Barnsley Local SEND Reform Plan 2026

Classification: Official Appendix A Final Draft 28 May 2026 Barnsley Local SEND Reform Plan

Contents

1. Introduction 3

Document Overview 3

The Local SEND Reform Plan 4

2. Laying the Foundation for Reform 6

The Experts at Hand Offer 7

Embedding the Experts at Hand Offer Within a Broader Reform Strategy 11

Strengthening Effective Partnerships and Practice 13

Governance 17

Funding 18

Structure of the Local SEND Reform Plan 20

3. Submission, Review, and Monitoring Process 21

Submission 21

Review 22

Monitoring 22

High Needs Stability Grant 24

4. Questions 24

Annex A: Local SEND Reform Plan 25

Executive Summary 27

Section 1 – Vision and Goals 28

Section 2 – Strategy 28

Section 3 – Monitoring and Evaluation 39

Section 4 – Governance 41

Section 5 – Central Government Support 42

Annex B - Supporting Documents 43

Annex C – Risk Matrix 44

Annex A: Local SEND Reform Plan

Below Sets Out The DfE Requirements For All Local Authorites Regarding The CO-PRODUCTION And Design Of The 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: Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council

Name of Integrated Care Board: South Yorkshire

Local SEND Reform Plan Sro: Nina Sleight, Service Director, Education, Early Start and Prevention

Signatories (To Be Completed Post Cabinet)

Metropolitan Borough Council Integrated Care katycalvin- Board NHS Place Katy Calvin-Thomas thomas@barnsley.gov.uk Director

Executive Summary

Summary of Barnsley's local change story: We have a clear understanding of our SEND system, including the strengths we are building on and the areas where we are continuing to improve. We are committed to strengthening early support and inclusion so that more children and young people can get the help they need sooner, in the right place. Importantly, this work is about strengthening support - not reducing it.

Our journey over the last 3 years has secured improved outcomes for children. Deprivation continues to impact on a significant number of families in Barnsley, and children and young people grow up in households of low income. Health outcomes in Barnsley are some of the worst in England. This has required the local area to develop strong partnerships, agree shared priorities and invest in areas that will have the most impact. Our most recent SEND inspection recognised the strong commitment across Barnsley’s partnership to improving outcomes, highlighting positive collaboration and a clear direction of travel. This gives us confidence that we are building on solid foundations as we continue our improvement journey.

SEND spending expected to rise from £40.8 million in 2024/25 to £58.6 million by 2027/28. Our High Needs Block accumulative deficit is £19M (March 2026) – driven by rise in demand, EHCP growth and increasing reliance on specialist provision. This has impacted on our High Needs Block reflecting the national picture. The current forecast deficits (£13.4 million in 2026/27 and £14.6 million in 2027/28 2026/27) reflect the current level of demand in the system. Through our planned improvements, this will be stabilised and reduced over time, while continuing to prioritise support for children and young people.

By 2029, the system will be inclusive by design, fully joined up across partners, trusted by families, and moving to financially sustainable position.

Impact will be demonstrated through:

• More children and young people successfully supported in mainstream settings
• Reduced need for specialist placements, where appropriate
• A reducing High Needs Block deficit over time
• Increased confidence and trust from parents and carers
• Improved outcomes for children and young people

We will achieve this through: An effective graduated response – ensuring needs are identified earlier and support is put in place more quickly. Continued investment in local provision and mainstream settings – so more children and young people can learn and thrive in their own communities. Joined-up commissioning – making sure services work together effectively and focus on what matters most for children, young people and families. Impactful co-production – working in partnership with parents, carers, children and young people to shape services. Investment in our workforce – supporting staff to have the skills and expertise to meet children’s and young people's needs confidently and consistently. Strong partnership working – improving how services work together to provide a better experience for children, young people and families.

We are committed to strengthening early support and inclusion so that more children and young people can get the help they need sooner, in the right place.

Financial sustainability - over time - will be achieved through improving the SEND system as a whole. By investing in early help and inclusive practice we will reduce the need for more specialist and higher-cost provision, while continuing to meet the needs of children and young people.

Barnsley’s strong approach to planning and partnership working underpins this Plan, ensuring that improving outcomes for children and young people remains our central focus.

Progress will be tracked through clear performance measures, including:

• More children and young people supported successfully in mainstream education settings
• Reduced reliance on out-of-area education placements
• Reduced need for dispute resolution
• A stable and reducing High Needs Block deficit over time

Our performance and monitoring arrangements will ensure we track progress carefully and respond quickly where improvements are needed.

This is a programme of whole-system SEND improvement - building on strong partnerships, learning from our recent Ofsted and CQC inspection, and focusing on what matters most: better outcomes and experiences for children, young people and their families.

Through this work, Barnsley will deliver a SEND system that is more inclusive, more effective, more trusted and sustainable for the future.

Section 1 – Vision and Goals

Our Vision: In Barnsley, we are ambitious for all our children and young people. We know that some children and young people will need additional support at times so that they are included and achieve their full potential, and we are committed as a partnership across the Local Area to achieve this.

The vision is for every child and young person in Barnsley to be included and to thrive in their education and community so that they can maximise their independence, lead fulfilling lives and achieve the outcomes that are important to them.

Through early identification, assessing and meeting needs as soon as possible, and securing improved outcomes, we will know that our children and young people are getting the right support at the right time and in the right place.

The aim is for children and young people to be educated closer to home, in their communities, and to be able to access local health and social care services and social opportunities. We want children and young people to remain with their families and live the best adult life that they can, and to support Barnsley to be an economically vibrant and sustainable community. We have developed and are implementing a rich and diverse range of initiatives across the borough, which support all children and young people to reach their full potential. Our goals are to;

Goal 1: Improve outcomes We will achieve sustained, measurable improvements in wellbeing and independence by ensuring needs are identified earlier and met effectively within local communities and inclusive education settings, enabling children and young people to make meaningful progress and achieve positive long-term outcomes. Success will be demonstrated through improved attendance and more young people progressing successfully into vocational pathways, further/higher education, employment or training. Goal 2: Increase inclusion We will significantly increase the proportion of children and young people whose needs are met effectively within mainstream settings and local communities by embedding inclusion and strengthening our targeted, targeted plus and specialist packages as part of our graduated response. Through expansion of inclusion bases, strengthened mainstream provision, vocational pathways and improved system confidence, we will develop a system based on local, inclusive support.

Goal 3: Improve confidence We will further build a system that is transparent, responsive and genuinely co-produced, where children, young people and families feel heard, respected and confident that needs can and will be met locally. Our workforce and our partners will also have greater confidence in our stronger SEND system, shaping its design. Goal 4: Strengthen workforce We will develop a confident, skilled, aligned and sustainable workforce across education, health and care, capable of identifying and meeting need at the earliest stage and delivering high-quality inclusive practice. Our workforce will be re-designed and new roles developed to better meet identified need in a more sustainable way. Goal 5: Stabilise finances and improve value for money We will achieve financial sustainability by investing in early intervention, local system capacity and our workforce, ensuring that resources are used more effectively. Our focus is on improving outcomes for children and young people whilst reduced need for out of borough, high- cost provision. Our commissioning arrangements will be further strengthened to ensure improved impact and value for money.

Section 2 – Strategy

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

Our strategy is aligned with the Schools White Paper, Every Child Achieving and Thriving, and reflective of aligned national reforms and transformation programmes, including Best Start in Life and Families First. We have built on our learning from our involvement in the Partnership for Improvement of Neurodiversity (Pins) and reflected with partners on the work in this area already underway in our schools, academies and colleges.

We have a detailed understanding of where we are as a local system, using outcomes from our recent SEND Area Inspection and our SEND Maturity Assessment. We have gathered intelligence from participation events with children, young people and parents/carers, nurseries, post-16 providers, schools, academies and education settings (all phases), and independent non-maintained provision. We have

also consulted with our NHS provider organisations and Icb commissioners in relation to Salt and other therapy services to gain a detailed understanding of the operational and strategic pressures in these areas.

We have commissioned an external review of the Fair Access Panel to identify effective practice in engaging children and young people, identifying need, making placement decisions and strengthening overall decision-making. The review has also explored the needs, views and aspirations of children, young people and their families, alongside the effectiveness of multi-agency strategic approaches across settings and services, identifying areas that could be further strengthened. The learning from the review will be incorporated into our Experts at Hand (Eah) proposition.

We have set out our Barnsley vision and aspiration for Eah, shaped by local co-production with children, young people and local partners, drawing on evidence from the national Change Programme and What Works in SEND. The proposition is included in the appendices. The

core elements of our developing proposition are illustrated in the diagrams below: The Icb, Council and NHS provider organisations are preparing for an improved coordination and alignment of commissioning for speech and language therapy services with the aim of developing alignment to the requirements of Eah, including the management of waiting time pressures. Discussions have commenced with Multi Academy Trust Chief Executives to identify possible delivery models for Eah to ensure effective coordination across the borough.

Discussions have also commenced with other South Yorkshire Councils to explore opportunities for regional collaboration in areas such as workforce development and speech and language therapy services.

