and post-16 providers, including those outside Wirral attended by our young people, will be engaged through commissioning arrangements and targeted partnership activities to ensure alignment with Preparation for Adulthood priorities.

• Coproduction

Wirral will embed coproduction within system design and delivery. The Parent Carer Forum and Sendiass will play central roles in shaping services, but we know that these groups are not always representative of the full spectrum of views. We will expand opportunities for a greater diversity of engagement through workshops, surveys, and participation in governance structures, ensuring that lived experience informs decision-making at every level (e.g. Experts by Experience). Wirral will develop its coproduction approach (e.g. interest-influence mapping provides a useful baseline for targeted engagement). Support from the DfE could include engaging senior officials in events with local leaders and the Parent Carer Forum, to embed a shared understanding and momentum for reform. For children and young people, the SEND Youth Forum will be a subgroup of the Laspb. We will strengthen participation through schools and targeted engagement with those with lived experience of SEND services. This ensures reforms reflect what matters most to children and young people in areas such as transitions and independence. Qualitative feedback already highlights the importance of more effective communication, and this will remain a priority area for improvement.

• Supporting system transition

Aligned to the Schools White Paper, the role of mainstream settings will evolve, with greater responsibility for inclusion and meeting need. Wirral will support this transition through clear guidance, workforce development, and improved access to specialist expertise (e.g. ‘Experts at Hand’). Trusts will be engaged as partners in shaping how inclusion is delivered locally. Health and care partners will continue to align pathways and commissioning, ensuring integrated delivery. Clear roles and responsibilities will be defined through governance structures and partnership agreements, reducing duplication and improving accountability.

Dependencies (500 words) Wirral’s SEND Reform Plan is being delivered within a complex policy landscape. Nationally, this includes NHS reform, Integrated Care Board (Icb) transformation, children’s social care reform and local government reorganisation. Locally, programmes such as Best Start in Life, Family Hubs, Health on the High Street and Child and Family Poverty are closely connected to SEND priorities. These dependencies will influence the pace and sequencing of delivery. The partnership will align with wider reforms, maintaining flexibility within implementation plans.

• NHS reforms and Icb transformation

NHS developments, including the NHS 10-Year Plan, neighbourhood health models and evolving Icb commissioning arrangements, are central to the delivery of integrated SEND pathways. Wirral’s plans for neurodevelopmental pathway reform and locality-based multidisciplinary teams depend on sustained health capacity and aligned commissioning priorities. Risks include workforce shortages and shifting priorities within the health system. Mitigation comes from joint commissioning, shared performance dashboards and the strong governance already in place.

• Local Government Reorganisation (Lgr)

Potential changes to local government structures may affect leadership arrangements, governance and resource allocation. This creates risks to continuity and organisational focus. Wirral will mitigate this by embedding SEND reform within statutory strategies and maintaining strong political sponsorship, including representation from the Deputy Leader of the Council on the Local Area SEND Partnership Board (Laspb). This ensures SEND reform is integrated into core business rather than treated as a standalone programme.

• Children’s Social Care reform

National reforms promoting earlier intervention and family help models are strongly aligned with SEND priorities. Wirral’s role as a Pathfinder for Families First for Children places the Partnership in a strong position to develop integrated pathways between SEND and social care, particularly around transitions and Preparation for Adulthood. Key dependencies include workforce capacity and clarity of roles across services. These will be addressed through joint planning, shared workforce development and aligned service models.

• Best Start in Life and Family Hubs

Best Start in Life and Family Hubs are key enablers of earlier identification and intervention. Although governed separately through the Health and Wellbeing Board and Children’s Committee, cross- representation is already established. This will support alignment of funding, commissioning and delivery, helping to maximise the impact of early years investment and reduce longer-term reliance on statutory intervention.

• Curriculum and Assessment Review

National curriculum and assessment reforms may influence how schools deliver inclusive education and measure outcomes for children and young people with SEND. Wirral will work closely with schools and trusts to ensure reforms are implemented in ways that strengthen inclusive practice and improve outcomes for SEND learners. Managing dependencies across the system To manage these interdependencies, the Laspb will maintain a dynamic risk register and regularly review emerging risks and mitigations. Regular engagement with regional and national partners will ensure alignment with policy direction and access to support where required. Engagement with other Local Areas will ensure we can transfer their ‘lessons learned’ into our ‘lessons applied’. Overall, Wirral is well-equipped to navigate the complex set of interdependencies related to effective SEND reform.

Monitoring and Feedback (500 words) Wirral will implement a robust, data-driven monitoring framework to ensure delivery of the SEND Reform Plan remains on track, enabling timely intervention where progress is off trajectory (supported by enhancements to our real time data analytics capability). This approach combines real-time operational data, strategic oversight through governance structures, and continuous feedback from stakeholders to drive improvement.

• Monitoring systems and processes

At the core of our approach is the Wirral SEND Dashboard, which provides a comprehensive, regularly updated view of performance across education, health and care. This dashboard will be further enhanced to help identify trends, manage demand, and address emerging pressures. For example, current data highlights ongoing challenges in EHCP timeliness (with performance below target but improving), alongside stronger performance in areas such as speech and language therapy waiting times. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) will be reviewed monthly by the Local Area SEND Partnership Board (Laspb) and its subgroups, informing decisions on prioritisation, resourcing, and delivery. Monitoring will focus on four key domains:

Demand: Tracking EHCP requests for assessment, rates of escalation, and trends in neurodevelopmental and Semh referrals.

Delivery: Monitoring the skill-mix workforce deployment delivered via ‘Experts at Hand’.

Quality: Assessing mainstream inclusion quality through audit (including Rag rating from SEND Reviews) and parent carer satisfaction measures.

Outcomes: Tracking attendance, exclusions (including investigating potential ‘exclusion at the point of admission’), attainment, transitions between early years settings before statutory school age, and post-16 participation. In addition, monitoring will be overseen by the Laspb, using milestone tracking, risk logs, and benefits realisation frameworks. This will ensure that delivery against the roadmap is systematically reviewed and reported.

• Feedback and adaptation mechanisms

Wirral recognises that quantitative data must be complemented by qualitative insight to fully understand system performance. Feedback loops will be embedded at all levels of the system:

Parent and carer feedback: Regular engagement through the Parent Carer Forum, Sendiass, Family Hubs, surveys, and coproduction workshops will provide real-time insight into lived experience. Complaints and tribunal data will also be analysed as key indicators of system confidence and areas for improvement.

Children and young people’s voice: Participation mechanisms, including youth forums and targeted engagement activity, will ensure that children and young people shape service design and evaluation. We will also engage with our Experts by Experience.

Workforce feedback: Practitioners across education, health and care will contribute through operational forums, audits, and reflective practice sessions, identifying barriers and opportunities for improvement. School improvement and SEND Review insights will also be essential here.

Partner review cycles: Regular deep dives through Laspb subgroups will focus on priority areas (e.g. mainstream inclusion, neurodevelopmental and Semh pathways, EHCP timeliness), enabling detailed analysis and corrective action where appropriate. Findings from these feedback mechanisms will directly inform iterative improvements to delivery. The partnership will adopt a ‘test and learn’ approach, piloting new models (e.g. inclusion bases, workforce deployment) and scaling those that demonstrate impact. This turns ‘lessons learned into lessons applied’ and follows our agreed principle of putting ‘good money after good’.

Central Government Support (250 words) Wirral welcomes targeted support from central government to accelerate delivery of its SEND Reform Plan and to ensure long-term sustainability. A key priority will be access to advice and guidance during early implementation in relation to emerging best practice on mainstream inclusion, joint commissioning and deployment of the Experts at Hand model. National guidance and practical exemplification from areas demonstrating strong outcomes would support consistent implementation locally. Workforce development remains a significant dependency. National support with ensuring a sufficient supply of Educational Psychologists, therapists and specialist practitioners would help address potential capacity pressures. This could include funded training pathways, apprenticeship expansion, regional workforce banks and government-funded incentives for hard-to-recruit roles. Support for leadership development across education, health and care would also strengthen system capability. Wirral would also benefit from nationally aligned tools and templates for data collection, benchmarking, forecasting and impact evaluation, particularly to support our progression towards a predictive and prescriptive level of data maturity. Shared dashboards, outcomes frameworks and Ai governance guidance would help us improve consistency and to reduce duplication (i.e. every local area developing similar guidance). Continued support from the DfE and NHS England in aligning education, health and care reforms would strengthen system-wide coordination, particularly during NHS transformation and local government reorganisation. Clear national guidance on accountability, inclusion expectations and regulatory reform would further support successful implementation at the local level. Additional transitional funding flexibility would also help local areas invest earlier in prevention and inclusion while managing existing statutory and financial pressures sustainably.

Governance

The SEND Reform Plan form asks us to outline the governance structures in place to oversee delivery. We should 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. We need to identify where the named Sro for the Local SEND Reform Plan sits within the governance structure and ensure our response incorporates the core minimum requirements.

The named Sro for the Local SEND Reform Plan is Elizabeth Hartley, Director of Children’s Services. Elizabeth is on the Local Area SEND Partnership Board and Chair of the SEND Priority Plan Group (Continuous Improvement Group).

• Director for Adults, Health and

Strategic Commissioning, Wirral Council

related Priority Action Plan

and carers are shaping individual plans and support the strategic ambition of the

• ensuring oversight

and compliance with the requirements of the SEND Improvement Notice (April 2025).

• local area.
• Parent Carer Forum Chair
• To build on best practice, thereby

enabling schools and setting to support children with SEN and SEND effectively.

• Parent Carer Forum Representative
• Assistant Director Public Health, Wirral Council
• To understand the quality of

delivery and outcomes for children in alternative provision.

• Joint Strategic Commissioner for

Children and Young People, Wirral Council

• To enable successful preparation for and transition to adulthood.
• Assistant Director, SEND and Inclusion, Wirral Council*
• To oversee a quality assurance

framework that supports the whole system to understand their roles and what ‘good’ looks like.

• Assistant Director Children’s Social Care, Wirral Council
• Assistant Director Early Help, Prevention and Effectiveness
• To promote positive

communications across and within the local system.

