Southampton Local Area SEND Reform Plan 2026-2029
Southampton City Council and NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board. Published as a web page on southampton.gov.uk (last updated 9 October 2026); approved by the Department for Education on 5 October 2026.
SEND Reform Plan – 2026 – 2029
Executive Summary – Southampton Local Area Partnership
Southampton’s local area partnership continues to face sustained pressure across the 0–25 SEND system, driven by rising need, increasing complexity and financial constraints amplified by local deprivation. As of December 2025, Southampton maintained 2,950 Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), forecast to rise to 3,109 in 2026 and 3,861 by 2029. While demand remains high, the rate of EHCP growth has reduced from 15.6% in 2024 to 5.74% in 2025, indicating early signs that system‑wide inclusion and demand management are moderating escalation.
The partnership is assessed as Developing across most areas of maturity. Over the past two years, there has been a shift from fragmented activity to a more coherent, evidence‑led reform programme, supported by stronger governance and shared priorities. Progress includes the rollout of the SEND Mainstream Funding Cluster Model, improved EHCP quality through a formal quality assurance framework, earlier implementation of a neurodiversity pathway with multi‑disciplinary working, and strengthened co‑production through an established Parent Carer Forum.
However, significant pressures remain. Requests for statutory assessment are rising, with Education, Health and Care Needs Assessments forecast to increase from 612 in 2025 to 729 by 2029. Reliance on specialist provision remains high, with pressure across special schools, specialist bases and independent provision. At the same time, increasing numbers of children with SEND are disengaging from education, including growth in Elective Home Education and SEND not in education.
Financial pressures continue to intensify. High Needs Block expenditure has increased from £39.0m in 2024–25 to £44.3m in 2025–26 and is forecast to reach £53.3m by 2027–28. SEND transport costs are also rising, particularly linked to post‑16 and out‑of‑area placements. While forecasting is improving, the impact of recent investment is not yet consistently demonstrated, reinforcing the need to shift resources upstream.
Over the next three years, Southampton aims to build a more inclusive, consistent and sustainable SEND system, where needs are met earlier, confidence in mainstream provision is strengthened, and resources are used more effectively. Success will be seen through improved attendance and engagement, reduced reliance on high‑cost and distant placements, stabilised EHCP growth at no more than 8% year‑on‑year, improved statutory quality and timeliness, and increased confidence among families and practitioners.
Central to this approach is a shift in how specialist expertise is deployed. Building on the cluster model, Southampton will develop a locally tailored Experts at Hand offer, providing group‑based, locality‑led access to specialist advice across education and health. This will strengthen workforce confidence, support a reformed graduated response, and reduce unnecessary escalation, while maintaining specialist support for the most complex needs.
This plan sets out a focused, evidence‑led roadmap, aligning local priorities with national reform. By strengthening universal and targeted provision and deploying resources differently, Southampton aims to improve outcomes, experience and long‑term financial sustainability.
Vision and Goals
Southampton’s vision is to build a 0–25 SEND system that is inclusive, needs‑led and sustainable, enabling children and young people with SEND to achieve, thrive and be well prepared for adulthood within their local communities wherever possible. It prioritises earlier identification and support, strengthened confidence in mainstream provision, and consistent, trusted experiences for families. Specialist provision will be used appropriately for those who need it most, supported by clear graduated pathways and coordinated access to expertise to ensure needs are met earlier and closer to home.
This vision responds to Southampton’s local context, including rising complexity of need, variation in experience and outcomes, and continued financial pressure within the High Needs Block. The partnership is therefore committed to stronger financial management, aligning investment to need, reducing escalation, and improving outcomes alongside clear value for money. This builds on existing strengths in partnership governance, co‑production and inclusive practice, and aligns with the Schools White Paper.
The vision and goals are jointly owned by Southampton City Council and NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board, with delivery underpinned by shared accountability across education, health and care, aligned commissioning and governance, and locality‑based delivery through the Experts at Hand model.
Over the next three years, the partnership will focus on three overarching goals:
- Improve long‑term life opportunities for children and young people with SEND
- Increase confidence and trust in the SEND system
- Build a SEND system that is sustainable and reliable, so children’s needs are supported well over time
Baseline measures for each goal are drawn from the associated success metrics and data returns, including SEN Support engagement, EHCP demand, attendance, exclusions, placement trends and cost. Where baselines are not yet fully established (for example in relation to workforce confidence and aspects of the Experts at Hand model), these will be confirmed through Year 1 data collection and embedded within the SEND partnership dashboard for ongoing monitoring.
Together, these goals ensure improved outcomes and confidence sit alongside effective, evidence led use of public resources to secure value for money.
System partner and stakeholder engagement, and co-production
Delivery of the Local SEND Reform Plan will be underpinned by sustained, structured engagement with system partners and stakeholders, with co‑production embedded as a core operating principle across design, delivery and review. Building on established partnership governance and strong strategic relationships, the local area partnership will ensure that education, health, care, families and children and young people are actively involved throughout implementation.
Schools, early years settings, MATs and education groupings will be engaged through locality‑based forums, existing SEND leadership networks and targeted delivery sessions aligned to key workstreams, including Experts at Hand, SEND Mainstream Funding Cluster model, ND transformation pathway and workforce development. These engagement routes reflect the changing roles and responsibilities set out in the Schools White Paper, supporting schools and groups to take greater collective ownership of inclusive practice, early intervention and use of group‑based specialist support. Clear expectations will be communicated regarding the use of SEN Support, targeted‑plus pathways and engagement with the Experts at Hand offer, with ongoing dialogue used to address confidence, capacity and thresholds as practice evolves.
Post‑16 and further education providers, including out‑of‑area mainstream colleges attended by Southampton young people, will be engaged through dedicated planning meetings, commissioning dialogue and transition‑focused working groups. This will ensure alignment with preparation for adulthood priorities, clarity of pathways, and consistent access to specialist advice and support, regardless of geographic location.
Alternative provision and specialist providers will be engaged through commissioning and quality assurance mechanisms, ensuring that delivery aligns with reform expectations, graduated pathways and value‑for‑money objectives, and supports reduction in high‑cost and out‑of‑area placements over time.
Parents carers will continue to be engaged strategically and operationally through a strong partnership with the Parent Carer Forum (PCF), which is embedded across governance, quality assurance, workforce development and Local Offer activity. Core minimum requirements for co‑production will be met through clear feedback loops, visible “you said, we did” reporting and regular review of engagement reach and impact. Co‑production activity will be properly resourced to support meaningful participation rather than consultation.
The voice of children and young people will be captured distinctly and directly, using age‑appropriate and accessible methods, with particular focus on transition points, inclusion, and preparation for adulthood. Children and young people’s feedback will inform service design, quality assurance and review of pathways.
The Local Offer will act as a key engagement and communication tool, refreshed to reflect reform priorities, clarify pathways and articulate expectations for families and practitioners during transition to the reformed system.
Where additional engagement support is required, including with education leaders and parent representative groups, the partnership would welcome the involvement of senior Department for Education officials in summer term engagement events to support shared understanding, build confidence and reinforce national reform expectations.
Dependencies
The delivery of Southampton’s Local SEND Reform Plan sits within a wider landscape of national and local reform. Changes across health, local government, children’s social care, early years policy and the education system will influence both the pace and shape of delivery. These are not treated as barriers, but as key dependencies to be actively managed through strong governance, alignment and adaptive planning.
NHS reform is a significant dependency, particularly in relation to workforce capacity, commissioning models and neighbourhood delivery. While reforms are expected to improve access and quality, variability in capacity across the ICB footprint may affect timeliness and consistency of early identification, assessment, therapies and mental health support, with implications for EHCP processes and early intervention. The partnership will align the Experts at Hand offer with emerging NHS arrangements, including neighbourhood health teams and evolving commissioning structures within NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight ICB. This will be managed through strengthened joint governance, established relationships and shared decision-making.
Local Government Reorganisation may impact organisational structures, decision-making routes and leadership arrangements. To mitigate this, SEND reform is structured as a single, system-wide programme with clear ownership, shared accountability and data-led governance. This reduces reliance on individual organisational models and maintains continuity of statutory responsibility and delivery.
Children’s Social Care reform is closely linked to SEND, particularly for children with complex needs or safeguarding vulnerabilities. Delivery will align with Family Help and wider social care transformation, ensuring early help, SEND support and safeguarding operate coherently. Integrated pathways, shared thresholds and joint workforce development will support more consistent experiences, particularly at points of escalation and transition.
Best Start in Life, including Family Hubs, is critical to earlier identification and intervention. SEND reform, including Experts at Hand and inclusive early years practice, will be fully integrated with Family Hub delivery. Family Hubs will provide a key access point for early identification, family support and multidisciplinary expertise, reducing unnecessary escalation into statutory processes. Delivery will align with the Best Start in Life Strategy through shared governance and performance measures across the 0–5 pathway.
The Curriculum and Assessment Review is a further dependency, particularly for inclusive practice, participation and attainment. While reforms continue to emerge, the partnership will focus on inclusive pedagogy, adaptive teaching and outcomes-focused planning that is resilient to curriculum change. Workforce development, quality assurance and the graduated approach will maintain flexibility.
Delivery remains grounded in current statutory responsibilities while remaining adaptable to national change. This ensures momentum is maintained, supports continuity for children and families, and enables the local SEND system to strengthen rather than stall over the reform period.
Monitoring, evaluation and governance
Southampton’s Local Area Partnership will monitor delivery of the SEND Reform Plan through an integrated approach that brings together performance data, quality assurance, lived experience feedback and formal governance oversight. Monitoring will focus on both delivery milestones and system impact, ensuring progress towards improved outcomes, increased confidence and financial sustainability informs timely course correction. No single data source will be used in isolation; decisions will be based on triangulation of quantitative data, quality assurance findings and lived experience.
A central monitoring mechanism will be Southampton’s integrated SEND KPI and outcomes dashboard, aligned to the three overarching goals of the Reform Plan. Building on the initial return to the Department for Education, the dashboard will evolve from baseline reporting into an analytical tool drawing together data on demand, service delivery, quality, outcomes and cost. Key indicators will include SEN Support uptake, first-time EHCP requests, statutory timeliness, EHCP quality, placement patterns (including out-of-area placements and travel), attendance, exclusions, NEET outcomes and workforce metrics, with increasing emphasis on outcome-driven intelligence over time. Data will be reviewed by operational teams and reported through partnership governance to inform prioritisation, resourcing and escalation.
Delivery and impact of the Experts at Hand (EAH) Offer will be monitored through activity data, system indicators and qualitative feedback, including coverage across phases and localities, access routes through clusters, alignment with graduated pathways and early impact on escalation, consistency and workforce confidence. Oversight will be provided through the EAH Working Group, with quarterly review of delivery, risks and learning feeding into wider programme governance and commissioning decisions.
Quality assurance will assess whether changes in delivery are improving practice and experience. The SEND Mainstream Funding Cluster Model will use the Inclusive Education Audit to evaluate practice at setting and cluster level, alongside the Global Equality Collective tool to strengthen insight into inclusion and lived experience. Findings will be triangulated to identify strengths, barriers and priorities, informing EAH delivery, workforce development and system guidance.
Statutory quality assurance, including EHCP and annual review audits, will track improvements in plan quality, timeliness and multi-agency contribution. Learning will be shared systematically to support continuous improvement.
Lived experience will be integral. The SEND Partnership Board will receive regular reports combining performance, quality and feedback. A Child Friendly Board will ensure children and young people directly influence review and decision-making.
