We are currently in Phase 1 of our Education Inclusion Strategy, which covers our plan from 2020-2023.
We have established our vision and road map to develop a trauma informed Education Inclusion Strategy: to ensure that our children and young people are in a school or educational setting which is right for them, supported by trauma informed professionals within and around the school, where their emotional and learning needs being met, and where they feel included, valued and invested in as an individual.
Our inclusion strategy binds together and develop various areas of work currently being undertaken across the authority to support our aim and identify new areas for development. For example, the SEND Strategy, the Early Help Strategy and the Thrive (Mental Health) Strategy are interwoven with the aims of the Inclusion Strategy.
For us, inclusion centres on a holistic, trauma informed practice, that recognises the individual’s right to appropriate education, and access the support needed to do so. It also recognises that schools and educational settings may also need support and require easy access to external services when they need them. It is about understanding, from the child’s point of view, what the child needs to succeed and be included in education, and actively creating the conditions for this. This can only occur where statutory and non-statutory services work together to understand and support all aspects of a child’s life.
Our strategy, which will develop in phases over the coming years, plans to deliver these aims, under three strands:
- Team around the school
- Trauma responsive settings and practice
- Processes, provision and governance
Phase 1 2019 to 2021
Strategy objectives:
Strand 1:
We will have a Team Around the School approach to education inclusion, ensuring that appropriate help and support to engage with education is given to children and their families, with school as the hub.
Strand 2:
Practice in schools and educational settings, as well as within LA teams and partners is attachment and trauma aware and responsive, promoting inclusion.
Strand 3:
There will be a shared responsibility amongst all partners to ensure that our processes and continuum of education provision and governance supports inclusion.
How will we know we have achieved our outcomes?
Strand 1
Consultations with schools, young people, parents and agencies indicate that we have included appropriate agencies as part of the Team Around the School.
Referrals to agencies from schools are appropriate and swiftly actioned.
Our support offer is clear and easily accessible and Team Around the School consultations are in place.
Partner agencies understand processes around access to education and feel confident to liaise with education teams and schools.
Mental Health Support Teams (Thrive) are in place and our training offer around EHWB/SEMH is clear.
Social Workers in Schools and DSL Supervision pilots are in place
Team Around the School guidelines will be in place for practitioners and schools.
Strand 2
A Trauma Responsive model Inclusion Policy will be in place, and will be promoted with schools and partner agencies.
Schools will be supported to develop and embed trauma responsive/attachment aware behaviour/inclusion policies.
The LA transition policy will be extended to include all types of transition, recognising the frequent transitions vulnerable children and young people experience.
Our training offer is clear, appropriate, understood and easily accessible.
A system of supervision for staff in schools is available to schools to deal with secondary/vicarious trauma.
Reduction in the number of fixed term exclusions and permanent exclusions.
Increase in attendance in appropriate settings and reduction in persistent absence.
Strand 3
Salford LA Strategies will share key themes and will support and strengthen shared aims around inclusion.
Decisions around admissions, exclusions, school moves and alternative provision will be fair and transparent and centred on the needs of the child.
Reduction in exclusions will increase capacity in PRUs to undertake outreach and intervention work.
Social Care Plans will include clear evidence of planning to support attendance and engagement with education.
All teams with a vulnerable learner cohort will have swift access to support and advice from education teams.
The SEN graduated response will be embedded in the Team Around the School approach.
There will be a rolling programme of training/information sessions delivered by experts in the field, to ensure system-wide knowledge of relevant education legislation, good practice and processes.
Downloadable documents
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