• Interim Head of Service Improvement, Wirral Council
• Senior Solicitor, Law and

Corporate Services, Wirral Council

• Head of Quality and Safety

Improvement, Cheshire & Merseyside Icb

• Designated Clinical Officer (0-25), Cheshire and Merseyside Icb
• Headteacher representative – Primary
• Headteacher representative – Secondary
• Headteacher representative- Special
• Early Years Sector representative
• Post-16 Sector representative
• SENCO representative
• Sendiass representative
• Wirral Community Health & Care

NHS Foundation Trust and Wirral University Teaching Hospital representative

• Cheshire and Wirral Partnership

(Cwp) NHS Foundation Trust representative

• Primary Care representative

Local Area SEND Partnership Board Non-Members/In Attendance Only

• NHS England Representative(s)
• Department for Education Representative(s)
• To collate, interpret and analyse

performance data across the partnership

SEND Performance & Impact Group

The SEND Performance & Impact Group is responsible for ensuring that activity to improve and transform local area services for

Chair: Julia Bryant, Head of Quality and Safety, NHS Cheshire and Merseyside Icb

Performance and Impact Group meetings are scheduled to take place on or around the first

Local Area SEND Partnership Board (see diagram above)

• To monitor quality assurance activity

ensuring findings and learning informs practice improvement

Vice Chair: Stuart Glavin, Principal Performance and Improvement Officer, Wirral Council

• To monitor complaints, resolution,

mediation data and ombudsman cases

children and young people with SEND are implemented, co- ordinated, and successfully delivered.

Wednesday of every month.

• Interim Assistant Director for Education
• To co-ordinate collate and analyse

feedback from surveys and testimonials

• Assistant Director for SEND and Inclusion
• Parent Carer Forum Representative
• To triangulate information from

performance, quality assurance and feedback, providing the Local Area SEND Partnership Board with an overall understanding of the impact of SEND services

• Senior Network Analyst, NHS Cheshire and Merseyside
• Dco, NHS Cheshire and Merseyside
• To ensure local area services are inspection-ready
• Principal Partnerships and

Transformation Manager, NHS Cheshire and Merseyside Icb

• To ensure appropriate participation

and engagement of stakeholders in above activities

• Joint Commissioning lead, Wirral Council
• Head of Service for Family Help
• SEND Transformation Manager, Wirral Council
• SEND Manager, Wirral Council
• Head teacher representative
• Senior Manager AP and Inclusion
• Directorate Manager - Children’s Services, Wuth
• Service Lead – Therapies, Wirral University Teaching Hospital
• Service Lead: Wirral 0-19 Health and Care Service, Wirral

Community Health, and Care NHS Foundation Trust

• Specialist services manager for

dietetics and speech and language therapy

• Service Lead – Continence, Wirral

Community Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust

• Head of Clinical Services, Wirral

CAMHs, Cheshire and Wirral Partnership Trust

• Clinical Lead – All Age Continuing Care Service
• Cheshire & Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
• Early Years
• Walk Team
• Principal Education Psychologist, Wirral Council
• Sendiass
• To monitor delivery of the Priority Action Plan

SEND Priority Plan Group (Continuous Improvement Group)

The SEND Continuous Improvement Group is responsible for activity to improve and transform local area services for children and young people with SEND are implemented, co-

Chair: Elizabeth Hartley, Director for Children, Families and Education, Wirral Council

Continuous Improvement Group meetings are scheduled to take place on or around the first Tuesday of every month.

Local Area SEND Partnership Board (see diagram above)

• To monitor the transformation and

recovery plans for Speech and Language Therapy

• Assistant Director, SEND and Inclusion, Wirral Council
• Principal Partnerships and

Transformation Manager, NHS Cheshire and Merseyside Icb

• To monitor the transformation and recovery plans for
• Joint Commissioning lead, Wirral Council

ordinated, and successfully delivered.

Neurodevelopmental clinical assessment and diagnostic pathway

• To monitor the implementation of

the revised Cheshire and Merseyside Neurodiversity offer

• Operations Manager,

Preparation for Adulthood, Wirral Council

• To monitor the recovery plan for EHCP’s
• Chair of Pcpw, Parent Carer Forum
• To oversee design, development

and implementation of an integrated Preparation for Independent Life service, delivering the Preparation for Adulthood offer

• Head of Quality and Safety Improvement
• Director of Specialist Provision

and Support. Wirral Metropolitan College

• To ensure appropriate participation

and engagement of stakeholders in the above activities

• Head teacher representative
• All Age Independence, Adult Social Care, Wirral Council
• Sendiass
• Designated Social Care Officer
• Service Director Adult Social Care,
• Wirral Council
• Data Information Team

Manager, Children’s Services, Wirral Council

• Directorate Manager for

Children’s & Neonatal Services, Wuth

• To oversee delivery of the Local Area SEND Strategy

SEND Strategic Delivery Group

The SEND Strategic Delivery Group is responsible for activity to improve and transform local area services for children and young people with SEND are implemented, co- ordinated, and successfully delivered.

Chair: Adrian Leach, Assistant Director for SEND and Inclusion, Children’s Services, Wirral Council

Strategic Delivery Group meetings are scheduled to take place on or around the first Tuesday of every month.

Local Area SEND Partnership Board

• To ensure the Graduated Approach

is fully embedded and consistently understood across the local system, enabling early identification of need

Vice Chair: Mark Bellamy, Interim Assistant Director for Education, Wirral Council

• Public Health Principal, Wirral Council
• To co-ordinate and maintain

relevant Joint Strategic Needs Assessment for SEND (JSNA)

• Joint Commissioning lead, Wirral

Council and Chesire and Merseyside Icb

• To plan for and monitor SEND sufficiency of provision
• Programme Manager, Right to Succeed
• To co-ordinate and shape Joint

Commissioning of services and provision for SEND

• Assistant Director, Early Help, Prevention and Effectiveness
• To co-ordinate and oversee workforce development
• Head of Quality & Safety

Improvement, NHS Cheshire & Merseyside

• To ensure that the Local Area SEND

Partnership knows itself well by overseeing all self-evaluation, inspection and multi-agency audit activity

• Pcpw Lead
• Operational delivery and

Professional Standards, Adult Social Care, Wirral Council

• To ensure appropriate participation

and engagement of stakeholders in the above activities.

• Head of Service for Safeguarding, Wirral Council
• Directorate Manager - Children’s Services, Wuth
• Operations Manager,

Preparation for Adulthood, Wirral Council

• Drive behaviour change in relation

to participation and engagement, and how the partnership communicates with the local area, specifically children and young people with SEND and their families

SEND Strategic Communications Group

The SEND Strategic Communications Group is responsible for coordinating and delivering effective strategic communications across the SEND system in Wirral and for more effectively sharing the work, progress, and impact of the Local Area SEND Partnership.

Chair: Tony Kirk, Assistant Director for Early Help, Prevention and Effectiveness, Children’s Services, Wirral Council Vice Chair: Gail Mooney, Head of Communications and Marketing, Law and Corporate Services, Wirral Council

Strategic Communications Group meetings are scheduled to take place on or around the first Thursday of every month.

Local Area SEND Partnership Board

• Ensure the successful delivery of

priority 2 of the 2025-29 Wirral SEND Strategy

• Oversee the delivery of the SEND

Intervention Fund and its 3 main areas of activity:

• Assistant Director for SEND and Inclusion, Wirral Council
• SEND Strategy Manager, Wirral Council

o Develop a participation & engagement framework to enable more effective and sustainable communication with the local area, based on the findings of an external situational analysis of the partnership’s communication channels

• Interim Head of Service Improvement, Wirral Council
• Sendlo Officer, Wirral Council
• Communications and Marketing

Officer, Law and Corporate Services, Wirral Council

o Deliver the local area SEND

• Pcpw Lead

partnership roadshow over the course of 6 months to reset the relationship with the community and change historic perceptions

• Senior Communications

Manager, NHS Cheshire and Merseyside

• Interim Assistant Director for Education, Wirral Council

o Oversee the commissioning of a local third sector organisation to work with the partnership to co- produce a range of accessible and simple materials that meet the needs of our SEND community

• Health Service in Schools Manager, Wirral Council
• Ceo, Koala Northwest

• Team Manager for Adult Safeguarding

young people so that they can grow up healthy and happy, safe and able to aspire and achieve, living in resilient families and communities, and able to take advantage of a broad range of opportunities. We will achieve this by being:

• Representative from Children with a Disability Team
• Representative All Age Disability
• Representation from Secondary and Special Schools
• Representative from Public Health
• Representative from commissioning

Collaborative: working across organisations and with children and young people to build trust and develop the required pathways and information to make transitions consistent and equitable.

• Young persons representative
• Chair of the Employment and Economic Wellbeing Group
• For clarity, the wording "health"

refers to both physical and mental health as one strand.

Empowering: giving staff, young people and families the information, advice and opportunities to enable effective pathways to be developed for all of Wirral's children and young people

Ambitious: removing barriers and obstacles

and encouraging all children and young people to aspire and reach as far as they can for their own futures.

Honest: being clear about what support can and can't be offered and sharing information with all parties openly, transparently, and with sensitivity.

• Provide strategic direction for the

neurodevelopmental offer across relevant agencies.

Neurodevelopmental System Oversight Group

The Wirral Neurodevelopmental System Oversight Group (Nd Sog) is responsible for providing strategic oversight, leadership, and coordination for the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of an integrated neurodevelopmental offer across the Borough.

Chair

The System Oversight Group will meet monthly.

The Neurodevelopmental System Oversight Group reports to the Wirral SEND Continuous Improvement Group. Reports are then taken from this group to the SEND Partnership Board.

• The Nhse Regional SEND Lead

will undertake the role of chair, providing independent facilitation, challenge, and oversight

• Ensure the offer is aligned with

national policy, statutory guidance, and best practice that is consistent with the Cheshire & Merseyside Ics model.

• Oversee effective functioning of the group.
• Promote early identification of

needs and access to person centred support

• Set meeting agendas, alongside

the Interim Head of Service Improvement, and facilitates discussion.

• Promote timely assessment, and

appropriate post-diagnostic intervention.

Vice Chair

• Reduce variation, duplication, and delays across services.

The aim of the System Oversight Group is to support effective early identification and

Supports the Chair and deputises as required.

• Ensure lived experience and co-

production are embedded in design and delivery.

intervention, timely, equitable, and person- centred support. Also ensuring access to timely and effective assessment, diagnosis, and intervention for children and young people with neurodevelopmental differences, including but not limited to autism spectrum condition and Adhd so that children, young people, families and schools feel supported and that their needs are being met.

Reports outputs and outcomes from this group to the Priority Plan Group.

• Monitor progress against service

improvement plans and service user experience.

• Health services (e.g. community paediatrics, CAMHS, therapies)
• Identify risks, gaps, and

opportunities for improvement and innovation.

• Education (e.g. local authority education services, SEND leads)
• Social care
• Commissioning bodies, including Public Health commissioners
• Voluntary and community sector organisations
• Lived experience representatives

(parents/carers and/or young people)

• Primary Care/Gp representative
• SENCO representative
• Adults Service (19-25s) representative

Additional members may be co- opted as required.