Quarterly reporting will bring together delivery, outcomes, workforce and financial data, enabling assessment of progress, identification of risks and reprioritisation where required. The partnership will meet national expectations through quarterly data returns to the Department for Education, supported by the SEND dashboard. Dashboards will act as active management tools, triggering targeted intervention where demand, cost or quality diverge from expected trajectories.
| Governance Mechanism | Purpose/ Responsibilities | Membership | Cadence | Decision Rights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southampton 360 Steering Group | Oversight of the design, rollout and performance of the Southampton 360 Support model and alignment with cluster arrangements. Monitors access, equity, workforce deployment, demand, and early impact on escalation and confidence. | LA SEND leaders, ICB clinical and commissioning leads (EP, SaLT, OT), cluster leads, education settings, specialist provision, PCF representation. Chaired by LA/ICB SEND lead. | Once per school term | Agrees delivery model refinements, access routes, thresholds, quality assurance and workforce deployment principles |
| SEND Partnership Board | Strategic oversight of SEND reform delivery across the partnership. Holds the Plan to account, monitors progress against outcomes and finance, oversees risks and dependencies, and ensures shared ownership across statutory partners. Receives quarterly performance, QA, lived‑experience and financial reports. | Chaired by senior LA leader and ICB leaders. Local Authority, ICB senior leaders, education leaders (MAT/school representation), Parent Carer Forum, and other key partners. | Quarterly | Endorses strategic direction, approves key reform decisions, signs off delivery priorities and escalations. |
| Child Friendly Board | Provides corporate oversight and assurance. Ensures SEND reform delivery aligns with statutory responsibilities, financial sustainability and corporate risk management. | Director of Children’s Services, ICB senior leaders, education leaders (MAT/school representation), Parent Carer Forum, and other key partners. | Quarterly | Decisions relating to corporate resources, cross‑directorate action and strategic risk mitigation. |
| ICB – MH, LDA and Children’s Care Directorate Management Team | Provides health system oversight of SEND reform delivery. Ensures health‑related commitments, dependencies, workforce pressures and risks are visible and managed. Jointly supports shared accountability across education, health and care. Quality, performance and improvement committee has corporate oversight. | Deputy Director MH and LDA; Deputy Director Children’s Care; Finance, Quality and Clinical Leads | Quarterly reporting or sooner if risks or issues raised. | Corporate decisions relating to resources, cross‑directorate action, and strategic risk management. |
| ICB Executive Committee | Provides corporate oversight and assurance for SEND reform delivery within the NHS. Ensures SEND reform remains a corporate priority and aligned to wider ICB objectives. | Chief Executive and Chief Officers | Quarterly reporting or sooner if risks or issues raised. | Corporate decisions relating to resources, cross‑ICB action, and strategic risk management. |
| Senior Responsible Officer (SRO) | Overall accountability for delivery of the Local SEND Reform Plan. Responsible for coordinating reform activity across workstreams, maintaining delivery confidence, managing risks and dependencies, and ensuring alignment between partnership, corporate and statutory delivery. Provides assurance on progress, learning and adaptation over time. | Named individual role.; Supported by programme management arrangements. | Ongoing / continuous oversight. | Day‑to‑day delivery decisions within the scope of the Reform Plan. Authority to escalate risks, issues or decisions requiring partnership, corporate or political consideration |
Overall Strategy outcomes
Goal 1: Improve long‑term life opportunities for children and young people with SEND
| Goals towards target | Where we are starting from (Spring 2026) | Where we will be in the next 3 years |
|---|---|---|
| Increase the proportion of children and young people whose needs are identified and met early through high‑quality SEN Support in early years, mainstream, specialist provision and post‑16 settings, building on the SEND Mainstream Funding Cluster Model, embedding the neurodiversity pathway and the development of a locally‑tailored Experts at Hand (EAH) Offer, with year‑on‑year increases in SEN Support engagement and a corresponding reduction in the proportion of first‑time EHCP requests and specialist health assessment requests by 2027/28. | While EHCP growth has reduced from 15.6% in 2024 to 5.74% in 2025, it is not yet possible to attribute this change to a single intervention. However, this shift coincides with the introduction of the SEND Mainstream Funding Cluster Model and the development of the neurodiversity pathway, both of which have strengthened early identification and support at SEN Support level. These developments are therefore viewed as contributing factors in moderating demand, based on emerging system data, practitioner feedback and increased confidence in graduated pathways. SEN Support now covers 7,504 children (22.7% of the school population), above the national average (20.5%). Biggest increase in need are in ASC, SLCN and SEMH. SEN Support engagement is increasing, particularly in primary and early years, supported by specialist teacher advice and outreach. However, escalation to statutory pathways remains variable across phases and localities, with continued pressure at secondary phase and inconsistent confidence in graduated pathways, contributing to uneven thresholds for statutory requests. Early years and primary phases show lower relative rates of escalation than secondary, suggesting where early intervention is beginning to work and where confidence remains weaker. Despite slowing EHCP growth, High Needs Block spend has continued to rise, reflecting time‑lag between early intervention and financial benefit. | In three years, children and young people’s needs are identified earlier, evidenced by sustained increases in SEN Support uptake and reductions in escalation to statutory assessment. Children experience earlier access to support when difficulties first emerge, evidenced through reduced time to identification and intervention. They will be supported with clearer plans that make sense to them and their families, and more consistent support across early years, school and post‑16. A greater proportion of children with SEND have needs identified and met through high‑quality SEN Support, evidenced through year‑on‑year increases in SEN Support uptake and reduced reliance on EHCP pathways. This will be underpinned by a fully embedded Experts at Hand offer providing locality‑based, group‑level professional support. EHCPs are reserved for the most complex needs, with year‑on‑year growth stabilised at no more than 8% by 2027/28 and demand moderated earlier through consistent, needs‑led intervention. Access to Experts at Hand to be actively managed through locality and cluster arrangements to ensure equitable reach, preventing over representation of already confident or well-resourced settings. Delivery and demand data, alongside family and practitioner feedback, will be reviewed quarterly to refine the scope, thresholds and workforce deployment of the Experts at Hand offer Children with communication difficulties and physical/ sensory needs will have their individual profile understood in their setting to ensure a need’s led (rather than diagnostic led) approach. Appropriate universal and targeted support will be in place to support upstream intervention at the earliest opportunity. Many of these children’s needs will be met through enhanced inclusive mainstream practice with fewer needing direct intervention either at targeted plus level or at specialist level. Targeted plus support refers to structured multidisciplinary intervention where needs cannot be met through universal and targeted provision alone but do not yet require specialist statutory intervention. |
| Improving attendance for children and young people with SEND to at least 90%, reducing fixed term suspensions to below 1%, and reducing reliance on reduced timetables and removing barriers for children with medical condition through strengthened oversight and earlier intervention and strengthened pathways into adulthood so that an increased proportion of young people with SEND move into education, employment or training, with fewer than 5% NEET by 2028/29, building on delivery of the Transitions Improvement Plan | Attendance for pupils with SEND remains below expected levels, particularly at secondary phase, with SEMH cohorts disproportionately affected. Exclusions and reduced timetables remain areas of concern, although there is improving oversight and earlier intervention. EHCP growth is most pronounced at Primary (5–10) and Secondary (11–15) Multi‑agency advice is strengthening but is not yet consistently timely or outcome‑focused at all statutory points, particularly health contributions. EHCPs in post‑16 provision rising from 603 (2025) to 762 by 2029, increasing pressure on transport, local pathways and preparation for adulthood services SEND transport spend projected to rise from £9.0m to £11.1m by 2027–28, particularly linked to post‑16 travel. | Children and young people with SEND attend school more regularly, feel safer and more included, and experience fewer exclusions, reduced timetables or disruptions to learning. EBSA/EBCA barriers linked to anxiety, unmet need or health issues are addressed earlier, meaning children stay connected to education and peers. Average attendance for pupils with SEND is at least 90%, exclusions are below 1%, and reduced timetables are rare, time‑limited and subject to clear oversight. This will be achieved through workstreams based on: Multi-agency attendance pathways; Strengthened graduated approach; EAH model; Cluster model; Multi‑agency advice across education, health and care is timely and consistent at assessment, annual review and transition, monitored through quarterly QA audits and statutory timeliness measures, including the proportion of plans containing outcome focused health advice. As they move into adolescence, young people are better prepared for adulthood, with clearer transitions, earlier planning and stronger links to education, training and employment. By the end of the three‑year period, more young people with SEND leave education with realistic pathways and improved confidence about their future. An increased proportion of young people with SEND move into education, employment or training, with fewer than 5% NEET by 2028/29. Preparation for adulthood routinely begins by age 16 for complex cases, with longer term ambition of this beginning from age 14 and with clearer ownership across education, health and care. Post‑16 provision within Southampton is strengthened, reducing out‑of‑area placements and improving local progression into education, training and employment. |
| Supporting implementation of the reformed graduated approach set out in the SEND White Paper, strengthening targeted and targeted-plus support so that needs are met earlier and EHCP growth stabilises at no more than 8% year‑on‑year by Year 3 of the plan, with EHCPs reserved for the most complex needs. | A graduated approach is in place across Southampton, supported by the SEND Mainstream Funding Cluster Model, Specialist Teacher Advisory Service and multi‑agency panels, with growing confidence in SEN Support as an alternative to statutory escalation. The Neurodiversity pathway is contributing to earlier identification and clearer pathways for autistic and neurodivergent children. These developments are beginning to moderate demand, reflected in a reduced rate of EHCP growth (5.74% in 2025 compared with 15.24% in 2024). However, practice remains variable across phases and localities, particularly at secondary level. Targeted and targeted‑plus support is not yet consistently understood or applied, contributing to uneven thresholds and continued escalation to statutory routes for some cohorts. | Families experience a SEND system that is predictable, needs‑led and easier to navigate. Children receive the right help earlier through a clear graduated approach that works consistently across settings, so support does not depend on where they live, which school they attend, or how strongly families advocate. A reformed, clearly articulated graduated approach aligned to the SEND White Paper is embedded consistently across early years, mainstream, specialist and post‑16 settings. Universal, targeted and targeted‑plus support is well‑defined and routinely accessed earlier, underpinned by a fully operational Experts at Hand offer providing locality‑based, group‑level professional support. Support at universal, targeted and targeted‑plus levels is well understood, timely and effective, reducing the number of children whose needs escalate into crisis. This leads to fewer disputes, clearer expectations, and greater trust that the system will respond appropriately. All educational settings will have direct access to a SLTA (speech and language therapy assistant), SLT (speech and language therapist) and OT (occupational therapist) proportionate to the size of the setting via the school cluster model. Secondary schools and colleges will have supported transition points to fully understand the young person’s developing profile and strengths/ needs and embed strategies to day-to-day activity, promoting a need’s led approach 0-25. SLT/ SLTA and OT will work with settings to make environmental adaptations and introduce strategies upstream to reduce impact of SLCN and physical/ sensory needs, supporting inclusive provision in classrooms and increasing workforce confidence through a need’s led approach. Settings are confident in meeting a wider range of needs without defaulting to statutory assessment, and EHCPs are reserved for children and young people with the most complex needs. As a result, EHCP growth stabilises at no more than 8% year‑on‑year by Year 3 of the plan, with improved equity of access, clearer pathways for families, and reduced escalation driven by system confidence rather than threshold pressure. |
| Align capital investment in inclusion bases and specialist provision with patterns of need (ASD, SLCN, SEMH), using rolling three‑year prevalence and placement data, to increase local capacity and deliver year‑on‑year reductions in out‑of‑area placements and travel from 2026 onwards. | Southampton has a clear understanding of its needs profile, with ASD, SLCN and SEMH representing the largest and fastest‑growing areas of demand across statutory and non‑statutory cohorts. Maintained special school placements forecast to increase by over 25% (2025–2029) due to the increase in demand. Currently all specialist setting placements are full. Planned expansions for specialist placements are already pre-populated. Capital investment has focused on maintaining high‑quality specialist provision, alongside the development of resourced provision within mainstream settings, informed by recent EHCP demand trends, placement data and sufficiency reviews. While this approach has strengthened local capacity in some areas, specialist and resourced provision remains at pressure, and reliance on out‑of‑area placements and associated travel continues for some children, particularly where provision does not yet sufficiently reflect local patterns of need. Capital planning is increasingly informed by data, but the system is still transitioning from reactive expansion to a fully preventative, medium‑term sufficiency model. | More children and young people with SEND are educated locally, closer to home, alongside their peers. Capital investment is consistently aligned to rolling three‑year prevalence, placement and projection data, ensuring that expansion of inclusion bases and specialist provision directly reflects Southampton’s dominant need profiles (ASD, SLCN and SEMH). Capital plans include wider systems, in particular health systems, ensuring that there is additional resourcing from specialist elements. Children experience greater stability in where and how they are educated, supporting stronger relationships, emotional wellbeing and long‑term progress. Local capacity increases across early years, mainstream, specialist and post‑16 settings, enabling more children to be supported locally and inclusively. From 2026 onwards, this delivers year‑on‑year reductions in out‑of‑area placements and travel distances, alongside improved equity of access and sustainability. Capital decisions are integrated with the Experts at Hand offer, workforce planning and graduated pathways, ensuring that physical expansion of provision supports earlier intervention, strengthens mainstream confidence and reduces future escalation into high‑cost specialist placements. |
Goal 2: Increase confidence and trust in the SEND system
| Goals towards target | Where we are starting from (Spring 2026) | Where we will be in the next 3 years |
|---|---|---|
