Introduction
We want the Local Offer to give you clear and up-to-date information about the support available and how to get it.
We have a process for adding, checking, updating and removing information. Our SEND Local Offer Editorial Policy and Process explains how we do this.
We developed this with Somerset Parent Carer Forum and our SEND Participation and Engagement Team, so that the way we manage the Local Offer reflects what families need.
Who helps us look after 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 your feedback
Your feedback helps us find information that is unclear, missing or out of date. You can use the feedback option at the bottom of our pages to tell us about a problem.
We share what people have told us and what we have changed on our Local Offer Feedback page. Our Local Offer Annual Report gives a wider picture of how people use the Local Offer and how we are improving it.
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.