Birmingham Local SEND Reform Plan 2026

Annex A: Local SEND Reform Plan

Developing a Local SEND Reform Plan is an important first step for local areas to set out how they will lay the foundation for reform, and

design an approach tailored to their local context. A shared plan which focuses on co-designing the local approach as system partners

and with children, young people and families will help foster collective responsibility for delivering the reforms.

It is critical that all system partners, including health, education and childcare settings, work together to design and deliver the Local

SEND Reform Plan, under the local authority’s leadership. It is also crucial that representative family carers e.g. the local Parent Carer

Forum, are involved in the development of the plan.

The expectation is that this plan is discussed, agreed, and signed off at your relevant SEND Governance Board. As a minimum, the plan

must be formally signed off by the Local Authority Chief Executive (CEO), the Integrated Care Board (ICB) Chief Executive, the Local

Authority Director of Children’s Service (DCS), the Integrated Care Board NHS Place Director, and the Local Authority Chief Financial

Officer (CFO/Section 151 Officer). We encourage other colleagues and partners who have contributed to also review and sign-off the

plan, particularly early years, school, college and trust leaders.

Name of Local Authority: Birmingham City Council

Name of Integrated Care Board: Birmingham & Solihull ICB

Local SEND Reform Plan SRO: Helen Ellis-Director of Early Years, SEND & Inclusion BCC

Signatories

Role Name Signature Email contact Date

Local

Authority

Joanne

Chief

[email removed] 17/06/26

Roney

Executive

(Ceo)

Integrated

David

Care Board

[email removed] 18/6/26

(ICB) Chief

Melbourne

Executive

Local

Authority

Director of

Stuart

[email removed] 17/06/26

Children’s

Lackenby

Service

(DCS)

Integrated

Care Board

Sally Roberts

[email removed] 18/6/26

NHS Place

Director

Local

Authority

Chief

Financial

Carol Culley

[email removed] 16/06/26

Officer

(CFO/Section

151 Officer).

Executive Summary

A brief summary of your local system ‘change story’ – your local context, where you are now, where you want to get to in the next 3 years, how you know you are succeeding and how you will know you have achieved your vision for the next 3 years. Please include a brief qualitative summary. This summary should also include your assessment of current and forecast performance against the headline metrics. Please structure your ‘change story’ using the following aims:

▪ Build a 0-25 system where children and young people receive support to achieve and thrive through (a) more inclusive settings and (b) stronger local partnerships ▪ Improve capacity and capability of the mainstream and specialist workforce to identify and meet need ▪ Improve confidence of children, families, and stakeholders in reform and readiness of the system ▪ Stabilise finances and improve value for money

Birmingham’s SEND reform journey over the next three years is driven by a clear ambition: to create a needs led, inclusive, and financially sustainable system that improves outcomes for children and young people aged 0–25 and increases confidence amongst families, professionals and partners. Our change story is rooted in the lived experience of children and families in Birmingham and the embedding of the five principles of the SEND Reforms, Early-Local-Fair-Effective-Shared across the Local Area Partnership.

Our vision begins with the earliest possible identification of need, recognising that the foundations for positive outcomes are built on early identification through closer alignment between maternity services, health visiting, early years provision and education, ensuring children with emerging or complex needs are visible in the system as early as possible.

By improving early years education take up and targeting support through Best Start Family Hubs’ Inclusion Practitioners we will reduce escalation, safeguard children earlier, and enable smoother transitions into reception with clearly understood needs.

From early years our SEND system will shift decisively towards inclusive mainstream provision. We will build the capacity and confidence of mainstream early years settings, schools and colleges to meet a wider range of needs without defaulting to Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs). This will be supported through a locally commissioned Expert‑at‑Hand model, aligning education, health and therapy expertise around communities of settings. Support will be delivered at the right time, in the right place, through locality‑based or district models built around Targeted and Targeted Plus approaches.

For children with more complex needs, we will take a strategic, data‑led approach to sufficiency and joint commissioning, ensuring local provision grows in line with need across all phases, including post‑16.

Effective management of system finances by expanding local sufficiency, engaging high-quality, value for money independent providers, investing in mainstream inclusion bases and aligning commissioning models across education and health. Specialist places, therapy pathways, and workforce planning will be aligned with identified needs.

Our approach to post-16 and preparation for adulthood will focus on increasing participation in education, training and employment, reducing NEET figures, and strengthening pathways into local further education and employment. We will build on existing progress while acknowledging where systems are less mature, setting a clear trajectory for improvement over the three-year period.

Delivery will be underpinned by strong partnership governance, co‑production with parents and young people, and transparent engagement with schools, settings and providers. Progress will be tracked through an integrated performance framework combining education, health and financial indicators, with quarterly reporting and clear accountability.

Through this reform programme, Birmingham will know it has been successful by:

• Increased numbers of SEND C&YP in mainstream provision.
• Improved capacity and capability of the mainstream and specialist workforce to identify and meet need.
• Improve confidence of children, families, and stakeholders in reform and readiness of the system.
• Stable finances and improved value for money through effective joint commissioning

Section 1 – Vision and Goals

1. What the local area partnership is trying to achieve?

Please set out your goals for your local system. These should be clear, aligned to the vision set out in the Schools White Paper, small in

number and measurable. These goals should include clear reference to:

▪ Outcomes for children

▪ Confidence of parents, carers and young people in the system

▪ Management of finances to secure value for money

Birmingham’s SEND reforms over the next three years build on our ongoing improvement and are driven by a clear ambition: to create a needs led, inclusive, and financially sustainable system that improves outcomes for children and young people aged 0–25 and increases confidence amongst families, professionals and partners.

The reforms will be delivered through collaboration across education, health and social care partners at a strategic, local and child level to deliver the following goals:

Children with SEND can achieve a Good Level of Development, with partners collaborating through the Best Start in Life initiative to ensure needs are identified early and effectively met as soon as possible.

School Age Children with SEND in Birmingham can attend local inclusive settings where needs are met at the right time in the right place so they can achieve the best possible educational attainment.

Post-16 young people with SEND in Birmingham can access clear, aspirational pathways and sufficient local provision so they can improve participation, attendance and attainment and successfully transition into adulthood with positive outcomes in education, employment or training.

Services for children and young people with SEND in Birmingham are supported by effective financial management and joint commissioning so we can deliver sustainable provision aligned to evidence-based sufficiency planning.

Children, young people and families in Birmingham can continue to shape services through meaningful co-production so we build trust, confidence and deliver support that reflects lived experience and need.

Section 2 – Strategy

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

A description of what your local system would look like in the next 3 years in line with the national vision set out in the Schools White

Paper and set within the context of where you are starting from as a local system.

In particular, as commissioning system partners, you should reflect on and agree what your fully fledged Experts At Hand Offer model

should be and how this will be deployed via mainstream settings and providers (including those not based in your area – e.g. further

education colleges attended by your young people) to build their capacity as well as identify and meet the needs of children and young

people earlier and without the need for a statutory assessment for Education, Health and Care.

To help you fully consider the scope and scale of change required, you may find it useful to structure your response using these 4

building blocks of an inclusive system, reflecting on what is working well in your system, what you are most worried about, what needs

to change, and how the enablers will help you achieve your 3 year vision.

When summarising where your local area partnership currently is, please include an assessment of where you are in reference to the

core minimum requirements above and how you bridge the gap, making reference to and attaching additional documents that provide

underlying evidence for your summary.

Core Minimum Requirements are coded (CMR)

Local blueprint for the

Where we are now

Where we will be in the next 3 years

next 3 years

The Birmingham Local Area (a short summary of where you are now including a reflection (a short summary of the vision for your local system in the blueprint for the next three years is based around a 0- 25 approach based around the journey of the child through: Early Years (0-5) School Age (5-16) Post 16 Sufficiency/ Joint Commissioning on what is working well, what needs to change and the status of the enablers that underpin your system) Early Years (0-5) Strengthening inclusion across education settings next 3 years including the system enablers, reflecting how your Experts At Hand Offer model will underpin this vision, helping you scale and enhance what is working well and ]change what is not working so well) Early Years (0-5) Strengthening inclusion across education settings Working Well

Expert role of nursery schools within Birmingham. Early Years Network – core point of access for EYs.

Use of WellComm assessment tool and interventions now embedded in requirements for Early Education Entitlement funding. (CMR)

Cat, Llass. Pst and EPS offer to nursery schools.

Bespoke specialist support from Ess/Hst/Vst for EY children and receiving settings / schools at transition.

Developing best practice around transition from EYs providers to Reception class through transition events and Ready Steady reception. (CMR)

Development of EYs OAG.

OT offer of sensory circuit/fun with food training.

Cohesion – all settings accessing universal support through the Inclusion house and using the EYs OAG to drive needs-led provision and workforce development. The online digital platform has showcases and training for the EY sector similar to the school age.

Increased take up by children with SEND of Early Education Entitlement in the first term of eligibility.

A clear pathway of support to develop the universal and targeted practice of all EY providers in respect of the speech, language and communication development of EY children.

An improved system and process of working with Health. provider to enable timely take up of EEE for children with medical needs including access to training

Our approach is designed to:

Strengthening inclusion across education settings.

Provide access to specialist support and local placements (EAH).

Enable effective system leadership, local partnership collaboration and co- production.

Encourage inclusive culture and behaviours.

Capacity in local resource base /special schools for the most complex children identified at panel as needing this type of placement.

Less children under 5 awaiting appropriate placement.

Reduction in average and longest waits in ND pathway.

Reduction in Average and longest waits for OT and Salt. (Cmr)

SEND advisory and inclusion teams and Educational Psychology support.

Nursery schools and nursery classes access the support of speech and language therapists through the balanced system model of support for schools. (CMR)

Nursery school resource bases and nursery classes in some special schools meet the needs of some of the most complex children and those with Hi/Vi.

Specialist speech and language therapy, play based assessments in community venues.

Health partners in acute hospital neonatal units are making more timely and improved quality early referrals for physiotherapy/Ot/ Slt (feeding).

Family Hub ‘stepping stones groups /Little Talkers consistently attended by OT practitioner for advice. (CMR) To Change

Earlier access to specialist support to improve universal and targeted support through the Experts at Hand offer in EYs- to include systemic EP support to all providers.

Model of Support through Best Start in Life – Family Hubs, Best Start Inclusion Practitioners in Family Hub. (CMR)

Review and Development of early years specialist provision / resource base including consideration of short-term early intervention/ assessment places. (CMR)

Role of specialist provision in respect of outreach support to mainstream.

Developing availability of early years SEND specific date – requires deep dive.

Consistency of support from therapists in Family Hub model.

A model of support for PVI sector from SLTs – through balanced system model. (CMR)

Family Hub ‘stepping stones groups /Little Talkers have consistent attendance by SALT practitioner for advice. (CMR)

Variable quality and consistency of offer and uptake of KIDs groups in Family Hubs.

High volume of referrals for diagnosis of autism and ADHD far exceed health capacity and does not align with a partnership neuro-inclusive needs-based approach.

CYP wait too long to access support for SLC needs and sensory based OT needs in their settings.

System leadership, local partnership collaboration and

System leadership, local partnership collaboration and

co-production Working Well

co-production

Implementation and ongoing monitoring of BSiL Strategy

Data sharing agreements

A defined Section 23 notification process

A more integrated assessment of need at age 2 (Health development check (ASQ) and Education progress check)

Strengthened co-production through engagement with exiting family voice groups and with the Birmingham co-production principles and award scheme (CMR)

Reduction in acute outpatient appointments for children under the age of 16 by 10% due to accessing care in neighbourhood hubs

Development of Best Start in Life Strategy – representatives across parents, providers, education, health and care.