| Embed consistent co‑production across all improvement activity, embedding the voice of children and young people and building on effective strategic engagement with the Parent Carer Forum, with progress reviewed quarterly and reflected in partnership decision-making and annual feedback cycles. | Co‑production is well embedded at strategic level, with an active Parent Carer Forum influencing system priorities, service redesign and quality assurance. Opportunities for children and young people to contribute are expanding. However, feedback loops are not always visible at operational level, and some under‑represented voices are not consistently reached. Patient engagement across Health Services do not always link with wider strategic workstreams. Feedback from families and professionals at recent event highlighted strong support for the overall direction of the SEND Reform Plan, particularly its emphasis on early identification, inclusion, co‑production and strengthening mainstream capacity. Participants welcomed the ambition to improve joined‑up working across education, health and care, develop workforce confidence, and provide earlier access to specialist support, reducing escalation and reliance on out‑of‑area placements. However, key themes for focused included the need for clearer accountability for schools and services, greater transparency in decision‑making and resource allocation, and more detail on how consistency of practice will be achieved across settings. There were also significant concerns regarding workforce capacity and whether mainstream settings currently have sufficient expertise to deliver inclusive practice at scale. Families questioned how access to support (including the Experts at Hand model) would be determined and wanted clearer, more equitable frameworks for allocation. Importantly, families emphasised that data alone (particularly attendance data) does not fully capture lived experience, especially for children experiencing emotionally based school avoidance (EBSA), and highlighted the need for decision‑making to be informed by both quantitative data and lived experience. | Children, young people and families can see and feel how their views shape the SEND system. Their experiences are listened to, reflected back clearly, and lead to visible changes in how services and pathways work. This strengthens trust that decisions are made with families, not about them, and that feedback leads to improvement rather than frustration. Children, young people and families are consistently involved in design, delivery and review, with clear “you said, we did” feedback loops at system and service level. Engagement approaches are broadened to ensure inclusive participation, including at transition points and within universal services. Full use is made of patient engagement levels across Health Services to feed into wider system development. Families will have confidence that the SEND workforce have access to knowledge and skills to support their child’s needs and that they can access the core NHS provision if needs are more complex and unable to be met through inclusive practice alone. Access to NHS core services will continue to be needs led rather than diagnosis specific. |
| Sustain and extend systems improvements in EHCP quality, building on the Quality Assurance framework, with at least 80% of EHC plans and annual reviews judged good or better by 2027. | EHCP quality has improved significantly, with plans judged good or better increasing from approximately 11% to over 60% following implementation of the QA framework. Improvements have been seen however, annual reviews and health advice remain less consistent, and families still report variable experiences at key transition points. Early resolution routes are developing but not yet embedded across all services. | When children and families do need an EHCP, the process feels purposeful, timely and supportive. Plans are clearer, more consistent and focused on what matters most to the child’s life now and in the future. Annual reviews lead to real changes, transitions are better planned, and families experience fewer delays and disputes. At least 80% of EHCPs and annual reviews are rated good or better, with consistent, timely and high‑quality multi‑agency advice across education, health and care. Continued improvement thereafter, including strengthened consistency and timeliness of multi‑agency advice, included health and social care contributions, at key points of assessment, annual review and transition. Progress will be monitored through quarterly quality assurance audits and EHCP timeliness measures, including the proportion of plans containing timely, outcome‑focused health and social care advice. Disputes and escalation reduce year‑on‑year through clearer pathways, transparent decision‑making and sustained statutory timeliness at or above 80%, with particular improvement at Year 6–7 and post‑16 transition. |
| Reduce disputes and escalations across Education, Health and Social Care by embedding clear integrated pathways and timely resolution, increasing confidence in graduated support, in particular, at key transition points. Evidenced through year‑on‑year reductions in SEND tribunals and EHCP timeliness sustained at or above 80% across all years of the plan. | The partnership has a developing understanding of demand drivers and financial pressures, supported by improved forecasting, benchmarking and QA. Investment is increasingly targeted upstream through mainstream cluster funding, specialist outreach and resourced provision. However, High Needs Block pressure remains significant and continued alignment needed between finance, commissioning and service outcomes. ECHP timeliness as of June 2026 is at 55%. This is due to the pressure on increased demands on assessments Jan 2026 (EHCP timeliness as of Dec 2025 was 85%) and the ability for statutory services to assess. Current tribunal rates sit at 0.0087%. However, these are anticipated to rise in line the national expectations and proposed changes to the tribunal process Current costs of private therapies (SALT and OT) is forecasted to exceed £400,000 at the end of 2026 for a three year period. These costs are linked specifically to open tribunal cases. | Fewer families feel the need to challenge or appeal to secure support. A central team of health professionals working across all 4 local authorities will produce digital and training resources for education staff, parents/ carers and young people. These resources will be co-produced with families, education and health providers and will draw on resources already available both nationally and locally. Clear pathways, earlier resolution and consistent decision‑making reduce conflict, uncertainty and stress. Children benefit from support being put in place earlier, rather than waiting while systems disagree. Investment decisions are consistently aligned to demand trends, outcomes and value for money, with clear benefits‑realisation and impact tracking. EHCP timeliness sustained at or above 80% across all years of the plan. Local capacity is increased through mainstream inclusion bases, strengthened specialist provision and a mature Experts at Hand model, reducing reliance on high‑cost and out‑of‑area placements. Financial sustainability improves as escalation reduces and investment shifts further upstream. Desire to improve confidence withing SEND system and Experts at Hands model, to reduce the number of cases where private therapy is sought year-on-year. To sustain tribunal rates of less than 1%. |
| Increase workforce confidence and shared practice through a multi‑agency competency and training framework, supported by the Experts at Hand model and outreach from specialists, with annual workforce confidence measures and participation data used to evidence impact. | Workforce development is recognised as a system priority in the Post Ofsted Inspection Plan, supported by strong practice within specialist services, special schools and targeted outreach. A training needs analysis and skills audit have been completed, and co‑produced training is beginning to reflect lived experience. Workforce confidence is growing in some areas, supported by Specialist Teacher Advisory input, the Neurodiversity MDT and emerging use of group‑based professional advice. A SEND Workforce Development model is due to be piloted in Autumn term of 2026/2027 academic year. This will include an online analysis tool, training profile and mapping of local and national SEND training opportunities for all professionals in the city. However, confidence and consistency remain variable across sectors and phases, particularly within mainstream and universal services. Training delivery is not yet sufficiently coordinated across education, health and social care, and impact is not routinely measured at system level. Capacity pressures and workforce change have delayed full rollout of a shared competency framework | Children benefit from adults around them who are more confident, knowledgeable and consistent in meeting a wide range of needs. Expertise is shared across settings, not held in isolated services, so children experience joined‑up support rather than repeated referrals or fragmented advice. A multi‑agency SEND competency and training framework is embedded across education, health and social care, providing a shared understanding of inclusive practice, graduated support and roles within the system. Workforce development is coordinated, co‑produced and aligned to local need profiles, using the Experts at Hand model and specialist outreach to support practice at universal, targeted and targeted‑plus levels. Workforce confidence improves year‑on‑year, evidenced through annual confidence surveys, participation data and quality assurance findings. Training impact is routinely tracked and targeted where variability exists, strengthening mainstream confidence, reducing reliance on statutory escalation and supporting consistent, high‑quality practice across the 0–25 system. Workforce development work to support with notion that needs can be identified and meet within graduated response without specialist health input, such as Speech, Language and Communication. The SEND workforce will be confident in supporting children with SLCN and physical/ sensory needs through inclusive mainstream practice, enabling strategies to be implemented early and upstream when needs first emerge (through the SEND system 0-25). Training to education settings will be consistent across local areas, enabling clear, consistent messaging to parents/ carers about the best practice and evidence-based approaches to support needs led, inclusive educational practices. |
Goal 3: Build a SEND system that is sustainable and reliable, so children’s needs are supported well over time
| Goals towards target | Where we are starting from (Spring 2026) | Where we will be in the next 3 years |
|---|---|---|
| Reduce reliance on high‑cost independent and out‑of‑area placements through earlier intervention and improved mainstream capacity, with year‑on‑year reductions in placement numbers and unit cost monitored quarterly. | Southampton continues to experience pressure on specialist and independent placements, reflecting historic gaps in local capacity, rising complexity of need and variable confidence in mainstream provision. While EHCP growth has slowed, demand for high‑cost placements remains for some cohorts, contributing to sustained pressure within the High Needs Block and increased travel distances for a proportion of children and young people. Non‑maintained and independent placements have been forecasted to increase from 39 (2025) to 58 (2029) The partnership has begun to address this through earlier intervention, increased investment in mainstream capacity (including cluster funding, specialist outreach and resourced provision), and stronger quality assurance of placement decision‑making. However, reliance on independent and out‑of‑area provision remains necessary in some cases where local provision is not yet sufficient or confidence in alternative pathways is still developing. The need for high cost placements is fundamentally driven from a high demand of SEMH secondary specialist placements. 80% of INMSS are linked to SEMH secondary. | Children and young people experience fewer disruptive moves and less reliance on distant placements. More needs are met locally and earlier, meaning families experience greater stability and continuity and children spend less time travelling and more time learning, developing and connecting with their communities. Reliance on high‑cost independent and out‑of‑area placements reduces year‑on‑year as earlier intervention, improved mainstream confidence and increased local capacity are embedded across the system. A particular focus on activity around supporting SEMH at an early stage to reduce overreliance on INMSS at secondary age. This will include targeted outreach from SEMH Specialist for Inclusion bases. The Experts at Hand model, combined with strengthened graduated pathways, specialist outreach and targeted capital investment, enables more children and young people to have needs met locally and inclusively. Placement decisions are consistently informed by quality assurance, needs‑led pathways and value‑for‑money considerations, with independent provision reserved for the most complex and exceptional cases. Reductions in placement numbers, average unit cost and associated travel are monitored quarterly through SEND dashboards, supporting improved financial sustainability alongside better experience and outcomes for children and families. Improving health support into mainstream system, with a particular focus on SEMH needs, developing confidence within the system to meet these needs. Improving health support within mainstream education for all children and young people, with a particular focus on social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs, while building confidence and capability across the system to respond effectively. |
| Strengthen sufficiency and place planning across all phases using annual needs forecasting and demand modelling to inform three‑year planning cycles. | Southampton undertakes regular sufficiency and place‑planning activity, informed by EHCP data, placement trends and emerging needs across early years, school‑age and post‑16 cohorts. Demand forecasting and capital planning increasingly draw on multi‑year datasets, supporting targeted expansion of specialist and resourced provision and informing immediate decision‑making. Inconsistent post‑16 pathways and transitions represent a systemic risk to confidence, inclusion and financial sustainability, requiring coordinated action across education, health and commissioning However, forecasting and planning activity is not yet fully aligned across all phases or consistently integrated with workforce, capital and financial planning. Annual decision‑making is still required to respond to in‑year pressures, and the system is transitioning from short‑term mitigation to a more anticipatory, whole‑system sufficiency model. | Children can access the right type of provision when they need it, without long waits or last‑minute decision‑making. Planning ahead means the system responds to need more smoothly, reducing crisis placements and uncertainty for families, particularly at key transition points. A coherent, system‑wide approach to sufficiency and place planning operates across the 0–25 pathway, underpinned by annual needs forecasting and demand modelling using rolling three‑year datasets. Forecasting draws together prevalence, EHCP trends, placement demand, transitions and demographic data to inform integrated planning decisions. Three‑year planning cycles consistently inform capital investment, system workforce development, commissioned provision and graduated pathways, enabling the partnership to anticipate need rather than respond to crisis. This strengthens local capacity, improves transition planning, reduces volatility in placement demand and supports more sustainable use of resources across the system. |
| Ensure Experts at Hand, capital investment and commissioning decisions operate as a single, coherent reform programme, informed by data, quality assurance and lived experience, with quarterly review points against agreed outcome and financial measures. Plans will link across strategic health commissioning taking advantage of scale. | Southampton has a number of established improvement strands, including the Experts at Hand proposal, capital investment in specialist and resourced provision, and commissioning activity across education, health and care. These are increasingly informed by data, quality assurance activity and lived‑experience feedback, and there is growing alignment between strategic SEND priorities and investment decisions. However, these elements have historically developed in parallel rather than as a single integrated reform programme. Review cycles, outcome measures and financial oversight are not yet consistently aligned across initiatives, and opportunities to connect local SEND reform with wider health commissioning at scale are still emerging. | A system of needs led support will be available for seamless care provided through the universal, targeted, targeted plus and specialist levels by providers from health and education with clear working remit around transition points between systems. Children benefit from a SEND system that feels more joined‑up, responsive and dependable. Decisions about support, provision and services are better coordinated, meaning children experience fewer gaps, overlaps or changes in direction as they move through the system. Experts at Hand is designed to shift a proportion of support from high‑cost, individualised escalation to group‑based deployment of scarce specialist workforce, improving coverage, consistency and value for money while preserving access to direct intervention for the most complex cases. Experts at Hand operates as a core delivery mechanism within a single, coherent reform programme, fully aligned with capital investment, commissioning and workforce development decisions across education, health and social care. Decisions are routinely informed by shared data, quality assurance findings and lived‑experience insight, ensuring that investment and delivery respond directly to patterns of need and impact. Quarterly review points track agreed outcome and financial measures across the programme, enabling timely course‑correction and clear accountability. SEND reform planning is explicitly linked to strategic health commissioning, taking advantage of scale and alignment across the Integrated Care System to strengthen value for money, consistency and sustainability while improving experience and outcomes for children, young people and families. |
