Dear colleagues

As we move further into the autumn term, I’m delighted to open this month’s bulletin with a celebration of excellence and impact across our services.

We’re proud to share that Charlotte Hollis, Assistant Service Lead for the Sensory & Physical Support Team, is a co-author of a research article soon to be published in the British Journal of Visual Impairment. The study, ‘Promoting the school inclusion of children and adolescents with vision impairment through the development of a digital intervention’, reflects Charlotte’s dedication and the team’s commitment to evidence-based practice. It’s a fantastic achievement that highlights the difference our services make and raises the profile of Birmingham’s work nationally.

We’re also delighted that Lindsworth School has been invited to a prestigious event at the House of Commons on 13 November, hosted by the Children’s Commissioner. Birmingham pupils will join a youth-led panel to speak directly to Parliamentarians about child poverty, helping shape the Government’s forthcoming strategy. A fantastic opportunity for their voices to be heard at the heart of government.

You’ll also find:

• Parent carer feedback from the recent GROW SEND Community Day, where families responded positively to Birmingham’s Ordinarily Available Guidance and our co-produced parent guide.
• Updates from SENAR, including recent caseload reallocations – please check the refreshed Find a Case Officer tool on the Local Offer website.
• A call for your input as we review Birmingham’s Local Offer, following inspection feedback, to make it clearer and more accessible.
• Highlights from the Communication and Autism Team, whose recent AET Toileting Module sessions have received excellent feedback.
• An update on the recent Improving Developmental Assessment Pathways for Children and Young People workshop.

We know we ask a lot of our schools and settings, whether it’s supporting meetings, responding to surveys, or helping us shape services through your feedback, and we can’t thank you enough for your continued engagement. Your partnership is vital to everything we do, and we deeply value the time and commitment you bring to improving outcomes for Birmingham’s children and young people with SEND.

With my very best wishes

Helen

Helen Ellis - Director of SEND and Inclusion

Research Recognition for Sensory & Physical Support Team

Charlotte Hollis, Assistant Service Lead for Birmingham’s Sensory & Physical Support Team, has been named as a co-author and contributor to a forthcoming article in the British Journal of Visual Impairment (BJVI). The article, titled “Promoting the school inclusion of children and adolescents with vision impairment through the development of a digital intervention”, presents findings from research conducted during the summer term of 2024.

The study involved a cohort of Birmingham students from a range of educational settings, including mainstream schools and the secondary vision impairment resource base. Over the past academic year, the research has been developed into a peer-reviewed paper, reflecting the service’s commitment to research-informed practice and continuous improvement.

Charlotte’s contribution highlights the impact of the Sensory & Physical Support Team in promoting inclusive education for children and young people with vision impairment. Publication in a respected journal such as the BJVI also helps raise the profile of the service and its work across Birmingham.

SENAR Reallocations

SENAR has recently undertaken an evaluation of caseloads among our Review teams.

To ensure officers maintain a balanced caseload, we have reallocated a small number of settings between case officers.

Our ‘find a case officer’ function is now back live on the Local Offer where you can find out which case officer is now assigned to your setting. Case officers are currently familiarising themselves with the children and young people whose EHCPs make up their refreshed caseload.

Please bear with us as we adapt to these changes which will enable case officers to work with you more efficiently.

For any queries, please contact SENAR@birmingham.gov.uk.

Your help is needed to make Birmingham’s Local Offer even better!

As you know, Birmingham’s Local Offer website provides information, guidance, and support for children and young people with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND), as well as their families and professionals.

The Local Offer is designed to be accessible, informative, and is regularly updated, ensuring families and professionals can easily find the right help when they need it.

Following feedback from the recent SEND inspection, we are taking actions to make Birmingham’s Local Offer clearer, easier to use, and more valuable.

Here’s some of what we’re doing:

• Reviewing the Local Offer: We are going to carry out a broader review and collect feedback from children and young people, parent carers, schools, and settings to guide improvements.
• Improving the website: We are reviewing the format and layout to make information easier to read and simplifying navigation so users can quickly find what they need.
• Enhancing content and accessibility: We are reviewing the language used to ensure it is clear and inclusive, making translations more visible, and adding visual aids such as videos and animations to help explain key information.

We’re continuing to raise awareness of Birmingham’s Local Offer and make sure families and professionals can easily find out what support and opportunities are available.

Where we need your help!