Effective partnership working between Hst/Vst – including timely referrals from health professionals

Early Years health and well-being offer – which integrates the Health Child programme with Family Hub service delivery

Partnership work to build access to information and advice for Medical Needs via policy, Inclusion House platform and Medical Needs Advisory Partnership Panel (MNAPP) (applies to all ages)

Local Area Partnership work on Needs-Based Approaches for Neurodiversity (applies to all ages)

To Change

Information sharing across the partnership – families having to tell their story repeatedly and professionals unclear on involvement of other services

Availability and use of information from mandatory health and development check – with a focus on aligning the health and education checks at 2 years

Establish robust systems (under Section 23) for health partners to notify the LA of children under 5 with known / likely SEND need to maximise the uptake of early support and coordination across education, health and care to achieve best outcomes and inform sufficiency planning (CMR)

Strengthen model of early referral to relevant specialist teams following mandatory health and development checks

Process between health and education OT to ensure timely assessment /access to required equipment

Align existing SEND support and advice through the Family Hub model, being re-commissioned through the 0- 19 contract

CYP missing school due to numerous uncoordinated health appointments at multiple health locations Encouraging inclusive culture and behaviours Working Well

Encouraging inclusive culture and behaviours

OAG 10 inclusive principles – online digital library

Availability of inclusion training including signposting to national offer (e.g. NASEN, Dingley’s Promise)

Development of Inclusive Pathways- Pilot work includes Reception age children prior to compulsory school age (CMR)

Children and families sharing positive experiences

Embedded use of the EYs OAG

Improved inclusive practice in Reception classes through the RISE programme / support through the BEYN model

New model of support from EPS in schools

Census - data collection workforce qualifications

BEYN KPI to support providers to use OAG in EYs

All SEND and advisory teams raising awareness and supporting implementation of OAG

WellComm data collected from Education and introduced in Family Hubs (CMR)

DfE/ Dingley’s Promise inclusion training promoted to the sector

EYCs for Inclusion support placement breakdown- recruitment to additional posts in the Area SENCO team approved

Development of process /practice for effective transitions into reception

Agreed development and extension of the Area SENCo team to support the PVI sector

Challenges within all SEND and advisory teams for early intervention work – needing to prioritise statutory work

National recruitment challenge impacts on capacity in the Educational Psychology service. (CMR)

New MSI team within SPST team

Investment in health therapies gives some universal and targeted support for children, families and early years settings

Significant national workforce recruitment and retention issues in health visiting.

Health Visting team completing mandatory assessments for children with SEND

Birmingham current NHS service is currently fully staffed even though national context is SALT workforce capacity issues

The therapies provide a HV training programme to upskill in identification of SLC and OT functional need

Best Start Family Hubs and Families First pilot area – developing model of shared training and practice to promote a more integrated services in local areas

Data collection identifies qualified EY SENCo. Gaps in training understood and supported

EY OAG embedded in settings and Family Hubs

Effective SEND and WellComm transition data shared. (CMR)

CPD understood, then targeted to providers needing additional support

Settings request and receive timely support to avoid placement breakdown. Additional capacity within the Area SENCo team to support this

Effective transitions across sectors support children with SEND

Experts at Hand offer building capacity for universal targeted support in EY settings (CMR)

Extended resource for heath therapies so that all types of providers in PVI sector can access timely training/ support/advice

2.5 year health development check to be completed by Health Visiting team rather then family hub practitioners

Developing the MSI team role

Risk of SLT shortage in the light of the Experts at Hand model

Consistent training offer from OT to PVIs, childminders will be established across Therapies

In Health Visiting, Band 5 practitioners will be trained to support EY children with SEND

Replication of Family Hub/ Families First model across all 10 Districts of the City

Data/digital systems-where we are now

Data/digital systems-where we will be in 3 years

Established EYs data research and information team who oversee an established early years data dashboard.

Newly established EYs data public facing data tool on City Observatory

Established BEYN website – traffic monitored

New post recruited to – EY SEND data, research and intelligence officer

Local spreadsheets inform team practice but challenges with data sharing across teams/services

Access by some teams to Eclipse for social care checks

Unable to track children across the different databases used by education, health and social care. This affects the ability to track outcomes at key development assessment stages – particularly between ASQ and GLD.

Challenges with clinical health record system (RIO) in extracting information for specific fields that would support informing others – such as the Section 23 duty

EYs HV - yet to move to digitised ‘Red Book’

Access to children’s education files in respect of the EHP pathway on SharePoint

Impulse/Nexus- some information shared between EY teams

Local Offer – online

OAG -launched online

Area SENCo team online videos sharing how to implement strategies

Teams use for some consultations with parent/carers and settings/schools

MAT meetings – info accessible on Teams

Transition information uploaded by AST - accessible in Teams channel SAIS/EPS to share with receiving schools

Online training offers

Fully embedded use of EY data tool informing practice across partners and professionals

Improved use of databases and shared agreements around data

Established EY SEND data and intelligence officer role

EY SENIF (ISEY) information on Impulse Nexus

Use of NHS number across health and education data systems to enable tracking of individual child outcomes through their education journey

Extension of digital OAG resource

Improved capacity of databases to ensure relevant / timely information can be extracted (digital flag on RIO to indicate SEND)

Themed on-line resources which reflect needs supported by muti-agencies so that families can access information once

Progress on developing ‘a single view of the child’.

‘Chat health’ (online discussion platform) for parents to communicate live with health visiting team

Data from Clinical Health system (Rio) gives accurate information on additional SEND need to feed into sufficiency planning and broader Section 23 duties (CMR)

Implementation of the digital offer as required by the Best Start in Life Strategy

Ll&Ss – upskilling team members around developing assistive technology

Family Hub app signposts parents to online resources

Training offer from SEND locality OT's via Eventbrite- including Early Years focus on a range of topics. Settings and families book on for free. School Age (5-16) Strengthening inclusion across education settings Working well:

OAG - the understanding and use of the online OAG and showcases from Birmingham schools

The use of shared language that is being used as part of the OAG

Birmingham language, literacy and maths toolkits available for all BCC schools

OAG and transitions – improved practice from nursery to reception and Y6/Y7 and parents that have been involved in these improvements are feeling more confident (CMR)

Protected strategic time from LLaSS and CAT supporting implementation of the OAG

Autism Projects and Programmes supporting autism- friendly approach i.e. PINS with parent groups running alongside, Autism in schools (now directly funded locally) (CMR)

Established SaLT Link Therapist as part of the Balanced system approach. (CMR)

SEND Locality OT team offer to schools including drop-in advice settings, OT Champions project and training support – individual school level and local SENCo group level across a consortia

Locality based OTs and SALTs in schools

Balanced system of speech, language and communication support (CMR)

School Age (5-16) Strengthening inclusion across education settings

The inclusion house fully embedded as part of universal offer with support for schools and settings, including workforce development championing what works, all under one roof (CMR)

An increasing number of CYP transitioning smoothly and successfully as part of phase transitions, supported and underpinned by the work of all agencies

A range of appropriate curriculum pathways in mainstream settings for CYP to access from starting points; needs lead and aspirational and ambitious, enabling all children to achieve and thrive, with clear transition across pathways within a setting.

Progress and attainment well planned as schools fully utilise toolkit

Autism Champions will be well-established across every school to support the inclusive offer, alongside other aspects such as OT Champions etc – self-sustaining and promoting good practice and accountability across system

Reduction in longest waits to access equipment and adaptations

Systematic identification of health need and vulnerabilities in 80% of school aged children in Birmingham at key educational transition stages

Working well:

Multi-agency discussion and input to schools via Multi- agency planning mtgs (MAPs) that incorporates Education and Health

Range of support offers from different stakeholders such as: CAT and LLaSS strategic allocation to mainstream, SSOS Special School outreach work, SEND locality Ot, Salt link therapist (CMR)

Clear communications to schools and settings via a number of channels – SENCO Noticeboard, SEND and Inclusion Bulletin, SENCo Briefings

Induction support for new SENCOs via the new SENCO Briefings

Teams in place (including Health) attending local consortia groups to support upskilling and giving regular updates and training at a district level (CMR)

Concept of MNAPP is well received – Health/Education – Advisory panel on medical needs in process of development as a system

Locality Based SEND OTs and SALTs in schools To change:

Support offers to be mapped so no gaps in services and offers

Universal application of support network, incorporating leadership

Broaden strategic allocation across other Experts at Hand

SSOS/Experts at Hand and offer available for all schools – not yet fully joined up to needs of schools

High volume of referrals for diagnosis of autism and ADHD far exceed health capacity and does not align with a partnership neuro-inclusive needs-based approach

Experts at hand offer – clearly defined and understood as targeted/targeted plus aspect of graduated approach, that incorporates Ssos, Rb and AP outreach alongside S End services from BCC/Health/Social Care. (CMR)

E@H model managed locally across districts, with clear district SENCo Lead model as part of multi-agency approach. (CMR)

MNAPP as distinct model across system

Use of inclusion hubs in schools and settings that offer locality-based provision, based on specific needs of district, which are set up and quality assured using the reflective framework developed as part of the curriculum pathways work, with learning existing bases. (CMR)

Reduction in average and longest waits in ND pathway

Reduction in Average and longest waits for OT and Salt (Cmr)

• CYP wait too long to access support for SLC needs and sensory based OT needs in their settings

System leadership, local partnership collaboration and

System leadership, local partnership collaboration and

co-production Working well:

Collaborative approach in developing the Inclusion Charter and Inclusion House as part of ensuring shared understanding and comms (windows of system leadership) (CMR)

Range of different curriculum pathways in Birmingham schools

PINS and Autism in schools input with school leaders and parent groups (CMR)

Partnership work to build access to information and advice for Medical Needs via policy, Inclusion House platform and Medical Needs Advisory Partnership Panel (MNAPP) (applies to all ages)

Local Area Partnership work on Needs-Based Approaches for Neurodiversity (applies to all ages) To change:

School leaders attitudes and ambitions towards SEND learners

Inclusion House – window development across partnership

Understanding of different curriculum pathways can be employed effectively

Insufficient partnership co-production, collaboration and communication/implementation around NDP

CYP missing school due to numerous uncoordinated health appointments at multiple health locations

co-production

Governors are aware of inclusive practice, provide oversight and challenge of schools/settings inclusive approach

LAP to be modelling the minimum expected standard set for delivering SEN Support to schools and settings for independent/private providers to be held to account for.

Shared ownership across the partnership of implementing principles of practice within the Inclusion House

A shared understanding on what good co-production looks like and what can be achieved when co-production is done effectively, built into Bcc Ht/Senior Leaders training with evidence practice as part of performance appraisals (80% of SEND workforce trained on co- production) (CMR)

Every school has an active parent carer group that contributes to Inclusive provision and practice, system management and improvements within the individual school (linked to the OAG and Inclusion House) (CMR)

Those who are in the early stages of their teaching career have a secure understanding of inclusion and are championing across the sector. In addition to teachers, the sector works with local providers of HLTA/support staff training.

Reduction in acute outpatient appointments for children under the age of 16 by 10% due to accessing care in neighbourhood hubs

Capital – investment strategy across EY, mainstream, FE-

Capital – investment strategy across EY, mainstream, FE-

Where we are now

Current Resource Base (RB) provision – 2 Nursery, 37 Primary, 1 All through and 12 Secondary.

Continuing planned expansion of RBs with a priority for Secondary to ensure sufficient pathway from Primary - development of a further 8 RBs in process (CMR)

Ongoing discussions with mainstream schools to explore further options for RBs and Inclusion Hubs..

Capital investment being directly linked with EHCP forecasts and sufficiency conversations. (CMR)

Alongside Resource Base delivery, the Council continues to deploy its Access Works programme to remove physical barriers to inclusion in mainstream schools, enabling children and young people to remain in local provision.

This includes investment in Primary Care Facilities, hygiene spaces, lifts, ramps, accessible entrances, circulation improvements and reconfiguration of internal spaces to meet medical, mobility and sensory needs. (CMR)

Capital adaptation funding is now aligned to SEND sufficiency and inclusion planning, rather than ad-hoc interventions, targeting schools identified through SEND and inclusion reviews as requiring environmental change to sustain placements. We are beginning to explore how capital could be used to

where we will be in 3 years

Good geographical provision of RBs across the City to meet the need and parental choice ensuring that every child or young person who needs access to this provision can do so locally.

Development of enhanced/inclusion hubs within mainstream schools

Standardised design principles to ensure consistency, value for money and quality assurance.