Accessible and proactive support, reducing reliance on referral and escalation

Focus on building workforce capability, not creating dependency

Strengthening inclusive practice within the system, ensuring specialist expertise enhances everyday delivery rather than sitting at the margins Strengthening mainstream inclusion capacity: Meeting a wider range of SEND needs and delivering quality first teaching with adaptation:

A systematic approach to scaling effective practice, reducing variation and addressing gaps in confidence and delivery across settings where identified

A full system shift to a system where all settings are confident in meeting a wide range of needs, the graduated response is consistently applied and effective and specialist expertise is accessible at the point of need, not through referral or escalation System enablers:

What needs to change:

Further consistency in access to specialist support

Access to timely support across different parts of the local area thereby reducing escalation to secure the level of support required

Reliance on out-of-area and independent placements

Capacity not yet fully aligned to support early intervention and mainstream inclusion

Home to School transport needs to be aligned with inclusion planning as a key enabler of inclusion, especially for post- 16 learning and exploring ITT and Ptb. Status of enablers:

Capital investment supports inclusive, flexible environments across early years, mainstream and post-16 settings, alongside expanded inclusion base capacity

Workforce development ensures practitioners and leaders have the skills and confidence to deliver high-quality inclusive practice at scale as part of a new workforce model

Data and digital systems provide real-time insight into inclusion, demand and outcomes, enabling proactive decision- making and continuous improvement.

Home to School travel is a key enabler of inclusion: A shift in approach - from transport as a service to transport as a developmental and enabling intervention.

Expanded inclusion bases (targeted plus provision) and flexible, needs-led support within schools.

Strengthened Inclusion Policies.

Consistent inclusion standards across Barnsley in line with new expectations Enablers: Capital investment

The system enablers required for transformation are in place but at differing stages of maturity.

Partnership leadership and governance are strong, with clear shared ownership of SEND priorities and delivery.

Co-production is well embedded and provides meaningful system insight.

Workforce capacity and confidence require further strengthening to enable consistent delivery of inclusive practice across all settings.

Capital infrastructure has not yet been fully optimised to support inclusive environments at scale

Data systems are developing, they are not yet fully integrated to support real- time, predictive and system-wide decision-making.

A phased, targeted capital programme across early years, mainstream, and post- 16, aligned to sufficiency gaps and inclusion priorities

Investment in adapting mainstream environments (e.g. sensory, breakout, and flexible learning spaces) to support inclusion

Expansion of inclusion bases in priority locations

Strengthened early years provision linked to Family Hubs and improved post-16 environments for preparation for adulthood

Ensuring capacity is in the right places and physical environments actively enable inclusive practice

Capital investment used to drive a shift toward inclusive provision, not just increase capacity Workforce

A system-wide workforce development programme to build inclusive practice

Coaching, modelling, and access to specialist expertise to support frontline delivery

Strengthened SEND leadership across all settings

Development of new workforce models to improve delivery capacity

Targeted investment in specialist roles (e.g. educational psychology and therapy services)

Data and digital systems supporting inclusion:

A centralised SEND data and performance system, providing a shared view of demand, delivery, and outcomes across the partnership

Real-time tracking of inclusion, demand, and outcomes, with early identification of trends and pressures

Evidence-based decision-making to inform commissioning, planning, and service delivery

Development of integrated system planning (Isp) to align data with strategic delivery

Sufficient and well-targeted specialist capacity (e.g. educational psychology, therapies, Semh support), aligned to demand

Strategic commissioning and sufficiency planning, ensuring provision is in the right place, at the right scale, and meets local need

Investment in local provision, including inclusion bases, early years pathways, and post-16 offer

Workforce capability in mainstream settings, supported through access to specialist advice, coaching, and modelling

Clear pathways and access routes to support, reducing reliance on escalation and statutory processes

Consistent system processes and thresholds, enabling equitable access and reducing variation across localities

Robust data and forecasting, supporting understanding of demand, pressures, and gaps in provision

Capital investment aligned to inclusion priorities, ensuring environments support flexible, inclusive delivery

Focus on early intervention and prevention, with support available at the point of need

Co-production is strengthening and provides meaningful system insight.

Workforce capacity and confidence require further strengthening to enable consistent delivery of inclusive practice across all settings.

Capital infrastructure has not yet been fully optimised to support inclusive environments at scale

Data systems are developing, they are not yet fully integrated to support real- time, predictive and system-wide decision-making.

Transformation is enabled by capital investment delivering inclusive learning environments and expanded provision capacity,

Workforce development builds confidence and capability across all settings

Data and digital systems enable real-time monitoring, proactive planning and evidence- based decision-making

What is working well:

Vision:

Building Block 3: System Leadership and Partnership:

Strong, mature partnership leadership with well-established collaboration across education, health, and care

Clear and effective governance, with shared ownership of SEND priorities at strategic and operational levels

Embedded co-production, with children, young people, and families actively shaping strategy and delivery

Constructive, transparent relationships enabling collective problem-solving and shared understanding of pressures

Leadership demonstrates clear ambition and alignment to national reform, with increasing coherence across inclusion, sufficiency, and financial sustainability What needs to change:

Fully embedded, system-wide culture of inclusion across all education settings and partner agencies

Inclusion is a shared, non-negotiable responsibility, understood and consistently applied by all professionals

A strengths-based, needs-led approach underpins all practice and decision-making

Consistent inclusive practice across all settings, with high expectations for adaptive teaching and support embedded in everyday provision

Leaders at all levels actively model and promote inclusive behaviours

All settings demonstrate confidence in meeting diverse needs within mainstream environments and consistently apply the graduated response

Shared accountability for outcomes for children with SEND

Children and families experience equitable, high-quality support regardless of setting

Workforce across education, health, and care is confident, skilled, and supported to deliver inclusive practice

Professionals can identify needs early, respond effectively, and engage in clear, constructive conversations with families

Relational practice is consistent, building trust through clarity, transparency, and empathy

Co-production is fully embedded at both strategic and frontline levels

A strong, unified Local Area Partnership with shared accountability across education, health, and care

Leadership aligned to a single, coherent vision, supported by robust governance for effective oversight and delivery

Co-production embedded as a core principle, with children, young people, and families actively shaping strategy and delivery

Lived experience informing decision- making, service development, and continuous improvement

Enablers:

Clear, shared vision and strategic alignment

Strong governance and accountability frameworks

System leadership capacity and capability

Visible, committed senior leadership across education, health, and care

Embedded and meaningful co-production

Trust, relationships, and partnership maturity

Integrated planning and commissioning

Workforce capacity and system-wide capability

Data, insight, and performance management

Programme and delivery infrastructure

Culture of continuous learning and improvement

Strong partnership working now provides a firm platform to deepen and scale integrated system leadership across the whole partnership.

Opportunity to build even stronger, more consistent ownership of inclusion across all schools and trusts.

Strengthening accountability across the whole system, particularly at operational and provider level, will support greater consistency and sharper delivery.

There is a strong foundation to embed co-production even more consistently in frontline practice as well as strategic levels.

Children, young people, and families are actively involved in decision-making, with their views shaping services

Participation is inclusive and representative, with feedback routinely used to drive improvement

There is a clear link between engagement and tangible system change System enablers:

Status of enablers:

System enablers are in place but at varying levels of maturity.

Governance and leadership alignment are well developed, and co-production is a clear strength.

Need to further develop leadership capability for inclusion across all settings

Need to strengthen workforce confidence in relational practice and partnership with families

Need to improve system-wide consistency in communication, decision-making and accountability frameworks.

Workforce development ensures that inclusive practice and relational behaviours are continuously strengthened

Leadership development has embedded accountability for inclusion at all levels of the system

Data and performance systems tracks inclusion, confidence and experience, enabling proactive oversight

Capital investment creates environments that support inclusive behaviours and practice.

What is working well:

Vision:

Building Block 4: Inclusive Culture and Behaviours:

Strong foundations for inclusive culture, including committed leadership, effective partnerships, and well- established co-production

A shared ambition for inclusion across the system

Examples of strong inclusive practice in some settings, supported by confident leadership and relational approaches

Co-production is strengthening, with children, young people, and families influencing strategic design

An increasingly open, reflective, and improvement-focused culture, with partners working collaboratively to address challenges What needs to change:

A fully embedded, system-wide culture of inclusion, where inclusive behaviours are consistently demonstrated across all education settings and partner agencies

Inclusion recognised as a core responsibility of all professionals, with a shared commitment to children and young people feeling they belong, are valued, and can thrive in their communities

The Eah model as the key delivery mechanism, embedding multidisciplinary expertise alongside practitioners to improve access to support, model inclusive, strengths-based practice and build workforce confidence and capability

Scaling existing pockets of strong practice into a consistent, system-wide standard, reducing variation

A shift from reactive, escalation-led responses to proactive, embedded inclusive practice that is expected as the norm

A confident workforce able to meet needs effectively and engage positively with families

Open, transparent, and trusting relationships with families, replacing conflict with collaboration System enablers:

Supportive system conditions, including time for learning, reflection, and safe practice development

Aligned systems and processes (policies, funding, governance) that enable inclusion and reinforce expected behaviours

Strong partnership working, with shared ownership across education, health, and care

