SEND Isles of Scilly Local Offer

The Council’s Children’s Services team have worked with local parents and children as well as the school, early years providers and social care to produce an Inclusion Charter aimed at developing an inclusive culture and improving services for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities on the islands.

The Charter is the culmination of a process starting in April 2019, when the Rotherham Genuine Partnerships team from the National Alliance for Partnership Working visited Scilly. Events were held community wide with education, early  years, health, social care, young people, parents and the voluntary sector to develop our own locally agreed and understood approach to inclusion and partnership working using the ‘Four Cornerstones’ of inclusive practice and coproduction which are:

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• Welcome and care

• Value and include

• Communicate

• Work in partnership

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The Charter will be used to ensure that families, parents, carers, children and young people are fully involved in all strategic decisions that affect their lives and that inclusion is at the heart of our community as a human right which embraces all people irrespective of race, gender, disability, or other attributes which can be perceived as different.

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The Council and the Isles of Scilly Parent Carer Forum are looking forward to the Rotherham Team’s return to Scilly in April 2022, when we will be reviewing how well the Four Cornerstones of Co-production and Inclusive practice are now embedded in partnerships within the community of Scilly and identify next steps in collaboration with our partners and families.

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Tracy Smith, Strategic Lead, Isles of Scilly Parent Carers Forum, said:

"The Isles of Scilly Parent Carer Forum worked with our members and colleagues from school, children's services and adult social care to co-produce the Charter of how we will work together, with our children and young people and their families at the heart of all discussion and decision.”

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Councillor Joel Williams, Lead Member Children and Young People, commented:

“I’m delighted that partners have worked collaboratively to produce our Isles of Scilly Inclusion Charter. It is a real demonstration that all stakeholders have the right to be heard and valued equally. I believe it is an important document for improving our culture of inclusion and strengthening outcomes for children, young people and families.”