A significantly improved mainstream estate, with consistently accessible, sensory appropriate and flexible learning environments embedded across schools, rather than reliance on specialist buildings alone.

Capital, SEND commissioning and data systems fully aligned, enabling proactive forecasting and planned investment rather than reactive responses to demand (CMR)

A clearer AP capital pathway established, enabling the creation of small-scale, purpose adapted AP spaces within, or alongside, mainstream schools, supporting early intervention, behaviour support and prevention of exclusion. (CMR)

Capital investment aligned to SEND sufficiency, inclusion and AP commissioning strategies, using reconfiguration of existing mainstream estates (rather than stand-alone AP builds) to create flexible, locality based provision that supports reintegration and improves outcomes. (CMR) The intent is to ensure that mainstream schools are

create or repurpose spaces within mainstream schools (and clusters of schools) to support early intervention, short-term AP and reintegration activity, reducing reliance on external and independent AP. (CMR) Adaptation of the mainstream estate

physically and functionally equipped to:

P16 SEND sufficiency strategy needs to be in place to have a full understanding of the overlap and gaps of provision (CMR)

Gaps and inconsistencies in provision (assessment and treatment) for ADHD between Health providers for 16 to 18 year olds System leadership, local partnership collaboration and

System leadership, local partnership collaboration and

co-production Working Well:

Two rounds of the NDTi transition audit are complete – meaning the city knows itself well in term of preparation for adulthood. This has had input across all partners with young person voice at the centre. (CMR)

A SEND employment forum established 2025 with good attendance and necessary membership (CMR)

Some system leadership across the partnership under the P16 Executive Board and P16 Operations Group – SEND is one of the priority areas (CMR)

Partnership work to build access to information and advice for Medical Needs via policy, Inclusion House platform and Medical Needs Advisory Partnership Panel (MNAPP) (applies to all ages)

Local Area Partnership work on Needs-Based Approaches for Neurodiversity (applies to all ages) To Change:

A co-produced action plan is needed with clear milestones and accountability to ensure whole system change to improve preparation for adulthood

A co-produced action plan for the SEND employment forum with clear milestones and accountability across the partnership (CMR)

co-production

SEND employment forum with clear action plan to improve SEND pathways to employment - increased supported internship opportunities (CMR)

Clear SEND objectives and deliverables under scope of the Post 16 Executive Board and Operations Group (CMR)

Increased numbers of CYP with LDA are placed on the Dynamic Support Register with associated increase in green and amber RAG rating

Further development of the role of the P16 Executive Board and Operations Group in SEND in the city

Greater understanding and use of the DSR by partners to ensure partnership support to CYP with Learning Disablity / Autism can access key worker support and prevent hospital admission for MH needs

CYP with Learning Disability and / or Autism whose needs are escalating are only noted on DSR and allocated a worker when they are at crisis point and opportunities for early intervention are missed Encouraging inclusive culture and behaviours Working Well:

100 young people with EHCPs are planning to transition from special schools to mainstream FE September 2026 To Change:

Development of the P16 Collaboration Role and the newly formed Careers and Participation Service to promote inclusive cultures and behaviours by joining up the Children and Families Service and developing a shared training plan

Review the Post 16 curriculum in special schools and entry level FE courses to ensure there is flow through and not overlap to support better and earlier transition

More detailed and reliable NEET data, deep diving into specific groups, including AP

Encouraging inclusive culture and behaviours

Curriculum mapping complete and any agreed changes to curriculum offer at special and/FE are in place

Increase in young people with EHCPs moving from specialist to mainstream at KS5 phase transfer

Inclusion Charter embedded into P16 with regular events sharing good practice

Post 16 Enablers Capital – investment strategy across EY, mainstream, FE-

Post 16 Enablers Capital – investment strategy across EY, mainstream, FE-

Where we are now

where we will be in 3 years

Sufficiency/Joint Commissioning Strengthening inclusion across education settings Working well

Significant take up by schools of opportunities to create new resource base provision

Development at pace. 17 newly established resource bases since 2024. Overall increase of 416 places so far (Sept 2026 Commissioned Number)

Quality Assurance in place for all resource bases and independent provision – alignment with SENAR and specified EHCP provision (CMR)

Collaboration across the partnership in relation to meeting medical needs in schools To Change

Schools not equipped to meet full range of complex needs – in terms of environment, physical space, facilities, staffing expertise and curriculum development

Partners are increasingly committed to shifting towards earlier intervention, neighbourhood-based support and more joined-up pathways for children and families, but these approaches are still developing across the system (CMR)

Commissioners and providers are beginning to develop a more shared understanding of local need, service pressures and areas of inequality, although analytical approaches and data sharing remain variable across organisations

There is an opportunity to strengthen the use of shared data, insight and evaluation to support evidence-based

Sufficiency/Joint Commissioning Strengthening inclusion across education settings

Implementation phase of SEND Sufficiency Strategy 2024-2030 nearing completion in respect of additional place requirements

Baselining of existing provision and capital investment in resource base and mainstream accessibility (CMR)

Remaining areas of sufficiency planning completed

Increased investment in earlier intervention and prevention, reducing escalation of need and improving support for children and families closer to home (CMR)

More joined-up pathways for children with complex or long-term needs, including clearer responsibilities and smoother transitions between services

decision making and identify where integrated commissioning approaches will have the greatest impact. Access to specialist support and local placements (EAH) Working well

Sufficiency Strategy in place – forecasting regularly updated to reflect changes in need (CMR)

SEND Sufficiency Group is the means of understanding need(s) and agreeing allocation of resources

Locality mapping completed

In-house expertise utilised to develop and implement Sufficiency Strategy – linked to EHCP data and agreed forecasting methodology (CMR)

Joint approaches to problem solving are developing across organisations, with partners increasingly working together to understand pressures, identify gaps, and develop collective solutions

Access to specialist support and local placements (EAH)

Joint sufficiency provision and planning for all ages and need areas – including agreed forecasts

Sufficiency to include full range of inclusion bases across mainstream schools

Budget pooling for maximum resource optimisation through formalised agreements and cost share arrangements

Greater use of neighbourhood and community-based models of support, reducing reliance on hospital-based provision where needs can be met safely and effectively in local settings (CMR)

To Change

• Strategy limited to core statutory school age
• Over reliance on spot purchasing of provision and placements
• Needs analysis – reliability and accuracy of forecasting
• Budget – not pooled, reactive not strategic

System leadership, local partnership collaboration and

System leadership, local partnership collaboration and

co-production Working well

co-production

Understanding interdependencies e.g. travel procurement and commissioning – impact on sufficiency

Regional protocol agreed

Long established tripartite arrangements, including funding agreements, for complex care residential placements

Commissioning reviews led or supported by BCT (e.g. high-cost placements, spot purchasing, and block arrangements) inform system discussions on value for money and sustainability, particularly for children with complex needs

Strong working relationships are established between the ICB, local authorities, schools and NHS providers, with a shared commitment to improving outcomes for children and young people with SEND (CMR)

Partners increasingly work together to align commissioning decisions, service development and improvement activity, even where formal pooled budgets or joint agreements are not yet in place

There are examples of shared investment and aligned commissioning across services, including Speech and Language Therapy through the Birmingham Balanced System model delivered by Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and the SEND Locality Occupational Therapy offer. Positive outcomes are being demonstrated for CYP accessing this offer (CMR)

Formal joint commissioning arrangements brokered including s.75 agreements with the ICB and budget pooling with health and social care (CMR)

Forward planning 18-24 months before expiry of current arrangements

Further formalise and clarify joint commissioning governance and decision-making pathways to ensure consistent oversight and alignment across SEND sufficiency, commissioning and resource allocation. (CMR)

A strong local area partnership that collaboratively commissions across joint priority areas (CMR)

Partners co-designing and co-producing service specifications, jointly agreeing KPIs and avoiding duplication in services commissioned (CMR)

Visibility of partner budgets and commissioning priorities – enabling forward planning between local area partners

Partners inputting into each other’s strategic commissioning priorities and frameworks to ensure the vision is aligned for Birmingham

Commissioning priorities of partners discussed at key strategic governance groups – knowledge sharing and best practice dissemination

Joint commissioning arrangements in place where they add clear value for children, families and the wider system, supported by formal agreements between partners (CMR)

A consistent cluster-wide approach to joint commissioning across Birmingham, Black Country and Solihull, enabling shared learning, common standards and more efficient use of commissioning expertise and analytical capacity (CMR)

Jointly agreed commissioning priorities focused on improving outcomes, reducing duplication and making best use of collective resource

Workforce-where we are now

EYIS – Area SENCO team training and advice role for SENCOs in PVI settings

Increasing number of teams achieving Birmingham Co- production award and professionals from education, health and social care accessing co-production training

Shared understanding and improved partnership working across BSiL workforce – securing earlier intervention (CMR)

Upskill the whole family hub workforce to support earlier identification and appropriate support, advice and signposting around inclusion

Further workforce development – supporting providers to access national training programme for EY SEND – evidencing change Outcomes in relation to the Inclusion strand of Ofsted

Workforce-where we will be in 3 years

Increased capacity within Area SENCO team to support take up of EEE by children with SEND and transition into reception classes (CMR)

Revised training for SENCOs to reflect new legislation

Improved capacity within the sector to welcome assess and meet needs of children with emerging and identified SEND

Professional development of SIA alongside Experts at Hand including learning from Inspection and audits

Ensure that there is clear governance arrangements in place to regularly review, amend, bespoke and adapt locality working

Inclusive practice included in all leadership training and aligned to the national inclusion standards

Partnership wide e-module on co-production developed – tiered co-production training is offered across the workforce

Inspections in EYs

Future developments of ITT to prepare the workforce for inclusive practice

Co-production training – majority of SENCOs have taken part in this training

Include co-production as part of 6-day SENCO induction programme

Co-production training being increasingly rolled out across Health system

NHS workforce gaps due to recruitment and retention of clinical staff across all sectors is an ongoing pressure which is managed at NHS Trust Provider level with ICB oversight. The specific risk in relation to recruitment of SALT and OT workforce as part of EAH is noted as part of EAH modelling and delivery. There has been agreement to fund a 0.8wte Band 8B SALT Advanced Practitioner (split will be 0.2 wte for Solihull, 0.8 wte for Birmingham).

Data/digital systems NHS trusts have existing BI infrastructure and data

Data/digital systems NHS trusts have existing BI infrastructure and data

management systems to track demand, manage capacity and monitor performance against agreed trajectories. No additional enablers required.

SEND data systems and processes are fragmented and lack maturity, with inconsistency in how SEND data is collected, shared and analysed across services and partners. Current arrangements limit the extent to which data reliably supports routine planning, performance management and timely decision-making.

Forecasting and modelling capability for SEND remains under-developed, with limited ability to anticipate future demand or model cost, sufficiency and placement pressures. Existing analysis is largely retrospective. (CMR)

SEND pathways are only partially digitally enabled, with system functionality and process design not consistently supporting timely, transparent and compliant assessment, planning and review across the full SEND pathway.

Data standards and quality assurance arrangements are inconsistent across the system, resulting in variable data quality, reliance on manual checks and continued risk to statutory returns and management information confidence.

Information governance and data-sharing arrangements are not yet consistently embedded across partners, creating uncertainty and caution around lawful data sharing and limiting confident, proportionate use of shared SEND data.

Some performance and assurance reporting for SEND is in place providing assurance at operational

management systems to track demand, manage capacity and monitor performance against agreed trajectories. No additional enablers required.

Effective systems and processes in place for collecting, sharing and analysing SEND data to support planning, performance management and decision-making.

Robust forecasting and modelling capability to anticipate future demand, inform sufficiency planning and support long-term High Needs sustainability. (CMR)

Digitally enabled SEND pathways that improve timeliness, transparency and compliance across assessment, planning and review.

Consistent data standards and quality assurance arrangements embedded across partners to ensure reliable statutory returns and management information.