Use of data and insight to track inclusion, identify variation, and drive improvement

Recognition and reinforcement of good practice, celebrating what works and embedding it into performance and workforce development

Shared understanding of inclusion as a strengths-based, needs-led approach and a responsibility of all professionals

Consistent inclusive practice, clearly defined and embedded in day-to-day delivery across the system

Leadership role-modelling, with leaders actively championing inclusion, collaboration, and high expectations

Workforce capability and mindset, supported through ongoing development in inclusive, person-centred practice and confident engagement with families

Clear and consistent system messaging, aligned from strategy through to frontline delivery

Co-production embedded as standard practice, with lived experience shaping

Inclusion not yet consistently embedded, with variable understanding and practice across settings

Workforce confidence is uneven, impacting inclusive practice and consistent engagement with families

Key enablers of culture change are in place but require strengthening, including leadership capability to drive inclusion at all levels

Need to move from pockets of strong practice to a fully embedded, system- wide inclusive culture at scale Status of enablers:

Workforce development ensures all practitioners are skilled in inclusive and relational practice, with leadership at all levels driving a consistent culture of inclusion

Capital investment has created environments across early years,

Co-production infrastructure is in place, with established mechanisms to

decision-making, design, and improvement

engage children, young people, and families

Further work needed to embed consistent, meaningful co-production in decision-making and service design

System processes are being aligned to inclusive principles, with strategic intent supporting inclusion and early help

Continued development required to ensure policies, pathways, and funding consistently enable inclusion

Strong partnership foundations, with positive relationships and collaborative working across the Local Area Partnership

Further progress needed to strengthen shared accountability, ensuring inclusion is consistently owned as a whole-system responsibility

mainstream and post-16 settings that support inclusive behaviours and flexible delivery

Data and digital systems provide insight into inclusion, confidence and experience, enabling leaders to monitor cultural change and intervene where needed

Enablers:

Visible and consistent leadership commitment

Senior leaders across all partners actively champion inclusion

Leaders model strengths-based, needs- led behaviours in decision-making and practice

Inclusion clearly positioned as a strategic priority, not an add-on

Success measures

Baseline

Target Metrics

Measurable Impact by 2029

Inclusion, attendance and participation:

Baseline

For children and young people, parents and carers

Inclusion, attendance and participation: A growing number of children with SEND are outside traditional school structures. This indicates that while many children are engaged in education, there is increasing reliance on alternative arrangements, reflecting challenges in mainstream participation and inclusion. AP placements have increased significantly, with spend rising from £749k (2024/25) to £1.5m (2025/26). This indicates a system where a proportion of children are unable to sustain placement in mainstream settings, requiring alternative or reactive provision.

Increase proportion of children with EHCPs in mainstream provision from ~43% (1,469 / 3,378) → >50%

Reduce AP placements by 20%

Measurable improvements in attendance, and participation for children with SEND, in their local schools

Fewer children experiencing suspensions and permanent exclusions

Improved progress and academic outcomes

Improved outcomes in speech, language and communication, emotional regulation and independence

Increased proportion of children supported successfully at SEN Support

Increased proportion of children supported successfully in mainstream settings

Improved timeliness and accessibility of specialist support

Increased parent and carer trust and confidence, alongside reduced complaints and tribunal activity

Reduced Neet rates

Preparation for Adulthood:

Increase EHCP learners in mainstream post- 16 provision from 451 (2025 baseline) → ≥500

Mitigate growth in specialist post-16 placements - maintain below 60 placements annually

Increase in % of children and young people with SEND accessing employment and/or training

Preparation for Adulthood and Post-16 outcomes: There has been an increase in post-16 placements from 708 (2025) to 758 (2026) and a growth in specialist post-16 placements (35 → 43) and a reduction in mainstream post-16 placements from 451 (2025) to 289 (2026).

Speech, language, emotional regulation and independence:

Increase number of Cyp supported by SaLT without EHCP from 1,500 → ≥2,160

Increase Cyp supported by Ot without EHCP from 832 → ≥1,200 [

Reduce proportion of Slcn and Asc needs requiring EHCP, slower growth compared to baseline (currently: Asc: 1,404 → rising, Slcn: 682 → rising)

For system performance

Increase in children having their needs met at SEN support

Early identification of needs followed by early support in place

Consistent application of the graduated response across all settings

Reduced reliance on high-cost specialist placements

Stabilised or reduced EHCP demand and specialist placement requests

SEN Support:

Reduce EHCP growth rate from ~9% annual growth → ≤2–3% annually

Reduce EHCP requests from 783 (2025) → below 750 annually

Increased confidence among schools and practitioners in delivering inclusion

More consistent experiences across settings For workforce capability

Speech, language, emotional regulation and independence: The dataset highlights both high levels of need and significant scale of response. Speech, language and communication needs represent 682 EHCPs (2025), rising to 810 (2026). Autism - largest primary need group at 1,404 EHCPs (2025). Support capacity is expanding. 1,500 Cyp supported by Speech & Language services (2025/26) and 832 Cyp supported by Occupational Therapy (2025/26). However, the scale of need continues to outpace system capacity, contributing to waiting times and delayed intervention

Inclusion in Mainstream Settings:

Increase Cyp with EHCPs in mainstream from 1,469 → ≥2,182 (based on forecast trajectory but accelerated through reform)

A skilled, confident and self-sustaining workforce across all schools

SENCOs and teachers able to independently implement high-quality SEN Support

Strong cross-agency working between education, health and care practitioners For financial sustainability

Reduce Cyp in independent/non-maintained placements - stabilise below 300 placements

Increase local provision usage

Reduction in EHCP assessment volume: stabilise completions below 700 annually (vs forecast 728)

Increase Cyp accessing support without formal assessment Parent and carer confidence:

SEN Support: The baseline position shows growth in EHCPs whilst at the national average for SEND Support. Total EHCPs: 3,378 (2025), forecast to rise to 3,685 (2026) (+9%). EHCP requests - 783 (2025) increasing to 850 (2026).

Slowing and stabilisation of High Needs Block pressures

Demonstrable cost avoidance through reduced escalation

Reinvestment into early intervention and universal provision

Significant reduction in independent and out-of-area placements

Reduce tribunal activity from baseline of 3 → ≤2 annually

Reduce complaints and escalations

Increase proportion of families reporting confidence in support at SEN Support level

Inclusion in mainstream settings: The system shows a mixed provision balance, with increasing pressure on specialist provision. EHCP distribution (2025 baseline): 1,469 in mainstream schools (43%), 563 in maintained special schools (17%), 285 in independent non-maintained special schools (8%).

Neet and participation:

Increase proportion of post-16 Cyp in education, employment or training pathways

Trends indicate growth in mainstream placements (to 1,709 in 2026) but continued and increasing reliance on independent placements (285 → 289). Cost reinforces this challenge independent placements average £73k per place (2025/26). This indicates inclusion is partially effective, but system

pressures continue to drive escalation to specialist provision.

Parent and carer confidence: The data suggests system challenge, potential strain and a level of parental dissatisfaction.

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

Our strategy for delivery is based on our Maturity Assessment, findings from our latest SEND Local Area Inspection and local knowledge and intelligence. This analysis identifies that we are well positioned to deliver meaningful, sustainable reform, built on impactful services, strong vision, ambition and leadership, with mature arrangements for governance and partnership. These insights have shaped how we consider prioritisation of workforce and Eah delivery, sequencing of reform (stabilisation → scaling → sustainability) and targeted investment in mainstream capacity. We are progressing from developing toward established maturity - essential foundations firmly in place and now being embedded and scaled. Barnsley has moved decisively beyond a compliance-led approach and is now actively shaping a more integrated, preventative, inclusive model, underpinned by clear understanding of priorities and actions required to deliver.

Our strategic intent is strong, coherent and widely understood across partners - our Theory of Change has been developed and tested with partners from all phases of education (including independent non-maintained providers), health and social care.

A holistic system around children and young people

• Change will occur through a continuous, reinforcing ecosystem around children and young people
• Children and young people sit within a loop of 3 key influences family, school and education settings and their local community. Each element both influences and is influenced by the others, forming an ongoing feedback loop rather than separate services.
• Children are supported early and effectively with the right help, in the right place, ensuring they feel included, understood and safe, and can thrive within their families, schools and communities.

Our Theory of Change shows that if you invest in strong partnerships and resources, and use them to deliver coordinated early support, effective services and plans it will lead to positive changes in children’s lives, ultimately enabling them and their families to thrive. Our model is systemic, not service-specific, emphasises early intervention and prevention, is outcomes-focused, not just activity-driven and connects the child–family–school-community ecosystem. This Theory of Change is based on a clear causal sequence which is consistent across all building blocks and underpins our investment, workforce model and delivery sequencing:

• If multidisciplinary expertise is embedded within mainstream settings,
• Then need will be identified earlier and addressed more effectively,
• Leading to improved SEN Support and reduced escalation,
• Resulting in lower demand for statutory assessment and specialist placements,
• And ultimately improved outcomes and financial sustainability.

