Advancing Co-Production for Improved SEND Outcomes in Birmingham

Discussing Next Steps for Working Together Well across the Birmingham SEND System

What has been achieved so far? The key deliverables associated with the Objective 3 Working Together Well project, as scoped in the APP, have been largely delivered on paper: Co-Production Framework and Charter Review of SENDIASS Communications and Engagement Strategy In addition, beyond the direct scope of the APP there has been extensive work on: Engagement activity with parents and carers and a Parent Carer Survey (788 responses) and 8 Winter/Spring Engagement deep dive events. We have engaged many more parents and carers and now have a baseline from which to understand and measure satisfaction. We plan similar activities with children and young people in July 2022. Focus group and interview research to map options for embedding co- production in the short and longer term in Birmingham PAGE 2

Next Steps (APP Improvement Programme) From July, co-production is proposed to become a systemic programme-wide activity reporting to SEND Management Group monthly, no longer a discrete project or objective going forward - it is now everyone s business. Activity is ongoing to walk the walk in relation to Birmingham s current SEND Improvement Programme activities. Project leads and the Improvement Team are continuing to undertake co-production activities under Objectives 1, 2 and 4. Ongoing support is needed for the Reference Groups to ensure they become stand-alone and self-sustaining by September/October including: Youth Engagement , Parent Carer Forum Liaison, Co-production Champions Network development and Measuring Success Group Developing Guidance/Toolkit. Working with Education, Health and Social Care Colleagues, development of initial guidance/toolkit for use by APP colleagues. Preparing for a 6 monthly Framework review and parent-carer survey re-run in November (or plan with PMO for this at least in September). Handover plans for this team also. Proposal for a fixed-term/permanent SEND Co-Production Officer post from autumn. PAGE 3

Green Shoots across the Wider Partnership: Mapping Options Report SEND Advisory Teams (PSS) BPhysioS running Urdu sessions on SEND system BWCHT new policy on incentives Birmingham Health Providers Agenda Item Virtual Schools new DPS SENCOs project BCHC Children s Champions PfA/ Transitions CIT and YES! videos for schools PAGE 4

However this is just the start (foundations) Beyond the life of this project and its initial resource allocation, there is still much more needed to embed co-production properly in the system, to ensure that efforts are sustained and that impact is felt by families in terms of improved SEND outcomes. The project on Mapping Options for Embedding SEND Co-Production concluded: More experimentation is needed in each sector and this experimentation generally needs to be cross-sectoral Some quick wins are likely to be available and will help shape the overall SEND strategy However, relatively few of these quick wins have yet been identified and taken forward The SEND system is therefore not yet making the most of its own experience and expertise in co-production there is not yet a systemic approach to co-production PAGE 5

Embedding Co-Production across the wider SEND partnership and system? To really embed and sustain co-production across Birmingham it will also be necessary to reach out further across the partnership and more widely. Therefore we have the following questions for Board Members to discuss: Q1. What are the top priorities for things which have to be done in the short-term (up to January 2023) to embed co-production across the SEND system in Birmingham? Q2. How can working together well be best sustained longer-term? PAGE 6