Strong information governance and data-sharing arrangements enabling confident, lawful use of shared data within and across partners

Integrated performance and assurance reporting linking need, delivery performance, outcomes, workforce and finance data to support effective governance and oversight across the partnership.

Data-led early intervention and prevention using shared intelligence to identify need earlier and reduce escalation into statutory processes. (CMR)

Digitally enabled collaboration and co-production with partners, children, young people and families through clear, accessible information. Includes coordination

• Reduction in acute outpatient appointments for children under the age of 16 by 10% due to accessing care in neighbourhood hubs

School Age (5-16)

Attainment (progress and achievement) at KS2 and KS4 (for children with SEN) compared to national averages

Attendance for SEN Children (Overall absence, persistent and severe absence, part timetable, fixed- term exclusions)

PEX data for SEND across city.

% of children with ECHPs educated in mainstream settings reduction in special schools

% of school aged children receiving a scheduled online health check (or equivalent)

Numbers of CYP with LDA are placed on the Dynamic Support Register with associated increase in green and amber RAG rating

Average and longest waits for OT and SALT

Average and longest waits in ND Pathway

Longest waits to access equipment and adaptations

Acute outpatient appointments for children under the age of 16 by 10% due to accessing care in neighbourhood hubs

School Age (5-16)

Improved Attainment (progress and achievement) at KS2 and KS4 (for children with SEN) compared to national averages( and compared to Birmingham average to look at gap)

Improved Attendance for SEN Children (Overall absence, persistent and severe absence, part timetable, fixed- term exclusions)

Reduction in number of CYP with SEND PEX

Increase in % of children with ECHPs educated in mainstream setting

Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTS) are in 100% of Birmingham schools by 2029

Increased numbers of CYP with LDA are placed on the Dynamic Support Register with associated increase in green and amber RAG rating

Reduction in average and longest wait for OT and Salt (Cmr)

Reduction in average and longest waits in ND Pathway

Reduction in longest waits to access equipment and adaptations

Reduction in acute outpatient appointments for children under the age of 16 by 10% due to accessing care in neighbourhood hubs Post 16

KS5 attainment for SEN YP

Number of supported Internship opportunities in the city- (baseline being established )

NEET and not known for SEN (16 yr olds) and ECHP (16- 18yr old)

Post 16

Increased KS5 attainment for SEN YP

An increase in the number of supported Internship (CMR) opportunities in the city- (baseline being established )

Reduction in NEET and not known for SEN (16 yr olds) and ECHP (16- 18yr old)

• Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs) are in 100% of Birmingham schools by 2029 (currently reported by MH system Carole McCauley – currently not reported to SEND partnership routinely but easily accessible to report) (CMR)

Joint Commissioning/Sufficiency

Breakdown of placements by provision type and average unit cost

Numbers of school-age CYP awaiting placement by need and category

Number of specialist placements commissioned in each academic year

Joint Commissioning/Sufficiency

Formal joint commissioning arrangements brokered including s.75 agreements with the ICB (CMR)

Evidence of effective locality provision and value for money placements

Reduction in proportion of CYP awaiting placements

Sufficiency of available specialist placements

See EAH Blueprint Slides

See EAH Blueprint Guidance

3. What is the local area partnership’s strategy for delivering on the above? A brief summary of your local system’s theory of change or reform strategy. Reflect on the output of your Local Partnership Maturity Assessment Tool, particularly your Local System ‘change story.’

Birmingham is a large, diverse and complex local area facing increasing levels of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) across education, health and social care. Demand for Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), therapies and specialist provision continues to rise. This is compounded by workforce capacity and sufficiency issues. Despite these pressures, the local area has a shared commitment to improvement, underpinned by a growing culture of inclusion, early intervention and honest self‑reflection.

The local area currently assesses itself as “Developing” across most aspects of the SEND Local Partnership Maturity Framework. Strengths include clearer system leadership, governance, strengthened partnership working, and increasingly effective co-production supported by a well-established Parent Carer Forum. The partnership has developed a stronger understanding of need through improved data, forecasting and insight, alongside progress in inclusive practice such as tiered therapies, improved EHCP quality, and expanded mainstream resource bases. Collaboration between education, health and care has improved, supported by a committed and increasingly skilled workforce.

However, progress remains inconsistent across the city and is too often dependent on individual leaders rather than embedded system practice. While the partnership has moved away from historically fragmented and reactive approaches. Early joint commissioning still needs developing as does building trust across the mainstream landscape as we are not yet delivering consistent impact on the daily lives of SEND children and families.

Looking ahead, Birmingham aims to move from “developing” to “maturing”, delivering earlier intervention, confident mainstream provision, integrated planning, genuine joint commissioning, workforce stability and stronger transitions into adulthood.

4. Please upload a completed copy of the Local Partnership Maturity Assessment Tool.

Download the Maturity Assessment Tool

5. What is the local area partnership roadmap for the next 3 years?

Reflecting on the broad timescales and expectation for deliverables set out in the Schools White Paper, key documents and core

minimum requirements set out in this document, please provide a high-level roadmap for the next 3 years. Please highlight key

milestones and a trajectory to the target metrics identified above, including leading indicators.

In the 2026-27 column, in particular, please reference how you plan to meet the core minimum requirements in your narrative, including

details and evidence in supporting documents.

You can insert or upload supporting documents including graphics/visuals that illustrate your data trajectory.

Core Minimum Requirements are coded (CMR)

Use the Healthy Child and Family Hub programme to strengthen partnership working across the Best Start in Life workforce.

Target support for leaders around EY OAG principles and review inclusion and SEND knowledge and skills across Family Hubs. (CMR)

Improve joined-up systems through better 2-year checks, a stronger Section 23 notification process and clearer data-sharing arrangements.

Implement the Best Start in Life strategy through strong governance and partnership oversight.

Award and monitor the 0–19 Healthy Child Programme and Best Start Family Hub contract to strengthen partnership working.

Develop the LAP workforce plan and scope systems for a single view of the child.

Continue implementation and oversight of the Best Start in Life strategy and 0–19 contract.

Pilot integrated 2-year review arrangements in priority districts with health visiting, Family Hubs and early years settings.

Implement data-sharing agreements and systems to enable a shared view of the child.

Co-Production and working with families:

Deliver Best Start in Life milestones in line with co- production principles and the voice of children and families. (CMR)

Build sector understanding of co- production and develop family- facing support, including the Inclusion House model and digital communication offer.

Co-Production and working with families:

Launch and promote the Best Start in Life strategy with parents, carers, communities and partners, grounded in child- and family- centred co-production principles. (CMR)

Clarify and strengthen the role of family voice groups and work with partners to produce clear early years SEND navigation information for families. (CMR)

Promote co-production across the sector and share examples of inclusive practice where families help shape services. (CMR)

Co-Production and working with families:

Evaluate whether families report greater confidence, trust and clarity in accessing early SEND support before school entry.

Embed a shared understanding of co- production and showcase best practice through Inclusion House and EY OAG implementation.

Embed parent and carer voice in funding, Family Hub SEND support, transition guidance and local group planning.

the curriculum pathways work, with learning existing bases. (CMR)

System leadership, local partnership collaboration and co-production

System leadership, local partnership collaboration and co- production

System leadership, local partnership collaboration and co- production

System leadership, local partnership collaboration and co- production

Inclusion House:

Inclusion House – window development across partnership Curriculum Pathways:

Understanding of different curriculum pathways can be employed effectively

Insufficient partnership co- production, collaboration and communication/implementation around NDP

School leaders attitudes and ambitions towards SEND learners improved

CYP missing school due to numerous uncoordinated health appointments at multiple health locations

CYP with Learning Disability and / or Autism whose needs are escalating are only noted on DSR and allocated a key worker when they are at crisis point and opportunities for early intervention are missed

Governors are aware of inclusive practice, provide oversight and challenge of schools/settings inclusive approach

LAP to be modelling the minimum expected standard set for delivering SEN Support to schools and settings for independent/private providers to be held to account for.

Shared ownership across the partnership of implementing principles of practice within the Inclusion House

A shared understanding on what good co- production looks like and what can be achieved when co-production is done effectively, built into Bcc Ht/Senior Leaders training with evidence practice as part of performance appraisals (80% of SEND workforce trained on co- production) (CMR)

Every school has an active parent carer group that contributes to Inclusive provision and practice, system management and improvements within the individual school (linked to the OAG and Inclusion House) (CMR)

Those who are in the early stages of their teaching career have a secure understanding of inclusion and are championing across the sector. In addition

to teachers, the sector works with local providers of HLTA/support staff training.

Encouraging inclusive culture and behaviours

Encouraging inclusive culture and behaviours

Encouraging inclusive culture and behaviours

Encouraging inclusive culture and behaviours

Cohesive plan (across all parties) to support and challenge schools where not inclusive

Learning from Inspection to further enhance the inclusive culture and behaviour in schools; targeted support and challenge to address key areas for improvement

Mechanism in place to ensure effective partnership contributions to SIG

Workforce development – programme linked to monitoring or attendance KPIs

‘Working Together’ ambassadors working with schools and parent carers as part of the partnership inclusive approach and included within the Experts at Hand model. (CMR)

Schools embrace a rolling programme culture of reflection and sustaining improvements using quality standards through use of reflective frameworks e.g. Enhanced Provision, Neuro-inclusive Educational Network (NEN)

Learning from inspection to inform challenge of culture and behaviours in schools. Feedback mechanisms added to support school governance arrangements

System leadership approach to challenge non-inclusive practice aligned to principles and values within local partnership practice (CMR)

All schools and settings are regularly showcasing good practice through the Inclusion House and local partnerships (district model) (CMR)

Regular cycle of Inclusion events across the City, to include an annual conference and other events to promote good practice across the whole partnership and system

Development of Inclusion House concept to incorporate support/advice/resource available for parents carers from across the

LAP, linked to Best Start in Life and Family Hubs.

School Age Enablers Enablers

Enablers

Enablers

Workforce Workforce Workforce

ITT are having a higher priority on supporting our vulnerable learners and training is being provided to those in the early stages of their career matched to evidence informed practice (for example, EEF five a day).

Systems like the Special School Outreach Service are supporting our schools in the city with how to meet the needs of our most vulnerable with complex needs. (CMR)

The launch of the Birmingham Inclusion Charter is supporting our schools with training and development linked to workforce.

The Developing Local Provision project enabled system lead progress to be made with a strong focus on local context.

Systems like the Special School Outreach Service continue to support our schools in the city with how to meet the needs of our most vulnerable with complex needs. (CMR)

The Developing Local Provision project continues to enable system lead progress to be made with a strong focus on local context.

Confident and competent workforce across LAP, with support for schools and settings articulated through Inclusion House.

Experts at Hand being aligned to the 10 districts with capacity matching need.

School work individually and together in having a workforce plan for their staff/district that responds to needs with all staff in schools understanding and owning their inclusive practice.

There is a team of SEND District leads who work together to support good practice/peer network (replacing SENCo Consortia Lead model).

Each district has a school-based practicing SEND District Lead/s who work with schools and settings with oversight of training needs etc.

• Within districts, there will be school- based thematic leads aligned to Inclusion Hubs etc.

Data/digital systems Please refer to cross cutting enablers

Data/digital systems Please refer to cross cutting enablers.

Data/digital systems Please refer to cross cutting enablers.