Risks and Mitigations

The SEND Reform Plan form asks us to identify the key risks that could affect the successful implementation of our plan as well as the mitigation strategies are in place to manage these risks. We are asked to include a maximum of five risks with an impact and likelihood Rag status for each risk, using the DfE’s suggested scoring matrix (Annex C). In order to adhere to the standardised national planning process, we have adhered to the DfE’s risk template and scoring matrix for the purposes of this planning document. However, it is important to emphasise that Wirral’s Local Area SEND Partnership Board has developed a mature and sophisticated approach to risk. This includes regular monitoring of our Local Area SEND Partnership system-wide strategic risk register, which has recently been quality assured and further developed following recommendations received by the Local Authority’s Risk and Compliance Team. Wirral’s Local Area SEND Partnership system-wide strategic risk register contains 14 risks across four priority areas, including one overarching risk to strategic delivery (full risk register is available as an additional document). The risks are: Priority 1: We will deliver the priority improvements that were identified in Wirral’s 2025 Local Area SEND Inspection

Risk 1: Ongoing demand profile for EHCP's (or potential increases following Government reforms) outstrips resource capacity leading to young people experiencing unmet need, reputational consequence and failure of statutory compliance

Risk 2: Failure to meet expected targets and timescales as set out in the priority action plan

Risk 3: The timeliness, due to resource pressures, of EHCPs may not be sufficient to meet statutory requirement.

Risk 4: Failure to ensure quality of EHCPs as outlined in the inspection report. Priority 2: We will improve the communication culture across the local area partnership so that parent carers, children and young people with SEND are better informed and better able to have their voice heard with views at the heart of all their individual plans.

Risk 5: Failure to demonstrate consistent approach to coproduction of individual plans due to lack of process, historical ways of working and volume of backlog.

Risk 6: The lack of a systemic approach to capture lived experience means we risk the inability to measure impact around improvements delivered to our children, young people and families

Risk 7: Service level approaches. Platforms for communication. Culture

Priority 3: We will ensure that children and young people with SEND are well prepared for adulthood and feel able to achieve their aspirations, being visible, productive and independent members of their local community.

• Risk 8: Inability to ensure a positive transition for young people.
• Risk 9: Inability to deliver the identified improvements required in a timely way, preventing us from positively demonstrating lived experience

Priority 4: We will ensure that SEND needs are identified and assessed early, and that access to services and support are based on needs and not diagnosis.

Risk 10: Inconsistent application of graduated approach by settings and/or insufficient resource to operate could increase cases of unidentified need and support, resulting in greater demand for specialist services and plans packages and increased costs

Risk 11: Failing to identify and support Nd needs early due to a failure to accept, engage with or effectively use the Profiling Tool due to capacity or (systemic shift) expectation may impact diagnosis rates

Risk 12: The current waiting time for neurodevelopmental assessments within community paediatrics may lead to delayed diagnosis resulting in delays in commencing medication

Risk 13: Insufficient schools and college places to meet the demands as outlined in EHCPs Overarching risk to strategic delivery

• Risk 14: Finance - sustainability - some funding is only fixed term, longer term provision needs to be in place/understood

For the purposes of the SEND Reform Plan, we have identified four additional risks that relate specifically to our implementation of the plan. These are provided below using the DfE risk template and scoring matrix. Please note that some relevant risks (e.g. ineffective coproduction) are already captured within the existing risk register, so these have not been duplicated. As part of our early implementation of the plan, it is our intention to include an additional section (Priority 5) to the Local Area SEND Partnership system-wide strategic risk register to capture all risks in one place. This also means SEND Reform Plan risks will be built into our existing SEND Partnership monitoring and governance arrangements, with allocated named risk owners.

SEND Reform Plan – Completed DfE Risk Template

SEND Reform Plan – DfE Risk Scoring Matrix

Wirral Local Area SEND Partnership

SEND Reform Strategy: Three-Year Vision

Executive Summary Wirral’s SEND system is at a critical inflexion point, moving from an extended period of instability towards a more coordinated and sustainable model of delivery. Historically, the system has faced significant challenges, including rising demand for specialist provision, delays in Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) processes, inconsistent implementation of inclusive practice across mainstream settings, and financial pressures within the High Needs Block. However, there are clear signs of progress. EHCP backlogs have significantly reduced, governance has strengthened through the Local Area SEND Partnership Board (Laspb), and there is improved visibility of need through enhanced data systems and data sharing. This three-year blueprint sets out a clear and ambitious vision for transforming Wirral’s Local Area SEND Partnership into a high-quality, inclusive 0–25 SEND system, aligned with national SEND reform and wider school reform expectations. The future system will take a needs-led rather than diagnosis-led approach that prioritises early intervention and prevention (aligned with the Best Start in Life programme), reduces reliance on statutory processes, and ensures that children and young people receive timely, effective support from the schools, settings and services within their local communities. At the heart of this transformation is the data-driven Experts at Hand model as well as effective, meaningful coproduction. Experts at Hand will embed specialist expertise directly into mainstream settings, enabling needs to be met earlier and more consistently reducing the need for escalation to statutory processes. Effective coproduction will enhance partnership working and help to drive a cultural shift towards meaningful partnership and genuine inclusion. By 2029, the Partnership aims to deliver a system that is inclusive, trusted, and financially sustainable. This will set the foundation for children and young people to achieve improved outcomes, for families to have renewed confidence in services, and for resources to be used effectively to deliver value for money.

• Section 1: Context
• Section 2: Theory of Change
• Section 3: The Four Building Blocks of an Inclusive System
• Section 4: Local Blueprint for the Next Three Years
• Section 5: Vision for Experts at Hand Implementation
• Section 6: Tactical Investments
• Section 7: Conclusion
• Section 8: Appendices

Section 1: Context: Where the Partnership is Starting From Wirral’s SEND system is transitioning from stabilisation to transformation. The system is characterised by:

Section 2: Theory of Change

Section 3: The Four Building Blocks of an Inclusive System

The Partnership’s ambition over the next three years is to establish an inclusive, mainstream-first education system in which most children and young people with SEND are supported effectively within their local communities, and without the need for escalation to statutory intervention. This ambition aligns directly with the national policy ambition set out in the Schools White Paper and the proposed SEND Reform, both of which emphasise that mainstream settings should be equipped and accountable for meeting a broad range of needs through a consistently-implemented graduated approach. Wirral is transitioning towards a system where inclusion is systematic and consistent across all settings. There are already clear strengths to build on. The development of ordinarily-available provision guidance has provided a shared baseline for schools and settings, and the emerging capital strategy is beginning to reshape the physical environment through the expansion of inclusion bases (specialist bases and support bases), and adapted learning spaces. There is a growing recognition across the system that mainstream inclusion can address financial pressures and the rising demand for specialist provision. Currently, practice across schools remains inconsistent, with some children’s needs not identified or met early enough, resulting in avoidable escalation to EHCPs at a later stage. This has contributed to increased demand for, and pressure on, specialist placements and services. It has also had the unintended consequence of creating inequities in access to support across the system. Confidence levels vary amongst school leaders and school-based staff in meeting complex needs, particularly in areas such as neurodevelopmental conditions (e.g. autism and Adhd) and social, emotional and mental health (Semh) needs. To address these challenges, the Partnership will now implement a step-change in how inclusion is understood and how it is delivered. There should be a clear and consistent commitment to inclusion from school and setting leaders, supported by local accountability measures for SEND. For SENCOs, it will be essential to keep track of the support available and their capacity, ensuring they are able to meet the expectations placed upon them. Central to this transformation is the full deployment of the Experts at Hand model (see detail below in Section 4), which will ensure that specialist expertise is more readily available to mainstream settings. Experts at Hand will provide timely access to a skill-mix model of specialist practitioners through a combination of in- school support, cluster-based working, and digital consultation. Experts at Hand will also deploy specialists who can support early intervention in schools and settings as well as providing advice and guidance as standard, particularly where referrals are not progressed. As a result, needs will be identified and addressed earlier, reducing reliance on statutory assessment and enabling more children to remain successfully in mainstream education. The Partnership will reinforce its expectations on ordinarily-available provision and the graduated approach through accountability frameworks, ensuring that all settings understand and fulfil their responsibilities. Workforce development will be critical, with a comprehensive programme of professional development to build confidence and capability across the workforce. Inclusion will be embedded within school improvement processes through School Improvement Partners (SIPs), who will ensure alignment between SEND developments, Ofsted expectations and wider educational outcomes. By 2029, the Partnership will have established a trusted SEND system where mainstream inclusion is the norm rather than the exception. Children and young people will be educated in their local schools wherever possible, supported by confident practitioners and practice that is increasingly consistent across settings. The projected need for EHCPs will reduce as statutory changes are implemented and earlier intervention becomes the norm. Families will experience a system that is data-driven, responsive and focused on enabling every child to achieve and thrive in their local school.

Over the next three years, the Partnership will develop a mature, fully integrated SEND system that is characterised by strong system leadership, effective partnership working, and meaningful coproduction with children, young people, and families. This reflects the national expectation that local authorities act as ‘system conveners’, bringing together education, health, and care partners to deliver a cohesive and accountable system. Wirral has already made important progress in this area. The Laspb is now functioning as a central governance forum, with improved representation from across the system, and it is increasingly using data to inform strategic decision-making. There is also growing evidence of collaboration between partners, particularly in the development of neurodevelopmental pathways and preparation for adulthood services. Coproduction activity has strengthened, with the Parent Carer Forum and Sendiass beginning to play a more active role in shaping services. Despite these improvements, the system remains in a developing stage of maturity (see maturity matrix self-assessment). Partnership working is not yet consistently embedded across all services, and there can still be fragmentation in how support is planned and delivered. Coproduction, whilst improving, is not yet systematic or fully representative, and there remains a legacy of low confidence amongst some families, which is driven by past experiences of inconsistency, delays, and unclear communication. To address these challenges, the Laspb will continue its evolution to become a fully empowered system leadership body, with clear lines of accountability and strengthened programme management infrastructure. Joint commissioning arrangements will be further developed to ensure that resources are aligned to shared priorities and that services are designed around the needs of children and young people rather than around organisational boundaries and diagnostic pathways. Services will support each other, not only children and schools, to create a self-reinforcing eco-system for SEND and inclusion. Meaningful coproduction will be embedded as a core principle of system design, becoming ‘built in’ rather than being a ‘bolt on’. This will include the development of a ‘coproduction charter’, expanded engagement mechanisms to reach a broader range of families, and the integration of lived experience into decision-making at all levels through the involvement of ‘Experts by Experience’. Children and young people will be supported to have a stronger voice, particularly in areas such as transitions and preparation for adulthood, locally replicating engagement strategies used by the Children’s Commissioner. A key enabler of this transformation will be improved communication and transparency. The SEND dashboard will provide accessible, real-time information on system performance, whilst effective communication will ensure consistent messaging and engagement across stakeholders. This will help to rebuild trust in the partnership and to ensure that families understand how the system works and how decisions are made. Communications will be multi- directional and based on sharing and listening, not just broadcasting key messages. By 2029, Wirral will have a fully integrated SEND Partnership, where education, health, and care services work closer together than ever, and where children, young people, and families are active partners in shaping and delivering services. Decision-making will be transparent and data-driven, accountability will be clear, and the system will be characterised by a shared commitment to improving outcomes and experiences for all.