We will deliver change through the following structured pathway: Inputs

• Investment in Eah multidisciplinary teams
• Workforce development across education, health and care
• Expansion of inclusion bases and mainstream adaptations
• Improved data, digital infrastructure and analytics capability
• Strengthened governance and co-production arrangements

Outputs

• Multidisciplinary expertise embedded in mainstream settings
• Increased practitioner confidence and capability in SEND
• Improved access to timely advice, assessment and intervention
• Enhanced visibility of need, demand and outcomes through integrated data

Short-Term Outcomes (Year 1–2)

• Earlier and more accurate identification of need
• Improved quality and consistency of SEN Support
• Reduced waiting times for access to specialist support
• Increased parental confidence in mainstream provision

Medium-Term Outcomes (Year 2–3)

• Reduction in new EHCP requests as needs are met earlier
• Increased proportion of children’s needs met effectively in mainstream
• Reduced escalation to specialist and high-cost placements
• Improved attendance, reduced exclusions and improved transitions

Long-Term Impact (Year 3+)

• A sustainable, inclusive SEND system delivering improved life outcomes for children and young people
• A stable High Needs Block with reduced reliance on reactive, high-cost provision

. By 2029, Barnsley aims to achieve a more balanced and sustainable system. Children are supported by a wider range of support including the tiered approach at SEN Support as well as those with an EHCP. Strong and consistently applied support, which is targeted, targeted plus, specialist graduated response, and delivered by a skilled, confident workforce able to meet a greater range of needs within mainstream settings. Delivery is being driven through focused system levers - investing in workforce capability, enhancing early intervention through integrated pathways, embedding authentic co-production with families and aligning commissioning to support

sufficiency and long-term sustainability. These combined efforts are already creating the conditions for improved outcomes, stronger family confidence, and reduced reliance on high-cost placements. Core delivery mechanisms are the development of Eah and Individual Support Plans, ensuring that inclusion is translated into consistent, high-quality practice - enabling earlier, more effective support, stronger multidisciplinary working, improved workforce capability and more equitable and transparent experiences for families. Delivery of this strategy depends on four key enablers:

• Workforce – building sufficient capacity and capability to deliver inclusive practice
• Data and Insight – enabling real-time visibility of performance and demand
• Governance – ensuring aligned, accountable system leadership
• Co-production – embedding lived experience in continuous system design

The data and insight layer which will be developed over the next 3 years, This will help to create a learning and adaptive system, where insight is generated through ISPs and frontline delivery, decision-making is evidence-led and timely, variation is identified and addressed systematically and impact is measured, understood, and continuously improved. This is not a static plan. We will operate a continuous learning cycle, monitoring performance against trajectory, identifying variance and emerging risks, undertaking root cause analysis and adapting delivery, sequencing, or resource allocation. This ensures that delivery remains realistic and responsive, system learning directly informs decision-making and risks are managed dynamically. Progress will continue to be tracked through clear and measurable improvements in inclusion, demand, outcomes and financial sustainability. Together, these will ensure Barnsley’s SEND system continues to evolve into one that is increasingly equitable, resilient and trusted by children and their families. The next phase of improvement is focused on building consistency and depth, ensuring shared ambition is translated consistently into reliable, high-quality practice across the whole system.

The local area partnership roadmap for the next 3 years The 3-year roadmap reflects deliberate sequencing choices based on system capacity, important to ensure implementation is capacity-led, not ambition-led.

• Year 1 prioritises depth over breadth, piloting Eah in priority localities rather than full rollout
• Year 2 scales only after workforce confidence and operational learning reach defined thresholds
• Year 3 focuses on sustainability, not further expansion

Local roadmap for the next 3 years

2026/27: Stabilisation and Foundations

2027/28: Scaling and Embedding Reform

2028/29: Consolidation and Sustainability

Building block 1: Strengthening inclusion across education settings Workstream 1: Inclusion and Mainstream Capacity

Key Milestones:

Key Milestones:

Key Milestones:

Eah model established in pilot localities

Clear system-wide expectations for inclusive practice defined and communicated

Universal Plus offer launched, delivering workforce development, coaching, and modelling

All schools engaged in inclusion development programme, with targeted support for settings with greatest need or variation

Strengthened SEN Support arrangements, with consistent use of ISPs

Initial deployment of locality- based Mdt support

Baseline established for inclusion outcomes and variation

Early reduction in reliance on reactive referrals

Leadership capacity strengthened across schools and trusts

Early evidence of improved workforce confidence

Phased approach to scaling, ensuring implementation is aligned to capacity, with learning from pilot areas informing wider rollout

Eah model fully scaled across all localities

Inclusive practice embedded as a system-wide standard

Universal Plus offer fully established

Significant improvement in SEN Support quality and consistency

Locality MDTs fully operational and integrated

Demonstrable reduction in variation between settings and localities

Improved mainstream capacity to meet need

Reduction in inappropriate or delayed referrals

Leadership of inclusion embedded within all schools and trusts

Measurable improvement in workforce confidence and capability

Data-driven improvement embedded

System learning captured and applied

Home to School travel embedded as a key aspect of inclusion arrangements using more flexible approaches such as ITT and Ptb

Eah fully embedded across all settings

Mainstream capacity demonstrably strengthened, with the majority of needs met effectively at SEN Support

Universal Plus and workforce development offers sustained

ISPs fully embedded and quality-assured

Variation across settings and localities significantly reduced

Leadership of inclusion fully integrated within schools and trusts

Workforce confidence and capability sustained at scale, with practitioners independently delivering high-quality inclusive and relational practice

Mainstream settings consistently meeting a broad range of needs,

Inclusion outcomes show sustained improvement, with children remaining in local settings wherever possible

Data and intelligence fully embedded in practice, with real-time insight used to maintain quality, target support, and drive continuous improvement

Financial data and intelligence integrated into programme reporting

Medium-term financial planning initiated

Shared understanding across partners of financial drivers and sustainability challenges

Early foundations for a sustainable funding model established

Early foundations for long-term financial sustainability established

commissioning and more effective use of pooled resources

Financial modelling and forecasting fully mature, using data and intelligence to predict demand and inform long-term planning

Reduced dependency on out- of-area and independent placements, with increased utilisation of local provision and improved sufficiency

Transparent, data-driven financial reporting embedded, supporting strong governance, accountability, and decision-making

Cost per outcome improved, demonstrating greater system efficiency and value for money

Sustainable funding model for Eah embedded, ensuring workforce, provision, and early intervention are maintained beyond transformation phase

Financial governance fully aligned to system performance, with regular monitoring of cost, demand, and outcomes driving continuous improvement

Long-term financial resilience achieved, with the SEND system operating within

available resources while maintaining high-quality, inclusive outcomes

Success measures by the end of 2026–27:

Inclusion embedded and adopted at scale

Improved access and timeliness of support

Strengthened early intervention and reduced escalation

Clear, consistent local offer and provision

Workforce engagement and development established

Improved experience and confidence of families

Strong system leadership, governance and delivery grip

Data-driven performance and financial stability Leading Indicators

Success measures by the end of 2027–28:

Increased inclusion within mainstream settings

Reduction in escalation and statutory demand

Eah fully operational with reduced unmet need

Reduced reliance on high-cost and specialist provision

Consistent, high-quality inclusive practice across the system

Improved workforce capability and confidence

Improved experience and confidence of families

Shift in investment toward early intervention and mainstream capacity Leading Indicators

Success measures by the end of 2028–29:

Increased inclusion in mainstream settings

Reduced escalation and statutory demand

Eah delivering timely, accessible support

Reduced reliance on high- cost and specialist provision,

Consistent, high-quality inclusive practice,

Improved workforce confidence and capability,

Improved family experience and confidence

Shift toward financial sustainability Leading Indicators

% of schools consistently using agreed inclusion framework and ISPs

Evidence of improved quality and consistency in SEN Support practice

% increase in children supported at SEN Support

Number of new EHCP requests

% of schools reporting clarity and confidence in local pathways

% of Cyp with SEND educated in mainstream

Reduction in part-time timetables, suspensions and exclusions

% of cases at SEN Support

Number of new out-of-area placements

% of placements within local and mainstream provision

% of schools demonstrating consistent use of ISPs and graduated response

% of Cyp with SEND in mainstream

Reduction in exclusions and part-time timetables

Number of new EHCP requests

% of needs met at SEN Support

Average time from request to support (triage → intervention)

Number of new out-of-area placements

% workforce participation in inclusion development offer

Workforce confidence ratings

Parent/carer confidence and satisfaction scores

Reduction in complaints, mediation, and tribunal activity

% of milestones delivered to plan across workstreams

Evidence of regular, data-led performance review and action

High Needs spend rate (trend vs baseline)

Evidence of reinvestment into early intervention and mainstream capacity

Quality assurance ratings of SEN Support plans/practice

Workforce confidence scores

% of schools actively engaged in coaching, Cpd, and Eah support

Parent/carer confidence and satisfaction scores

Volume of complaints, mediation, and tribunal requests

% of spend directed to early intervention and SEN Support

High Needs spend growth rate vs previous trend .