Plan for the roll out of EAH for the P16 sector with the providers and partners

Commissioning and capital teams will work with the P16 sector, mainstreams and special schools to review the current knowledge and sufficiency intelligence in the city

Use data and forecasting to support with the sufficiency planning (CMR)

Ensure there are accurate baselines for inclusive pathway opportunities, including supported internships and accessible apprenticeships (CMR)

• P16 to be included in the capital planning 0-25

System leadership, local partnership collaboration and co-production

System leadership, local partnership collaboration and co- production

System leadership, local partnership collaboration and co- production

System leadership, local partnership collaboration and co- production

Coproduce the SEND employment forum action plan with clear deliverables linked to developing more inclusion opportunities to employment whilst monitoring and improving city wide quality (CMR)

Ensure there are clearly identified actions linked to the partnership SEND plans that are monitored and progressed through the P16

Start to deliver the actions identified in the SEND employment action plan

Start to deliver the identified activity under the P16 Executive Board and Operations Group

Start to deliver the actions in the co-produced PFA action plan

Co-production - Increased engagement in co-production training and the Co-production

Carry out another round of the NDTi transition audit to monitor progress and impact

Co-production – a shared understanding across P16 on what good co-production looks like – Increase in take up of the training across the P16 sector

a potential 164 additional places

System leadership, local partnership collaboration and co-production

System leadership, local partnership collaboration and co- production

System leadership, local partnership collaboration and co- production

System leadership, local partnership collaboration and co- production

Understanding interdependencies e.g. travel procurement and commissioning – impact on sufficiency

Commissioning priorities of partners discussed at key strategic governance groups – knowledge sharing and best practice dissemination

Regional discussions around coordinated commissioning approach

Agree principles and governance arrangements for when formal joint commissioning approaches will be used (CMR)

Shared understanding developed regarding opportunities for integrated commissioning and resource alignment (CMR)

Baseline spend, outcomes, inequalities and placement demand across the local area

Baseline spend, outcomes, inequalities and placement demand across the local area

Regional protocol agreed

Further formalise and clarify joint commissioning governance and decision-making pathways to ensure consistent oversight and alignment across SEND sufficiency, commissioning and resource allocation. (CMR)

Joint needs assessment commenced

Joint provider meetings initiated and formalised

KPI mapping workshops across BCC and ICB to align contractual KPIs ahead of active re procurement

Partners inputting into each other’s strategic commissioning priorities and frameworks to ensure the vision is aligned for Birmingham

Reduction in ad-hoc joint commissioning approaches (CMR)

Move towards partnership wide benchmarking against statistical neighbours and national to better assess effectiveness of resource planning and allocation

Progress formal s.75 joint commissioning plan based on agreed priorities and new ways of working

Formal joint commissioning arrangements brokered including s.75 agreements with the ICB and budget pooling with health and social care (CMR)

KPIs agreed, measured, and prioritised through formal joint commissioning arrangements between partners (CMR)

Greater use of neighbourhood and community-based models of support, reducing reliance on hospital-based provision where needs can be met safely and effectively in local settings (CMR)

Evidence of improved experience and outcome of transition for children with SEND

to bring visibility of strategic commissioning priorities and activities across citywide partners, promote join up and maximise access/uptake

Sufficiency/Joint Commissioning Enablers

Enablers

Enablers

Enablers

Workforce Workforce

Better testing of investment in, and capacity of, workforce through procurement/social value.

Workforce optimisation through secondment of commissioning staff across partners.

Embedding quality assurance, data, performance, and transformation and change within commissioning functions.

Establish joint workforce plan.

Delivery of the EAH model depends on therapy workforce and funding that are not yet secured, representing a shared system risk that must be explicitly recognised and jointly addressed by both the ICB and local authorities.

Workforce

Embedding quality assurance; data performance; and transformation and change within commissioning functions

Develop principles of joint workforce plan

Joint commissioning arrangements are continuing to develop across the system, and the ICB is actively working with local authorities to strengthen these through clear, time-bound s.75 agreements and governance that embed a more mature and sustainable joint commissioning approach. Noting that there has been no reduction in ICB SEND workforce capacity. Data/digital systems

Continued recruitment into remaining SEND Commissioning and Quality Assurance Team

Developing focus on assurance and contract management for independent providers

Creating additional capacity by resourcing joint commissioning posts within the children’s commissioning team structure (opening to secondments from the ICB)

Focusing on CPD for commissioning staff including CMPP accreditations, Agile Pmp accreditations and commissioning best practice training through IPC

Data/digital systems Data/digital systems

Longitudinal research/robust evaluation and evidence gathering built into commissioning of programmes to drive continuous

Agreed forecasting methodology in place across finance, place

Data sharing – joint needs planning and JSNA

attendance and attainment and NEETS for Children and Young people on SEND Support and those with EHCPs. It also includes information on Health waiting times as well as other local indicators. The scorecard displays a set of targets agreed by the partnership. The scorecard and dashboard is approved and reviewed by the SEND and AP board. The aim for Year 1 is to continue to work towards these established targets and update the score card to include any additional indicators and targets related to this plan e.g around commissioning and sufficiency. While ND waiting times remain a pressure, they should be viewed alongside the ICB investment, and the positive progress already being made to expand capacity and improve access across the pathway.

Targets will be set with leads based on previous performance, comparisons with National and LA peers as well as a reflection of planned activity (being realistic but ambitious). Targets will be signed off by the SEND and AP board which includes all partners and external representation from the Birmingham Parent Carer forum and from DFE and NHS regional/national peers to ensure transparency and accountability. Where existing national targets exist e.g around GLD performance and EEE uptake then we will align our targets with those standards. The targets will show progression from Year 1,

key indicators related to GLD and EEE for early years, Attainment, attendance and % educated in mainstream for school age and NEETS for Post 16. Where national standards/benchmarks do not existing Year 3 targets will reflect progress required from the Year 1 baseline.

6. What will the local area partnership deliver in the first year?

Please outline the key workstreams, milestones and trajectory your local area partnership will deliver and achieve in 2026-27 as well as

how you plan to spend the investment allocation that will help fund this year’s delivery. Please share key milestones and anticipated

dates, success measures, cost breakdown and category. These should incorporate the core minimum requirements, be mapped to the

building blocks above and should reflect a more detailed trajectory to the narrative,

milestones and target metrics outlined in the 2026-27 column above.

Core Minimum Requirements are coded (CMR)

ddress deferred Reception entry and education out of year group issues. Workforce:

Cross-sector workforce development as a priority within the Best Start in Life strategy

BEYN training offer impacting inclusiv e practice

WellComm and workforce data used consistently to identify training needs, including speech, language and communication and the proportion of settings with a trained SENCO. (CMR)

A consistent training and support model for the PVI sector in all Districts, including Area SENCO support and training on medical needs.

Head of Early Years and Childcare

Workforce: Set-up the Workforce Workstream under BSiL and agree cross-sector workforce priorities and map current training provision

See Q4 Workforce: See Q4 Workforce: Expect workstream activities to positively im pact on success measures by Year 2 of Road Map. Scorecard will illustrate data changes in all measures apart from those evaluated annually.

Undertake a deep dive into the data to establish training needs and work with BEYN and SPHs to develop a training plan.

Deliver targeted training and support to priority settings, including SENCO and SLCN development. (CMR)

Success measure:

• Increase in EEE take up for all Children/Children with SEND
• Reduction in % of Children with SEND in reception on Part-Time timetables
• Increased Reception Attendance for Children with SEND
• Increase in % of Children with SEND achieving expected GLD

School Age Outcome

Head of SAIS Head of SAIS

See Q4

See Q4

Expect workstream activities to positively im pact on success measures by Year 2 of Road Map. Scorec ard will illustrate data changes in all measures apart from those evaluated annually. Success measure

• Deliver city-wide

universal offer through the Digital Library of Inclusion House. (CMR)

• Development and

piloting of a universal LAP offer alongside targeted support at key transition points (CMR)

• Exploration of

existing curriculum pathways and co- development with early adopter schools of a reflective, city-wide framework

• Four windows of

Digital Library fully operational

• Programme for

remaining windows mapped with timescales

• Core offer mapped in Digital Library
• Impact Data gathered

from pilot

• Draft reflective

framework co- produced

• Evaluation of pilot to

refine Targeted offer ready for wider roll- out

• Targeted offer scoped with pilot schools
• Learning collated

from Pilot with Early adopter schools

• Key themes developed

from existing Curriculum Pathways

LLaSS Team Lead

Improved Attainment (progress and achievement) at KS2 and KS4 (for children with SEN) compared to national averages (and compared to Birmingham average to look at gap)

Improved Attendance for SEN Children (Overall absence, persistent and severe absence, part timetable, fixed-term exclusions)

Increase in % of children with ECHPs educated in mainstream setting

Post 16 Outcome

• Inclusion House –

complete initial scoping to agree the plan of content

• OAG – P16 OAG

document to be launched as a working document online, gather feedback from the partnership. Active P16 OAG comms

• Transition P16 –

mapping out existing transition approaches - agree draft framework  (CMR)

• Review the

P16 curriculum

1)Head of SEND 2)Head of SEND 3)Virtual School Team, Head of SEND 4)Head of SEND

• Scoping started with membership agreed
• Documents live on the local offer

See Q4

• Evidence of scoping

and initial agreements for plan

• Feedback on OAG

gathered – active comms

See Q4

• Plan of content to be

added complete

• Feedback closed and

actions agreed for changes

• Draft transitions

framework agreed

• Continuation of

mapping sessions

Expect workstream activities to positively im pact on success measures by Year 2 of Road Map. Scorecard will illustrate data changes in all measures apart from those evaluated annually. Success measure

• Mapping group agreed

and mapping started

• T&F group

membership and timescales set

• Evidence of mapping of transitions
• Start to meet and map curriculum
• Reduction in NEET and not known for SEN (16 yr olds) and ECHP (16- 18yr old)
• % increase in transition to mainstream from specialist at KS5
• Increase in independent travel provision
• Increased KS5 attainment for SEN YP

Sufficiency/Joint Commissioning Outcome Baselining of existing provision and capital investment in resource

Head of Commissioning

See Q4

See Q4

Expect workstream activities to

Completion of resource base QA reviews (CMR)

Plan in place for each resource base,

Completion of all individual commissioning

Phasing of 8 new resource bases subject to DfE approval and internal governance (CMR)

Prioritise expansion of existing Resource Bases where demand and performance data is strongest (CMR)

base and mainstream accessibility

, Head of Sufficiency

meetings with existing and newly established resource bases

including existing and proposed

Deliver targeted accessibility and adaptation schemes in schools identified (CMR)

Agree standard design principles for Resource Bases and Inclusion Hubs (CMR)

positively im pact on success measures by Year 2 of Road Map. Scorec ard will illustrate data changes in all measures apart from those evaluated annually. Success measure

Clear, costed capital pipeline Ensuring schools are equipped to meet the full range of complex needs – in terms of environment, physical space, facilities, staffing expertise and curriculum development. (CMR)

Building block - Workstream 2 – Access to specialist support and local placements (EAH) Early Years Outcome Family Hubs and Early Identification and Intervention:

• Defined SEND role within BSiL, informed

See Q4

See Q4

Success measure

• Increase in EEE take up for all Children/Children with SEND
• Increase in % of Children with SEND achieving expected GLD
• Increase in % of children achieving expected level of development in ASQ 3 and Asq:Se (or equivalent) at 2 to 2-and-a-half years old
• Increase in % of children achieving expected level of development at both ASQ and GLD
• Decrease in Waiting times by age (Need to be specific – refer back to original indicator from Ali)

School Age Outcome

• District-based Experts at Hand model scoped and piloted across Hodge Hill District

Chairs of EAH Steering group Team leads for CAT and LLaSS

• Scoping of EAH offer

from across Local Area partnership 2.Themes from Rb Qa reviews shared with Rb Ht to inform workforce development plan (CMR)

See Q4

• District SEND Co-

ordinator role developed with recruitment to HH district

• Workforce developme

nt themes for Resource Bases agreed (CMR)

See Q4

1.Offer from EAH group tested in HH district 2.Workforce development plan for Resource bases mapped out with timeline

Expect workstream activities to positively im pact on success measures by Year 2 of Road Map. Scorecard will illustrate data changes in all measures apart from those evaluated annually. Success measure

• Workforce

development plan for Resource Bases defined using city-wide QA insights and the Reflective Framework (CMR)

Improved Attainment (progress and achievement) at KS2 and KS4 (for children with SEN) compared to national averages (and compared to Birmingham average to look at gap)

Improved Attendance for SEN Children (Overall absence, persistent and severe absence, part-time table, fixed-term exclusions)

Increase in % of children with ECHPs educated in mainstream setting

Post 16 Outcome Understand gaps and opportunities regarding EAH for the post 16 sector agree a plan for roll out P16 capital and sufficiency will be reviewed and a new plan in place Accurate baselines for inclusive pathway opportunities will be established

