Thank you! To everyone who completed the recent Kirklees SEND Local Offer survey, the results are now in so here is a summary of what you have all said and what we are going to do about it...

Has the Local Offer helped?

What difference has the Kirklees SEND Local Offer made to you and your family? 

• The SEND support in Kirklees has always been brilliant - we have been very supported in the past.
• I am pleased there now is a website
• It has given advice about where I need to access support from and helped the school which my child attends.
• Helpful with advice for our child
• Supporting with education side of SEN rather than support groups and activities and that area was lacking with up to date information.
• Good information on how to support my child
• Given me a direction regarding my daughter. I was struggling to find help with her needs, until they gave me suggestions on who to get in touch with.
• Been able to find out more information on what can help us
• We now have a central point for information.
• Provided a wealth of info all in one place
• It is good to know that the support is out there and that advice is on offer. You never feel alone.
• We are more aware of what is on offer for my child more knowledge of it been sent out
• They have met with me to understand gaps in provision for under 8s and tried to help me source activities
• It gave me quite a bit of info on places to go with my family
• Everything is in one place with advice when needed
• Easy to access support and advice

If the Kirklees SEND Local Offer didn't help at all, please let us know why? 

• Never find the answer I’m looking for and never enough information (over what I already knew) 
• When looking at the site it seems detailed and full of information, however, when you start looking for specific information or support you can’t find it. I’m still a little confused about my next steps to getting advice but I just seem to be going around in circles then end up at the home page again.
• I work in education so have been aware of the systems needed. My son has been receiving SEND support since the age of 2 so I do not use the service now. 
• I did not know it existed. My wife and I have worked hard with our dyslexic children’s schools to ensure they understand and met their SEND needs.
• Not explained properly , not enough there 
• The website was confusing and didn’t seem to contain any relevant information. 
• The organisations in the Local Offer cannot accommodate my autistic child. 
• I find there is little or not anything for under 5s
• It doesn't meet the needs of severe and profound learning difficulties and complex needs or the under 8's 
• It’s not structured well and it doesn’t explain what you actually need to know 
• Does not appear to be any support for young people with serious illnesses - emphasise appears to be on behavioural difficulties. 

What can we do with what you have told us?

Some of you have told us that the Local Offer is really helpful, has lots of information and has helped you to find a service or information about SEND that you didn't know about before.  This is great to know that it is helping a lot of people.

Some of you have told us that the Local Offer didn't help you, that you struggled to find the information you were looking for, that it was confusing and that you didn't even know what the Local Offer was.  We also know that some of you found the information you were looking for, but the services didn't offer the support you were looking for.  So what can we do?

• More face to face "How to use the Local Offer" sessions across Kirklees at a time that suits families.
• More Local Offer Live events (the next one is November 29th at Dewsbury Town Hall) 
• New marketing campaign – "do you need help with SEND" to help families find the help they need and to signpost them to the Local Offer. 
• Working alongside Community Plus, Community Hub Co-ordinators and Families Together to spread the work about the Local Offer through coffee morning, family fairs and SEND parent events.
• Drop in sessions run by the Inclusion Support Offer to develop understanding of the Local Offer for professionals who work with children so that they can let families know about the Local Offer. 
• Working closer with the teams that develop services in Kirklees to share what we are learning with them to that they can consider this when commissioning new services. 
• Working closer with KIAS to look at how better support and signposting can be achieved at the earliest point for families.
• Share survey results across services 
• The Local Offer to attend primary & secondary heads meetings so that Headteachers are fully aware of the Local Offer. 

As always, if you would like to speak with someone about the Local Offer about how we can help you more, please do get in touch at LocalOffer@kirklees.gov.uk or call 01484 416919