Local inclusion officer service standards

Local inclusion officers will:

1. Comply with Derbyshire County Council’s 'Putting People First' customer care charter.

2. Work within national and local special educational needs (SEN) frameworks in:

  • Ensuring effective inclusion of pupils with SEN and/or disabilities.

  • Meeting Best Value Performance Indicator (BVPI) targets for completion of statements of SEN.

  • Completion of phase transfer statements by statutory date.

  • Attending annual reviews according to local authority and service priorities.

  • Reducing reliance on statements.

  • Communicating SEN Code of Practice requirements to schools and other agencies.

  • Promoting pupil participation and partnership with parents.

3. Monitoring:

  • Monitor and report on SEN provision in line with statements and Derbyshire’s descriptors of SEN provision.

  • Produce relevant, objective, factual information, making recommendations where appropriate, to inform SEN decision making.

  • Report on SEN and inclusion in schools causing concern.

  • Respond to parents’ concerns in consultation with schools.

  • Challenge and support schools in complying with national and local SEN frameworks.

4. Follow SEN protocols re:

  • Local Authority (LA) panels, i.e. assessment checking/resources/Statutory Assessment Moderating Group (SAMG)/Temporary Additional Pupil Support (TAPS).

  • Refusals to assess, ie make contact with parents within 10 days.

  • Drafting statements and notes in lieu. i.e. SEN toolkit, Derbyshire County Council guidance

  • Following up issues arising from protected entitlement – producing an action plan within 10 days where necessary.

5. Promote Derbyshire County Council policies on:

6. Multi –agency working:

  • Work in partnership with other agencies.

  • Attend multi-agency meetings, including multi-element plan network meetings, in-line with service priorities and report to the LA as appropriate.

  • Work within the children’s services framework to secure the five outcomes for children and younger adults.

7. Follow local authority protocols regarding vulnerable groups e.g.:

  • Looked after children

  • Pupils at risk of exclusion

  • Pupils out of school

  • Travellers

8. Support/challenge schools e.g.:

  • Provide high quality training.

  • Contribute to multi-professional meetings according to service priorities.

  • Advise to improve pupil outcomes.

  • Promote SEN descriptors.

  • Support/challenge schools causing concern.

9. Communication:

  • Provide high quality information orally and in writing to parents/carers, schools and other agencies.

  • Publish information about the local inclusion officer service in hard copy, on the Derbyshire County Council website and on the Derbyshire Net for Learning (an extranet for schools).

  • Publish information about national/local SEN and inclusion initiatives.

  • Liaise with other agencies to produce information about SEN and inclusion.

10. Continuing professional development (CPD):

  • Access high quality CPD at individual, service and local authority level.

  • Contribute to CPD opportunities for customers and partners.

11. Accountability:

  • Maintain appropriate accountability records which can be monitored to ensure effective service delivery

12. Evaluation:

Evaluate service delivery against:

  • BVPI targets for statement completion.

  • Service plan targets.

  • Evaluations by schools/parents/agencies.

Reviewed by local inclusion officer service, November 2007

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