% of placements within local provision

% of schools consistently using ISPs / graduated response

Quality assurance ratings of SEN Support practice

Improved workforce confidence and capability

Workforce confidence scores

% engagement in coaching / Cpd / Eah support

Parent/carer satisfaction and confidence scores

Volume of complaints and mediation

High Needs spend rate (vs baseline)

% of spend invested in early intervention / mainstream

Increased uptake of ITT and Ptb What the local area partnership deliver in the first year

We have a single SEND Reform Programme as illustrated below. It is built up of 6 workstreams, 3 enabling functions and 2 ways of working. The SEND Reform Building Blocks are aligned to the workstreams.

Alignment: Interfaces with other reform programmes have been considered, as illustrated below. This is critical in order to be able achieve sustainable improvement across all children’s services and relevant health services. This approach also as well as helps us to maximise efficiency and impact.

Building block 1: Strengthening inclusion across education settings Workstream 1: Inclusion and Mainstream Capacity

Fully mobilise workstream

Baseline established for inclusion practice, SEN Support rates, exclusions, and EHCP demand Early increase in schools engaged with inclusion framework Initial evidence of improved consistency in understandin g and expectations Early signs of increased SEN Support activity

All schools complete inclusion self- assessment aligned to the framework Schools develop and begin delivery of setting-level inclusion action plans Deliver targeted support to highest-need schools, including those with high EHCP demand or lower confidence Embed graduated response in day-to-day classroom practice, aligned to Eah support Begin delivery of Phase 1 inclusion base expansion

Increased proportion of children supported at SEN Support (measurable shift from Q2 baseline) Improved consistency of graduated response across schools (quality assurance evidence) Reduction in variation between schools (early convergence in practice) Initial improvement in attendance and behaviour indicators linked to unmet need

Integrate inclusion expectations into school improvement frameworks and performance discussion Embed peer review, challenge, and support mechanisms across schools and trusts Establish system-wide monitoring and accountability for inclusion (linked to data and performance cycles) Provide targeted intervention for remaining outlier settings Consolidate inclusion base expansion

Sustained increase in proportion of needs met at SEN Support Reduced variation across settings, with consistent application of inclusive practice Demonstrabl e reduction in exclusions and attendance issues linked to unmet need Early stabilisation or reduction in EHCP demand growth linked to unmet need Increased school confidence

Workstream lead: Education Sector Lead Refresh the Barnsley Inclusion Framework, setting clear expectations for inclusive practice and SEN Support Launch and communicate consistent graduated response expectations across all schools and education settings Outline: Year 1 focuses on establishing a consistent foundation for inclusive practice across all settings. This includes:

Co-producing and implementing a Barnsley Inclusion Framework

Supporting all schools to engage with, assess, and improve their inclusion practice

Beginning to increase the proportion of needs met at SEN Support, reducing early escalation Outcome:

Engage all schools and education settings through briefings, clusters, and leadership forums, securing system-wide alignment

Fully established and consistently applied inclusion

framework across all schools

Clear and measurable shift toward SEN Support and early intervention

Reduced variability in inclusive practice and improved system consistency

Early evidence of reduced escalation driven by unmet need

A system where mainstream settings are increasingly confident and capable of meeting a wider range of needs

Introduce graduated response toolkit and practical guidance for early identification and intervention Establish SEND Leaders Reference Group to drive peer-led implementation and consistency Initiate Phase 1 Inclusion base expansion – planning and mobilisation

delivery and utilisation Align inclusion performance with wider SEND governance and reporting structures

in meeting need within mainstream settings (survey evidence)

Alignment with Home to School travel Policy

Year 1 delivers a system- wide shift in expectations, practice, and behaviour, providing the foundation for inclusion to be delivered consistently at scale in Years 2 and 3.

Fully mobilise workstream

Baseline established for waiting times, access routes, and referral patterns Early increase in schools accessing advice without formal referral Initial improvement in timeliness of triage and allocation in pilot areas Clear, consistent access pathways and thresholds in place Mdt capacity established in priority areas

Deploy Eah MDTs into priority localities, delivering consultation, advice, and targeted support Introduce direct access routes for schools, reducing reliance on formal referral processes Implement waiting list reduction and prioritisation plans (Ep, Salt, Ot) Embed joint working protocols to ensure coordinated multidisciplinary delivery Begin routine data tracking of access,

Measurable reduction in waiting times across priority services (Ep, Salt, Ot) Increased proportion of support delivered at point of need (without referral delay) Clear increase in cases managed at SEN Support with Mdt input Reduced variation in access and response times across pilot localities

Embed Eah delivery into routine practice and system processes Evaluate impact on access, waiting times, demand and escalation Refine Mdt deployment and operating model based on learning and capacity gaps Expand reach to additional settings where capacity allows Strengthen integration with early years, post-16, and inclusion base pathways Align Eah performance with SEND governance and

Sustained reduction in waiting times and delays across services Majority of schools able to access timely multidisciplin ary advice routinely Clear reduction in inappropriat e escalation to statutory processes Improved equity of access across localities, with more consistent Mdt coverage Evidence of earlier intervention reducing unmet need and

Workstream lead: Building block 2: Access to Specialist Support and Local PlacementsWorkstream 2: Access to Specialist Support Designated Clinical Officer Finalise and agree the Eah operating model, including Mdt structure, offer, and ways of working Establish initial locality-based MDTs, aligning education, health, and care capacity Agree joint commissioning and workforce alignment with partners (including Icb) Identify priority localities and cohorts based on demand, waiting times, and variation Define and communicate clear access routes and Outline: design, test, and establish the Eah model, aligned to the blueprint vision of embedding expertise within mainstream provision. This includes:

Establishing locality-based MDTs

Launching Eah in priority areas

Beginning to reduce waiting times and variability in access

Shifting from referral-led to advice-led and in- setting support

Outcome: By the end of Year 1, Barnsley will demonstrate a clear, measurable shift from reactive to responsive access to specialist support, with:

Strengthening governance, roles, and accountability across partners

Embedding a shared vision for inclusion and SEND transformation

Ensuring co- production remains central, with families influencing both strategy and delivery

Beginning to align decision-making and accountability at operational as well as strategic levels

including Programme Board and workstream delivery groups Agree and communicate a single, shared vision for inclusion and Eah across all partners Define clear roles, responsibilities, and accountability across education, health, and care Strengthen and formalise co- production structures, including engagement with Parent Carer Forum and Cyp voice Establish system-wide communication approach,

Baseline established for system performance , partnership effectivenes s, and engagement Early evidence of alignment in planning and decision- making across partners Co- production structures formally embedded and active

Strengthen joint working arrangements at locality and service level, reducing silo working Deliver leadership development and engagement to support consistent expectations for inclusion Embed co- production in delivery, not just strategy, ensuring families influence implementation Introduce clear escalation and performance management routes where delivery is not consistent

Improved alignment in commissioni ng, workforce, and delivery decisions Early reduction in duplication and silo working across services Increased participation in co- production at both strategic and operational levels

Strengthen alignment between partners in commissioning, workforce, and delivery decisions Embed consistent communication and expectations across all agencies and settings Deliver targeted intervention in areas of weak performance or misalignment Establish a culture of continuous improvement, using feedback, co-production, and data

Reduced variation in decision- making and service delivery across the partnership Co- production demonstrabl y influencing delivery and system improvement Leaders consistently owning and driving inclusion across organisation s

Outcome: By the end of Year 1, Barnsley will have moved from strong partnership foundations to a more integrated, accountable, and delivery-focused system, characterised by:

Clear, shared leadership of inclusion across all partners

workforce baseline assessment

Launching a structured workforce development programme, focused on inclusive practice and SEND leadership

Introducing coaching and modelling through Eah, linking training to practice

Beginning to build confidence in meeting need within mainstream settings

aligned to inclusion and Eah Design and begin delivery of a system- wide workforce development programme Establish baseline measures for workforce confidence, training engagement, and SEN Support quality Begin deployment of Mdt practitioners for coaching and modelling in pilot areas Initiate SENCO development pathway and leadership engagement

through Eah MDTs Expand specialist outreach and advisory capacity to support in- practice learning Strengthen alignment between training and classroom implementation Monitor workforce impact through confidence surveys, practice reviews, and SEN Support quality

Evidence of improved classroom practice and use of graduated response Reduction in requests for specialist escalation linked to lower- confidence need Increased proportion of needs managed effectively at SEN Support level

higher escalation Strengthen leadership accountability for inclusive practice across all settings Evaluate workforce impact using confidence data, SEN Support quality, and escalation trends Consolidate coaching and modelling as core system practice Align workforce performance with SEND governance and system accountability structures

response application Reduction in variation in workforce capability between settings Strong engagement in Cpd with workforce demonstratin g independent application of learning

Early evidence of increased access to specialist advice and support Initial shift in practitioner feedback indicating greater clarity in managing need

Define and agree Eah digital architecture, including system requirements, data standards, and integration approach Develop and begin rollout of Individual Support Plans (ISPs) as the core digital practice tool Establish a central SEND performance framework, including KPIs, baselines, and reporting structure Implement initial SEND performance dashboard (phase 1) covering demand, access, and activity

