We want the information we offer you to match what you want to know, and we want it to be in a form which is easiest for you to understand and remember.
Working with families is the best way to achieve this.
All of our training sessions and new information material, whether it is on the website, video or printed, is co-produced with people who use our service.
Suffolk SENDIASS has made a commitment to co-production with the support of Healthwatch Suffolk .
See our Commitment to Co-production (opens PDF)
How does co-production with SENDIASS work?
Co-production involves several steps:
We are made aware of a need.
We are alerted to the areas you are most confused and worried about from different sources.
- Our confidential data (the calls and emails to our service)
- A survey
- A request from The Suffolk Parent Carer Forum
For example, in 2021 a training survey demonstrated a strong interest in a session for parents and carers about transition from primary to secondary school.
We gather views.
We hold sessions where people can tell us what they are confused or unsure about and what they want to find out. We usually offer face-to-face sessions in different parts of the county, visit groups and hold an online session.
What happens at these sessions? We listen to you first and visually collect your views. Here is an example of one session’s whiteboard capture.
We develop resources.
We will create a draft of the information resource.
We share the resources and invite feedback from people who use our service.
We will take the draft resource back to any groups and settings who have been involved in the process. The draft may also be circulated by email, and on our website and /or social media for comment.
We make amendments.
After we have collected and listened to all of the feedback, we will make any amendments then the resource is published.
We will continue to make amendments and updates as necessary.
Current projects for feedback
If you would be interested in joining our co-production group please email us here:
co-production@suffolksendiass.co.uk
Preparing for adulthood information for parents.
In coproduction with parents around preparing for adulthood, we were asked to produce some draft videos around specific themes to support young people with SEND to prepare for adult life.
Thank you to everyone who gave us feedback for the draft of our first video explaining the 4 pathways to adulthood. We have made the suggested amendments and published it on our SENDIASS YouTube channel. However, we are still happy to amend it:
The 4 pathways to adult life for young people with SEND
We are now seeking feedback from families and practitioners for the first drafts of our next two videos:
5 day packages of provision for young people with EHC plans (First draft)
Ceasing an EHC plan (first draft)
Do please email your thoughts and suggestions to co-production@suffolksendiass.co.uk putting ‘P4A feedback’ in the email header.
We really appreciate your views 😊
Videos for young people
We are working with groups of young people to create a series of short animated videos.
The first will be an about how the SENDIASS service can help young people. The video will be no more than a minute long and will aim to make young people aware of our service, what we do and how to contact us.
See our initial ideas: Story board for young person’s service video
Please email your thoughts to: co-production@suffolksendiass.co.uk
Based on discussions with groups of young people so far, the current indications of their preferred topics (these may change as conversations continue!) for future videos are:
• Inclusion rights (what support can I expect at school/college?)
• Feeling too anxious to go to school or college.
• Sensory/environmental needs and what can help
• Why am I being suspended/sent to a Pupil Referral Unit?
• Taking exams.
• Why am I getting extra help? (feeling like standing out)
• No-one listens or understands me.
• Worried about leaving school/Post-16
• Help, I’ve been Permanently Excluded!
Leaving School/ College
This information for young people, initially began as information about 5 day provision for young people 16+. Through co-production a number of amendments have been made. The latest draft is below.
Leaving School/College (opens PDF of the draft)
Please email your thoughts to: co-production@suffolksendiass.co.uk
Travel
This information for young people has been drafted in easy read format.
Travel and transport (opens PDF of the draft).
A number of amendments have already been identified including:
- Changing the title.
- Adding a contents page.
- Re-ordering the information sections (exact headings to be agreed) to:
- Introduction.
- Section 1 – Saving money on travel.
- Section 2 – Travel to school or college 16+ (inc. bursary fund)
- Section 3 – 19+ (QA – accuracy/re-wording)
- Section 4 – Travel training
- Section 5 – If you have an EHC plan…
- Section 6 – Useful links
We would really appreciate your views. Please email your thoughts to:
co-production@suffolksendiass.co.uk
Recent Co-production Activity
April 2024
Co-production email group created.
Character name competition – youth group – The Mix
Short list of character names created following the competition.
Requests made for amendments to Young persons service video.
Travel information created in easy read format and amendments made.
Preparation for adulthood videos for parents recorded. Sent out to co-production group.
Gathered all feedback for changes/amendments to 5 day provision / leaving school or college draft. Feedback strongly indicated there was too much information, look at dividing information.
Request made for changes and amendments to ‘getting your voice heard’ information following feedback from young people.
March 2024
Launch of character name competition.
Discussed advocacy document with young people – Mainstream SEN youth council, college group at Suffolk Rural, and WS Training.
Discussed draft 5 day provision / leaving school with an EHCP information with Young people – Mainstream SEN youth council, college group at Suffolk Rural, and WS Training.
Begin work on travel information – draft in easy read for young people. Request in young person survey 2023.
Begin work on information about SEN support – getting help in school or college.
listen to young people – ideas on topics of information for videos -Mainstream SEN youth council, college group at Suffolk Rural, and WS Training.
Discuss where on the website to place information on attendance with the Advisory Body. – previous feedback that this could be more prominent.
Share first version of promotion video with young people from Suffolk Rural.
Began creating first draft of next preparing for adulthood video for parents and carers: ‘Ceasing an EHC plan’.
February 2024
Annual Reviews of your Education, Health and Care plan, easy read (PDF) document shared and further amended.
Mainstream high school – SEN Youth Council. Discussed the importance of EHC plans and being involved in Annual Review Process. Looked at the Rewards Framework, Character development and videos.
Information on 5 day provision for young people discussed with Engagement Hub.
Continuing to receive feedback and make amendments to ‘The four pathways to adult life’ video.
Begin creating first draft of next preparing for adulthood video: ‘Five day packages of provision for young people with EHC plans’.
Coming Soon!
The next projects that we are considering for co- production development include information on:
- 5 day provision for young people at 16+ with an EHC plan.
- Transport for 16+.
- A practitioner’s leaflet.
- ETOAS
- Suspensions in schools
Commitment to co-production (opens PDF)
Rewards for working with SENDIASS (opens PDF)