| Build sustainable workforce at all levels, developing capacity across education, health and care as a critical enabler of long‑term improvement and value for money, monitored through annual workforce metrics on recruitment, retention and sufficiency. | Southampton recognises workforce capacity and sustainability as a critical system risk and enabler of reform. There is strong practice within specialist services and special schools, and growing access to multi‑disciplinary expertise through outreach, the Neurodiversity MDT and specialist advisory roles. Workforce intelligence is improving through training needs analysis, skills audits and service‑level monitoring. However, recruitment and retention pressures remain across education, health and care, reflecting national workforce challenges and local capacity constraints. Workforce sufficiency is not yet consistently planned across sectors, and reliance on specialist expertise continues in areas where confidence and capacity within mainstream and universal services are still developing. | Children and families experience greater continuity of staff and support. A more stable workforce reduces disruption, builds trusting relationships and ensures support improves over time rather than restarting when services change. A sustainable, system‑wide workforce model is embedded across education, health and care, supporting inclusive practice, early intervention and long‑term value for money. Development of children’s system where skills and expertise and career paths are aligned across organisations. Capacity is strengthened at all levels through coordinated workforce planning, the Experts at Hand model and specialist outreach, enabling skills and confidence to be held across the system rather than concentrated in single services. Recruitment, retention and workforce sufficiency are monitored through agreed annual metrics, triangulated with service demand, quality assurance and financial data. This supports proactive planning, reduced reliance on agency or high‑cost specialist input, and a more resilient workforce able to meet need earlier and locally, sustaining improvement and financial stability over time. Embedded SLT and OT will be available to all settings, focussed on developing inclusive practice and early intervention and boosting confidence of colleagues in settings to use strategies and environmental adaptations, reducing impact of individual children’s needs and reducing likelihood of escalation through the SEND system. Training will be provided into schools through the centrally provided digital offer and directly and face to face in settings via the cluster model. The SLT, SLTA and OT staff will be supported by a robust system of recruitment, skills development and training for specialists. Clinical leaders will be part of the system with a central Advanced Clinical Practitioner (ACP) supporting the strategic and leadership development of the system across all four pillars of practice. |
Strategy for delivery
Southampton’s three-year SEND strategy focuses on shifting the system upstream, strengthening inclusive mainstream practice, and making better use of existing workforce, resources and partnerships. It builds on the Post Inspection Improvement Plan, SEND SEF evidence and SEND Strategic Review Meeting feedback, consolidating areas of secure improvement while accelerating impact where needed.
A central principle is a needs-led, rather than diagnosis-led, approach. This is reflected in the SEND Mainstream Funding Cluster Model and Neurodiversity transformation pathway, and will be further embedded through a locally tailored Experts at Hand (EAH) offer. The EAH model will provide group-based, locality-led access to specialist expertise across early years, schools and post-16 provision, targeting prevalent needs and reducing escalation to statutory assessment and specialist placements. It has been co-designed with NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight ICB, including agreement on priority cohorts, workforce deployment and alignment with neighbourhood health and Best Start Family Hubs.
This is delivered through eight workstreams focused on early intervention, workforce, inclusion and system integration.
The strategy also prioritises workforce capability and sustainability as a key dependency. Following nine months of system-wide mapping and engagement, the focus will shift to delivering a multi-agency SEND competency and training offer in 2026–27, aligned to inclusive practice and preparation for adulthood.
Improvement will be underpinned by strong governance, data and lived experience, with dashboards, quality assurance and stakeholder feedback systematically informing decision-making. Co-production with children, young people and families remains central, ensuring reform delivers measurable improvements in outcomes, confidence and value for money.
Workstream 1 – Southampton 360 Support Model
Overview
The Southampton 360 Support Model is Southampton's locally developed Experts at Hand offer and represents the central delivery mechanism for the city’s SEND Reform Plan. It has been designed to strengthen inclusion, improve early intervention and ensure that children and young people receive the right support at the earliest opportunity within their local education setting wherever possible. Building on existing strengths across education, health and care, Southampton 360 model brings together specialist expertise, outreach, quality assurance, workforce development and co-production into a single coordinated model that supports children and young people from 0-25 years.
The model builds on Southampton’s established foundations, including the SEND Mainstream Funding Cluster Model, Southampton Inclusion Partnership, Educational Psychology Team, Neurodiversity Multi-Disciplinary Team, Specialist Teacher Advisory Service, specialist school outreach and strong partnership governance arrangements. Rather than creating a separate service, Southampton 360 acts as a coordinating framework that aligns existing expertise and resources around a shared graduated response, ensuring that support is delivered consistently, equitably and in response to need rather than diagnosis.
Through Southampton 360, educational settings will have access to multidisciplinary expertise including Educational Psychologists, Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists, specialist teachers, neurodiversity professionals, specialist school outreach and lived-experience expertise through the Parent Carer Forum. Support will be delivered across early years settings, mainstream schools, specialist provision and post-16 providers through a combination of cluster-based support, professional learning, workforce development, multidisciplinary problem solving, targeted interventions and specialist quality assurance.
The model is designed around six complementary delivery routes: cluster-based specialist support; city-wide professional learning; emotional based school/college absence; targeted specialist intervention; workforce development and knowledge exchange; and quality assurance support for specialist and inclusion bases. Collectively, these approaches seek to build workforce confidence, strengthen inclusive practice, improve access to specialist advice and reduce unnecessary escalation into statutory assessment, high-cost provision and out-of-area placements.
Over the next three years, Southampton 360 will be progressively embedded across the local area, supporting implementation of the reformed graduated response, strengthening early years identification and intervention, improving access to specialist expertise across all phases of education and promoting more consistent pathways into adulthood. Alongside supporting better experiences and outcomes for children, young people and families, the model will contribute to wider system sustainability through more effective deployment of specialist resources, improved workforce capability and reduced reliance on high-cost reactive interventions.
The Department for Education allocated Southampton £1,834,180 through the Experts at Hand programme for 2026-27 financial year, with at least 80% of funding directed toward frontline delivery. Southampton's programme includes additional Educational Psychologist capacity, a city-wide therapies offer, specialist outreach, workforce development, locality leads, specialist advisory capacity, quality assurance functions and supporting infrastructure required to sustain long-term system reform.
Southampton 360 is therefore not a standalone service, but the mechanism through which Southampton intends to deliver earlier intervention, strengthen inclusive practice, build workforce confidence and create a more sustainable and effective SEND system over the next three years
Named professionals
Named Lead Professional: Head of Strategic SEND / ICB Head of SEND
Note: All workstreams will have identified supporting stakeholders and named linked from the Parent Carer Forum
Key Performance Indicators
Anticipated Outcomes
| KPI | Description |
|---|---|
| KPI 1 | By July 2029, Southampton 360 Support will be fully embedded across early years, mainstream, specialist and post-16 provision, with at least 90% of Southampton education settings accessing one or more Southampton 360 support pathways annually. |
| KPI 2 | By July 2029, educational settings engaged with Southampton 360 Support will demonstrate year-on-year increases in SEN Support activity and targeted-plus intervention, alongside a reduction in first-time EHC Needs Assessment requests relative to SEN Support growth. |
| KPI 3 | By July 2029, at least 80% of participating settings will report improved confidence in meeting CYP needs at universal, targeted and targeted-plus levels through access to Southampton 360 multidisciplinary support, outreach and workforce development. |
| KPI 4 | By July 2029, Southampton 360 will contribute to improved educational engagement and inclusion, evidenced through attendance for pupils with SEND reaching at least 90%, fixed-term suspensions reducing to below 1%, reduced reliance on reduced timetables, and fewer than 5% of young people with SEND becoming NEET. |
Key Data Metrics
Key Data Metrics to Record Progress
| KPI | Description |
|---|---|
| KPI 1 | Number of settings accessing Southampton 360 support annually; Percentage of education settings accessing Southampton 360 by phase; Number of Southampton 360 interventions delivered; Number of CYP supported through Southampton 360 pathways; Number of settings accessing multiple delivery routes |
| KPI 2 | Number of children and young people at SEN Support; Number of first-time EHC Needs Assessment requests; Number of requests for specialist health assessments |
| KPI 3 | Annual workforce confidence survey results; Confidence in supporting ASC, SLCN, SEMH and physical/sensory needs; Number of practitioners attending Southampton 360 learning opportunities; Number of settings receiving outreach, consultation or coaching; Inclusive Education Audit outcomes |
| KPI 4 | Attendance rates for pupils with SEND; Persistent absence rates for pupils with SEND; Fixed-term suspension rates for pupils with SEND; Permanent exclusion rates for pupils with SEND; Number and duration of reduced timetables; SEND NEET rates; Parent and young person feedback regarding confidence and inclusion |
3 Year Action Plan
| Strategic Workstream Priority | Accountable Lead | Date of Completion | Key Actions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Establish the Southampton 360 Support Model | Head of Strategic SEND ICB Head of SEND | July 2027 | Fully implement Southampton's Experts at Hand model as the Southampton 360 Support Model.; Delivery launch events to education settings, families and wider professionals.; Ensure Southampton 360 model information is accessible on the Local Offer Website; Develop governance, performance reporting and equitable access arrangements through regular operational and strategic meeting cycles.; Establish access arrangements across early years, primary, secondary, specialist and post-16 provision.; Launch the six Southampton 360 delivery pathways, including specialist support, workforce development, outreach, quality assurance and Emotionally Based School/College Avoidance support.; Ensure Educational Psychology, Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Specialist Teacher Advisory Services and specialist outreach are integrated into a single coordinated offer.; Establish baseline measures relating to access, reach, workforce confidence, SEN Support activity, attendance and escalation. |
| Embed Southampton 360 Within the Graduated Response | Southampton 360 Steering Group | July 2028 | Embed Southampton 360 as the primary access route to targeted and targeted-plus multidisciplinary support.; Align Southampton 360 activity with the SEND Funding Cluster Model, Neurodiversity Pathway and Workforce Development Framework.; Expand Southampton 360 support across early years, post-16 providers and specialist settings.; Strengthen support for children and young people experiencing Emotionally Based School/College Avoidance, attendance difficulties and transition challenges.; Develop locality-based consultation, coaching and workforce development programmes linked to prevalent areas of need including ASC, SLCN, SEMH and physical/sensory needs.; Ensure support is delivered consistently across all phases and localities through agreed quality standards and monitoring processes. |
| Strengthen Inclusive Practice and Workforce Capability | Workforce Development Lead Southampton 360 Steering Group | July 2028 | Deliver the Southampton 360 workforce development programme across education, health and care.; Increase workforce confidence in universal, targeted and targeted-plus support through coaching, consultation and multidisciplinary training.; Update Ordinarily Available Provision guides at all educational stages; Develop digital resources, practice guidance and evidence-based tools available across the 0-25 system.; Use quality assurance findings and workforce confidence surveys to target support where variability exists.; Promote a needs-led rather than diagnosis-led approach across all services and educational settings. |
| Improve Outcomes Through Earlier Intervention and Inclusion | Head of Strategic SEND ICB Head of SEND Southampton 360 Steering Group | July 2029 | Increase SEN Support and targeted-plus intervention across all phases of education.; Support reductions in first-time EHC Needs Assessment requests relative to SEN Support growth.; Deliver multidisciplinary support that improves attendance, participation and inclusion.; Strengthen support around transition points, including early years to school, primary to secondary and post-16 pathways.; Improve systems for monitoring impact on children, young people and family experience. |
| Demonstrate System Impact and Sustainability | SEND Partnership Board | July 2029 | Monitor reach, equity and impact of Southampton 360 support across all educational phases and localities.; Use performance dashboards to review SEN Support uptake, attendance, exclusions, reduced timetables, NEET rates and escalation patterns.; Evaluate workforce confidence, quality assurance findings and stakeholder feedback annually.; Ensure Southampton 360, commissioning, capital investment and workforce planning operate as a single integrated reform programme.; Refine workforce deployment and commissioning arrangements based on demand, outcomes and value-for-money analysis.; Establish Southampton 360 as a sustainable, long-term component of Southampton's SEND system beyond the Reform Plan period. |
Workstream 2 – SEND Funding Cluster Model
Overview
The SEND Funding Cluster Model is a key element of Southampton’s strategy to strengthen inclusive practice, increase confidence in mainstream provision and ensure that children and young people receive support at the earliest opportunity. The model has been successfully implemented across mainstream school-age settings and has contributed to increased confidence in SEN Support, improved collaboration between schools, greater consistency in decision-making and a reduction in reliance on escalation to statutory process. The introduction of the Cluster Model, alongside wider neurodiversity transformation activity, has contributed to moderating EHCP demand and strengthening early intervention pathways.