A central ambition for the Partnership over the next three years is to ensure that specialist support is more accessible and delivered as close to home as possible. Over time, this should reduce reliance on high-cost, distant placements and enable more children and young people to remain within their local communities. This aligns with national SEND Reform priorities, which emphasise early intervention, local provision, and the deployment of specialist expertise into mainstream settings. Wirral has already begun to make progress in this area. The development of multidisciplinary teams and improvements in neurodevelopmental pathways (including the ‘Knowing Me’ profiling tool) have strengthened collaboration between education, health, and care services. The emerging capital strategy and sufficiency plans are also supporting the expansion of local provision, including inclusion bases within mainstream schools that are designed to meet a wider range of needs. These developments provide a strong foundation for further transformation. However, significant challenges remain. Workforce capacity is a key constraint, particularly in areas such as educational psychology, speech and language therapy, and occupational therapy. This limits the ability of the system to provide timely support and too often contributes to delays in intervention. There is also continued reliance on out-of-area placements, particularly for post-16 and post-19 young people with more complex needs, which can be costly and disruptive for families. To address these challenges, the Partnership will implement a system-wide transformation in how specialist support is delivered, centred on the full rollout of Experts at Hand. This will ensure that specialist expertise is no longer confined primarily to statutory processes or specialist settings but is instead embedded within mainstream provision. Through regular engagement with schools, and the rapid access to advice this creates, Experts at Hand will enable earlier intervention, reducing the need for escalation to EHCPs. At the same time, the Partnership will continue to invest in local provision, expanding inclusion bases (specialist bases and support bases) as well as redeveloping (without expanding) specialist provision where there is clear evidence of need. This will be supported by a more strategic approach to commissioning, ensuring that resources are used effectively and aligned with local demand. Particular focus will be given to addressing gaps in post-16 provision, enabling more young people to access education, employment, and training opportunities locally. Digital innovation will play a key role in the Partnership’s plans, with the development of systems to support triage, referral, and communication between services, with the aim of reducing waiting times (replicating the successes already achieved for speech, language and communication support). Workforce development and recruitment will be critical, with a focus on building sustainable capacity across the system. It is encouraging that existing recruitment processes already show a clear supply of potential candidates to support the Partnership’s plans for access to more specialists and Associates. By 2029, Wirral will have a system where specialist support is more readily available within local mainstream settings. This will ultimately lead to improved outcomes, reduced costs, and a more equitable SEND system for all.

The successful delivery of SEND Reform in Wirral will depend not only on structural and operational changes but also on a fundamental shift in culture and behaviour across the system. Over the next three years, Wirral will work to establish a culture in which inclusion is a shared responsibility, embedded in the values and practices of all partners, and supported by aligned incentives and accountability mechanisms. This creates a trusted and transparent Partnership. There are already positive signs of cultural change emerging within the system. For example, there is increasing recognition of the need to move towards a more inclusive, mainstream-first approach, and there is a growing commitment to early intervention and prevention. Similarly, improved data transparency and stronger governance are already helping to create a more open and accountable system. However, there remain significant cultural challenges. For example, in some parts of the system, there is still a perception that special schools or EHCPs are the only routes to specialist support, and there can be variability in confidence and in attitudes toward inclusion across settings. There are also concerns about how settings feedback at pace where specialist provision is not working. For special schools, there is no clear expectation or funding in relation to their outreach offer for mainstream settings. Such cultural dynamics are closely linked to financial pressures. The High Needs Block is under significant strain, driven by rising demand, but also by reliance on high-cost placements. Without a shift toward earlier intervention and mainstream inclusion, this position is unsustainable. There are also perverse incentives (financial and accountability) within the system that encourage escalation over early support, reinforcing existing patterns of demand. To address these challenges, the Partnership will implement a coordinated programme of cultural and behavioural change initiatives. This will include the communication of a shared vision for inclusion across all partners that is reinforced through leadership development, professional learning and social media channels. Settings and services will be supported to better understand their role within the system and to take collective responsibility for outcomes. Funding mechanisms will be reviewed to ensure that they incentivise inclusive practice and early intervention over escalation to statutory processes. This includes exploring models that provide greater flexibility and support for mainstream settings, enabling them to meet needs effectively without reliance on EHCPs. Accountability frameworks will also be strengthened, with a focus on outcomes such as attendance, non-exclusions, and preparation for adulthood. Communication will play a critical role in shaping culture. A strategic communications approach will be developed to promote positive narratives around inclusion, share success stories, and build confidence among families and practitioners. Coproduction will also contribute to cultural change, ensuring that the voices of children, young people, and families become central to the system. By 2029, Wirral will have established a culture in which inclusion is the norm, where all partners are aligned around shared goals, and where behaviours across the system support early intervention, collaboration, and continuous improvement. This cultural shift will underpin the sustainability of the SEND system, ensuring that it delivers better outcomes for children and young people whilst also making effective use of resources.

Section 4: Local Blueprint for the Next Three Years

Local blueprint for the next 3 years Where we are Where we will be in the next 3 years

Building Blocks Summary Inclusion → Mainstream-first, consistent practice Leadership & Coproduction → Integrated, accountable system Specialist Support → Expertise deployed early and locally Culture & Behaviour → Inclusion by default, financially sustainable Enablers

• Workforce & Capability

Expansion of Ep, SaLT, Ot, Semh and Nd workforce alongside therapy assistants as part of a skill-mix model

SEND training for all staff

• System & Governance

Greater formalisation of programme-based approach

Continued strengthening of Laspb governance

• Provision & Capital

Inclusion base expansion (all secondaries, most primary clusters, targeted early years settings in SEND hotspots)

Mainstream adaptations

Post-16 provision development

• Digital & Data

Improved and integrated data maturity

Digital platform supporting Experts at Hand

• Culture & Communication

Strategic communications plan

Introduction of coproduction charter

Culture shift towards mainstream inclusion

Strengths

By 2029:

• Improving governance
• Backlog reduction
• Stronger data visibility
• Early partnership maturity

Challenges

Needs met earlier and locally – reduced reliance on statutory processes

Improved outcomes for children and young people with SEND

Financially sustainable SEND system – ‘living within our means’

Trusted and transparent Partnership

High levels of stakeholder confidence – families, schools, services, settings

Responsive and data-driven strategic decision-making

EHCP timeliness

Workforce capacity

Inconsistent interpretation and implementation of mainstream inclusion

Financial pressures Enabler status

• Early-stage implementation
• Not yet system-wide

Success measures* These areas are not mutually exclusive, so some measures support multiple areas. Needs met earlier and locally – reduced reliance on statutory processes

Baseline

Target Metrics (for 2029)**

Number of children and young people with EHC plans attending a maintained special school = 1900 (2026)

Number of children and young people with SEND with an EHC plan = 7750 (2026)

Number of schools and early years settings with a Specialist Base = 27

Proportion of secondary schools with an Inclusion Base ≈

Number of children and young people with EHC plans attending a maintained special school (growth capped at 10%) = 2000 (2029)

Number of children and young people with SEND with an EHC plan (Yoy growth reduced from 17% to 13%) = 11,680 (2029)

Number of schools and early years settings with a Specialist Base (↑5, ↑2, ↑2) = 36

Proportion of secondary schools with an Inclusion Base =

Number of children and young people with EHC plans attending a maintained special school (SEND Reform data sheet – row 111)

Number of children and young people with SEND with an EHC plan (SEND Reform data sheet – row 139)

Number of schools with a Specialist Base (internal data - Anna Dollard & JSNA)

Proportion of secondary schools with an Inclusion Base (internal data – Anna Dollard) Improved outcomes for children and young people with SEND

𝟐𝟎= 𝟕𝟎% 𝟐𝟎= 𝟏𝟎𝟎%

Proportion of pupils with SEND meeting the expected standard at key stage two: Rwm combined:

Proportion of pupils with SEND meeting the expected standard at key stage two: Rwm combined (10% ↑):

Proportion of pupils with SEND meeting the expected standard at key stage two: Rwm combined (JSNA)

Average Attainment 8 score per pupil with SEND at key stage four (JSNA)

Exclusion rate for children and young people with SEND (Suspensions and Permanent Exclusions in England – DfE dataset) Financially sustainable SEND system – ‘living within our means’

o EHCP = 11.2% o SEN Support = 30%

Average Attainment 8 score per pupil with SEND at key stage four:

o EHCP = 12.3% o SEN Support = 33%

Average Attainment 8 score per pupil with SEND at key stage four (10% ↑):

o EHCP = 16.2% o SEN Support = 34.9%

o EHCP = 17.8 % o SEN Support = 38.4%

Exclusion rate for children and young people with SEND (LA to collect data locally to accelerate insights): EHCP (10% ↓):

Exclusion rate for children and young people with SEND (most recent published data is for 23/24): EHCP:

Annual cost of post-16 out-of-Borough day placements young people with SEND (internal data – Claire Cooper- Shone) Trusted and transparent Partnership

o Primary suspension rate = 14.7 o Secondary suspension rate = 20.0 o Primary permanent exclusion rate = 0.11 o Secondary permanent exclusion rate = 0 SEN Support (10% ↓):

o Primary suspension rate = 16.3 o Secondary suspension rate = 22.2 o Primary permanent exclusion rate = 0.12 o Secondary permanent exclusion rate = 0 SEN Support:

• Average number of tribunals per month (JSNA)

High levels of stakeholder confidence – families, schools, services, settings

o Primary suspension rate = 6.0 o Secondary suspension rate = 29.3 o Primary permanent exclusion rate = 0 o Secondary permanent exclusion rate = 0.41

o Primary suspension rate = 6.7 o Secondary suspension rate = 32.6 o Primary permanent exclusion rate = 0 o Secondary permanent exclusion rate = 0.46

• Reduced waiting times for access to specialist support:

o Ep: % of Psychological Advices completed within 6 weeks (JSNA) o SaLT: average waiting time for initial assessment (JSNA) o Nd: % of children and young people receiving first appointment with community paediatrician within 18 weeks (JSNA)

Annual cost of post-16 out-of-Borough day placements young people with SEND >30% reduction (based on Institute for Fiscal Studies report that out-of-Borough provision is typically 2-3 times cost of local provision)

Annual cost of post-16 out-of-Borough day placements young people with SEND = £1,473,165 + transport

• Average number of tribunals per month (JSNA) = 8
• Average number of tribunals per month (10%↓) = 7.2

o Semh: 12-month rolling average number on waiting list for 1st appointment with Choice (JSNA) o Ot: % of children and young people receiving first appointment with paediatric Ot service within 18 weeks (JSNA & Dco Data Report) o Ot: Longest wait, number of weeks (Dco Data Report)