See Q4

See Q4

1)Plan the P16 EAH model, regional or local TBC (CMR) 2)P16 sufficiency plan complete and signed off (CMR)

• DEPS alongside

SENAR and CaPs agree the baseline data set for

Expect workstream activities to positively im pact on success measures by Year 2 of Road Map. Scorecard will illustrate data changes in all measures apart from those evaluated annually. Success measure

1)Head of SEND 2)Head of Commissioning / Head of Sufficiency 3)Head of SEND /CaPs G R6/DEPs

1)Scope the EAH model with the P16 sector and region (CMR) 2)Outline sufficiency plan for P16 3)Review the existing data and plan next steps/round of data collection

• Agree P16 EAH approach (CMR)
• Regular P16

workstream meeting in place

• Final baseline data

collection

• Increased KS5 attainment for SEN YP
• An increase in the number of supported Internship opportunities in the city- (baseline being established )  (CMR)
• Reduction in NEET and not known for SEN (16 yr olds) and ECHP (16- 18yr old)  (CMR)
• % increase in transition to mainstream from specialist at KS5

Sufficiency/Joint Commissioning Outcome

Joint sufficiency provision and planning for all ages and need areas – including agreed forecasts beyond core statutory age groups (CMR)

Head of Commissioning / Head of Sufficiency

Outline sufficiency plan in place for each area e.g. SEMH, Early Years, AP, P16, Sensory etc (CMR)

See Q4 Regular workstream See Q4 Sufficiency Plan Expect workstream activities to positively im pact on success measures by Year 2 of Road Map. Scorec ard will illustrate data changes in all measures apart from those evaluated annually. Success measure meetings in place with assigned leads and actions complete and signed off by Sufficiency Working Group

• Individual sufficiency plan in place for each area of need/cohort (CMR)

Building block - Workstream 3 – System leadership, local partnership collaboration and co-production Early Years Outcome System leadership and local partnership: System leadership and local partnership:

See Q4

System leadership and local partnership:

See Q4

System leadership and local partnership:

Expect workstream activities to

partners, grounded in child- and family-centred co- production principles.

training and award scheme

measures by Year 2 of Road Map. Score card will illustrate data changes in all measures apart from those evaluated annually.

A strengthened role of family voice groups which informs clear early years SEND navigation and informa tion for families. (CMR)

Co-production widely promoted across the sector and examples of inclusive practice shared of where families help shape services.

Success measure

• Increase in EEE take up for all Children/Children with SEND
• Increase in % of Children with SEND achieving expected GLD
• Increase in % of children achieving expected level of development in ASQ 3 and Asq:Se (or equivalent) at 2 to 2-and-a-half years old
• Increase in % of children achieving expected level of development at both ASQ and GLD
• Decrease in Waiting times by age

School Age

See Q4 1. Audit and analysis of

See Q4

1 .Draft Workforce training offer for leaders incorporating national standards

Expect workstream activities to positively im pact on success measures by Year 2 of

Outcome

• Inclusive leadership

and workforce training aligned to national standards, with gaps identified and a strengthened, partnership-wide offer developed.

Head of SAIS/Head of School Improvement

• Review of existing

leadership training against Inclusive principles as set out in the OAG Section One

existing local leadership workforce training with partners

• Tiered model tested in

HH district with mapping

• Analysis of completion of co-production
• Co-production scaled

through a tiered, partnership model with impact evidenced and shared.

• Parent engagement

mapped and strengthened through district pilots, (CMR)

Strategic Autism Lead / Parent Reference Group Strategic Autism Lead / Parent Reference Group

training across the partnership (CMR)

• Draft plan for tiered

model of co- production training developed (CMR)

of engagement within Co-production Award Scheme

Road Map. Scorecard will illustrate data changes in all measures apart from those evaluated annually.

• Audit of parent groups

across schools and the different delivery approaches (CMR)

• Working Together

Parent Ambassadors tested in HH district schools. (CMR)

• Draft outline of

‘Working Together Parent Ambassadors’ developed with identified schools across Hodge Hill District (CMR)

Success measure

Improved Attainment (progress and achievement) at KS2 and KS4 (for children with SEN) compared to national averages (and compared to Birmingham average to look at gap)

Improved Attendance for SEN Children (Overall absence, persistent and severe absence, part timetable, fixed-term exclusions)

Increase in % of children with ECHPs educated in mainstream setting

Post 16 Outcome A Co-produced SEND employment forum action plan with clear deliverables linked to developing more inclusion opportunities to employment (CMR) A complete second round of the NDTi transitions audit

See Q4 1)Feedback collated

See Q4

1)Final action plan shared and actions started 2)Analysis and share findings, start the draft PFA action plan

• Tiered model tested

including P16 with mapping of engagement

Expect workstream activities to positively im pact on success measures by Year 2 of Road Map. Scorecard will illustrate data

1)Draft action plan shared with the SEND employment forum (CMR) 2)Follow up on gaps in the second round of the audit

• Analysis of completion

of co-production training across the partnership

1)Head of SEND 2)Head of SEND 3)Head of SEND

and final action plan shared 2)Close the second round of audit

• Draft plan for tiered

model of co-production training developed  (CMR)

Coproduction – P16 - Completed analysis of the completion of co- production training with cases studies from P16 shared

within Co-production Award Scheme  (CMR)

changes in all measures apart from those evaluated annually. Success measure

• An increase in the number of supported Internship opportunities in the city- (baseline being established )  (CMR)
• Reduction in NEET and not known for SEN (16 yr olds) and ECHP (16- 18yr old)  (CMR)
• % increase in transition to mainstream from specialist at KS5

Sufficiency/Joint Commissioning Outcome

Understanding interdependencies e.g. travel procurement and commissioning – impact on sufficiency

Rationalisation of existing joint commissioning arrangements

Baseline spend, outcomes, inequalities and placement demand across the local area.

Agree principles and governance arrangements for when formal joint

See Q4 • Completion of needs analysis of ongoing requirements

Agree shared baseline measures for spend, outcomes, inequalities and placement demand

Governance arrangements aligned- including better forward planning for strategic commissioning group – ensuring CYP commissioning is more widely embedded

See Q4 • Procurement plans in place with timescale

Review of s.75 agreement completed and a holding position finalised, pending long term arrangements being finalised

Principles and governance arrangements docum ented for formal joint commissioning approaches (CMR)

Shared understanding

Expect workstream activities to positively im pact on success measures by Year 2 of Road Map. Scorec ard will illustrate data changes in all measures apart from those

BCC to review s75 agreement with a view to ensuring schedules of services and shared roles and responsibilities reflect up to date position

Renewed focus on priority areas of commissioning including enteral feeding, speech and language therapy and occupational therapy and medical needs training as well as services that are essential to commission a robust Experts at Hand offer in the local area

Head of Commissioning / Head of Sufficiency

Interim arrangements in place for medical needs training and enteral feeding

Joint commissioning working group established to progress the priority commissioning areas

Monthly meetings between BCC and ICB to discuss CYP joint commissioning priorities recommenced

Improve resource alignment through exploration of formal resource sharing opportunities

First draft of refreshed s.75 agreement finalised

commissioning approaches will be used (CMR)

Shared understanding developed regarding o pportunities for integrated commissioning and resource alignment (CMR)

developed regarding opportunities for integrated commissioning and resource alignment (CMR)

evaluated annually.

Success measure

• Commissioning priorities of partners understood via key strategic governance groups – knowledge sharing and best practice dissemination
• Regional discussions in place around coordinated commissioning approach

Building block - Workstream 4 – Encouraging inclusive culture and behaviours Early Years Outcome

• Workstream 6 of the Best Start in Life strategy established to align Birmingham early years inclusion and SEND reform with Family Hubs, Stronger Practice Hubs and the Inclusion Charter.

Greater awareness across the sector of the Inclusion Charter, inclusive pathways and EY OAG principles, Improved universal practice supported through the OAG, BEYN offer and free national EY inclus ion PD offer. Brokerage approach and targeted support to challenge discriminatory practice and support inclusive practice Publish final version of BSiL strategy with associated workstrea m milestones Plan to raise EY sector awareness of the Inclusion house following schools launch in June

See Q4

Set -up Workstream 6 as identified in the BSiL Strategy and establish ToR and membership. Launch Inclusion House to EY sector. Promote ongoing engagement with Ey OAG through a series of awareness /engagement sessions

See Q4

Accountability for BSiL SEND/ Inclusion workstream through established governance system Collate and publish examples of best practice within digital offer. Review KPI and impact of work of BEYN in respect of embedding OAJ

Expect workstream activities to positively im pact on success measures by Year 2 of Road Map. Scorecard will illustrate data changes in all measures apart from those evaluated annually.

Head of Early Years SEND/Head of Early Years and Childcare

Deliver awareness, training and brokerage support to promote inclusive practice

Scope extended model of support and challenge from brokerage team with additional Area SENCo team capacity

to prevent placement breakdown.

Success measure

• Increase in EEE take up for all Children/Children with SEND
• Reduction in % of Children with SEND in reception on Part-Time timetables
• Increased Reception Attendance for Children with SEND
• Increase in % of Children with SEND achieving expected GLD
• Increase in % of children achieving expected level of development at both ASQ and GLD

School Age Outcome

• Autism practice

strengthened through school reviews and co- produced QA, with good practice captured and shared via case studies. (CMR)

• Inclusion leadership

strengthened through pilot challenge/support model and local events to share and embed good practice.

CAT Team Lead

• Framework for QA

developed with PCF and school reps. (CMR)

• City-wide Inclusion

Conference delivered.

See Q4

• QA framework for

autism action plans tested with group of schools and PCF.

• Peer

challenge/support approach developed.

See Q4

• QA framework

developed and shared with schools and their parent working groups.

• Peer

challenge/support approach tested with groups of schools.

Expect workstream activities to positively im pact on success measures by Year 2 of Road Map. Scorec ard will illustrate data changes in all measures apart from those evaluated annually.

Head of SAIS/Head of School Improvement

Success measure

Improved Attainment (progress and achievement) at KS2 and KS4 (for children with SEN) compared to national averages( and compared to Birmingham average to look at gap)

Improved Attendance for SEN Children (Overall absence, persistent and severe absence, part timetable, fixed-term exclusions)

Increase in % of children with ECHPs educated in mainstream setting

Post 16 Outcome

• New Careers and

Participation (CaPs) team launched

• NEET data and

processes, reporting, data sharing reviewed with deep dives agreed

• Completed deep dive

into SENAR P16 consultation declines

• Championing Inclusion

- P16 leaders alongside school leaders have developed and supported the shared principles and values within the Inclusion Charter.

1)Head of SENDs/GR6 CAPs 2)Head of SEND/Head of Data and Performance 3)Head of SEND

• Head of

SENDs/GR6 CAPs

1)CaPs service launched July 26 2)GR5 DEPs appointed 3)Agreed deep dives leads and plan

• City-wide Inclusion

Conference delivered

See Q4

1)CaPs Training and partnership needs identified 2)GR5 DEPs starts and starts to review data and processes 3)Start deep dive

• Peer challenge/support

approach developed.

See Q4

1)Training delivered to CaPs – partnerships bult with key stakeholders

• Data review complete

and deep dives agreed 3)Completed deep dive, findings shared and next steps agreed

• Peer

challenge/support approach tested with groups of settings – including P16

Expect workstream activities to positively im pact on success measures by Year 2 of Road Map. Scorec ard will illustrate data changes in all measures apart from those evaluated annually.

