Introduction
We want our Local Offer to give you clear, up-to-date information. You should be able to find what support is available and how to get it.
We follow a set process to add, update and remove content. This is in our SEND Local Offer Editorial Policy and Process. We created this policy with the Somerset Parent Carer Forum and the SEND Participation and Engagement Team. This helps us reflect what families need and what they tell us.
Overseeing the Local Offer
- Weekly Local Offer Update Group – This group looks at small updates each week. They act on simple changes. They also share views from parent carers, spot gaps, and flag problems with the website. A Somerset Parent Carer Forum (SPCF) member is part of this group.
- Task and Finish Groups – These groups help design and check Local Offer content. They use feedback from families and young people. They find gaps and create new content. They also look at bigger changes to services. Each group includes a parent carer and a young person. Some areas also have ongoing groups. These work in a similar way to Task and Finish Groups, but they carry on meeting to review and improve content and services over time. Examples include the EHC plan Standards Group and the Neuro-Affirmative Forum.
- SEND Partnership Board – This board sets and checks the SEND strategy in Somerset. It also promotes the Local Offer and challenges services to improve it.
Checking quality
- Content – SPCF reviews website content each year and suggests improvements.
- Schools – SPCF reviews school websites twice a year, and makes an action plan for schools to fix any issues.
- Accessibility – Somerset Council’s Digital Service checks the website is easy for everyone to use.
Using feedback
We meet with groups such as the Support Group Forum, SEND Navigators and SENDIAS. This helps us understand your views and improve the Local Offer.
At the bottom of each page, you can use the “Is this page useful?” link. You can tell us if something is unclear, out of date or not working. This is anonymous.
We share key feedback and what we have changed on the Local Offer Feedback page.
Our Local Offer Annual Report also shows how people use the site, what they tell us, and what we will do next.
If your feedback is about improving a service, you can find other ways to share your views in Somerset’s SEND Engagement and Participation Strategy.
Updating your pages
SEND Provider Records
To add or update a service, complete the database update form. Choose “Somerset’s SEND Local Offer record”. You can also find this link at the bottom of your service page under “Update record”.
School or College Records
Schools and colleges should use the same form. Select “School/College”. You can also find this link on your school page.
Events
You can add an event to the SEND events calendar using the SEND event form.
After you submit a form, our Digital Service checks it. This makes sure people have access to all the information they need before publishing. The event automatically disappears from the list when it expires.