The next phase of development focuses on building upon these foundations and expanding the reach and impact of the model across the wider 0-25 SEND system. Working closely with the Southampton 360 Support Model, the Cluster Model will increasingly act as a gateway to specialist advice, outreach and workforce development, ensuring that educational settings can access the right support at the right time through a needs-led, graduated approach. This aligns with the national reform ambition of strengthening mainstream inclusion through group-based access to specialist expertise and reducing unnecessary escalation to statutory assessment and specialist provision.
Over the next three years, the model will consider expanding beyond mainstream primary and secondary schools to explore and develop implementation across early years settings, specialist provision and post-16 providers. Emphasis will be placed on improving transition points, strengthening preparation for adulthood pathways, and ensuring that consistent approaches to inclusion, SEN Support and workforce development operate across all phases of education. This will be supported through closer integration with Southampton 360 teams, enabling educational settings to access multidisciplinary expertise, outreach, coaching, training and targeted support in response to local need.
The model will continue to support equitable access to resources and expertise, promote shared responsibility for inclusion, and strengthen collaborative working between education, health and care partners. Through ongoing quality assurance, performance monitoring and engagement with children, young people and families, the Cluster Model will remain a central mechanism for embedding the graduated response, improving outcomes and supporting the wider ambitions of the Southampton SEND Reform Plan.
Named professionals
Named Lead Professional: Head of Strategic SEND
Note: All workstreams will have identified supporting stakeholders and named linked from the Parent Carer Forum
Key Performance Indicators
Anticipated Outcomes
| KPI | Description |
|---|---|
| KPI 1 | By July 2029, the SEND Funding Cluster Model will be embedded across all mainstream schools and expanded into early years, specialist and post-16 provision, with at least 80% of participating settings partipating in cluster processes and collaborative practice development. |
| KPI 2 | By July 2029, the proportion of children and young people supported through SEN Support pathways will increase year-on-year, with measurable reductions in first-time EHCP requests relative to SEN Support growth. |
| KPI 3 | By July 2029, at least 80% of participating settings will demonstrate improved implementation of the graduated response and inclusive practice through quality assurance activity, cluster reviews and Southampton 360 model support. |
| KPI 4 | By July 2029, educational settings participating in the Cluster Model will report a minimum 75% improvement in confidence in meeting SEND needs at universal, targeted and targeted-plus levels, supported through Southampton 360 team outreach and workforce development activity. |
Key Data Metrics
Key Data Metrics to Record Progress
| KPI | Description |
|---|---|
| KPI 1 | Number of participating settings by phase (Early Years, Primary, Secondary, Specialist, Post-16); Percentage of educational settings engaged in Cluster Model activity; Number of cluster meetings and collaborative activities delivered annually; Number of settings accessing Southampton 360 team support through cluster pathways |
| KPI 2 | Number of children and young people recorded at SEN Support; SEN Support rates by phase and primary need; Number of first-time EHC Needs Assessment requests |
| KPI 3 | Inclusive Education Audit outcome; Quality assurance findings from Cluster and Southampton 360 reviews; Number of Southampton 360 team interventions delivered through cluster arrangements |
| KPI 4 | Annual workforce confidence survey results; Confidence in supporting ASC, SLCN, SEMH and physical/sensory needs; Number of settings accessing Southampton 360 outreach through the Cluster Model; Participation in cluster-based professional learning and peer support activities |
3 Year Action Plan
| Strategic Workstream Priority | Accountable Lead | Date of Completion | Key Actions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Embed and Strengthen the Existing Cluster Model | Head of Strategic SEND Locality Leads | July 2027 | Maintain participation of all mainstream school-age settings within the SEND Funding Cluster Model.; Review and refresh cluster governance, funding arrangements and expectations.; Strengthen consistency in SEN Support and graduated response processes across all clusters.; Align cluster processes with Southampton 360 pathways and SEND Reform priorities.; Establish baseline measures for participation, SEN Support activity, workforce confidence and escalation rates |
| Expand the Cluster Model Across the 0-25 System | Head of Strategic SEND Locality Leads Southampton 360 Steering Group | July 2028 | Develop and pilot cluster arrangements within early years settings.; Explore and implement cluster-based support approaches for post-16 providers and specialist settings.; Strengthen transition arrangements between phases through shared cluster planning.; Ensure educational settings across all phases can access Southampton 360 model support consistently.; Develop mechanisms for participation from out-of-area post-16 providers attended by Southampton young people. |
| Embed Southampton 360 Support within Cluster Delivery | Head of Strategic SEND Locality Leads Southampton 360 Steering Group | July 2028 | Integrate Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Educational Psychology and specialist outreach into cluster delivery.; Develop locality-based access arrangements to Southampton 360 support.; Establish cluster-based consultation, coaching and workforce development opportunities.; Ensure Southampton 360 support is aligned to local need profiles including ASC, SLCN, SEMH, sensory and physical needs.; Develop equitable access arrangements to ensure support is available across all localities and educational phases. |
| Strengthen Inclusive Practice and the Graduated Response | Head of Strategic SEND Locality Leads | July 2028 | Embed consistent expectations for universal, targeted and targeted-plus support through the Ordinarily Available Provision Guide.; Strengthen use of cluster networks to share effective practice and problem solving.; Align Inclusive Education Audit activity to cluster development priorities.; Use quality assurance, attendance, exclusion and SEN Support data to target cluster support.; Develop peer review and collaborative improvement activity across settings and phases. |
| Monitor Impact and Drive Continuous Improvement | Head of Strategic SEND Locality Leads Southampton 360 Steering Group | Ongoing to July 2029 | Monitor cluster participation, SEN Support activity, EHCNA requests and workforce confidence annually.; Analyse outcomes through SEND dashboards, QA activity and Inclusive Education Audits.; Gather annual feedback from settings, professionals, children, young people and families; Use Southampton 360 specialist advice to support emerging needs before escalation.; Review variation between localities and deploy targeted support where required.; Use data and lived experience to continuously refine cluster delivery and Southampton 360 support |
Workstream 3 – Specialist Inclusion Base Capital Program
Overview
The Specialist Inclusion Base Capital Programme is a key element of Southampton’s strategy to increase local SEND capacity and ensure that more children and young people can access high-quality, inclusive education within their local communities. Southampton continues to experience increasing demand for specialist provision, with special schools and existing resourced provisions operating at capacity. The programme will therefore support a planned shift from reactive placement responses towards a more preventative, data-led approach to sufficiency and place planning.
The programme focuses primarily on expanding specialist inclusion bases within mainstream education settings, alongside targeted increases in specialist provision where needs cannot appropriately be met within mainstream environments. Inclusion bases provide children and young people with access to specialist teaching and intervention while enabling them to remain part of the wider school community and benefit from mainstream learning and social opportunities. This approach supports smaller, more localised cohorts, reduces unnecessary travel and strengthens the ability of local provision to meet needs including autism, speech, language and communication needs, social, emotional and mental health needs, and sensory or physical needs.
Capital investment will be informed by rolling three-year prevalence, EHCP, placement and travel data to ensure that the type, location and scale of provision reflect current and forecast patterns of need. Delivery will be supported through engagement with early years providers, schools, multi-academy trusts, colleges and health partners, with consideration given to provision across the full 0–25 pathway. The programme will also strengthen pathways between phases and support reintegration into mainstream provision where this is appropriate.
The Specialist Inclusion Base Capital Programme will operate alongside the Southampton 360 Support Model, SEND Funding Cluster Model, workforce development and specialist outreach. This alignment will ensure that new and expanded provision is supported by the appropriate workforce, specialist expertise, inclusive practice and quality assurance arrangements, rather than operating as a standalone capital programme. Over the next three years, the programme aims to improve the match between children’s needs, provision type and location, increase the number of children educated locally, and reduce reliance on high-cost independent and out-of-area placements and associated travel.