Success measure

• An increase in the number of supported Internship opportunities in the city- (baseline being established )  (CMR)
• Reduction in NEET and not known for SEN (16 yr olds) and ECHP (16- 18yr old)  (CMR)
• % increase in transition to mainstream from specialist at KS5

Sufficiency/Joint Commissioning Outcome Increase continuous review via robust QA and contract management to drive quality and value together with uniformity of locality provision and access

Head of Commissioning / Head of Sufficiency

See Q4

Expansion of Due Diligence and QA cycles into P16, AP, Fe (Cmr)

See Q4 Contract monitoring Expect workstream activities to positively im pact on success measures by Year 2 of Road Map. Scorecard will illustrate data changes in all measures apart from those evaluated annually. Success measure All annual QA visits complete. Ongoing due diligence of new providers and review in place for all providers – plans in place for provision packages including tuition, EOTAS arrangements (CMR)

• Evidence of high-quality review outcomes and consistency/uniformity of locality provision and access

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

Workforce - £2,387,484 Recruitment - £100,000 Training - £266,667 Transformation - £ 329,630 Total - £3,083,780

Workforce - £2,387,484 Recruitment - £100,000 Training - £266,667 Transformation - £ 329,630 Total - £3,083,780

Workforce - £2,387,484 Recruitment - £100,000 Training - £266,667 Transformation - £ 329,630 Total - £3,083,780

7. How will the local area partnership deliver the first-year plan?

Please set out how you will ensure the required capacity and capability is in place from organisational corporate functions to support

implementation of the plan. This could include reference to how you plan to build or bring in project delivery capability to manage

delivery against the plan, support prioritisation, and effective use of resources; and how you plan to build the capacity and capability

in data and analytics to support effective tracking against the measures in the plan and reporting that informs decision making.

To ensure successful delivery of the Birmingham Local Area SEND Reforms first-year plan, we will enhance our programme management and data support to deliver the plan and support prioritisation. The SEND & AP Improvement Programme is well established and will be further developed to ensure the capacity and capability required to deliver the SEND Reforms are in place.

These enhancements will be delivered through SEND Reforms Programme Management Office supported by data analytics and reporting, which will consist of:

• Programme Manager – to provide management of the programme, monitor progress, manage risks, and provide reporting to the Board to support effective oversight.
• Project Manager – to manage workstreams, track progress, and contribute to reporting.

Business Analyst – to design cross-partnership service models and develop the linkages, handovers, access criteria, and other elements required for delivery models.

Performance and Data Officer – to work with existing SEND data teams to collate data and produce monitoring and performance analysis reports for the Board.

We will build on the strong foundations already established with our council’s corporate functions, such as HR who will support our workforce recruitment, and Finance will support our high needs and capital work. Both these and other functions see themselves as delivery partners with the SEND Reforms being seen as a corporate priority rather than just being the focus of Children's Services.

These developments will ensure that we have the programme capacity, capability, and data insight required to deliver our ambitious first-year plan on time and achieve our measures of success.

8. Other funding Local Authorities.

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

Capital: We have announced at least £3 billion in high needs capital between 2026-27 and 2029-30 to support children and young people (CYP) with SEND, or those requiring alternative provision (AP). This funding is intended to support place delivery across the full 0-25 age range, including early years and post-16. We expect funding to support the following outcomes:

a. Inclusion at the core of high needs sufficiency strategy, resulting in more children and young people with SEND accessing

suitable places in mainstream settings, across all phases of education

b. Every child or young person who needs a place in an inclusion base can access one

c. Fewer children and young people with SEND needing to travel a long way to

access a suitable placement

d. Improved suitability of the mainstream estate to support children and young people with SEND, with adaptations to

improve inclusivity and accessibility of the physical environment

We also welcome innovative uses of high needs capital to drive inclusion, for example, investment in assistive technology for use in mainstream settings.

Please outline your strategy for how this funding will meet the outcomes above, with reference to the core minimum requirements and other workstreams in this reform plan where appropriate. We would like to see detail around your plans to increase capacity for inclusion bases (formerly known as SEN units, resourced provision and pupil support units – SU/RP/PSUs), such as schools, colleges or early years providers identified, engagement with relevant settings and trusts, and target cohort of needs.

If your plans include increases to places in special schools or specialist post-16 institutions, please include a clear rationale, showing the need that is being met, and why it cannot be met through other types of provision, such as inclusion bases.

If you are receiving additional capital funding to replace one or more planned special or AP free schools, please set out how this funding will meet need in your area, and plans for engaging relevant trusts in your sufficiency planning.

Birmingham City Council’s capital funding strategy in response to the SEND Reforms recognises both the scale of local demand and the progress already made in reshaping the SEND estate. Birmingham supports one of the highest numbers of children and young people with EHCPs nationally, requiring a capital strategy that is ambitious, deliverable at pace and closely aligned to system reforms. The Council is already prioritising High Needs Capital funding to expand SEND provision within mainstream schools through the development of Resource Bases (RBs) across both primary and secondary phases. This has enabled Birmingham to shift the balance of provision towards earlier intervention, mainstream inclusion and supporting children and young people closer to home. The ongoing delivery of RBs also demonstrates that capital investment can be deployed relatively quickly, at lower cost than new special schools, and with positive impact on placement sufficiency. Birmingham has also used its Access Works programme to support children with additional needs to remain within mainstream settings through delivery of a wide range of physical adaptations to schools. These include the creation of Primary Care Facilities, installation of lifts, ramps and accessible entrances, and

reconfiguration of internal spaces to support mobility, medical and sensory needs. This investment has been critical in removing physical barriers to inclusion, enabling schools to meet a broader range of needs without escalation to specialist placements. The capital funding strategy will continue to treat RB expansion as a core component of the SEND Reforms response. Future investment will be guided by robust demand modelling and targeted towards priority needs and geographies, ensuring an appropriate balance across early years, primary and secondary. In Early Years, this will primarily focus on improving accessibility, suitability and inclusion in mainstream nursery and childcare settings. This approach is underpinned by the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), which requires that children with SEND are supported to access high quality, inclusive early education wherever possible. Standardised design approaches, phased expansions, and close partnership with schools will continue to support maximum value for money and speed of delivery. The strategy will also sustain investment in specialist provision where this delivers the greatest benefit and meets need. The approval of a new SEND Free School for Birmingham represents a significant opportunity to increase local special school capacity in response to significant increases in numbers of CYP with Autism and over 280 CYP currently awaiting provision in special schools rather than RBs. Capital planning will therefore ensure that the Free School is fully embedded within Birmingham’s SEND sufficiency strategy, commissioning plans and placement pathways. Given the evolving nature of SEND Reforms, the Council will ensure that capital funding strategy retains flexibility, as national policy, updated thresholds and changes to pathways are likely to influence future demand profiles. Birmingham’s approach maintains a prioritised but adaptable pipeline of capital schemes, enabling re phasing or re purposing of projects, and strong governance links between the SEND Reform Programme, capital planning (capital spend detail is highlighted in the data template and 3 year blueprint) and commissioning.

9 . System partner and stakeholder engagement, and co-production.

Please outline how the local area partnership plans to engage system partners and stakeholders to develop and implement the plan –

include planned engagement with schools and early years settings, alternative providers, FE and post-16 providers (including those

your young people attend that are not within your local area), Parents and Carers and children and young people with SEND, with

reference to the core minimum requirements. Consider changing roles and responsibilities in the context of the Schools White Paper

and how you work collaboratively to manage the transition. Please indicate where

additional support is required to engage partners or stakeholders - senior officials at the Department for Education will be available to

contribute to summer term events with education leaders and parent carer forum leaders

Birmingham’s approach to system partner and stakeholder engagement and coproduction to develop and deliver the SEND reforms will be grounded in the city’s established Co-Production Charter and collaborative practices set out within the Working Together framework.

Birmingham benefits from strong, established relationships across its Local Area Partnership. Engagement and co-production is a golden thread and a strength recognised in the recent Ofsted/CQC inspection.

A central element of Birmingham’s approach is its partnership with the Birmingham Parent Carer Forum (PCF) and our jointly designed engagement activities. These includes PCF led community lounges and monthly engagement sessions for parent carers, which will be extended within settings, and where appropriate, enabling children and young people to contribute. Working Together Ambassadors will further strengthen co-production practices, bringing lived experience to the Experts at Hand model.

PCF representatives are embedded within governance and decision-making structures, attending key multiagency reform meetings and will continue to attend the Improvement Board, which provides strategic oversight of the delivery plan.

Children and young people’s engagement is focussed and delivered through existing and trusted participation routes such as Youth Service’s fortnightly engagement with SEND young people. Birmingham also utilises established relationships with special schools, further education and alternative provision settings, including student councils and Birmingham Learners Together. Youth Futures Hub will further strengthen engagement with young people up to the age of 25.

To support our co-production approach we have commissioned three established mediation providers to facilitate the resolution of disagreements relating to the statutory process. These services offer impartial support to families and professionals, helping to resolve issues before they progress to formal appeals.

Relational and restorative practices underpin our interventions, aiming to settle disputes positively, with the wellbeing of families always at the forefront.

Rates of mediation use and outcomes are monitored through monthly performance clinics and dashboards, which include detailed analysis, identification of next steps, and sharing of learning across teams. This cycle supports continuous improvement and strengthens accountability throughout the partnership.

Engagement with schools and education settings is embedded within established structures and SEND reforms updates and opportunities for feedback will be shared through Schools Forums, SENCO briefings, consortia meetings, alongside P16 Exec Board and AP Providers Working Group. Webinars and in person engagement activity will support understanding of reforms with support from the School Improvement Team

Early years engagement will be delivered through existing Early Years Forum arrangements, family hub provision and established parent carer groups, supported by webinars for nursery schools, PVI providers and childminding sector.

We have also been on a robust improvement journey with our SENDIASS service, which is pivotal in ensuring Parent/Carers feel supported through the Reforms. We have built a strong team who are able to build trusted relationships and provide sound advice and guidance. SENDIASS will continue to work closely with Parent groups to ensure the SEND Reforms are understood and our families continue to be supported.

Success will be measured through stakeholder feedback from events and surveys, monitoring sentiment and gauging increased confidence and understanding of the reforms.

10. Risks and Mitigations

What are the key risks that could affect the successful implementation of your Local SEND Reform Plan, and what mitigation strategies

are in place to manage these risks? Please include a maximum of 5 risks with impact and likelihood RAG for each risk. See Annex C for

suggested risk matrix.

Joint Commissioning Immaturity-There is a risk that the ad hoc rather than formalized Joint commissioning /S.75 arrangements with the ICB having lapsed, capacity and budgetary pressures experienced by local area partners particularly the LA and ICB have delayed appropriate forward planning of services, forecasting of need and budget pooling for maximum value for money.

Crisis Very Likely RED Although formal s.75 joint commissioning arrangements expired in 2024, informal joint commissioning with the ICB continues to be progressed through task and finish and joint commissioning working groups on an ad-hoc basis.

Amber

Through newly reconfirmed joint commissioning meetings, the ICB have recommitted their intention to secure formal joint commissioning arrangements with the LA following conclusion of the merger of Bsol ICB with Black Country and conclusion of the management of change process.

In the meantime, collaborative commissioning continues in the short term through a short-term holding arrangement and in the medium to long term with joint forward planning and setting joint commissioning intentions with clear milestones and budgets. Currently the ICB and BCC commissioning team meet three weekly to progress urgent joint commissioning priorities- after a period of uncertainty the relationships are now stable and established.

Other joint commissioning arrangements are also being procured with stakeholders across the system including the Council Wide strategic commissioning group and the Joint Commissioning Oversight group with the Trust. It is expected that this formalised governance will increase efficiency of forward planning, forecasting of joint risks and avoid duplication in spend. (CMR)

We have also secured commitment from the ICB and the Trust to improve data sharing with a view

to appropriately and accurately forecasting needs and planning services.

Lack of School/Provider Consistent Engagement with Mainstream Inclusion- There is a risk that Schools and settings may not engage and develop at a fast enough pace to provide a suitable mainstream/inclusion offer in the time required by the SEND Reforms due to the scale/number of Schools within the City.

Crisis Very Likely Red/Amber Work will need to be ongoing with schools/settings to keep them informed, engaged and up to date with changes.

Amber/Green

We also need to move the inclusion house digital platform at pace, which includes the ordinarily available guidance.

We will set up mechanisms to measure the take up of EAH and other inclusion initiatives and approaches. The results will be shared across the partnership to ensure accountability and ensure there is a plan of action put in place for areas of slow response and/or take up.