Proportion of Neet children and young people who have an EHCP (JSNA)

Attendance rate for children and young people with SEND (JSNA) Responsive and data-driven strategic decision-making

• Reduced waiting times for access to specialist support:
• Reduced waiting times for access to specialist support:

o Ep (% of Psychological Advices completed within 6 weeks) = 21.3% o SaLT (average waiting time for initial assessment) = 6 weeks o Nd (% of children and young people receiving first appointment with community paediatrician within 18 weeks) = 11.6% o Semh (12-month rolling average number on waiting list for 1st appointment with Choice) = 98 o Ot (% of children and young people receiving first appointment with paediatric Ot service within 18 weeks) = 75% o Ot: Longest wait = 19 weeks

o Ep (% of Psychological Advices completed within 6 weeks) (10%↑) = 23.4% o SaLT (average waiting time for initial assessment) ≤ 6 weeks o Nd (% of children and young people receiving first appointment with community paediatrician within 18 weeks) (priority focus => bolder target) = 25% o Semh (12-month rolling average number on waiting list for 1st appointment with Choice) (priority focus => bolder target) = 60 o Ot (% of children and young people receiving first appointment with paediatric Ot service within 18 weeks) ≥ 85% o Ot: Longest wait (10%↓) = 17 weeks

Data maturity level (measured against Gartner’s Analytics Maturity Model)

*To ensure consistency (both validity and reliability) in how the success measures are measured, the source for each data has been made explicit in red text. The sources referred to are published datasets (e.g. JSNA), each of which includes the details of the relevant methodology and methods. **Generally the aim is to secure 10% improvements as per the Theory of Change. In some instances, an alternative measure is used, e.g. where local insights encourage greater boldness or caution, or where existing measures are already strong and need to be maintained.

Average proportion of Neet children and young people who have an EHCP (10%↓) = 18.9%

Average proportion of Neet children and young people who have an EHCP (JSNA) = 21%

Attendance rate for children and young people with SEND:

Attendance rate for children and young people with SEND:

o EHCP (2%↑) = 87.4% o SEN Support (2%↑) = 91.3%

Data maturity level (measured against Gartner’s Analytics Maturity Model) = Predictive/Prescriptive

o EHCP = 85.7% o SEN Support = 89.5%

Data maturity level (measured against Gartner’s Analytics Maturity Model) = Descriptive/Diagnostic

Section 5: Vision for Experts at Hand Implementation Wirral’s approach to Experts at Hand is an evidence-based, skill-mix model that allows needs to be met earlier, in local mainstream schools, without the need for escalation to statutory assessment or diagnostic pathways in order to access support. The aim of the Wirral Experts at Hand health offer is to provide early, timely access to specialist expertise for mainstream early years settings, schools and further education providers, enabling them to meet SEND effectively without waiting for diagnosis or EHCPs. In addition to providing mainstream schools and settings with access to occupational therapy expertise and speech and language expertise, the Partnership has identified that it will also need to provide access to expertise in the areas of neurodevelopment (Nd) and social, emotional and mental health (Semh). Within the Experts at Hand model, the role of health experts is defined as:

• Providing early advice and intervention
• Supporting workforce capability in settings
• Advising on reasonable adjustments and strategies
• Reducing inappropriate referrals into NHS or EHCP routes

This prioritisation reflects both prevalence and demand data for the local area. For example, the most recently published census data (January 2025) shows that Nd needs, speech language and communication needs (Slcn) and Semh account for 85.5% of the primary areas of need identified by SENCOs in Wirral primary schools. Similarly, Nd needs, Slcn and Semh account for 76.1% of the primary areas of need identified by SENCOs in Wirral secondary schools. Similarly, DfE-data from Lg Inform shows that 27.7% of primary needs in primary schools in Wirral relate to Semh vs an equivalent national figure of 19.4%. NHS demand data shows that referrals to the Nd pathway have increased significantly (>200%) since 2019. Of these referrals, around 25% were not considered to require a diagnostic assessment, but it is likely they would benefit from wider Nd support via schools. The number of children open to assessment on the Nd pathway currently stands at 6692 with an average waiting time of 126 weeks. Wirral also has disproportionately high Adhd diagnosis rates across multiple age groups, identifying it as an outlier and indicating that diagnosis levels are being driven by local systems. This suggests an over-reliance on Adhd diagnosis as a mechanism to access support and reinforces the need for earlier, needs-led and neurodevelopmentally informed approaches that reduce inappropriate escalation into diagnostic pathways.

Wirral’s skill-mix model approach to Experts at Hand will provide advice for schools and settings for those children who do not require a diagnostic assessment, alongside additional therapeutic support for those with more complex needs. Working alongside the profiling tool, this approach will support identification of neurodevelopmental indicators across a broad spectrum, including children without formal diagnoses, enabling more accurate understanding of underlying need. Taken together, this should reduce average waiting times, improve the experience of families, and strengthen earlier intervention within mainstream provision. The approach described here follows a joint commissioning model that is already being used in Wirral for Slcn and has been proven to have significant impact. The jointly commissioned Slcn approach uses a skill-mix model to provide advice to schools on universal strategies through:

• Communication Clinics across early years, primary, secondary, special schools and Family Hubs
• Advice line and consultation routes resolving concerns early
• Training workshops for school staff
• Coaching and modelling of communication strategies
• Communication Environment Audits
• Classroom-based strategies and environmental adjustments
• Digital resources to support consistency

This approach was widely praised by the Partnership because it relieved pressure on specialist services and shifted engagement with the Slcn service from being a ‘referral gateway’ to being a ‘problem solving forum’. The majority of issues discussed in clinics are resolved without escalation, with clearer triage between universal, targeted and specialist support. Wirral’s intention is to replicate this proven Slcn approach for Nd and Semh through Experts at Hand. Current NHS data shows that around 40% of children and young people aged 0–25 with a diagnosis of Adhd reside within the 10% most deprived areas of Wirral. Such insights will be used as part of Experts at Hand to identify suitable areas within local communities to co-locate services alongside schools and Family Hubs. Branch is an online mental wellbeing hub for children and young people in Wirral that supports children and young people aged 0–18 (and up to 25 if they have additional needs). The main areas of demand for support include worry/anxiety/stress, low mood, anger, self-harm, trauma and sleep issues. As of November 2025, 41% of Branch referrals had a SEND-related need.

Branch operates as Wirral’s single point of access for emotional health and wellbeing, meaning many ND-related presentations enter the system through a mental health route rather than education or health pathways. Branch data demonstrates a strong overlap between emotional distress, Nd profiles and functional difficulties. Such data underscores the need for a skill-mix model that addresses both symptoms and underlying needs at multiple levels, with ND-informed, non-diagnostic consultation available to support earlier understanding, reasonable adjustments and proportionate responses in settings. Semh presentations frequently reflect underlying neurodevelopmental differences, including Adhd and autism, alongside speech, language and communication needs, sensory processing difficulties, sleep disturbance and trauma. SEND Reform themes and Wirral data also show strong links between SEMH-type behaviours and anxiety-driven avoidance, including Ebsa, sleep difficulties and ARFID-related regulation issues. Through early consultation, advice on reasonable adjustments and guidance on regulation and environmental strategies, Experts at Hand will help shift responses away from behaviour- led or mental-health-led pathways and towards earlier, proportionate and preventative support. It should be noted that Wirral has a strong recent track record in relation to coproduction and joint commissioning between education and health. Whilst this relates specifically to Slcn, the intention is to use this approach as the model for joint commissioning in relation to Experts at Hand.

Outline Approach

In year one, Wirral will stand up its Experts at Hand model. The offer will commence from September 2026. We will be able to mobilise quickly as data from recent recruitment shows there is strong demand for jobs in the area.

During years two and three, the intention is that Wirral’s Experts at Hand model will mature and remain responsive to evidence about what is working, ensuring investment is targeted towards approaches that demonstrate impact. In addition to direct recruitment, we will work with local colleges and universities to ‘grow our own’ pipeline of talent for the longer term.

As per DfE guidance, we anticipate 80% of funding to go towards direct delivery (i.e. therapists and assistant therapists), with 10% for administrative costs and 10% for local authority transformation costs. On this basis, our working assumption is that 50% of direct delivery funding will be jointly commissioned via the Icb (including a contribution to the Dco role), whilst local authority transformation funding will support transition activity including:

o Upskilling SENCOs and school leaders on engagement with Experts at Hand o Strengthening coproduction with families o Investing in data collation and analytics o Building inclusive practice capability across mainstream settings There will be universal access to multidisciplinary expertise, including:

• Educational Psychologists
• Speech and Language Therapists and Therapy Assistants
• Occupational Therapists and Therapy Assistants
• Semh specialists and assistants
• ND-informed practitioners
• Other Associates (e.g. Specialist Practitioners and Advanced Practitioners)
• Early years expertise extended to be available for schools (e.g. sleep, toileting, early childhood development)
• Enhanced school nursing provision

This will be delivered through:

• Cluster-based deployment, including co-location of health services and schools/settings and multi-disciplinary teams
• Regular school surgeries and communication clinics
• Digital consultation platform and advice line
• Rapid response advisory support (including triage from school nurses)
• Training, coaching and modelling within settings
• Environmental audits and practical strategy development

Expected outcomes:

• Needs met earlier
• Reduced pressure on specialist services
• Reduced demand for EHCPs to access specialists
• Reduced inappropriate referrals into NHS pathways
• Increased school and setting confidence in meeting a range of needs as part of Tier 1 and Tier 2 provision
• Improved consistency of support across localities
• Reduced reliance on private commissioning and tribunal-driven provision
• Earlier identification of underlying need
• Stronger graduated response within mainstream settings

The Experts at Hand model will be the cornerstone of Wirral’s transformation to a proactive and sustainable SEND system. It represents a fundamental shift away from a model in which specialist expertise is accessed primarily through statutory processes, towards one where that expertise is routinely available to mainstream settings, enabling earlier intervention and improved outcomes for children and young people. Experts at Hand will operate as a fully embedded, system-wide model of multidisciplinary support, ensuring that schools and early years settings have consistent and rapid access to the right expertise at the right time. This will reduce reliance on EHCPs and strengthen mainstream inclusion. The model aligns closely with national SEND Reform and the direction set out in the Schools White Paper, which emphasises capacity-building in mainstream provision, integrated working, earlier intervention and practical support within everyday settings. It will build on established and proven coproduced, local joint commissioning models. A defining feature of the Experts at Hand model will be its locality-based deployment, ensuring that services are responsive to the needs of specific communities across Wirral.