• Promotion: Please can you share information about the Local Offer through parent channels, newsletters, and your website.
• Building on the directory and out-of-school activities: We are expanding the directory to include more local services, groups, and activities, carrying out a mapping exercise to identify what’s available and where gaps may exist, and opening communication channels to share details of events, groups, and community activities. Please take a look and let us know if there are some missing that should be included by emailing localoffer@birmingham.gov.uk

These actions will help ensure the Local Offer remains a central, reliable source of information for Birmingham’s SEND community.

Communication and Autism Team (CAT) Training Opportunities

The Communication and Autism Team (CAT) works in partnership with mainstream settings to enhance inclusive and enabling practices for autistic children and those with social communication and interaction needs. A key part of this work is training, which equips staff with the knowledge and systems needed to provide effective support and high-quality provision.

CAT is a Strategic Partner of the Autism Education Trust (AET) and delivers its full, evidence-based and co-produced training portfolio, including the AET Early Years Toileting Module.

In addition to staff training, CAT offers a range of themed workshops for parents and carers, delivered across localities each academic year. These workshops can also be tailored and delivered within individual settings, aligned with strategic planning outcomes and allocated hours.

The AET Toileting Module includes free resources for parents and carers, which CAT has adapted for local delivery. Two workshops were held earlier this term at Anderton Park Primary and St Laurence Junior School, with over 50 parents attending. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with attendees highlighting the value of the sessions.

Information about upcoming workshops is shared via the SENCo noticeboard. For further details, please contact Joanne.Clifford@birmingham.gov.uk.

Schools can access AET training delivered by CAT via the Local Offer: Communication and Autism Team - Local Offer Birmingham. For more information about training modules, please contact Wendy.Peel@birmingham.gov.uk.

Birmingham Pupils to Share Their Voices in Parliament

We’re absolutely delighted to share that Lindsworth School has been invited to a prestigious event at the House of Commons on Thursday, 13 November, hosted by the Children’s Commissioner, Dame Rachel de Souza. Only a handful of schools have been selected, and we’re proud that Birmingham children will be among those representing their peers at a national level.

This special event brings together young people, policymakers, and leading voices to explore how we can end child poverty. It follows the Commissioner’s recently published report, ‘Growing up in a low-income family: children’s experiences', which captured the real-life stories of children across England.

One of the highlights of the day will be a youth-led panel discussion, where children will speak directly to Parliamentarians about the realities of growing up in poverty and the changes they want to see. It’s a powerful opportunity for their voices to help shape the Government’s forthcoming Child Poverty Strategy.

We’re incredibly proud of Headteacher Kate Beale and her dedicated team at Lindsworth, and we extend our congratulations to all schools selected to attend. This is a wonderful opportunity for our children to be heard at the heart of government.

Parent Carer Feedback on Birmingham’s Ordinarily Available Guidance at the GROW SEND Community Day

On Thursday, 9 October, the GROW Services Community Day brought together families and local services in a welcoming space to connect, learn, and share support.

As part of the event, we showcased Birmingham’s Ordinarily Available Guidance (OAG) alongside the first co-produced draft of our parent carer guide. We spoke with families about how schools and parent carers can work together to promote inclusion and ensure every child gets the support they need.

The display invited feedback on what’s working well and where improvements are needed. Responses were overwhelmingly positive, highlighting a strong desire for clear, consistent guidance that connects home, school, and community support.

Here’s what some parent carers told us:

• “The OAG – I’ve read it all! It’s helped me know what is out there.”
• “Thank you! Knowing about this has made my day. Sometimes you don’t know what you don’t know, this is going to really help me!”
• “This makes me think, it’s not the child, it’s how we can work with the school to help them succeed.”
• “It’s really exciting, and an actual vehicle for real, meaningful change, not just paying lip service.”
• “Thank you for talking to me about this. It’s really important that everyone knows how to help.”

We’re grateful to everyone who shared their thoughts and helped shape the future of inclusive education in Birmingham.

Developmental Assessment Pathways

On Monday 6 October , partners from across Birmingham came together for a successful workshop focused on improving developmental assessment pathways for children and young people. The session, held at the Nechells Community Fire Station Hub, brought together colleagues from Birmingham and Solihull ICB, Birmingham City Council, local schools, NHS providers, and representatives from the Birmingham Parent Carer Forum.

Building on previous work to understand how current pathways operate, the workshop marked a shift towards identifying shared priorities for action. Participants focused on tackling long waiting times, exploring a waiting list initiative, strengthening shared care with primary care, and identifying opportunities for more effective system-wide collaboration.

The insights from the session will inform the development of a joint programme of action to be agreed across partners, setting out practical steps to drive improvement and deliver change for children and families in Birmingham.