Introduction
The Children and Families Act 2014 highlights the importance of listening to “the views, wishes and feelings of the child and his or her parent, or the young person”.
It also says that children, young people and their parents should be involved as much as possible in decisions that affect them. They need the right information and support to help them take part.
Somerset, as an area, has signed up for the SEND Engagement and Participation Strategy, which outlines our vision on how we involve children, young people and parent carers to ensure this happens.
Children, young people, and parent carers should be involved in decisions about their own individual support, and their voice should help to shape local services and decisions.
Our approach
There has been confusion about terms used to describe participation and co-production. We have developed together Somerset’s understanding of these terms and approaches in our Collaboration Framework.
Consultation
Service providers in the area consult with children, young people and parents about existing services. They seek their views on how services could be improved and may share good practice from other areas. When changes to services are planned, children, young people and parents should be told about the proposed changes and invited to share their views and raise concerns before final decisions are made.
The Annual SEND Survey is one way we gather feedback from families and practitioners about their experiences of SEND services. It is not a formal consultation. We use the findings alongside other feedback and engagement to understand what is working well and what needs to change.
Find formal consultations
Organisations regularly ask for your views through formal consultations:
Give feedback about services
You can also give feedback directly to individual service providers. They may use questionnaires, surveys or other ways to hear about your experience. You can usually find details in their letters or on their website.
You can also give feedback through:
Participation
Participation means children, young people and families having a say in decisions and services that affect them. This helps make sure services meet families’ needs and make good use of available resources. By sharing their experience and knowledge, families and professionals can find solutions that work.
The SEND Participation and Engagement Team runs Somerset’s Participation Workers Network. The network helps professionals use the Somerset Participation Toolkit. The toolkit includes resources to help professionals hear and understand the views of children and young people.
The Unstoppables, Somerset Parent Carer Forum, SENDIAS and Healthwatch share the views and experiences of children, young people and families at meetings and boards. This helps people who plan and run services understand what life is like for families in Somerset. They share what works well, what doesn’t and what could be better.
Co-production
Co-production goes further than participation. It means families, young people and professionals working together as equal partners to plan or improve services.
Everyone brings their own knowledge, skills and experience. This includes people who plan and fund services, people who provide them, and people who use them. They work together from the start to find solutions that meet local needs and make the best use of available resources.
Co-production and participation should be inclusive. This means making sure people have a fair chance to take part and that different experiences and views are valued.
You can find ways to get involved, or support a young person to take part, through Somerset Young People’s Voice and the engagement opportunities on the Local Offer events calendar.
Resources to support co-production
Education – NASEN have good resources about how to do co-production in schools, which can be adapted and used. Find out more on SEND Gateway
Health – UCL have provided useful resources for health practitioners. Coalition for collaborative care
Social care – Social Care institute of Excellence has provided a range of useful information. Community Care