Baseline established for demand, access, waiting times, and outcomes across all services Early visibility of system performance through initial dashboards Initial uptake of ISPs in pilot areas, with consistent data capture beginning Evidence of improved data consistency and shared definitions across partners

Expand Isp rollout across all priority areas and settings, embedding use in SEN Support and Eah delivery Enhance dashboards to include throughput, timeliness, and early outcome measures Integrate core datasets (education, SEND, health, Eah activity) into a shared reporting system Embed routine use of data in operational and strategic performance meetings Introduce digital tools to support communication and

Significant increase in consistent Isp usage across settings and services Data routinely used to track access, demand, and intervention activity Measurable improvement in data quality and completenes s across partners Evidence of data informing operational decisions

Fully embed ISPs as the standard approach for planning, delivery, and review Deliver fully integrated performance dashboard, including trend analysis and early warning indicators Establish real- time tracking of demand, access, outcomes, and locality variation Embed data- driven decision- making at all levels, including governance and commissioning Introduce early- stage predictive analytics and demand modelling

High, consistent use of ISPs across all settings, with strong quality and completenes s Real-time visibility of system performance , demand trends, and variation Clear evidence that data is driving decision- making and resource allocation Reduction in variation in practice and access through use of shared data frameworks

Workstream lead: Building block 3: System leadership, local partnership collaboration and co- production Data, Digital and System Lead

Workstream 5: Digital

Enabling Function Outline: establishes the core data and digital infrastructure required to support delivery, aligned to the blueprint ambition for real-time insight and system-wide visibility. This includes:

Implementing a central SEND performance dashboard and Kpi framework

Establishing baseline data and shared metrics across partners

Introducing ISPs and consistent data capture processes

Enabling early visibility of demand, access, and outcomes

transparency with families Continue workforce development to strengthen confidence in using digital systems

Improved efficiency, with streamlined processes and reduced administrativ e burden

Agree data- sharing protocols and governance arrangements across partners Deliver initial training for practitioners on Isp use and digital processes

Refine digital tools based on user feedback from practitioners and families

Outcome: By the end of 2026/27, Workstream 4 will demonstrate:

System-wide workforce development model fully established and embedded

Confident and increasingly self- sustaining workforce, able to meet a broader range of needs in mainstream settings

Clear shift from dependence on specialist services to capacity within the system

Consistent, high- quality inclusive practice evident across the majority of settings

Workforce capability acting as a primary driver of reduced escalation and

improved outcome

By Q4, the workforce will show a clear and measurable shift from variable confidence and reactive practice to consistent, proactive, and skilled delivery, providing a critical foundation for scaling inclusion and sustaining system reform in Years 2 and 3.

Fully mobilise workstream

Full visibility of spend, demand drivers, and placement trends established Early control in place over new high- cost placement decisions Improved consistency in financial decision- making and approvals

Develop and implement a joint commissioning framework with health partners aligned to inclusion and early intervention Map and rationalise existing commissioned services, reducing duplication and inefficiency Begin reallocation of

Early evidence of slowing growth in High Needs spend compared to baseline trend Initial reduction in new high- cost placement commitment s Increased proportion of investment directed

Embed monthly financial monitoring and reporting cycles, integrated with performance and governance Monitor and manage key metrics Consolidate commissioning and investment principles, prioritising prevention and value for money

Stabilisation of High Needs Block deficit growth (clear shift from previous trajectory) Sustained reduction in growth of high-cost and out-of- area placements Demonstrabl e increase in proportion of spend directed

Workstream lead: Building block 3: System leadership, local partnership collaboration and co- production Senior Strategic Finance Lead Complete a full financial baseline, including High Needs Block position, cost drivers, placement spend, and unit costs Develop an initial demand and cost forecasting model, aligned to SEND trajectory assumptions

Workstream 6: Finance

Enabling Function

Outline: stabilise the financial position and strengthen system grip. This includes:

Establishing a clear financial baseline and understanding of cost drivers

Strengthening financial

governance, placement decision-making, and cost control

Beginning to align commissioning with inclusion, sufficiency, and early intervention priorities Starting the shift in investment toward mainstream capacity and prevention Outcome: By the end of 2026/27, Workstream 6 will demonstrate:

Baseline established for High Needs growth

resources toward Eah, mainstream capacity, and early intervention Strengthen financial decision- making within SEND governance and sufficiency planning Strengthen financial forecasting and monitoring, linking cost to demand trends and service performance Monitor impact of early intervention on cost pressures and demand

toward early intervention and mainstream support Improved alignment between commissioni ng decisions and SEND transformati on priorities Clear visibility of cost drivers and emerging opportunities for cost avoidance

Strengthen alignment between financial decision- making, workforce, and sufficiency plans Use financial data to target pressure areas and refine investment decisions

toward early intervention and mainstream capacity Improved cost control and predictability , with clear links between spend, demand, and outcomes Evidence of cost avoidance linked to reduced escalation and improved SEN Support

Undertake a systematic review of high- cost placements and commissioned services Strengthen placement panel governance, with clear criteria, financial oversight, and approval processes Introduce enhanced financial reporting, linking spend to demand and activity Establish financial governance within programme delivery, ensuring alignment to Eah and

A robust financial baseline and strong system- wide financial grip

Improved control over high-cost placement decisions and key cost drivers

Early, evidenced shift in investment toward prevention and mainstream inclusion

Stabilisation of financial pressures, with High Needs

spend growth beginning to slow

• Clear, data-driven trajectory toward long-term financial sustainability

By Q4, the finance workstream will have moved the system from limited visibility and reactive spend to controlled, aligned, and strategically directed investment, providing the financial foundation required to sustain inclusion and reduce demand over time.

inclusion priorities

Projected Investment Spend per quarter Please specify funding source for each category Example categories: Programme oversight/additional leadership capacity. Workforce Recruitment Workforce training and development Data/Digital Total Spend

From Eah grant: Programme oversight and leadership capacity - £32,196 Corporate enablers - £32,196 Workforce Eah capacity: £100,000 Workforce training and development: £30,000 Data/digital: £30,000 Total spend: £224,392

From Eah grant: Programme oversight and leadership capacity - £32,196 Corporate enablers - £32,196 Workforce Eah capacity: £300,000 Workforce training and development: £30,000 Data/digital £30,000 Total spend: £424,392 (£648,784)

From Eah grant: Programme oversight and leadership capacity - £32,196 Corporate enablers - £32,196 Workforce Eah capacity: £1,092,412 Workforce training and development: £30,000 Data/digital: £30,000 Total spend: £1,216,804 (£1,865,588)

Funding to support the development of programme will in the first year be through the Experts at Hand Transformation Fund. The 2026/27 allocation for Barnsley is £1,865.588 - a similar level of grant funding is assumed in 2027/28. This grant will be used by SEND partners in Barnsley to provide an offer of advice and direct support to early years providers, education settings, mainstream schools and further education (Fe) colleges.

Over the first phase of the programme work will take place across the system to align current core budgets, including commissioning budgets, with the strengthened SEND system, including Experts at Hand.

How the local area partnership will deliver the first-year plan We recognise that successful delivery of the plan depends not only on strong design, but on having the organisational capacity, capability, and infrastructure to implement it consistently at scale. Our approach focuses on strengthening delivery across corporate functions, building programme capability, and enhancing data and analytics.

Delivery of Year 1 is explicitly interdependent; workforce capability is a prerequisite for inclusion outcomes, digital systems enable performance management and risk identification, and governance ensures alignment and accountability across partners. Progress in each workstream will be tracked not only individually but through cross-programme dependency metrics, ensuring that delivery risks are identified early and addressed systemically.

We will fully utilise the learning from the SEND Change Programme and ‘What works in SEND’. We will: Build organisational capacity and capability across corporate functions by

• Aligning corporate services to support delivery priorities, ensuring that SEND transformation is embedded as a whole-organisation responsibility, not a single service function.
• Workforce capacity is recognised as the principal delivery risk. To mitigate this, we will undertake a quantified workforce gap analysis will be completed (by role, locality, and need type).
• Developing a phased delivery model ensures demand does not exceed workforce capacity
• Developing workforce contingency arrangements including commissioning additional capacity where needed, considering temporary redeployment across services and exploring regional collaboration models.
• Residual risk is actively monitored through workforce metrics and triggers escalation if thresholds are exceeded.
• Investing in skills development, particularly in inclusive practice in mainstream settings
• Developing leadership capability at all levels, multi-agency working and co-production

Strengthen programme and project delivery capability by:

• Creating a dedicated programme management function with clear oversight of the SEND improvement plan, including governance and accountability structures, roles and responsibilities across partners and strong programme planning and risk management
• Bringing in and/or developing project delivery expertise, including programme and project managers and access to external expertise where required.
• Embedding delivery discipline and prioritisation, ensuring resources are focused on the

highest-impact areas, activity is aligned to clearly defined outcomes and trade-offs are actively managed in the context of finite capacity

• Providing protected capacity for transformation, recognising that implementation cannot be delivered effectively alongside business- as-usual without dedicated resource and focus.