Named professionals
Named Lead Professional: Head of Statutory SEND / Service Manager for Education Access & Support
Note: All workstreams will have identified supporting stakeholders and named linked from the Parent Carer Forum
Key Performance Indicators
Anticipated Outcomes
| KPI | Description |
|---|---|
| KPI 1 | By July 2029, Southampton will have delivered a planned expansion of specialist inclusion base and specialist provision capacity aligned to local patterns of need, ensuring sufficient local provision across ASD, SLCN and SEMH pathways and reducing reliance on reactive place planning. |
| KPI 2 | By July 2029, the number of children and young people educated in out-of-area placements will reduce year-on-year from the 2026 baseline, with a corresponding increase in the proportion of children with SEND accessing provision within Southampton. |
| KPI 3 | By July 2029, all capital investment decisions for specialist inclusion bases and specialist provision will be informed by rolling three-year prevalence, placement and sufficiency data, supported by annual place-planning reviews and transport impact assessments. |
| KPI 4 | By July 2029, average travel distance and transport reliance for children and young people accessing specialist provision will reduce year-on-year, supported by increased access to high-quality local provision and inclusion bases within mainstream settings. |
Key Data Metrics
Key Data Metrics to Record Progress
| KPI | Description |
|---|---|
| KPI 1 | Number of specialist inclusion base places created annually; Number of specialist inclusion bases established or expanded by phase (Early Years, Primary, Secondary and Post-16); Number of specialist places created by primary area of need (ASD, SLCN, SEMH, sensory and physical needs); Percentage of planned capital projects delivered on time and within programme milestones; Number of students on roll at specialist inclusion bases and newly commissioned provision |
| KPI 2 | Number of out-of-area placements; Percentage of children and young people with EHCPs educated within Southampton provision; Number of independent and non-maintained specialist placements; Number of placement requests unable to be met within Southampton provision |
| KPI 3 | Annual SEND sufficiency review completed and reported; Rolling three-year prevalence data for ASD, SLCN and SEMH reviewed through governance arrangements; Percentage of planned provision developments aligned to identified demand and need profiles; Annual reporting of projected demand versus planned capacity by phase and locality |
| KPI 4 | Average travel distance to specialist provision; Number of children and young people travelling outside Southampton for provision; Home-to-school transport expenditure associated with SEND specialist placements; Percentage of children accessing specialist provision within their local area or planning area |
3 Year Action Plan
| Strategic Workstream Priority | Accountable Lead | Date of Completion | Key Actions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Develop and Deliver the Specialist Inclusion Base Program | Head of Statutory SEND Service Manager for Education Access & Support | July 2027 | Establish a city-wide capital and sufficiency programme aligned to SEND Reform priorities.; Increase specialist provision capacity within mainstream settings wherever appropriate.; Work with schools, trusts, early years providers and post-16 settings to identify opportunities for expansion.; Review specialist provision demand using EHCP, prevalence, placement and travel data.; Prioritise capital investment towards ASC, SLCN and SEMH need profiles.; Develop a three-year pipeline of inclusion base and specialist provision projects.; Establish baseline measures for capacity, placements, travel and transport expenditure.; Strengthen pathways between mainstream, inclusion bases and specialist provision. |
| Reduce Reliance on Out-of-Area Placements | Head of Statutory SEND Service Manager for Education Access & Support | July 2028 | Align placement planning with local capacity developments.; Increase the proportion of children and young people accessing provision within Southampton.; Strengthen local pathways for ASC, SLCN and SEMH cohorts.; Monitor trends in independent and non-maintained placements and target areas of greatest pressure. |
| Strengthen Sufficiency Planning and Data-Led Decision Making | Head of Strategic SEND Head of Statutory SEND | July 2028 | Embed annual SEND sufficiency reviews using rolling three-year data.; Align capital planning, commissioning and workforce development with demand forecasting.; Use prevalence, placement, travel and transition data to inform investment decisions.; Develop integrated dashboards to monitor capacity, occupancy and sufficiency pressures.; Ensure transport impact assessments inform all major capital developments. |
| Monitor Impact and Drive Continuous Improvement | Head of Strategic SEND Head of Statutory SEND Service Manager for Education Access & Support SEND Partnership Board | Ongoing to July 2029 | Monitor provision capacity, occupancy and place utilisation annually.; Track out-of-area placements, transport demand and travel distances through SEND dashboards.; Review the effectiveness of inclusion bases through quality assurance activity and stakeholder feedback.; Align capital programme review with Southampton 360, the SEND Funding Cluster Model and workforce development activity.; Use sufficiency data, lived experience and outcome measures to refine future capital investment priorities.; Report progress annually through the SEND Self-Evaluation Framework and SEND Partnership Board governance arrangements. |
Workstream 4 – Co-production, Lived Experience and the Local Offer
Overview
The Co-production, Lived Experience and Local Offer workstream provides the foundation for ensuring that Southampton's SEND Reform Programme is shaped, delivered and evaluated alongside children and young people with SEND, their families and the professionals who support them. It recognises that sustainable SEND reform can only be achieved when the voices of those with lived experience are embedded throughout decision-making, service design, quality assurance and system improvement. The workstream builds on Southampton's strong partnership with the Southampton Parent Carer Forum and the city's established culture of co-production, which has influenced strategic planning, service transformation and Local Offer development.
A central priority is the continued development of Southampton's Local Offer as a comprehensive, accessible and trusted source of information, advice and guidance for children and young people with SEND, families and professions. Delivery will be supported through the recently established Local Offer Development Group, chaired and led by the Parent Carer Forum, bringing together representatives from education, health, social care, the voluntary sector and families to oversee ongoing development, quality assurance and continuous improvement of the Local Offer. The group will ensure that information remains current, accessible and responsive to local needs, with annual stakeholder engagement informing a published Local Offer report and future priorities.
The workstream will also strengthen opportunities for children and young people to influence both operational delivery and strategic decision-making through the establishment of a SEND Youth Voice Group, led by the Parent Carer Forum. The group will create meaningful and ongoing opportunities for children and young people with SEND to share their experiences, identify priorities and shape services that affect their lives. Particular emphasis will be placed on gathering views at key transition points, around inclusion, preparation for adulthood, emotional wellbeing and access to support, ensuring that children's voices are visible within governance, quality assurance and service development activity. This reflects Southampton's commitment to expanding direct participation and ensuring that children and young people influence the future direction of the SEND system.
Alongside this, the workstream will support the development of clearer pathways and communication across the SEND system. The Local Offer will be refreshed to reflect the ambitions of the SEND Reform Programme, clearly articulating what support is available, how support can be accessed, and how services work together across education, health and care. Building on the principle of visible feedback and accountability, regular "you said, we did" reporting, annual surveys and co-production activities will ensure that children, young people and families can see how their experiences directly influence local priorities and service improvements.
Over the next three years, this workstream will strengthen trust and confidence in the SEND system, broaden participation in decision-making, improve the accessibility and quality of Local Offer information, and ensure that lived experience remains central to Southampton's reform journey. Through strong partnership working with the Parent Carer Forum, children and young people, education settings, health services and the voluntary sector, Southampton will continue to build a more transparent, responsive and family-centred SEND system.
Named professionals
Named Lead Professional: Local Offer Development Officer / Chair of Parent Carer Forum
Note: All workstreams will have identified supporting stakeholders and named linked from the Parent Carer Forum
Key Performance Indicators
Anticipated Outcomes
| KPI | Description |
|---|---|
| KPI 1 | By July 2029, the Local Offer Development Group, chaired by the Parent Carer Forum, will be fully embedded as a multi-agency forum overseeing continuous development, quality assurance and review of Southampton's Local Offer, informed by annual stakeholder feedback and published Local Offer reports. |
| KPI 2 | By July 2029, annual engagement with children, young people, families and practitioners will demonstrate year-on-year improvements in satisfaction with the accessibility, quality and usefulness of Local Offer information, advice and guidance. |
| KPI 3 | By July 2029, a SEND Youth Voice Group will be established and routinely influencing operational and strategic SEND decision-making, with evidence that the views of children and young people are informing service development, commissioning and reform priorities. |
| KPI 4 | By July 2029, clear and accessible pathway information will be available across the Local Offer, improving understanding of available support, referral routes and services across education, health and social care, with increased confidence reported by families in navigating the SEND system. |
Key Data Metrics
Key Data Metrics to Record Progress
| KPI | Description |
|---|---|
| KPI 1 | Number of Local Offer Development Group meetings held annually; Attendance and representation across education, health, social care, voluntary sector and parent carers; Annual Local Offer stakeholder survey completed; Annual Local Offer report published and reviewed through governance arrangements |
| KPI 2 | Annual Local Offer user satisfaction survey results; Percentage of users reporting that information is easy to find and understand; Number of stakeholder engagement events completed annually; Themes identified through feedback and subsequent improvement actions |
| KPI 3 | Number of SEND Youth Voice Group meetings held annually; Number of children and young people actively participating in Youth Voice activities; Representation across age groups, educational phases and areas of SEND need; Number of strategic boards, workstreams or projects receiving Youth Voice input; Number of service developments influenced by children and young people's feedback; Annual feedback from Youth Voice members on the impact of their participation |
| KPI 4 | Website page views and engagement with pathway information; Parent carer confidence survey results regarding navigation of the SEND system; User feedback on the clarity, accessibility and usefulness of Local Offer information |
3 Year Action Plan
| Strategic Workstream Priority | Accountable Lead | Date of Completion | Key Actions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Embed the Local Offer Development Group | Southampton Parent Carer Forum Local Offer Development Officer Local Offer Development Group | July 2027 | Embed the Local Offer Development Group as a multi-agency forum chaired by the Parent Carer Forum.; Agree governance, membership and terms of reference.; Establish a programme of regular review and quality assurance activity.; Identify priority areas for Local Offer improvement through stakeholder engagement and service data.; Develop baseline measures for user satisfaction, engagement and accessibility. |
| Improve the Quality, Accessibility and Visibility of the Local Offer | Southampton Parent Carer Forum Local Offer Development Officer Local Offer Development Group | July 2028 | Review Local Offer content to ensure information is current, accessible and easy to navigate.; Develop clear pathway information across education, health and social care services.; Improve information relating to early help, SEN Support, EHC processes, specialist provision and preparation for adulthood.; Strengthen accessibility through the use of plain English, visual information and co-produced content.; Implement regular content review arrangements with service leads and partner agencies. |
| Strengthen Coproduction | Southampton Parent Carer Forum Local Offer Development Officer Local Offer Development Group | July 2028 | Develop annual co-production plans aligned to SEND Reform priorities.; Increase opportunities for parent carers, children and young people to influence service design and improvement activity.; Embed "You Said, We Did" approaches to demonstrate the impact of feedback.; Deliver annual stakeholder engagement activity to inform Local Offer development and SEND priorities.; Identify training needs around co-production and deliver training to relevant staff |
| Develop and Embed SEND Youth Voice Arrangements | Southampton Parent Carer Forum Head of Strategic SEND Local Offer Development Officer | July 2028 | Establish a SEND Youth Voice Group representing a diverse range of children and young people with SEND.; Develop opportunities for children and young people to contribute to operational and strategic workstreams.; Strengthen engagement at key transition points, including preparation for adulthood.; Create mechanisms for Youth Voice feedback to be reported through governance arrangements, including SEND Partnership Board.; Ensure children and young people can influence service development, commissioning and SEND reform priorities. |
| Monitor Impact and Drive Continuous Improvement | Head of Strategic SEND Southampton Parent Carer Forum Local Offer Development Group | Ongoing to July 2029 | Publish an annual Local Offer report informed by stakeholder feedback and engagement activity.; Monitor Local Offer usage, accessibility, satisfaction and engagement annually.; Review the effectiveness of co-production activity across all SEND Reform workstreams.; Evaluate the impact of Youth Voice participation on strategic and operational decision-making.; Report progress through the SEND Partnership Board; Use feedback, engagement findings and lived experience to continuously improve the Local Offer and wider SEND system. |
Workstream 5 – EHCP Quality Assurance and Disputes Reduction
Overview
The EHCP Quality Assurance and Disputes Reduction workstream builds upon the significant progress made through Southampton's SEND Post-Inspection Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement Plan. Since the introduction of a multi-agency quality assurance framework, the quality of Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) has improved considerably, with stronger partnership working across education, health and care, improved oversight of statutory processes and increased focus on the voice of children, young people and families. This workstream will ensure that these improvements are sustained and embedded as part of Southampton's longer-term SEND Reform Programme.
The focus of the next phase is to broaden quality assurance beyond the content of EHCPs to encompass the wider statutory SEND system. This includes the quality and timeliness of annual reviews, the effectiveness of multi-agency advice, decision-making processes, placement decision-making, transitions, statutory compliance and the experiences of children, young people and families throughout their SEND journey. The workstream will support a culture of continuous improvement, ensuring that quality assurance is used not simply as a compliance exercise but as a mechanism for improving outcomes, consistency and confidence in the SEND system.
A key priority will be ensuring that children and young people receive high-quality, outcome-focused plans and reviews that remain relevant to their needs and aspirations. The workstream will strengthen moderation, auditing and performance monitoring arrangements across education, health and social care, with learning systematically fed back into workforce development, operational practice and service improvement activity. Particular attention will be given to transition points, annual review quality, and ensuring that decisions result in timely and appropriate support.
Alongside improving quality, the workstream seeks to maintain Southampton's strong position in relation to dispute resolution and tribunal activity. By promoting transparent decision-making, meaningful co-production, early resolution processes and effective communication with families, the partnership will continue to reduce unnecessary escalation and improve confidence in SEND services. This includes strengthening mechanisms for resolving concerns at the earliest possible stage, ensuring that families feel listened to and involved, and using learning from complaints, mediation and tribunal activity to inform system improvement.
Over the next three years, the workstream will support the delivery of a more consistent, transparent and trusted SEND system. Success will be demonstrated through improved EHCP and annual review quality, strengthened statutory compliance, sustained low levels of dispute and tribunal activity, increased family confidence and evidence that quality assurance activity is directly contributing to improved experiences and outcomes for children and young people with SEND. This workstream directly supports Southampton's wider ambition of improving trust and confidence in the SEND system whilst ensuring that statutory processes remain effective, proportionate and focused on positive outcomes for children and young people.
