Local Offer: Steering Group (Terms of Reference) - WNC

West Northants  SEND Local Offer Steering Group

Terms of Reference 2023 to 2024

Overview 

We aim to provide information to improve people’s lives (especially children and young people with SEND). Everyone on the Steering Group is equally valued and listened to: The WNC SEND Local Offer is co-produced with children, young people and their families and partners with support from the Group. The Steering Group will elect a Chairperson on an annual basis, ensuring that this person is adequately supported by the Local Authority resources. The Chair of the Steering Group should be involved in the appointment of the SEND Local Offer Manager and, where possible, representatives from the Steering Group in the appointment of the SEND Local Offer team members.The Steering Group will ensure that regular reporting on the SEND Local Offer is submitted to the SEND & AP Improvement Board (or its equivalent). 

The Steering Group expresses a strong commitment to hearing the broader voice of young people and families and this will be accessed via existing groups and contacts. 

Co-production commitment

Communication:  We will be clear, consistent, and timely. The Steering Group will provide minutes and agendas of the meetings held each term to all members. Agendas will be issued seven days in advance of the next meeting, after agreement with the current chairperson. 

Transparency:  Our decision making will be open and honest. It will be recorded and made publicly available using records of the meetings in an accessible format. 

Accountability: We will take responsibility for the WNC SEND Local Offer, supporting the Service Manager and Local Authority, and we will find and agree solutions to any issues raised through the feedback and forums. We will regularly review the content of the WNC SEND Local Offer and advise the SEND Local Offer team.

Working Together: We will work together, recognising the valuable contributions each representative has to form the WNC SEND Local Offer. 

Respect: We will respect all the members of the Steering Group by listening to all members and treating all as equal partners. 

Membership

Membership will represent:

Education, Health, and Care services, (both adult and children’s services), parent representatives, SEND support services, SENDIASS, voluntary sector, young people facilitators, Early Years sector. 

Anyone unable to attend a meeting should ask a colleague to represent them at the meeting, if possible. 

Members recognise their collective responsibility for the Steering Group’s decisions and strive to make decisions that further WNC SEND Local Offer’s purpose, rather than the interests of any specific group or organisation with which they are associated.The Steering Group values the perspectives which members from different organisations and teams bring but makes clear that these members are not expected to provide the only source of information about those specific groups. A member is not expected to represent the whole of their organisation but would provide relevant knowledge and information for the Steering Group. Where members are asked to provide authoritative information about the views and experiences of such groups, they should have access to systems for collecting this information.Members should have relevant skills to support the SEND Local Offer. When a member is no longer able to represent their partnership, the member should recommend a successor from their partnership.  It is good practice to review continually the range of expertise needed on the Steering Group, so that any gaps can be filled when posts become vacant.

Frequency 

The SEND Local Offer Steering Group will meet each term.

Standing Agenda Items

• Data generated from the website traffic
• Data produced from social media content and posts – monitoring the quantity of followers and an analysis of popular content (any comments can also be raised by the SEND Local Offer team for the Steering Group to consider). 
• Formal, quantifiable feedback received about the SEND Local Offer
• Potential content and forward planning  for the SEND Local Offer Newsletter, social media, and web content. 
• Analysis of annual audit so that all members understand the content that informs the SEND Local Offer
• Tracking of Development Plan or other project work  
• Any issues or concerns requiring Steering Group discussion or escalation eg non standard registrations, web content
• Other agenda items raised by request or as part of any other business

Members (as of 2023/2024):

Rachel Akers, Designated Clinical Officer for children and young people with special educational needs and disability (SEND)

Sharon Blount, Commissioning Manager - Sufficiency (Children, Families and Education)

Joanna Bradley, Strategic Manager for Children with Disabilities and Designated Social Care Officer

Lorraine Flute, Participation Worker  Adult & Children's Services

Kathy Forsdyke, Local Offer Manager (WNC)

Sue Kean, SENDco, Thomas Beckett School

John Kelly, Service Manager Children and Family Support Services (West)

Beckey Roberts, Funding, Sufficiency & Compliance Lead, Early Education and Childcare Team

Liz Sagi, Adult Social Care MIA Development Manager - Adult Social Care

Julia Smith, Information Project Officer, Local Offer (WNC)

Nicola Stephens, West Northants Voices in Partnership (PCF)  

Zoe Thompson, SENDIASS Officer (YP Lead)

Anne Wakeling, SSS Service Manager (incl Local Offer)

Lucy Watts, SEND Improvement Officer