Neighbourhood-Based Clusters Wirral is already organised into local clusters of schools and settings, but a key challenge is that different partners use different clusters and groupings. Some use electorally defined wards, whilst others use community-related neighbourhoods. Some use Family Hubs, whilst others use school clusters. Whilst all have individual merit, the system would benefit from standardising its approach across education, health and social care. Therefore, in year one the partnership will determine which cluster grouping approach it will follow. The working assumption is that the Family Hubs model lends itself well to:

• Reflect natural communities and travel patterns
• Enable strong relationships between professionals and schools
• Support consistent practice across local areas
• Create a ‘team around the school’

Targeting Areas of Highest Need Using SEND data, deprivation indices and service demand patterns, the model will prioritise neighbourhoods with the greatest concentration of need. This targeted approach will:

• Address inequalities in access to support
• Prevent escalation in high-demand areas
• Deliver greatest impact for investment

Wirral already has extensive analysis on understanding the links between SEND, deprivation and local geography. For example, the most recent Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (p32) clearly shows that 40% of pupils with SEND in Wirral reside in the most deprived 10% of wards in England (Decile 1).

Proportion of All SEND C&Yp (0-25) (2026) compared with 2025 Children and Young People Sub-Domain in Wirral Source: Internal data (PowerBI Cyp SEND report), internal source (February 2026), 2025 Indices of Deprivation (Imd) The JSNA also provides clear insights on the specific wards where SEND is most prevalent as well as the specific areas of need that are most prevalent. Combined, these insights allow Wirral to prioritise its implementation of Experts at Hand. The focus in year one will be on the most deprived local areas and the most prevalent primary areas of need.

Rate of Special Educational Needs & Disabilities (SEND) per 10,000 Population, by Wirral Wards, 2026 Source: Internal data (PowerBI Cyp SEND report), internal source (February 2026) and Ons mid 2024 population (2026) Co-Location in Schools and Community Settings A key innovation will be the co-location of services within (or adjacent to) mainstream schools, early years settings and Family Hubs. This will include:

• Regular in-school clinics and drop-in sessions
• Multidisciplinary team bases within selected schools
• Shared working spaces to enable collaboration

Co-location will:

• Reduce barriers to access for families
• Improve communication between professionals
• Enable real-time problem solving
• Strengthen relationships between services and schools

Over time, selected schools, particularly those in high-need areas, will act as local inclusion hubs, hosting multidisciplinary teams and supporting surrounding settings. Prioritisation of ‘Experts at Hand’ Resources Wirral has a mature approach to joint commissioning with established and proven ways of working already in place, e.g. in relation to speech and language support, which has seen significant improvements over the past 18 months. Partnership between education, health and social care is strong and improving, and this provides an excellent foundation for the collaborative implementation of Experts at Hand. Based on the public information available at the time of writing, Wirral is expecting to receive ~£2m per year to support the implementation of Experts at Hand. The working assumption is that 50% of this funding will be allocated to the Integrated Care Board (Icb) to allow them to fulfil the partnership’s requirements in relation to the direct delivery of the clinical aspects of Experts at Hand. An immediate action in year one, once funding is finalised, will be for the partnership to collaboratively finalise the joint commissioning plan for Experts at Hand. The starting point and underlying assumptions for these discussions includes:

The introduction of four multi-disciplinary teams (MDTs) co-located with Family Hubs. Each would provide direct support to ~30 schools (~4 secondary, ~26 primary).

Each Mdt will have a range of education, health and care specialists aligned to the demand and prevalence of needs in the area. The specific skill- mix is to be determined through the joint commissioning plan, but it is likely to include Ep, SaLT, Ot, Nd specialists, Mhst, nurture / trauma- informed specialist.

The locally-based MDTs will be supported by a central team, which is likely to include a SEND School Improvement Advisor and a Specialist Outreach Commissioning Officer. For the latter role, it should be noted that special school outreach is not currently centrally coordinated.

The deployment of resources within the central team and the MDTs must align with other strategic plans, notably the Dsg Plan, SEND Sufficiency Plan and the Capital Expenditure Plan (all available as separate documents). For example, Wirral’s strategic place planning has identified a falling role, which is due to impact secondary schools over the next five years. This creates opportunities for in-school SEND provision. Skill-Mix Model: Tiers of Support At full maturity, Experts at Hand will operate through a skill-mix workforce model, combining specialist expertise with a broader, skilled support workforce to maximise reach and impact. Tier 1: Specialist Experts This tier includes highly qualified professionals such as:

• Educational Psychologists (Ep)
• Speech and Language Therapists (SaLT)
• Occupational Therapists (Ot)
• Clinical and Semh specialists
• Specialist outreach teachers (e.g. autism, sensory needs)
• Neurodevelopmental specialists (Nd)

Whilst they will be protected to support the most complex needs, an aspect of their role will be to provide:

• Strategic oversight of the consultation and advisory support to schools
• Complex case formulation
• Workforce development and training
• Quality assurance of provision

They will also act as system leaders of practice, ensuring consistency and evidence-based approaches across Wirral.

Tier 2: Specialist Practitioners This group includes experienced practitioners who may not hold the highest level of qualification but nevertheless have significant expertise and relevant targeted training. Examples include:

• Assistant Educational Psychologists (Aep)
• Therapy assistants
• SEND specialist practitioners
• Inclusion advisory teachers
• Family support specialists
• School nurses
• Professionals from specialist charities and professional bodies

Wirral will position these roles as a part of the skill-mix model, recognising their critical contribution to early intervention, prevention and overall system capacity. Their role will include:

• Delivering targeted interventions
• Supporting implementation of strategies in classrooms
• Working directly with children and families
• Acting as a bridge between schools and specialist services
• Training and development in schools

This tier will be essential in scaling the model, ensuring that support is accessible without delay. Tier 3: Universal Workforce (School, College and Early Years Staff) At the foundation of the model are:

• Teachers and SENCOs
• Teaching assistants
• Early years practitioners
• Lecturers

Through Experts at Hand, this workforce will be:

• Up-skilled through training and coaching
• Supported through regular consultation
• Equipped to deliver high-quality SEND support

This ensures that expertise is embedded within everyday practice, rather than externalised. Recruitment and Workforce Development Plan Delivering Experts at Hand at scale requires a comprehensive and sustainable workforce strategy. Wirral will:

• Increase recruitment of Educational Psychologists, therapists and therapy assistants
• Develop “grow your own” pathways (e.g. trainee Ep schemes, therapy apprenticeships)
• Strengthen links with universities, colleges and local training providers
• Explore regional collaboration to share scarce expertise
• Formalise advanced Speech and Language Therapy practitioner leadership at Icb level to sustain and strengthen the model

Retention will be prioritised through:

• Flexible working models
• Clear career progression pathways
• Opportunities for system leadership roles

Wirral’s proposed skill-mix model recognises that effective early intervention does not always require the highest level of qualification, but it does require skilled, well-supported practitioners. This is where our focus will be, since it ensures that children and young people with SEND can access support as early as possible. Alongside the established Slcn model, Wirral has also developed an evidence-based Occupational Therapy sensory model aligned to Experts at Hand principles. The model supports:

• Tier 1 sensory advice and education accessible without referral
• Training for SENCOs, school leaders and staff
• Practical sensory regulation strategies embedded in classrooms
• Environmental and routine-based advice
• A graduated response that reduces escalation and unnecessary referrals

The model has been strongly supported through practitioner and parent feedback, which highlights that current support is often “too late” and overly reliant on referral-led pathways. There is also clear evidence of unmet functional Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy need across early years, schools and resource bases, particularly for children with motor, coordination and participation difficulties. Resource bases are experiencing particularly high demand, with children presenting with combined physical, neurodevelopmental and regulation needs that directly impact daily functioning and access to learning. Experts at Hand will therefore support a shift from a primarily referral-led approach to a more school-based consultation and advice model. There are some excellent examples of strong provision within mainstream settings on Wirral that can be replicated in other settings with the support of Experts at Hand. For example, Ganneys Meadow School is co-located with the Family Hub and provides excellent early intervention and SEND support. Woodchurch High School has a virtual specialist base that exemplifies how mainstream settings can work for children and young people with SEND. Coop Bebington has a successful onsite Alternative Provision that allows key stage four pupils to attend their local school and avoids costly off-site provision. Grove Street Primary School is sustaining a highly inclusive mainstream environment with a focus on outdoor play. St George’s Primary School is leveraging the benefits of assistive technology to create a more inclusive mainstream environment. This demonstrates Wirral’s internal capacity for supporting systemic and workforce development. Overall, the partnership’s collaborative approach to SEND will help to recognise the needs of vulnerable individuals and groups that are known to multiple services, including children and young people involved with the Youth Justice Service (Yjs). Local data consistently shows that over half of children known to Wirral Yjs have an identified SEND, with Slcn frequently co-occurring alongside Adhd, autism, learning difficulties, mental health needs and trauma. Earlier access to ND-informed and communication-focused expertise will strengthen assessments, engagement and outcomes, whilst also reducing escalation and misunderstanding within the wider system. In addition to recruitment, the model will invest in system-wide capability building, including:

• Ongoing training for teachers and SENCOs
• Coaching and mentoring programmes
• Development of inclusive practice networks
• Access to digital learning platforms
• ND-informed and trauma-informed practice development across settings

Section 6: Tactical Investments There are four specific tactical investments that warrant further detail: coproduction, data maturity, generalist vs specialist, inclusion bases. Coproduction The contracted timescale available for producing this plan has meant that the level of coproduction aspired to by the partnership has been limited. Whilst all groups have been consulted through the development of the plan, there is further coproduction needed in the early stages of implementation to shape the future direction of effective SEND provision in Wirral. Wirral will further embed coproduction by more proactively involving children and young people with SEND, parent carers, schools/settings, health partners and the voluntary sector as equal partners in shaping our delivery models. This will continue to include transparent feedback mechanisms so that stakeholders can see how their views influence decisions. Wirral will continue to work closely with the Parent Carer Forum and young people’s participation groups (e.g. the SEND Youth Forum as a sub-group of the Laspb) to ensure that lived experience informs both strategic planning and operational design from the earliest stages. The introduction of our ‘Experts by Experience’ will help to bring greater diversity to the range of parent carer voices heard by the partnership. Building on the results of the recent independent review of communications, the partnership will focus on building trust through open communication, visible responsiveness and shared problem-solving. Coproduction activity will be embedded into programme workstreams through workshops and collaborative review sessions, rather than being limited to consultation after decisions have already been made. Information will be shared in more accessible formats and engagement opportunities will be designed to reach underrepresented communities, including families whose voices are not traditionally well heard. The partnership will assess itself against the clear measures of impact set out in this plan so that partners can evaluate together whether reforms are improving inclusion, timeliness, outcomes and family experience across the SEND system. Data Maturity Wirral has already made significant progress in relation to its data maturity, but there is still further to go. For example, Wirral’s Local Area SEND Inspection 2021 raised concerns about the effectiveness of data and information, stating that there was a “lack of accurate, up-to-date and useful information which informs the area’s plans and evaluates the impact of their actions”. The areas for improvement included:

“There are shortcomings in the collection, understanding and analysis of data. There is no shared information system which captures important information centrally. This makes it difficult to measure the impact of the area’s provision on the progress of children and young people.”