Named professionals
Named Lead Professional: Practice Manager – Quality Assurance / Practice Manager - Resolutions
Note: All workstreams will have identified supporting stakeholders and named linked from the Parent Carer Forum
Key Performance Indicators
Anticipated Outcomes
| KPI | Description |
|---|---|
| KPI 1 | By July 2029, at least 80% of Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) and annual reviews audited will be judged Good or Better against Southampton's multi-agency quality assurance framework. |
| KPI 2 | By July 2029, EHCP statutory timeliness will be maintained at 80% or above. |
| KPI 3 | By July 2029, Southampton will maintain SEND Tribunal rates below 1% of active EHCPs, with year-on-year reductions in mediation requests and formal complaints relating to statutory SEND processes. |
| KPI 4 | By July 2029, at least 85% of parent carers and young people surveyed will report confidence in the quality, transparency and fairness of statutory SEND decision-making processes, including assessment, annual review and placement decisions. |
Key Data Metrics
Key Data Metrics to Record Progress
| KPI | Description |
|---|---|
| KPI 1 | Percentage of EHCPs judged Good or Better through quality assurance audits; Percentage of annual reviews judged Good or Better through quality assurance audits; Percentage of plans evidencing meaningful child and young person voice; Percentage of plans evidencing parent carer participation |
| KPI 2 | Percentage of EHC Needs Assessments completed within 20 weeks; Percentage of annual reviews completed within statutory timescales |
| KPI 3 | Number of SEND Tribunal registrations; Tribunal rate as a percentage of active EHCPs; Number of mediation requests; Number of formal SEND complaints |
| KPI 4 | Parent carer confidence survey results; Young person feedback survey results; Number of compliments received relating to SEND statutory services; Themes from complaints, mediation and tribunal feedback informing service improvement |
3 Year Action Plan
| Strategic Workstream Priority | Accountable Lead | Date of Completion | Key Actions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sustain and Strengthen EHCP quality assurance | Practice Manager - Quality Assurance Head of Statutory SEND | July 2027 | Continue multi-agency auditing of EHCPs across all age phases.; Embed quality assurance moderation sessions across education, health and care.; Develop annual training priorities linked to audit findings.; Ensure child and family voice is consistently evidenced within EHCPs.; Introduce routine reporting of EHCP quality measures through SEND governance arrangements.; Establish baseline measures for EHCP quality and statutory compliance. |
| Expand Quality Assurance Across the Statutory SEND System | Practice Manager Quality Assurance Head of Statutory SEND Designated Clinical Officer | July 2028 | Extend quality assurance activity to annual reviews, professional advice, decision-making panels and transition processes.; Develop quality standards for annual reviews and multi-agency advice.; Introduce routine audits of annual reviews across all educational phases.; Strengthen quality assurance of health and social care advice within statutory processes.; Use audit findings to target support, training and improvement activity. |
| Improve Statutory Compliance and Timeliness | Head of Statutory SEND Practice Manager - Resolutions | July 2028 | Strengthen oversight of statutory timescales across assessments, annual reviews and amended plans.; Develop performance dashboards to monitor compliance and identify areas of drift.; Review operational processes to improve efficiency and consistency.; Ensure timely multi-agency contributions to statutory processes.; Implement improvement actions arising from audit and performance findings. |
| Reduce Disputes and Strengthen Early Resolution | Head of Statutory SEND Practice Manager - Quality Assurance Practice Manager - Resolutions Southampton Parent Carer Forum | July 2028 | Strengthen early resolution processes for concerns raised by families.; Develop clear communication and escalation pathways for parent carers.; Review complaints, mediation and tribunal themes on a quarterly basis.; Use learning from complaints and disputes to inform service improvement activity.; Promote restorative and solution-focused approaches to resolving disagreements wherever possible. |
| Improve Family Experience | Head of Strategic SEND Head of Statutory SEND Southampton Parent Carer Forum | July 2029 | Introduce annual confidence surveys for families and young people.; Improve information and guidance relating to EHCPs, annual reviews and dispute resolution through the Local Offer.; Strengthen co-production within quality assurance and service review activity. |
| Drive Continuous Improvement | Head of Strategic SEND Head of Statutory SEND SEND Partnership Board | Ongoing to July 2029 | Develop an integrated statutory SEND quality dashboard.; Monitor EHCP quality, annual review quality, timeliness, complaints, mediation and tribunal activity.; Report findings routinely through SEND Partnership Board governance arrangements.; Use quality assurance findings to inform workforce development and Southampton 360 delivery.; Review trends and emerging risks annually and revise improvement priorities accordingly.; Ensure quality assurance activity evidences improvements in outcomes, experiences and confidence across the SEND system. |
Workstream 6 – Workforce Development Program
Overview
This workstream builds directly upon the SEND Post-Inspection Workforce Development Improvement Plan and represents the transition from workforce analysis and planning into implementation and delivery. The initial phase of work established a comprehensive understanding of workforce strengths, development needs and training gaps across education, health and social care through a city-wide workforce survey, training needs analysis, and mapping of existing SEND learning opportunities.
The focus of the reform programme is now on creating a sustainable, multi-agency workforce development model that increases confidence, competence and consistency across the 0-25 SEND system. Central to this is the development of the Southampton 360 model workforce offer, which combines a SEND competency framework, workforce profile tool, training analysis tool and a structured training pathway supported through Southampton 360 model team.
The programme brings together locally developed and nationally recognised training opportunities through a tiered framework of Core, Enhanced and Advanced learning, enabling practitioners to access training appropriate to their role, experience and level of expertise. This supports a consistent approach to inclusion, earlier identification of need, effective implementation of the graduated response and improved outcomes for children and young people with SEND.
A key aim of the workstream is to move specialist knowledge beyond individual services and into universal practice. Through Southampton 360 model, training, coaching, outreach, digital resources and professional development opportunities will be delivered directly to practitioners across education, health and care. This supports the wider reform ambition of increasing workforce confidence, strengthening inclusive practice and reducing unnecessary escalation to statutory and specialist services.
The programme will monitor participation, competency development, workforce confidence and evidence of changes to practice, ensuring that professional development activity can be linked directly to improved experiences and outcomes for children, young people and families.
Named professionals
Named Lead Professional: SEND Workforce Development Outreach Lead / Head of Strategic SEND
Note: All workstreams will have identified supporting stakeholders and named linked from the Parent Carer Forum
Key Performance Indicators
Anticipated Outcomes
| KPI | Description |
|---|---|
| KPI 1 | By July 2029, a multi-agency SEND competency framework will be embedded across education, health and social care, with at least 50 participating settings/services completing a baseline competency assessment. |
| KPI 2 | By July 2029, workforce confidence in supporting CYP with SEND will increase by at least 15% from the 2024/2025 baseline across education, health and social care, as measured through an annual workforce confidence survey. |
| KPI 3 | By July 2029, at least 75% of Southampton education settings and identified health and social care teams will have participated in coordinated SEND workforce development opportunities delivered by the Southampton 360 model. |
| KPI 4 | By July 2029, 80% of participating settings and services will demonstrate evidence of improved inclusive practice and implementation of the graduated approach through quality assurance and audit activity. |
Key Data Metrics
Key Data Metrics to Record Progress
| KPI | Description |
|---|---|
| KPI 1 | Number of participating settings/services; % of participating settings completing baseline assessment; Number of professionals completing competency self-assessment |
| KPI 2 | Annual confidence survey score; Confidence by sector (education, health, social care); Confidence in broad areas of SEND; Year-on-year % improvement |
| KPI 3 | Number of Southampton 360 model training opportunities delivered; Number of attendees in Southampton 360 model training; % settings represented; % services represented |
| KPI 4 | Inclusive Education Audit outcomes; Annual confidence survey score |
3 Year Action Plan
| Strategic Workstream Priority | Accountable Lead | Date of Completion | Key Actions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Implementation of framework | Workforce Development Lead Head of Strategic SEND Southampton 360 model teams | July 2027 | Launch the SEND Workforce Development Framework, including the SEND Training Analysis Tool, Training Profile and Training Grid.; Establish baseline workforce confidence measures across education, health and care.; Pilot the framework with identified education settings and key services.; Develop governance arrangements and reporting mechanisms. |
| Develop a Multi-agency approach | Workforce Development Lead Head of Strategic SEND Southampton 360 model teams | July 2027 | Agree core competencies across education, health and social care.; Define Core, Enhanced and Advanced expectations linked to workforce roles.; Create self-assessment processes and establish baseline workforce data. |
| Embed framework | Workforce Development Lead Head of Strategic SEND Southampton 360 model Steering Group | July 2028 | Deliver coordinated training, coaching, outreach and professional development through Southampton 360 model teams.; Expand access to local and nationally recognised training opportunities.; Develop digital learning resources and recorded training modules.; Ensure training reflects priority need areas including ND, SLCN, SEMH, sensory and physical needs. |
| Strengthen Workforce | Workforce Development Lead Head of Strategic SEND Health and Education Partners Southampton 360 model teams | July 2028 | Deliver targeted workforce development programmes to improve confidence in meeting needs at universal, targeted and targeted-plus levels.; Support practitioners to adopt need-led rather than diagnosis-led approaches.; Use quality assurance findings, workforce surveys and inclusion audits to target support where variability is identified.; Embed Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy and wider specialist input into workforce development delivery |
| Monitor Workforce Impact and Practice Change | Workforce Development Lead Head of Strategic SEND | Ongoing to July 2029 | Introduce annual workforce confidence surveys, participation monitoring and competency reviews.; Use Inclusive Education Audit findings, QA outcomes, attendance data, exclusion data and SEND dashboard reporting to evidence changes in practice.; Report findings through SEND Partnership Board governance arrangements.; Maintain regular review of competency requirements, workforce sufficiency and emerging training needs.; Create sustainable arrangements for continuous professional development across education, health and care.; Embed workforce development as a core element of SEND system improvement and sustainability. |
Workstream 7 – High-Cost Placement Reduction
Overview
The High-Cost Placement Reduction workstream is focused on reducing Southampton's reliance on high-cost independent and non-maintained special school placements through earlier intervention, strengthened mainstream inclusion, increased local specialist capacity and more effective deployment of specialist expertise. The workstream directly supports the SEND Reform Plan ambition to improve outcomes for children and young people while ensuring the long-term sustainability of the High Needs Block. Southampton continues to experience significant financial pressure arising from increasing demand for specialist placements, particularly within independent provision and out-of-area placements, driven by rising complexity of need and historic gaps in local capacity. The greatest area of pressure relates to secondary-age Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) provision, which accounts for a substantial proportion of independent placement expenditure.
The reform programme seeks to address these pressures through a coordinated approach that brings together Southampton 360, the SEND Funding Cluster Model, specialist inclusion base expansion, strengthened quality assurance and improved commissioning. The focus is on ensuring that children and young people receive the right support at the earliest opportunity, reducing escalation into specialist placements wherever needs can be met safely and effectively within local mainstream or resourced provision. This reflects Southampton's wider commitment to a needs-led rather than diagnosis-led system, with specialist provision reserved for children and young people with the most complex needs.
A significant element of the workstream is increasing local capacity across resource bases, inclusion bases, special schools and targeted outreach services so that more children can be educated within Southampton, closer to their families and communities. Planned investment through the SEND Capital Programme, expansion of specialist provision and development of Southampton 360 support pathways will create greater opportunities for children and young people to access appropriate support without requiring distant or independent placements. This will also contribute to reduced travel times, stronger community inclusion and improved preparation for adulthood outcomes.
The workstream will place particular emphasis on strengthening support for children and young people with SEMH needs, improving access to specialist advice and intervention through Southampton 360, and increasing confidence within mainstream settings to meet a wider range of needs through the graduated response. Alongside this, commissioning, placement decision-making and sufficiency planning will be informed by quality assurance, demand forecasting, value-for-money considerations and lived experience feedback to ensure that decisions achieve the best outcomes for children while making effective use of public resources.
Over the next three years, the partnership aims to achieve year-on-year reductions in the use of high-cost independent and out-of-area placements, alongside reductions in average placement costs and travel expenditure. Success will be demonstrated through increased local placement sufficiency, improved inclusion outcomes, stronger confidence in mainstream provision, and a more sustainable High Needs Block that supports children and young people to thrive within their local communities wherever possible.