11. Dependencies

Please detail the key areas of the local area partnership’s proposed SEND future state and roadmap that may be impacted by wider

reforms nationally and locally and outline how you will manage these. We expect these will include but not be limited to:

• NHS reforms • Local Government Re-organisation • Reforms to Children’s Social Care • Best Start in Life, including Family Hubs • Best Start In Life Strategy • Curriculum and Assessment Review

NHS Reforms/Neighbourhood Model A key dependency to the delivery of the SEND Reforms is the alignment with NHS and Integrated Care System reforms and changes to commissioning arrangements within the Integrated Care Board (ICB).

Neighbourhood health provision will provide access to health multidisciplinary teams in local communities as part of integrated models of support. These will support health needs earlier on, reduce use of A & E / ED by Children and Young People and support school attendance. There is also an opportunity to work together to align and link with Experts At Hand delivery in schools and settings. These mitigations will be overseen by the ICB SEND Assurance Group and the shared partnership governance arrangements via the themed SRO workstreams and SEND & AP Improvement Board. Social Care Reforms Family Help brings together targeted early help into one coherent offer, reducing handovers and ensuring families experience greater continuity of relationships and support within their communities. Family Help has been introduced in line with the national reform programme following a pilot in the Hodge Hill district of Birmingham and rolled out citywide between October and December 2025. A central feature of the Family Help offer is the introduction of a district operating model, which brings together a range of practitioners, including domestic abuse specialist workers, child exploitation leads and education safeguarding leads. In relation to the introduction of Multi-Agency Child Protection Teams (MAC-PTs), Birmingham Children’s Trust has established a multi-agency development group to develop an initial design and plan for a pilot by September 2026.

Best Start in Life and Family Hubs The Best Start in Life Strategy aims to give every child the strongest start by aligning early childhood services to reduce inequalities, support families early, and improve outcomes through prevention and seamless support. The SEND roadmap stresses early identification, inclusive practice, integrated commissioning, and clear accountability. Impacts include better early years SEND pathways, improved data sharing, workforce development, and more graduated support. Aligning Family Hubs, health visiting, early education, and parental support is vital. These impacts can be managed through a jointly owned implementation plan, clear governance between the SEND and Best Start partnerships, and shared milestones within both roadmaps. Co-production with parents, carers and providers, alongside regular review of outcomes and system pressures, will help ensure alignment supports delivery rather than duplication or drift.

Curriculum and Assessment Review The curriculum and assessment reforms identify challenges such as attainment gaps, weaknesses in the KS3 curriculum, preparation for future education, curriculum overload and access barriers .Our focus on improving transitions between curriculums and developing inclusive curriculum pathways are designed to address these. The approach emphasises aspirational principles, reflective frameworks, enabling schools to review practices against guidance. OAG, Experts at Hand, and skill audits support planning, delivery, evaluation of alternative curriculums, recruitment and workforce development. The focus prioritises early intervention and the sharing of effective practice; available to all through local area partnerships. Impact will be measuring through Y1 of these reforms with pilots commencing in September 2026. Risks include engagement potentially being limited until the new academic breadth measure is fully implemented.

Section 3 – Monitoring and Evaluation

12. How will the local area partnership know delivery is on track?

Please set out how you will monitor and track progress referencing:

▪ Monitoring tools and processes - the specific tools, systems, and data you will use to track delivery milestones and measure

the impact on outcomes.

Some Local Area Partnerships hold data in a central SEND operational dashboard. This is used by teams on a weekly basis to

identify trends in demand or inform conversations with local school or setting leaders.

In some Local Area Partnerships, a view of the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) is reviewed monthly by a SEND Board to

take decisions on prioritisation, resourcing and delivery of services informed by regular data.

Please set out how you will use data to track demand (e.g., EHCP applications for assessment), Service delivery (e.g., Speech

and Language Specialists deployment; places created), Service quality (e.g., parental satisfaction) and outputs (e.g., pupil

attendance; pupil exclusions)

▪ Feedback and adaptation mechanisms - what feedback loops and stakeholder input you will use to review progress and adjust

your approach.

We will ensure that delivery is on track through a combination of:

Oversight

Birmingham’s approach to monitoring SEND reform progress will rely on dashboards, multi-agency data systems, and regular governance reviews through SRO-themed workstreams and the Local Area Partnership SEND & AP Improvement Board. This approach will be supported by:

The Birmingham Local Area Improvement Plan, which tracks improvement actions and supports effective management of assumptions, dependencies, and risks.

The outcomes-based SEND Data Dashboard, developed with multi-agency partners to capture indicators aligned to strategic outcomes such as learning, health, safety, and wellbeing. It brings together statutory datasets, local service data, and the voices of children and families.

Operational SEND data dashboards, which provide partners with the business intelligence needed to design and deliver services. Tracking Demand Demand will be monitored through:

• EHCP application and assessment data from SENAR systems and School Census datasets.
• Multi-agency datasets within the SEND Data Dashboard, including indicators relevant to local need and commissioning.

Tracking Service Delivery Service delivery will be monitored through:

• Deployment data for speech and language therapists, educational psychologists, and other specialists.
• New places created in specialist and mainstream settings, tracked through capital planning systems.
• Regular KPI reviews by the SEND & AP Improvement Board.

Tracking Service Quality Quality will be assessed using:

• Parental satisfaction measures, including surveys, complaints analysis, and Parent Carer Forum feedback.
• Quality indicators within the outcomes-based dashboard, including children and young people’s voice data and qualitative KPIs.
• Findings from audits, case reviews, and multi-agency quality assurance activity.

Tracking Outputs and Outcomes Key outcomes including attendance, attainment , exclusions, and post-16 destinations will be monitored through the outcomes-based dashboard, supporting the measurement of education, health, safety, and wellbeing outcomes across the 0–25 system. Targets related to these outcomes will be reviewed and updated annually but the overall aim for all these will be for Birmingham to achieve National benchmarks as a minimum by Year 3 of the Plan (realistic for some areas like SEN Support attainment but a stretch goal for others such as ECHP attainment).

Feedback Loops and Stakeholder Input Progress and feedback will be reviewed through:

• Six-weekly SEND Board meetings, using stakeholder feedback and KPI dashboards to inform decisions and adjustments.

Parent Carer Forum engagement, ensuring co-production and lived-experience insight.

Operational Performance Dashboards and clinics where services review a range of evidence to share good practice and identify and respond to challenges.

School and setting leader forums, informed by weekly operational data.

Multi-agency workshops, using dashboard outputs to refine priorities.

Annual feedback surveys, enabling year-on-year comparison. Our approach to monitoring and evaluation is underpinned by:

A comprehensive programme management plan with clearly defined dependencies, assumptions, and risks, supported by partnership-wide governance and oversight.

User feedback and accurate data to inform decision-making and continuous improvement.

Effective use of data systems and insight to provide measurable evidence of performance and trends. Together, these measures will help Birmingham adapt delivery models, target resources effectively, secure value for money through commissioning, and improve outcomes for children and young people with SEND.

13. Reporting to DfE

Using the attached data template, the local area partnership is required to provide quarterly data returns to DfE against selected key

metrics. DfE will, in turn, provide quarterly data reports with visualised analysis and benchmarking that will support your local

delivery, monitoring and evaluation. This will include data the department holds on Attendance, Exclusions, and Unauthorised

absence.

Section 4 – Governance

14. How will the local area partnership ensure delivery of plans remain on track?

Please outline the governance structures in place to oversee delivery. Clearly set out who is responsible for overseeing reform

delivery, what each governance group or individual is accountable for, and how these arrangements ensure progress is monitored

and decisions are made transparently. Please identify where the named SRO for the Local SEND Reform Plan sits within the

governance structure and ensure your response incorporates the core minimum requirements.

overseen by the SEND & AP Improvement Board. In support of the Board is the SEND Management Group (SMG) which is made up of the partnership Executive Directors and is the key decision making group that feeds into the Board. The SRO is Helen Ellis-Director of Early Years SEND & Inclusion BCC.

SEND & P Improvement Board are to:

• Create a sustainable

SEND and Alternative Provision system in Birmingham that is both inclusive and ensures children and young people with SEND achieve positive outcomes.

• Ensure that the

Partnership has aligned sufficient investment for the local area SEND and Alternative Provision activities, so it delivers high quality and equitable provision (across the area) for all children and young people with additional needs.

• To take responsibility for

ensuring the SEND & AP Improvement Plan (including the 2025 SEND Post Inspection Action Plan) outcomes and KPIs are delivered to meet the DfE and NHS England requirements.

• To deliver strategic

oversight and provide guidance to the leaders of SEND and Alternative Provision services (for all children and young people

-Cabinet Members. -School Heads.

reporting are integrated. The workstream themed meetings listed in attachment fig 2 meet on a monthly basis in the month preceding the Board which will meet at six week intervals.

they are able to make decisions on: -the allocation of leads to actions/outcomes. -agreeing revised delivery timescales. -approving progress reports for Board and other updates as required for Members etc. -The board is the strategic decision making entity in terms of: -approving revised plans. -declaring any risks and issues. -on-boarding of any major new additions to the scope of any of the themed workstream’s. -any joint financial decision making is currently delegated to the sovereign organisations within the Local Area Partnership.

the individual SRO’s. -the SRO’s will then if required escalate up to the Board/ Chair.

please see attachment fig 1 for detail on the governance structure and its flow.

with additional needs) across the local area. To support and challenge the local partnership, to help remove barriers to service improvements and to monitor the implementation of Birmingham’s SEND and Inclusion Strategies.

• To provide oversight,

challenge and support to ensure the Local Area Partnership continues to develop the quality services and outcomes for SEND and Alternative Provision across the Birmingham Local Area.

• Provide oversight of

delivery of the SEND Reforms Plan and pre commissioning tasks for SEND Reform. The information reported to the Board is:

• The voice of the Child

experience.

• Performance of key

service measures in the SEND & AP Scorecard.

• Progress against post

SEND inspection actions.

• Progress against the

actions in the SEND & AP Improvement Plan.

• The impacts of SEND &

AP improvements for SEND Children and families.

• Progress on delivery of

the actions/outcomes in the SEND Reforms Plan. If you have a diagram to show the relationship between these governance mechanisms, please upload this here.

See Governance Structure Explanation and Board Membership Document

Section 5 – Central Government Support

15. How can we help you?

Please outline any practical support you need from central government to implement your plan effectively.

This may include:

• Access to specialist expertise or advisory support
• Help with workforce development or recruitment challenges
• Tools or templates to support data collection, reporting, or evaluation
• Facilitation of peer learning or regional collaboration
• Support with system-level coordination across education, health, and care
• Guidance on navigating regulatory or policy barriers

Access to specialist expertise or advisory support. DfE support required to increase training places for EPs, OTs and SALTs as well as time for associated professional supervision and CPD and expertise to deliver EAH model.

Help with workforce development or recruitment challenges. Developing materials that could support a local advertising campaign specifically for Early Years linked to a national campaign. Ensure the training programme offered is suitable for all EY Providers and not just schools. Tools or templates to support data collection, reporting, or evaluation. Provision of a template to support us to monitor the use and impact of the Early Years Inclusive Mainstream fund.

Facilitation of peer learning or regional collaboration. Include the SEND Reforms work as part of the ongoing Regional and National network support meetings that are available to LAs rather than establish something separate.

Access to a range of local authority Experts at Hand models that are put out as examples of good practice.

Access to or a directory of quality training and clarity on the essential/desirable training for schools and settings across the sector e.g. understanding autism – can this be mandatory?

Support with system-level coordination across education, health, and care. Continue to promote the join-up across Government Departments (DfE/DHSC/NHS) and ensure timelines are co-terminus.

Where ICBs are involved in delivery elements of the plan a practical element of support will be to facilitate sessions, learning and monitoring aligned to their health footprint which can then be tailored and brought back into local areas.

Guidance on navigating regulatory or policy barriers. Continue to make available webinars to support when new guidance is issued Practical guidance on delivering the plans against other relevant/overlapping policy and legislation e.g. attendance, belonging regs, high needs guidance.