“The area does not use performance data effectively to monitor waiting times in some health services. Information about the waiting lists for CAMHS and the neurodevelopmental assessment pathway is not routinely collated to check how long children and young people wait. This has prevented timely remedial action being taken when required.” However, Wirral’s most recent Local Area SEND Inspection (2025) shows a much-improved position:

• “Leaders now make better use of available data to guide their work. For example, the partnership uses the joint strategic needs assessment to understand current and future health and social care needs. This is providing the partnership with a more accurate picture on which to base its strategic work for children and young people with SEND.”

Whilst this is good progress, the partnership still self-assesses its data maturity at the descriptive/diagnostic levels of Gartner’s data maturity framework. The aim by 2029 is to further improve data maturity, so it reaches the level of predictive/prescriptive. To that end, the SEND Reform Plan will align fully with Wirral Council’s wider Data Strategy (available as a separate document) by adopting a phased approach to improving its level of data maturity. This will begin with strengthening the foundational elements identified within the Council’s strategy, including data quality, governance, standardisation, interoperability and accessibility. SEND services will work with the Council’s corporate data function to establish consistent data definitions, improve the quality and completeness of operational data, and reduce reliance on fragmented spreadsheets and siloed systems. A SEND data architecture roadmap will support the development of integrated datasets across education, health and care, enabling a more complete understanding of need, demand, timeliness, outcomes and sufficiency across the local area partnership. Over the next three years, there will be investment into workforce capability and data literacy to ensure that data becomes embedded within operational and strategic decision-making at every level of the SEND system. In line with the Council’s priority to build a strong data culture and to improve skills across all services, all SEND partners will receive targeted training in data interpretation, analytical tools and evidence-informed practice. This will include the development of a network of SEND data champions who will support colleagues to use data confidently and consistently as part of service improvement activity. Analytical capacity will also be strengthened through improved self-service reporting tools, enabling managers and practitioners to move beyond retrospective reporting towards earlier identification of emerging risks and trends. This lends itself to the principle of early identification and prevention established at the outset of this plan. As data maturity develops, the SEND Reform Plan will increase its use of advanced analytics and artificial intelligence (Ai) to improve forecasting, planning and service responsiveness. Building on the Council’s commitment to innovation and readiness for rapid change in the data landscape, the programme will introduce predictive modelling to support demand forecasting for EHCPs, SEND sufficiency, transport needs and financial pressures within the High Needs Block. AI-enabled tools will also be explored to support case management, automate routine administrative processes, improve data extraction from case records and identify patterns that may indicate escalating need or barriers to inclusion. All developments will operate within robust governance arrangements to ensure that the use of data and Ai remains lawful, ethical, secure and transparent.

By 2029, the SEND Reform Plan will aim to operate at a prescriptive level of data maturity, where integrated intelligence actively informs strategic commissioning, resource allocation and intervention planning. This will support a more proactive and preventative SEND system in which leaders can model the likely impact of strategic decisions, target support earlier and evaluate outcomes more effectively. Through alignment with the Council’s wider Data Strategy priorities around data foundations, availability, culture and secure data management, the SEND Reform Plan will ensure that data becomes a strategic asset for improving inclusion, outcomes and value for money across the partnership. Generalist vs Specialist There is an ongoing tension across schools and settings about the extent to which individual schools or settings should have a generalist vs specialist offer. For example, the level of ordinarily-available provision can vary significantly between mainstream schools. In some cases, this is due to local context, the demographic profile of pupils, or difference in access to resources (staff, time, money). However, there are three other issues that drive differences between schools’ standard offers. Firstly, school leaders, SENCOs teachers often have differing notions of SEND complexity. What is considered a complex need in one school can be considered typical in another school. Consequently, some schools will adapt their ordinarily-available provision to try to meet needs, whilst others will move more quickly to pushing for a move to specialist provision (an inclusion base or a special school). Secondly, there is a broad spread of confidence levels amongst school-based professionals in relation to meeting specific needs. This often depends on previous experience, but in many cases the lack of confidence is exacerbated by a lack of direct access to specialists, who can provide advice and guidance. Where such advice is available (e.g. Speech and language advice line or the Educational Psychology drop-in sessions), confidence improves and more needs can be met in mainstream settings (the level of ordinarily-available provision increases). Thirdly, and arguably most importantly, there are two broad mindsets that determine a school’s approach to meeting needs. In some schools the mindset is “We cannot meet the needs of this child because…”, whilst in other schools the mindset is “We can meet the needs of this child if…”. The latter mindset is not about strategic planning, resources or access to specialist provision, it is simply about being solution-focused. This approach lends itself to coproducing solutions with pupils with SEND and with their parent carers. Part of the aim of our communications improvements will be to spread the solution-focused mindset across the entire partnership. In relation to ordinarily-available provision, Wirral has already published its expectations in the form of a Guide for Classroom Practitioners, Parents and Carers. This generalist offer effectively forms the minimum expectation for children and young people attending any school in Wirral, thereby improving consistency and providing much-needed clarity. In addition to this, schools/settings add a layer of specialist provision, for example through an inclusion base or by upskilling its workforce in particular high-prevalence areas of SEND.

The generalist vs specialist tension also extends beyond mainstream schools and into special schools. In some cases, special schools have become so specialist that they cannot admit children and young people with needs that fall outside a specific area of SEND. In practice, this creates the issue where a pupil has needs that are too complex to be met in a mainstream setting or an inclusion base, but the special school says they cannot meet their needs, so they remain in the mainstream setting. There is validity to the assertion that special schools should retain specific specialisms, but the threshold for having a broader foundation of generalist provision is arguably too low. Therefore, in line with the over-arching approach to generalist vs specialist in mainstream schools, there should be a level of ordinarily-available provision across Wirral’s special schools, which allows for a broader range of needs to be met. To ensure special schools retain their specialisms, the proportion of pupils admitted under the more generalist will need to be capped in a way that is appropriate for the setting. This will need to be discussed and agreed with individual settings. Inclusion Bases Wirral’s current SEND system reflects a pattern in which children and young people requiring support beyond that typically available within mainstream classrooms are frequently placed within inclusion bases or specialist settings. Although overall capacity is broadly aligned with demand at a system level, this masks significant operational pressures, including widespread over-occupancy within individual bases, inconsistent transition pathways and increasing demand associated with Autism Spectrum Condition (Asc) and Semh needs. Current arrangements are also affected by variable parent carer confidence in mainstream inclusion and inconsistent awareness of the support that mainstream schools can provide through ordinarily-available provision. As a result, placement decisions can become reactive, contributing to increased reliance on specialist and independent provision, placement instability and rising financial pressures across the high needs system. The SEND Reform Plan sets out a strategic shift towards a more inclusive, needs-led model in which mainstream education is increasingly able to meet a broader range of needs through strengthened ordinarily available provision. Investment in inclusive practice, workforce development and targeted support within mainstream schools/settings will enable more children and young people to remain successfully within their local school community and to access support at an earlier stage. Alongside this, the development of a coherent network of inclusion bases across phases will provide enhanced specialist support within mainstream settings for children and young people whose needs cannot be met solely through ordinarily-available provision. This will ensure that some of those pupils who may have previously required a special school placement can instead have their needs met successfully within local mainstream provision, closer to home and within their community. This approach will also significantly reduce school transport costs. The future model will place greater emphasis on continuity of pathways and SEND sufficiency planning. Particular focus will be given to strengthening Asc, Semh and Nurture pathways, where current transition arrangements create significant pressure points and increase the risk of placement breakdown or out-of-borough placements. Targeted expansion of provision will be aligned to evidenced areas of sustained demand, particularly in primary and secondary Asc provision and Semh pathways, whilst under-utilised or unclear provision models will be reviewed and redesigned to better reflect current patterns of need. The role and effectiveness of Sld provision will also be reviewed to ensure that specialist resources are delivering improved outcomes, supporting progression and reducing unnecessary escalation to higher-cost specialist placements wherever appropriate.

By moving from a reactive placement model towards a planned and integrated continuum of support, Wirral aims to improve inclusion, parent carer confidence and long-term sustainability across the SEND system. As confidence in mainstream provision grows, demand for specialist placements is expected to become more appropriately targeted, ensuring that special school places remain available for those children and young people with the most complex needs. This transition will be underpinned by strengthened data quality, improved classification of need, regular sufficiency monitoring and more effective use of intelligence to inform joint commissioning decisions. Collectively, these reforms will support a more stable, inclusive and financially sustainable SEND system that delivers better outcomes for children and young people across Wirral.

Section 7: Conclusion This blueprint represents a decisive shift in Wirral’s approach to SEND, moving from a reactive, high-cost system towards one that is proactive, inclusive, and sustainable. It recognises both the progress that has been made and the scale of the challenge that remains, setting out a clear and deliverable pathway for reform over the next three years, and beyond. The intention is to provide graduated support for a consistent graduated approach. The success of this transformation will depend on collective ownership across the Partnership, with education, health, and care services working together as a single system. Central to this is the commitment to embedding inclusion as a shared responsibility, ensuring that both mainstream and specialist settings are equipped and accountable for meeting a wider range of needs. The Experts at Hand model will be critical in enabling this shift, providing the specialist capacity required to support earlier intervention and to reduce reliance on statutory processes. Equally important is the role of children, young people, and families as active partners in shaping the system. Through meaningful coproduction and improved communication, Wirral will rebuild trust and ensure that services reflect lived experience. Financial sustainability will also remain a key driver, with a clear focus on shifting investment upstream to reduce high-cost placements and improve value for money. By aligning resources and embedding a culture of continuous improvement, the Partnership will create a system that delivers better outcomes at a lower cost. By 2029, Wirral will be a confident, inclusive local area, where more children and young people with SEND can thrive and prepare successfully for adulthood. Furthermore, by ‘being 10% better’ across a range of self-reinforcing areas, Wirral will be ready to accelerate and amplify its impact as the new SEND legislation comes into force delivering ‘System Transformation’.

