SEND and Inclusion Services Delivery Principles
Service delivery from SEND and Inclusion Services, including the Educational Psychology Service (EPS), Education Entitlement Team (EET), Ethnic Minority Traveller Achievement (EMTAS), Flexible Learning, Integrated Disability Service (IDS), and the Specialist Teaching Service (STS) has adapted in response to the ongoing Covid-19 advice and guidance from Public Health England, Warwickshire County Council, the DfE, and in line with Government guidance for school/settings.
All SEND and Inclusion services offer contact via face to face meetings. They can also offer meetings via Microsoft Teams, email, and phone. Services have significantly developed their virtual offers of delivery including webinars, most recently in evidence from the Educational Psychology Service (EPS) in relation to Reading. For the full online CPD offer from SEND and Inclusion Services please see WES website: https://apps.warwickshire.gov.uk/Wes/
Direct work in educational settings
Where professional engagement cannot be undertaken virtually and direct working is mutually agreed by the setting, the professional, and by all engaged i.e. parents, CYP, and other professionals, service staff will undertake direct work in a setting as it is safe to do so.
SEND and Inclusion staff will request the settings’ risk assessment, and confirm with the setting the schools’ arrangements for entering and exiting the school, agreements on appropriate work space, arrangements for pupils/staff/parents alongside ensuring signed informed consent for the visit is in place, and school cleaning protocols for the area to be worked within are confirmed.
Risk assessing the need for direct engagement will include time limited face to face contact with regard to 2 metre guidance, on the agreed/planned for activity, and will include appropriate/necessary use of PPE. Setting risk assessment requirements will be followed and adhered to.
Telephone contact will be made immediately prior to (the morning of, or the day before) the visit to ensure risk assessments are current and to confirm staff well-being. Individual staff will attend no more than one setting/’bubble’ per day.
SEND and Inclusion staff will work with school staff to pre-plan engagement to maximise safety and reduce incidental contact with external visitors.
This guidance will be subject to constant review following further changes to guidance. Remaining safe and well, and reducing risk are key to all service delivery considerations.