Named professionals
Named Lead Professional: Head of Statutory SEND / Designated Social Care Offer for SEND
Note: All workstreams will have identified supporting stakeholders and named linked from the Parent Carer Forum
Key Performance Indicators
Anticipated Outcomes
| KPI | Description |
|---|---|
| KPI 1 | By July 2029, the number of children and young people placed in independent and non-maintained specialist provision will reduce year-on-year from the 2026 baseline, supported by increased availability of suitable local provision and strengthened early intervention pathways. |
| KPI 2 | By July 2029, the proportion of children and young people with EHCPs educated within Southampton provision will increase year-on-year, reducing reliance on out-of-area placements and improving local placement sufficiency. |
| KPI 3 | By July 2029, average placement costs across the High Needs Block will reduce relative to projected demand growth through improved commissioning, strengthened placement decision-making and increased use of local provision. |
| KPI 4 | By July 2029, children and young people with SEMH, ASC and other high-incidence needs will be increasingly supported through Southampton 360, the SEND Funding Cluster Model, specialist inclusion bases and local specialist provision, resulting in fewer escalations to high-cost placements where needs can be appropriately met locally. |
Key Data Metrics
Key Data Metrics to Record Progress
| KPI | Description |
|---|---|
| KPI 1 | Number of children and young people placed in independent specialist provision; Number of children and young people placed in non-maintained specialist provision; Number of new independent placements agreed annually; Percentage change in independent and non-maintained placements from the 2026 baseline; Placement trends by primary need (SEMH, ASC, SLCN and other need categories) |
| KPI 2 | Percentage of children and young people with EHCPs educated within Southampton provision; Number of out-of-area placements; Number of children and young people accessing Southampton special schools and specialist inclusion bases; Placement trends by phase and primary need |
| KPI 3 | Average annual cost of independent and non-maintained placements; Total High Needs Block expenditure on specialist placements; Annual expenditure on out-of-area placements |
| KPI 4 | Number of settings accessing Southampton 360 specialist support; Number of pupils accessing specialist inclusion bases and targeted local provision; SEMH placement trends across mainstream, specialist and independent provision; Outcomes from quality assurance, placement review and reintegration activity |
3 Year Action Plan
| Strategic Workstream Priority | Accountable Lead | Date of Completion | Key Actions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strengthen Placement Governance | Head of Statutory SEND Head of Strategic SEND Designated Social Care Officer | July 2027 | Review and strengthen placement decision-making and governance arrangements.; Review the high-cost placement monitoring framework and link to SEND Reform priorities.; Develop baseline measures for independent, non-maintained and out-of-area placements.; Embed regular review of placement trends, costs and outcomes through SEND governance arrangements.; Identify cohorts most likely to require high-cost placements and develop targeted support strategies. |
| Increase Local Capacity | Head of Statutory SEND Inclusion Base Capital Programme Board Designated Social Care Officer | July 2028 | Align placement planning with the Specialist Inclusion Base Capital Programme and sufficiency planning activity.; Increase local specialist provision and inclusion base capacity in priority areas of need.; Develop local pathways to meet increasing demand for children and young people with SEMH, ASC and SLCN needs.; Strengthen transition arrangements between mainstream, specialist and inclusion base provisions.; Monitor placement demand and capacity through annual sufficiency reviews. |
| Reduce Escalation through Early Intervention and Inclusive Practice | Head of Statutory SEND Head of Strategic SEND Designated Social Care Officer Southampton 360 Steering Group | July 2028 | Strengthen access to Southampton 360 support for children and young people at risk of placement breakdown or escalation.; Align support through the SEND Funding Cluster Model, Southampton 360 and specialist outreach services.; Develop targeted support pathways for children and young people with SEMH needs.; Increase workforce confidence in supporting children with complex needs through professional learning and specialist advice.; Promote early intervention and graduated response approaches to reduce reliance on specialist placements. |
| Improve Commissioning and Value for Money | Head of Statutory SEND Commissioning Leads | July 2028 | Review commissioning arrangements for independent and non-maintained placements.; Strengthen quality assurance and value-for-money reviews of high-cost placements.; Develop clear pathways for reviewing placement effectiveness and outcomes.; Use placement, cost and outcome data to inform commissioning decisions.; Identify opportunities to reinvest savings into local inclusive provision and early intervention services. |
| Monitor Impact and Deliver Sustainable Reductions in High-Cost Placements | Head of Strategic SEND Head of Statutory SEND SEND Partnership Board | Ongoing to July 2029 | Monitor independent, non-maintained and out-of-area placement trends annually.; Track placement expenditure, transport costs and cost avoidance through SEND dashboards.; Review outcomes for children and young people accessing local provision compared to external placements.; Evaluate the impact of Southampton 360, the SEND Funding Cluster Model and specialist inclusion bases on placement demand.; Report progress through SEND Reform governance and the SEND Self-Evaluation Framework.; Use placement, finance, sufficiency and lived experience data to continuously refine delivery and investment decisions. |
Workstream 8 – Integrated Governance and Commissioning Program
Overview
The Integrated Governance and Commissioning Programme provides the strategic oversight, accountability and commissioning framework that underpins delivery of Southampton's SEND Reform Plan. The workstream brings together governance, performance, finance, commissioning, quality assurance and co-production arrangements to ensure that reform activity operates as a single, coordinated programme rather than a collection of individual projects. Building on Southampton's established SEND Partnership Board, Child Friendly Board, joint commissioning arrangements and strong partnership relationships, the programme aims to strengthen collective ownership of SEND outcomes across education, health, social care and the voluntary sector.
The workstream responds to the growing complexity and financial pressures facing the SEND system, including increasing EHCP demand, rising High Needs Block expenditure and the need to demonstrate value for money alongside improved outcomes for children and young people. It will ensure that decision-making is informed by robust data, quality assurance findings, lived experience feedback and forecasting intelligence, enabling resources to be deployed more effectively and investment decisions to be aligned to identified need and strategic priorities.
A core focus of the programme is strengthening integrated commissioning across education, health and care. This includes aligning commissioning intentions, capital investment, workforce planning, Southampton 360 delivery, sufficiency planning and preparation for adulthood pathways so that all elements of the system work towards shared outcomes. The programme will support a shift towards earlier intervention, inclusive practice and local provision, ensuring that commissioning arrangements promote prevention, reduce escalation and support the development of sustainable local services.
The workstream will also ensure that partnership governance remains transparent, accountable and responsive. Through integrated performance dashboards, quarterly reporting cycles, quality assurance activity and co-production arrangements, partners will be able to monitor progress against agreed outcomes, identify emerging risks and take timely corrective action. Children, young people and families will continue to play a central role in shaping priorities, reviewing progress and influencing decision-making through established co-production structures and lived experience feedback mechanisms.
Over the next three years, the Integrated Governance and Commissioning Programme will support the delivery of a more joined-up, evidence-led and financially sustainable SEND system. Success will be demonstrated through stronger partnership accountability, improved alignment of commissioning and investment decisions, increased confidence in SEND governance arrangements and more effective use of resources to improve outcomes, experiences and long-term sustainability across the Southampton SEND system.
Named professionals
Named Lead Professional: Deputy Director of Children’s Care / Chair of Parent Carer Forum / Head of Statutory SEND / Head of Strategic SEND
Note: All workstreams will have identified supporting stakeholders and named linked from the Parent Carer Forum
Key Performance Indicators
Anticipated Outcomes
| KPI | Description |
|---|---|
| KPI 1 | By July 2029, integrated SEND governance arrangements will be embedded across education, health and care, with all SEND Reform workstreams reporting through agreed governance structures and demonstrating progress against agreed outcomes and performance measures. |
| KPI 2 | By July 2029, commissioning decisions across education, health and care will be aligned to Southampton's SEND Reform priorities, informed by sufficiency planning, lived experience, quality assurance findings and performance data. |
| KPI 3 | By July 2029, SEND performance, finance and quality assurance data will be routinely reviewed through integrated partnership governance arrangements, enabling timely identification of risks, effective decision-making and continuous improvement across the SEND system. |
| KPI 4 | By July 2029, children, young people, families and partner agencies will report increased confidence in SEND partnership working, transparency and collective accountability for improving outcomes across the local area. |
Key Data Metrics
Key Data Metrics to Record Progress
| KPI | Description |
|---|---|
| KPI 1 | SEND Partnership attendance across education, health, social care and Parent Carer Forum representatives; Percentage of SEND Reform workstream milestones achieved within agreed timescales; Number of strategic risks identified and mitigated through governance arrangements |
| KPI 2 | Percentage of commissioning decisions informed by sufficiency, QA and stakeholder feedback data; Number of commissioned services aligned to SEND Reform priorities; Evidence of co-produced commissioning decisions involving children, young people and families; Annual review of commissioning intentions against identified need and demand |
| KPI 3 | Quarterly SEND performance dashboard reports completed; High Needs Block expenditure monitored against forecast; Annual review of SEND Reform Programme delivery against agreed outcomes |
| KPI 4 | Parent Carer Forum feedback on partnership working and governance effectiveness; Children and young people's feedback on participation and influence in decision-making; Stakeholder confidence survey results across education, health and care partners; Evidence of service improvements resulting from stakeholder feedback and partnership review processes |
3 Year Action Plan
| Strategic Workstream Priority | Accountable Lead | Date of Completion | Key Actions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strengthen Integrated SEND Governance Arrangements | Head of Strategic SEND Head of Statutory SEND ICB Head of SEND Commissioner Leads Southampton Parent Carer Forum SEND Partnership Board | July 2027 | Review and strengthen governance arrangements across the SEND Reform Programme with review of Terms of Reference.; Confirm roles, responsibilities and reporting arrangements across all workstreams.; Ensure representation from education, health, social care, the Parent Carer Forum and wider partners within governance structures.; Align governance and decision-making arrangements with SEND Reform priorities.; Establish baseline measures for performance, finance, workforce and outcomes reporting. |
| Review and revise Integrated SEND Performance Dashboard | Head of Strategic SEND Head of Statutory SEND ICB Head of SEND Commissioner Leads Southampton Parent Carer Forum SEND Partnership Board | July 2028 | Review and revise SEND Reform performance dashboard aligned to workstream KPIs and outcomes.; Implement regular reporting cycles across governance boards and partnership forums.; Embed quality assurance findings, audit activity and stakeholder feedback within performance reporting.; Strengthen oversight of SEND outcomes, inclusion, attendance, exclusions, EHCP timeliness and placement sufficiency.; Establish a framework for monitoring delivery, risks and benefits realisation across the reform programme. |
| Strengthen Integrated Commissioning | Head of Strategic SEND Head of Statutory SEND ICB Head of SEND Commissioner Leads Southamtpon Parent Carer Forum Integrated Commissioning Leads | July 2028 | Align commissioning intentions across education, health and care services.; Ensure commissioning decisions are informed by sufficiency planning, prevalence data, quality assurance findings and lived experience feedback.; Strengthen joint planning for workforce development, specialist provision, Southampton 360 delivery and preparation for adulthood pathways.; Review all SEND commissioned services against identified need, outcomes and value for money.; Develop shared commissioning priorities linked to SEND Reform objectives and local area needs. |
| Embed Co-production and Partnership Accountability | Head of Strategic SEND Southampton Parent Carer Forum SEND Partnership Board | July 2028 | Strengthen participation of children, young people, families and partners within governance arrangements.; Ensure findings from the Local Offer Development Group and SEND Youth Voice Group are routinely considered within strategic decision-making.; Use co-production, quality assurance and stakeholder feedback to inform service improvement priorities.; Promote transparency through regular communication of progress, challenges and achievements. |
| Monitor Impact and Drive Continuous Improvement | Head of Strategic SEND SEND Partnership Board Integrated Commissioning Leads | Ongoing to July 2029 | Monitor performance, finance, sufficiency and quality assurance data through integrated governance arrangements.; Review progress against SEND Reform workstream plans and KPIs annually.; Evaluate the effectiveness of joint commissioning arrangements and partnership working.; Identify and mitigate emerging risks to delivery through regular programme oversight.; Report progress through the SEND Self-Evaluation Framework, SEND Partnership Board and broader partnership governance structures.; Use data, inspection outcomes, stakeholder feedback and lived experience to continuously refine strategic priorities and commissioning decisions. |