Section 8: Appendices Appendix 1: Glossary of Acronyms Adhd Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Aep Assistant Educational Psychologist Arfid Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder Asc Autism Spectrum Condition Bsil Best Start In Life Cpd Continuing Professional Development CQC Care Quality Commission Cyp Children and Young People DfE Department for Education Dsg Designated Schools Grant Eah Experts At Hand Ebe Experts By Experience Ebsa Emotionally Based School Avoidance EHCP Education, Health and Care Plan Ep Educational Psychologist Hnb High Needs Block Icb Integrated Care Board JSNA Joint Strategic Needs Assessment Laspb Local Area SEND Partnership Board Mdt Multi-Disciplinary Team Mhst Mental Health Support Team Nd Neurodevelopment / Neurodevelopmental NHS National Health Service Oap Ordinarily-Available Provision Ons Office for National Statistics Ot Occupational Therapist Rwm Reading, Writing, Maths SaLT Speech and Language Therapist

Semh Social, Emotional, and Mental Health SENCO Special Educational Needs Coordinator SEND Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities Sendiass SEND Information, Advice and Support Service Sip School Improvement Partner Slcn Speech, Language and Communication Needs Sld Severe Learning Difficulty Yjs Youth Justice Service

Appendix 2: How the SEND Reform Plan meets the Core Minimum Requirements Experts at Hand Offer

Core Minimum Requirement How the Wirral SEND Reform Plan Addresses This Evidence / Relevant

Sections The delivery approach for this offer and the rationale for why the outlined approach is optimal for the local area.

The plan sets out a locality-based, multidisciplinary ‘Experts at Hand’ model embedding specialist expertise directly into mainstream schools, settings and Family Hubs through MDTs, cluster deployment, co-location and digital consultation. The rationale is based on earlier intervention, reduced reliance on EHCPs, stronger mainstream inclusion and better alignment to local prevalence and deprivation data. The model will operate through joint commissioning between the local authority and Icb.

Section 5 – Vision for Experts at Hand

A summary of the partnership approach to agreeing an optimal delivery model including how all system partners were engaged and how the approach was informed by needs- based data.

The model has been developed through Laspb collaboration and builds on existing successful coproduced joint commissioning arrangements for Slcn. The approach is informed by JSNA data, school census data, Nd pathway demand, deprivation analysis and prevalence patterns across Asc, Slcn and Semh.

Section 5 – Needs analysis and joint commissioning model

How the Eah funding will enhance existing routes to access specialist input, and how the delivery model will be integrated with other services or offers funded separately.

The plan proposes integrating Eah with existing pathways including Slcn clinics, Family Hubs, Branch mental wellbeing hub, Nd pathways, school nursing and mainstream graduated response systems. The model extends existing successful Slcn approaches into Nd and Semh provision.

Section 5 – Integration with existing services

Proposal to collaboratively recommission alternative provision to align with the 3-tier model and best practice identified through Alternative Provision Specialist Taskforces (Apst) models.

The plan references redesigning Semh pathways, strengthening inclusion and reviewing under-utilised provision. The intention is to further strengthen APST-aligned recommissioning during implementation planning once resources are known.

Section 6 – Inclusion Bases / Semh pathways

Sufficiency and Place Planning

Effective Practice – Universal Offer

Early Years

Core Minimum Requirement How the Wirral SEND Reform Plan Addresses This Evidence / Relevant

Sections

Proposal for assessing sufficiency of childcare and specialist SEND early years places.

The plan integrates Family Hubs, early years expertise and locality-based deployment to strengthen early years sufficiency and earlier support.

Section 5 – Family Hub integration

Proposal to improve early years identification and intervention.

Early identification is strengthened through co-located support, communication clinics, early years expertise and Mdt deployment.

Sections 3 and 5 Proposal to strengthen transitions from early years to primary school.

The strategy repeatedly references pathway continuity and reducing fragmentation between phases through planned transitions and integrated support.

Sections 3 and 6

Post-16

Core Minimum Requirement How the Wirral SEND Reform Plan Addresses This Evidence / Relevant Sections

Proposal to strengthen pathways to adulthood.

The plan identifies post-16 sufficiency, local pathways, employment and preparation for adulthood as strategic priorities.

Sections 3 and 4 Clarification of pathways into and out of post-16 settings.

The strategy references integrated pathways, improved information flow and strengthened local provision to support smoother transitions into adulthood.

Sections 3 and 6

Effective Partnerships

Core Minimum Requirement How the Wirral SEND Reform Plan Addresses This Evidence / Relevant

Sections

Proposal to strengthen co- production arrangements.

The plan strongly emphasises coproduction, Experts by Experience, accessible engagement and strengthened Parent Carer Forum involvement. Meaningful coproduction is central to the nine underpinning principles.

Section 6 – Coproduction

How the voice of Cyp is captured directly.

The strategy references SEND Youth Forum involvement and direct Cyp engagement approaches.

Section 3 – Cyp voice How Sendiass will support parent carers.

Sendiass is referenced positively as an active partner, shaping services. As stated above, further detail regarding their role within mediation will be discussed and agreed during early implementation.

Section 3 – Partnership and coproduction

Proposal to adopt a minimum co-production benchmark.

The plan commits to systematic coproduction, transparent feedback and self-evaluation against impact measures.

Section 6 – Coproduction

Mediation

Evidence /

Core Minimum Requirement How the Wirral SEND Reform Plan Addresses This

Relevant

Sections

Description of local mediation and dispute resolution arrangements.

The plan identifies reducing tribunals, strengthening communication and improving partnership working as priorities. As stated above, more explicit details relating to potential changes to the mediation framework will be agreed collaboratively during early implementation.

Sections 4 and 6

Proposal to maintain metrics for timeliness, resolution rates and effectiveness.

Tribunal rates, waiting times and stakeholder confidence metrics are included within the success measures framework.

Section 4 – Success measures

Three-Year Roadmap

• Average Attainment 8 score per pupil with SEND at key stage four:
• Average Attainment 8 score per pupil with SEND at key stage four:
• Average Attainment 8 score per pupil with SEND at key stage four:

Financially sustainable SEND system – ‘living within our means’

Annual cost of post-16 out-of-Borough day placements young people with SEND Trusted and transparent Partnership

o EHCP = 16.6 % o SEN Support = 35.9%

• Exclusion rate for children and young

people with SEND EHCP:

o EHCP = 17.1 % o SEN Support = 37.1%

• Exclusion rate for children and young

people with SEND EHCP:

o EHCP = 17.8 % o SEN Support = 38.4%

• Exclusion rate for children and young

people with SEND EHCP:

• Average number of tribunals per month

High levels of stakeholder confidence – families, schools, services, settings

o Primary suspension rate = 15.9 o Secondary suspension rate = 21.7 o Primary permanent exclusion rate

o Primary suspension rate = 15.2 o Secondary suspension rate = 21.0 o Primary permanent exclusion rate

o Primary suspension rate = 14.7 o Secondary suspension rate = 20.0 o Primary permanent exclusion rate

• Reduced waiting times for access to specialist support:

o Ep: % of Psychological Advices completed within 6 weeks o SaLT: average waiting time for initial assessment o Nd: % of children and young people receiving first appointment with community paediatrician within 18 weeks o Semh: 12-month rolling average number on waiting list for 1st appointment with Choice o Ot: % of children and young people receiving first appointment with paediatric Ot service within 18 weeks o Ot: Longest wait, number of weeks

Proportion of Neet children and young people who have an EHCP

Attendance rate for children and young people with SEND Responsive and data-driven strategic decision-making

= 0.12 o Secondary permanent exclusion

= 0.11 o Secondary permanent exclusion

= 0.11 o Secondary permanent exclusion

rate = 0 SEN Support:

rate = 0 SEN Support:

rate = 0 SEN Support:

o Primary suspension rate = 6.5 o Secondary suspension rate = 31.7 o Primary permanent exclusion rate

o Primary suspension rate = 6.3 o Secondary suspension rate = 30.6 o Primary permanent exclusion rate

o Primary suspension rate = 6.0 o Secondary suspension rate = 29.3 o Primary permanent exclusion rate

= 0 o Secondary permanent exclusion

= 0 o Secondary permanent exclusion

= 0 o Secondary permanent exclusion

rate = 0.45

• Annual cost of post-16 out-of-Borough

day placements young people with SEND = 0% reduction

• Average number of tribunals per month

= 7.8

• Reduced waiting times for access to

specialist support:

rate = 0.43

• Annual cost of post-16 out-of-Borough

day placements young people with SEND > 10% reduction

• Average number of tribunals per month

= 7.5

• Reduced waiting times for access to

specialist support:

rate = 0.41

• Annual cost of post-16 out-of-Borough

day placements young people with SEND > 30% reduction

• Average number of tribunals per month

= 7.2

• Reduced waiting times for access to

specialist support:

• Data maturity level

Generally the aim is to secure 10% improvements by 2029 as per the Theory of Change. In some instances, an alternative measure is used, e.g. where local insights encourage greater boldness or caution, or where existing measures are already strong and need to be maintained.

o Ep (% of Psychological Advices o Ep (% of Psychological Advices o Ep (% of Psychological Advices completed within 6 weeks) = 21.8% o SaLT (average waiting time for completed within 6 weeks) = 22.5% o SaLT (average waiting time for completed within 6 weeks) = 23.4% o SaLT (average waiting time for initial assessment) ≤ 6 weeks o Nd (% of children and young initial assessment) ≤ 6 weeks o Nd (% of children and young initial assessment) ≤ 6 weeks o Nd (% of children and young people receiving first appointment with community paediatrician within 18 weeks) = 15.1% o Semh (12-month rolling average people receiving first appointment with community paediatrician within 18 weeks) = 19.6% o Semh (12-month rolling average people receiving first appointment with community paediatrician within 18 weeks) = 25% o Semh (12-month rolling average number on waiting list for 1st appointment with Choice) = 88 number on waiting list for 1st appointment with Choice) = 75 number on waiting list for 1st appointment with Choice) = 60 o Ot (% of children and young people o Ot (% of children and young people o Ot (% of children and young people receiving first appointment with paediatric Ot service within 18 weeks) ≥ 64.2% o Ot: Longest wait = 18 weeks

• Average proportion of Neet children

and young people who have an EHCP = 20.5%

• Attendance rate for children and young

people with SEND: receiving first appointment with paediatric Ot service within 18 weeks) ≥ 74.6% o Ot: Longest wait = 17 weeks

• Average proportion of Neet children and young people who have an EHCP = 19.8%
• Attendance rate for children and young people with SEND: receiving first appointment with paediatric Ot service within 18 weeks) ≥ 85% o Ot: Longest wait = 17 weeks
• Average proportion of Neet children and young people who have an EHCP = 18.9%
• Attendance rate for children and young people with SEND:

o EHCP = 86.1% o SEN Support = 89.8% o EHCP = 86.6% o SEN Support = 90.4% o EHCP = 87.4% o SEN Support = 91.3%

• Data maturity level (measured against Gartner’s Analytics Maturity Model) = Predictive/Prescriptive

Data maturity level (measured against Gartner’s Analytics Maturity Model) = Diagnostic Data maturity level (measured against Gartner’s Analytics Maturity Model) = Predictive Please note that the mapping of the plan against the core minimum requirements is set out in the three-year vision/strategy document.

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: Wirral

Name of Integrated Care Board: NHS Cheshire and Merseyside

Local SEND Reform Plan Sro: Elizabeth Hartley, Director of Children’s Services

Mandatory Signatories

Additional Signatories