Children's Services Management Team sponsor: Pam Robinson, Deputy Director of Children's Services: telephone 01962 847911; email: [email protected]

Contact: Felicity Dickinson, County Services Manager, SEN and Specialist Teacher Advisory Services: telephone: 01962 847996; email: [email protected]

1 Summary

1.1 This report seeks approval to consult on Hampshire County Council's Accessibility Strategy for schools and Special Educational Needs (SEN) Policy. The Accessibility Strategy and SEN Policy are attached at Appendices 1 and 2.

2 Recommendations

That the Executive Lead Member for Children's Services (Education):

a) Gives approval to undertake consultations with schools, local dioceses and other interested stakeholders on Hampshire County Council's Accessibility Strategy for schools and Special Educational Needs (SEN) Policy; and

b) Requests that the outcomes of the consultations be reported, later in 2008, to the Executive Lead Member for Children's Services (Education).

3 Background

3.1 All Local Authorities are required, by law, to produce an Accessibility Strategy for the schools for which they are responsible, focussing on increasing access, for disabled pupils, to the curriculum, to the physical environment of schools and to written information.

3.2 Local Authorities are also required to publish a Special Educational Needs (SEN) Policy which sets out the principles, aims and objectives through which they will support the needs of children with SEN and Learning Difficulties and Disabilities (LDD).

3.3 The current Hampshire Accessibility Strategy was published in 2003 and the current SEN Policy in 2005. In the light of initiatives such as the government's ongoing strategy for SEN, `Removing Barriers to Achievement', and `Aiming High for Disabled Children', both documents are now due for review so that they set out the County Council's policy and strategy to ensure that all young people, and particularly those with SEN and LDD, receive high quality educational provision and opportunities to support them in maximising their potential.

3.4 Local authorities are required by statutory guidance to consult all schools in respect of which the LA must produce its accessibility strategy; and trustees of schools (e.g. local dioceses and faith organisations).

4 Corporate priorities and the Every Child Matters outcomes

4.1 The proposals in this report are expected to support the following County Council corporate priorities:

`Making Hampshire safer and more secure for all' by advising on strategies to ensure that school buildings are suitably adapted to make them accessible to children with special educational needs (SEN) and learning difficulties and disabilities (LDD) and by adopting a SEN Policy which sets out comprehensive support for these children, including some who are at high risk of engaging in anti-social behaviours.

`Maximising well-being' by providing a strategy for school accommodation which enables children with SEN and LDD to access the curriculum, sites and buildings and information and which seeks to improve the physical, social and emotional well-being of young people, and a policy which supports the achievement and participation of children and young people with SEN and LD.

4.2 It also supports the desired outcomes of the Every Child Matters agenda, particularly :

Being healthy, by providing advice and guidance to support the physical, social and emotional well-being of young people

Staying safe, by providing a supportive environment and appropriate education for young people with SEN and LDD

Enjoying and achieving, by supporting the provision of effective, full-time education and opportunities, accessible to all, to develop and improve life skills

Making a positive contribution, by supporting the development of appropriate physical, social and emotional skills

Economic well-being, by enabling pupils, who might otherwise have been disadvantaged by their SEN and LDD, to maximise their potential.

5 Consultation

5.1 If the proposal to consult is agreed, views will be sought from the governing bodies of schools, local dioceses and from other interested stakeholders. A list of individuals, agencies and organisations to be consulted is attached at Appendix 3. The outcomes of the consultation will be reported to the Executive Lead Member for Children's Services (Education) at a later point in 2008.

6 Legal implications

6.1 None.

7 Financial implications

7.1 None.

8 Personnel implications

8.1 None.

9 Impact assessment

9.1 An impact assessment will be undertaken in conjunction with the consultation process.

10 Crime prevention issues

10.1 Providing more effective, local education and support for children with SEN and LDD, particularly those with behavioural, social and emotional development (BESD) needs should have a positive impact on the community.

11 Views of the Local County Councillor

11.1 As the Accessibility Strategy and SEN Policy have county-wide application, the views of all County Councillors will be sought as part of the consultation process.

12 Conclusion (no recommendations here)

12.1 The Hampshire Accessibility Strategy and SEN Policy will set out the County Council's direction and approach to supporting the educational needs of children and young people with special educational needs and learning difficulties and disabilities for at least the next three years and enable those young people to maximise their learning achievements.

Section 100 D - Local Government Act 1972 - background documents

The following documents discuss facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and have been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of this report.

NB: the list excludes

1. Published works

2. Documents which disclose exempt or confidential information as defined in the Act.

None.