The Big Listen: share your views and experiences of SEND provision

The Big Listen consultation opened on Monday 14 October and aims to understand how families could be better supported around Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) provision.

The feedback will be used to inform the SEND and Inclusion Strategy for the next five years.

Councillor Victoria Aitken, cabinet member for children, families and education said: “We want to hear from families about school places, training of staff, finding the right support or knowing your voice is heard. We know that there are many challenges, many views and many lived experiences.

“We want to develop our strategy, ensuring it reflects the needs of our community, and to do this we would like the views of as many people as possible.”

Whether you are a young person, child, parent, carer, family member, professional, or member of the public, we want to hear from you and what you feel are the most important things we need to develop, what’s working well and what your priorities are.

There are also a series of co-production events for professionals, parents and young people with SEND:

• Thursday, 14 November, 10.30am – 2.30pm
• Monday, 18 November, 10.30am – 2.45pm
• Monday, 25 November, 10.30am – 2.30pm
• Monday, 2 December, 10.30am – 2.30pm

To book onto a session, please email: localoffer@eastriding.gov.uk

Alongside the consultation, Councillor Victoria Aitken, with East Riding MPs - Sir David Davis, Graham Stuart and Charlie Dewhirst, continues to lobby for reform of the funding formula used by government to allocate money to councils for SEND provision. Councillor Aitken said: “In East Riding we receive the lowest amount of funding per child, at £952 per pupil with SEND. The average amount per pupil nationally is £1,371, and if we received this it would mean the council would have a staggering £17.4million more each year for SEND provision.

“The way the funding is calculated is outdated and doesn’t represent the current demands and needs of SEND children and their families.

“Whilst we know there is some outstanding work from schools and professionals, there is a real strain on the system, and we need this to change.

“I’d like people to take some time to complete the survey or attend an event, and this will help us to deliver the right provision, in the right place and at the right time, to achieve the best outcomes for our children and young people.”

The consultation is being run by East Riding of Yorkshire Council, in partnership with Humber and North Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership, Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board and East Yorkshire Parent Carer Forum.

Complete the survey by 31 December: https://consultation.eastriding.gov.uk/s/TheBigListen/

This survey can be made available in other languages or formats if required by emailing: localoffer@eastriding.gov.uk