Notification of Suspensions and Exclusions
A reminder to all schools about the Statutory Duty around notifying the Local Authority on Suspensions and Permanent Exclusions.
All schools MUST notify the Local Authority on all suspensions and exclusions, these notifications should be sent to the Exclusions Inbox (exclusions@warwickshire.gov.uk )
All permanent exclusions must be notified to the Local Authority on day 1 in order for 6th day provision to be organised. All permanent exclusions should be accompanied by a LIF detailing relevant and detailed information pertaining to the CYP in support of accurate information sharing. We advise that the LIF is completed by someone who knows the CYP well and all the relevant factual information is included.
All schools and WCC in line with guidance must inform parents/carers about the process of exclusion and where they can access free legal advice. To support schools, working alongside families, the following resource has been coproduced between Warwickshire Parent/Carer Voice, Warwick University Law Students, Bailey Wright and Co, and Warwickshire County Council We advise that schools send this film out to help support parents/carers through the process.
WCC will be sharing this film with any parent/carer whose child is suspended or excluded.
Integrated Disability Service 0-5 referral form has moved online
The Single Point of Access (SPA) referral form for requesting pre-school support from Warwickshire County Council’s Integrated Disability Service (IDS) has moved online.
It has been developed as part of a wider project looking to expand and improve access to early intervention in the early years for children with severe and complex long-term needs.
The new electronic single point of access (e-SPA) form will speed up the referral process when requesting support for children aged 0-5 years to access one of the following IDS services:
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Birth to 3 home learning and portage
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SEND childcare for children accessing childcare including childminders
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Specialist teachers for children accessing nursery and transitioning into school
Anyone making a referral will now need to use the e-SPA form, available online on the Local Offer.
Providing information in this way, instead of using the current paper form, will enable more accurate and consistent capturing of information, therefore reducing the chance of duplication or errors during the process. This will allow IDS to process referrals much more quickly and efficiently, meaning that the most appropriate support can be put in place for pre-school children sooner.
The form will also provide an immediate response to the person making the referral to let them know if the child does not meet the criteria for support and will signpost to alternative services wherever possible.
After completing the e-SPA form, the referrer will be able to print a copy for their records and will receive a confirmation email when this has been submitted successfully.
We would suggest gathering all the information needed to complete the form before starting as there is no option to save and come back to it later. It is also recommended that the person making the referral gets a parental signature to confirm the referral has been seen and agreed by parents or carers.
Over the coming months the paper-SPA (which you will find in your Early Years SEND ‘Green File’) will be phased out. We would therefore encourage anyone making a new referral to use the new e-SPA form (you will find the link at the bottom of the IDS page).
Views invited on proposed changes to services for children and young people with SEND in Warwickshire
Warwickshire County Council is currently running two public consultations around proposals to change the way that they provide support to children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) in Warwickshire.
This includes changes to the SEND Home to School Transport Service and the SEND & Inclusion Service Offer, specifically the core and traded offer currently provided for education settings across the county.
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