Maximise effective use of resources by:

• Focusing on building capacity in mainstream provision as a key lever to reduce system pressure and improve sustainability
• Strengthening multi-agency partnership working, aligning resources across education, health, and care to avoid duplication and fragmentation
• Use evidence-based approaches to ensure investment is targeted at interventions that deliver the greatest impact

Build data and analytics capability by:

• Developing a clear outcomes framework aligned to the plan, with defined measures across inputs, outputs, outcomes, and impact
• Investing in data infrastructure and integration, improving the quality, consistency, and accessibility of data across services and partners
• Enhancing analytical capability

Enable informed decision-making and continuous improvement by:

• Tracking progress against plan objectives and outcomes
• Identifying variation, pressure points, and emerging risks
• Supporting evidence-based decision-making at all levels
• Driving continuous improvement through a “test, learn, adapt” approach, aligned to Change Programme principles

Ensure robust governance by:

• Embedding defined governance and accountability structures
• Embedding clear roles and responsibilities across partners
• Strong programme planning and risk management

1. Other funding Local Authorities.

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

For 2026/27, an approved block transfer of £1.8 million (0.8%) from the schools block to the high needs block will support Barnsley’s strategic approach to increasing local specialist capacity. This investment will enable the commissioning of additional SEND places to better align provision with rising demand, strengthen sufficiency across the borough, and reduce reliance on high-cost independent placements outside Barnsley. In doing so, it will support a more sustainable model of provision by addressing in-year financial pressures while improving the council’s ability to meet need through local, planned, and cost-effective specialist placements.

250 words Barnsley’s High Needs Capital Strategy is grounded in a clear and uncompromising principle: ‘Inclusion is the typical experience, and specialist provision is commissioned only where needs cannot be met within a high-quality, inclusive mainstream system’.

This principle drives a deliberate shift in how capital investment is used - not simply to increase capacity, but to reshape the system so that children and young people with SEND can access the right support, at the right time, in the right place. Through this strategy, Barnsley will deliver a step-change in local inclusion capacity, enabling children to access high-quality education close to home, within their communities, and across the full 0–25 pathway. This investment is therefore not standalone - it is a core enabler of systemic reform, directly supporting the shift to an inclusive, sustainable SEND system.

This strategy is informed by a sufficiency need analysis, which provides an overview of both current pressures and future demand. This analysis identifies a shortfall of specialist and inclusion places, with particular pressure in key areas of need including Autism (Asc), Social, Emotional and Mental Health (Semh), and Speech, Language and Communication Needs (Slcn). In addition, the system is currently characterised by a disproportionate reliance on out-of-area placements.

Strategic capital investment will address immediate sufficiency gaps and support longer-term system transformation. Barnsley’s approach is therefore to use capital funding as a strategic enabler lever to rebalance the system towards inclusion, locality and sustainability.

Barnsley will prioritise investment in AP and mainstream inclusion across all phases, ensuring that significantly more children and young people with SEND can access appropriate provision in the Local Area. This represents a deliberate shift to the creation of a strong, inclusive mainstream offer that can meet a broader range of needs. Capital investment will support the adaptation and enhancement of mainstream school environments, creating spaces that enable flexible, responsive and inclusive practice. Inclusion base capacity within mainstream settings will be significantly expanded, providing structured and targeted support within local schools. This will be complemented by investment in early years and post-16 environments, ensuring that inclusion is embedded consistently across the full 0– 25 system. This coordinated approach ensures that inclusion is not dependent on individual schools or settings but is embedded systematically across the local area.

By 2029, this investment will deliver a measurable and sustained shift in system capacity and performance. The proportion of children and young people with SEND educated within mainstream settings will increase, reflecting a system that is both more inclusive and more effective. The children with Echp’s will be those with the highest level of identified need. Barnsley’s approach ensures that improvements in inclusion are not achieved at the expense of quality or outcomes. Instead, this investment will deliver a system in which children are supported earlier, experience greater stability, and achieve better long-term outcomes - while also reducing reliance on high-cost out of borough provision.

Where investment in specialist provision is required, decisions will be taken using a consistent framework: whether need can be met through inclusion base expansion, whether mainstream adaptation is feasible, and whether demand reflects systemic failure or genuine complexity. This will help to ensures that all capital decisions reinforce the shift toward inclusion.

Barnsley’s High Needs Capital Strategy represents a deliberate and transformative use of investment to reshape the local SEND system. By placing inclusion at the centre of sufficiency planning, and aligning capital investment with wider system reform, the partnership will deliver a model that is:

• More inclusive and equitable
• More locally responsive and accessible
• More effective in improving outcomes
• Financially sustainable over the long term

This strategy ensures that capital investment does not simply add capacity but fundamentally changes the system - creating a future where children and young people with SEND are supported to thrive within their local communities.

System partner and stakeholder engagement, and co-production.

Barnsley has a range of opportunities for children/young people, parents/carers to participate and help shape their local area. We go beyond consultation, embedding lived experience into governance, decision-making, system design - reflecting commitment to “nothing about us without us”. We ensure engagement is continuous, meaningful, leading to tangible system change. Our partnership is extending this approach, ensure full engagement across all system partners, supporting the co-design and delivery of reform. We have a developed a draft SEND and Education Reforms Communication Strategy to set out our approach. Our plan has been developed with engagement from 316 stakeholders and workshops with:

• Primary/secondary leaders
• Colleges
• Mat Chief Executives
• Health – Icb/providers
• Council - education, social care, corporate services
• 5 sessions with parents/carers
• 18 sessions with children (all education phases)

Key messages from these sessions have been utilised in the planning undertaken to date – a summary of this is included as an appendix. Our participation infrastructure, enables meaningful, sustained engagement:

• Barnsley SEND Community Consortium (Bscc): vehicle for groups who support families to come together and shape our local area
• Established arrangements for children are in place through the primary, secondary

and post 16 groups

• Barnsley & Beyond: ensure voice and participation from young people (18 – 25), and the representative group for all children’s

voices at strategic meetings

• SEND Participation Team: facilitates engagement, ensures contributions are accessible, inclusive, and reflective of diverse

experiences.

• Co-production embedded within governance: Bscc is a member of the SEND Lap, ensuring parent/carer perspectives

influence strategic decision-making. Children’s views are incorporated into governance through structured participation routes.

• Engagement is continuous rather than episodic, with feedback through a range of channels (face-to-face, digital, engagement

with underrepresented groups).

• Participants are consistently informed about how their input has shaped decisions, reinforcing transparency and trust.

Barnsley is strengthening engagement with partners - sustainable change requires collective ownership. We will do this through

professional fora and provider networks enabling co-design of the reform programme. Health and social care partners will continue to play a key role in planning and delivery - engagement will focus on developing aligned commissioning arrangements, strengthening early intervention pathways, and ensuring shared accountability for outcomes.

Co-production is not limited to engagement but forms part of delivery design and evaluation: families, children and young people participate in testing Eah delivery models, feedback is integrated into monthly programme reviews and changes to delivery are explicitly documented as responses to stakeholder input. This creates a continuous loop between experience and system improvement.

Next steps

• Development phase: co-production sessions to shape workstreams, strengthening links with schools/settings in localities, links with

parent panels as part of Ff, reaching hard to reach groups, deeper stakeholder engagement with health partners. – We have agreed to develop co-production practice standards across children’s services and for wider partners.

• Implementation phase: continued engagement, and feedback loops, ensuring that

frontline experience informs ongoing delivery.

• Review phase: qualitative and quantitative feedback from families, practitioners and partners used to assess progress and refine

approach. This iterative model ensures engagement is not only about shaping strategy but actively used to monitor impact, address challenges, and continuously improve delivery.

The partnership is committed to ensuring that engagement is accessible, representative, and meaningful:

• Multiple engagement methods ensure voices can be heard.
• Feedback is systematically gathered and analysed, using a range of engagement methods. Feedback informs decision-making, ensuring that engagement leads to real change.

Further support:

• Involvement of senior DfE advisors/officials in key engagement events - reinforcing expectations, supporting consistent messaging, strengthening.
• Communicating the role of academies in delivering inclusion.

Risks and Mitigations

We have identified the most significant risks to successful delivery of SEND reform. Each risk is clearly defined and evidence-based, assessed for likelihood and impact, assigned a Rag rating and supported by proactive mitigation and contingency planning.

Risk Impact Likelihood Rag Mitigation Residual Rag

Dependencies

Delivery of the SEND Reform Plan is dependent on a range of national and local reforms. Each dependency has been assessed in terms of impact on delivery, timeline and outcomes, risk to programme success and mitigation and contingency arrangements.

There are key dependencies set out in the reforms that must align, to ensure consistent delivery to support children and young people, parents and carers. We will also ensure that the most effective use of our resources and levers to drive change. SEND is referenced in all of the reforms and this is a key opportunity for us to align systems and services at a systemic level. Each major dependency will be mapped against impact on delivery timeline, workforce/resource and outcomes.

NHS changes:

Dependency: Health service capacity, commissioning and integration.

Impact: Affects availability of therapies and specialist input, critical to successful delivery of Eah model.

Risk: Delays in NHS reform may limit Mdt capacity.

Mitigation: Joint commissioning arrangements, integrated workforce planning and alignment of SEND and Ics priorities.

Contingency: Commission additional capacity where required, prioritise highest-need cohorts

Social Care reforms:

Dependency: Implementation of Csc reforms influencing early help and family support.

Impact: Affects early intervention capacity, influences demand for SEND services Risk: Misalignment between Csc and SEND pathways.

Mitigation: Integrated planning and governance, alignment of early help and SEND pathways Contingency: Targeted investment in early intervention where gaps emerge

Best Start in Life:

Dependency: Expansion of early years provision and family hubs.

Impact: Critical to early identification and intervention, influences long-term demand Risk: Inconsistent implementation across settings.

Mitigation: Alignment of SEND strategy with early years reforms; workforce development in early years Contingency: Prioritisation of SEND support within early years settings

Changes to curriculum and assessment frameworks:

Dependency: Changes in school system structure and accountability.

Impact: Influence's ability to deliver consistent inclusive practice, affects engagement with schools and trusts Risk: Variation in adoption of inclusive approaches.

Mitigation: Strong engagement with trusts and school leaders, alignment of inclusion expectations across the system Contingency: Targeted intervention and support where adoption is limited

• Service continuity planning: scenario planning is in place to maintain continuity of SEND commissioning and delivery, including

documentation of decision-making frameworks. Progress is reviewed quarterly through programme governance, with clear escalation routes through place-based leadership structures if required. This ensures that potential structural change is anticipated and managed proactively, maintaining stability and momentum across the SEND reform.

Local Government Reform is not currently expected to result in structural change.

To manage dependencies effectively, we will escalate risks through governance structures, maintain a live dependency map aligned to the programme plan and monitor impact on timelines, workforce and outcomes. We will also align SEND reform with wider system reforms, use joint governance and integrated planning frameworks and ensure flexibility in delivery sequencing where dependencies shift

Section 3 – Monitoring and Evaluation

How the local area partnership will know delivery is on track The SEND Reform Programme in Barnsley is underpinned by a comprehensive, intelligence-led performance framework designed not only to monitor delivery, but to actively drive improvement. This framework ensures that performance management is embedded within operational delivery, rather than being a retrospective reporting function. It enables leaders to maintain a continuous line of sight from strategic ambition through to frontline impact, ensuring that progress remains aligned to outcomes for children and young people. The programme will operate a structured learning cycle: data will be collected on a regular cycle, and any variance from expected trajectory identified, root cause analysis conducted and delivery plans adjusted. This will help to ensure the plan remains dynamic and responsive.

At the core of this approach is a structured and multi-layered governance model, supported by a robust data infrastructure. Data is systematically used to track four critical domains:

• Demand – including metrics such as EHCP requests, assessments completed and trends in need (e.g. Asc, Slcn).
• Service delivery – including workforce deployment (e.g. Speech and Language Therapy, Educational Psychology), access to support via Experts at Hand (Eah), and the creation of additional provision and specialist places.
• Service quality – including parental satisfaction, co-production feedback, and quality assurance of plans and provision.
• Outcomes – including health, attendance, exclusions, participation in education, attainment, progression into post-16 pathways, and independence outcomes.

These domains are monitored through an integrated SEND performance dashboard, which draws on data from education, health, and care systems to provide real-time and trend-based insights. This enables early identification of pressures such as rising demand, delays in access, or variation in inclusion outcomes.

Monthly SEND Programme Board meetings provide the primary forum for performance oversight. These sessions focus on progress against key performance indicators (KPIs) and delivery milestones, service performance, including access, timeliness, and workforce utilisation and alignment of resources, commissioning decisions and financial trajectories. This ensures that performance data directly informs operational decision-making, service design, and commissioning activity. In addition, quarterly deep-dive reviews provide a more detailed and analytical assessment of system performance. These reviews examine:

• Demand modelling and forecasting (e.g. EHCP growth trends)
• Financial performance across the High Needs Block
• Inclusion outcomes across settings and phases
• Impact of interventions such as Eah and workforce development

This layered approach ensures that the system maintains both short-term responsiveness and long-term strategic oversight.

A clearly defined suite of KPIs will be developed to underpin the performance framework. Each Kpi will have:

• A baseline position, drawn from the data template
• A defined target trajectory aligned to programme outcomes
• Clear ownership at system and service level
• Pre-agreed thresholds that trigger escalation or intervention

Where performance falls below expected trajectories, structured improvement plans will be implemented, monitored through governance arrangements, and supported through targeted system leadership and resource alignment.

Feedback and Adaptation Mechanisms

Alongside quantitative performance data, the programme places significant emphasis on qualitative insight and lived experience, ensuring that system improvement is shaped by those who use and deliver services. A comprehensive set of feedback loops will be established, including:

• Regular engagement with children and young people, capturing their experiences of inclusion, belonging, and support
• Ongoing parent and carer feedback, via co-production forums, and the SEND Community Consortium
• Structured input from schools, SENCOs and practitioners, providing insight into workforce confidence, access to support, and system usability

These mechanisms will ensure that performance is understood not only in terms of metrics, but in relation to experience, confidence, and perceived impact.

Qualitative and quantitative data are brought together through thematic deep dives, focusing on priority areas such as inclusion and mainstream practice, waiting times and access to specialist support, quality and effectiveness of SEN Support and preparation for adulthood.

Findings from these reviews directly inform service redesign, workforce development, and commissioning priorities.

The programme also incorporates peer challenge and external validation, ensuring that progress is tested and benchmarked against best practice. This includes cross-partnership review and ongoing scrutiny through governance boards. Importantly, the system is designed to be adaptive and responsive. Insights from data and feedback loops are used to refine delivery approaches, re-prioritise resources, address emerging risks and pressures and scale effective practice

The overall SEND strategy is subject to annual review, ensuring that it evolves in response to learning, performance trends, and changing patterns of need.

Defining Success and Assurance

The partnership will know delivery is on track through a consistent pattern of evidence across both quantitative and qualitative measures. This will include:

• KPIs tracking positively against defined trajectories, including improvements in attendance, reductions in exclusions, and increasing the number of children who are at SEN Support
• Increasing numbers of children successfully supported at SEN Support and within mainstream settings
• Improved timeliness and accessibility of specialist support, particularly through the Eah model
• Improved preparation for adulthood, with more young people progressing into education, employment or training
• Increasing levels of parent/carer confidence and satisfaction, alongside reduced complaints and tribunal activity

Equally important will be the qualitative indicators of success: children reporting a greater sense of belonging, families experiencing a system that is responsive and accessible, and practitioners demonstrating increased confidence and capability.

The integrated performance framework will ensure that Barnsley’s SEND Reform Programme operates as a self-aware and continuously improving system. It will combine robust data analytics, strong governance and accountability, meaningful stakeholder feedback and proactive response to underperformance. This approach will ensure that risks are identified early, corrective action is taken swiftly, and progress is sustained over time.

Ultimately, the system will know it is on track when data, experience, and outcomes align—demonstrating that inclusion is improving, demand is stabilising, and children and young people are achieving better outcomes within a sustainable system.

Section 4 – Governance

How the local area partnership will ensure delivery of plans remain on track There are robust governance arrangements in place to co-ordinate the delivery of the programme; these arrangements cover decision making, partnership and programme governance, as illustrated in the image below. In addition to internal governance, the programme benefits from additional assurance from the appointed Independent SEND Scrutineer, Tony McArdle.

Section 5 – Central Government Support

How DfE can help us

Our requests are deliberately focused and practical - they are not about enabling delivery but about enhancing pace.

Specialist Expertise/Advisory Support

• High needs financial recovery/modelling during period of transition moving to the full reforms.
• Flexible and responsive approaches to sufficiency and market shaping during the period of transition
• DFE Advisor – to support with any unanticipated delivery challenges

Workforce Development/Recruitment

• Strengthening workforce pipelines
• Nationally available workforce development and Cpd on the key planks of reform

Data, Evaluation

• National consistency in data definitions, reporting tools and evaluation frameworks
• Tools for measuring inclusion beyond placement data (parental confidence, lived experience, impact of culture change initiatives).

Facilitation of Peer Learning/Regional Collaboration

• Opportunities to learn from areas at different stages of maturity.
• Facilitation of structured peer networks

Support with System-Level Coordination

• Clear, consistent national expectations around shared accountability for inclusion and outcomes between DfE, Nhse, DHSC
• Consistent national messaging that reinforces inclusion as a shared system responsibility

Guidance on Regulatory and Policy Frameworks

• Greater clarity within regulatory frameworks (EHCP thresholds, role of the graduated response, expectations of mainstream provision).
• National guidance that supports consistent expectations of inclusion across all schools
• Tools to support professionals in explaining how needs can be met without reliance on statutory processes.

Barnsley’s local area partnership is well placed to deliver SEND reform, with strong leadership, mature partnerships and a clear, deliverable plan. The additional support requested from central government is targeted, proportionate and focused on accelerating delivery and strengthening system consistency. Through targeted national support, Barnsley will be able to deliver reform more quickly, more consistently and with greater confidence—ensuring that children and young people with SEND benefit from a system that is inclusive, effective and sustainable.

Annex B - Supporting Documents

Annex C – Risk Matrix