Information, Advice and Support Services – Are you Ofsted Ready? Daisy Russell, IASS Network

Ofsted Handbook – mentions of IASS Following confirmation of the inspection with the local authority and CCG, the lead HMI will contact the local area’s Parent Carer Forum and the Information Advice and Support Service (IASS) to inform them of the inspection and request that they inform parents and carers of the inspection. Arrangements for inspectors to meet representatives of these groups will usually be made by the local area’s nominated officer.

Part 1. How local areas will be inspected Before the inspection Inspectors’ planning and preparation In planning for the inspection, the lead Her Majesty’s Inspector (HMI) and the CQC inspector will consider all available evidence to develop an initial picture of the local area’s performance in fulfilling its responsibilities. The lead HMI and CQC inspector will develop initial hypotheses and key lines of enquiry informed by analysing: the level of appeals to the First-tier Tribunal (Health and Social Care Chamber) (Special Educational Needs and Disability), including cases resolved prior to tribunal hearing  

Part 2: The evaluation schedule The evaluation schedule sets out the types of inspection evidence and the considerations that guide inspectors in judging the effectiveness of the local area in meeting its responsibilities under the Children and Families Act 2014 as explained in the Code of Practice.

Engagement and co-production with children and young people, parents and carers 92. Inspectors should also take into account the use of impartial information and advice and support services, including advocacy where appropriate, to support children and young people’s needs.

Satisfaction of children and young people who have special educational needs and/or disabilities that their needs are being met and their outcomes are improving 96. Inspectors will also take into account children and young people’s access to and the effectiveness of impartial information, advice and support services, and advocacy where appropriate.

Inspection planning – from the London Region guide Important people to link up with/identify before Ofsted arrive: Nominated officer Who is the nominated officer for your Local Area (see OFSTED Framework Handbook for Inspections, p. 5 to 10) The nominated officer is key contact for participating in the local area self-evaluation. LA It would be helpful to inform your local LA of the issues you intend to raise as well as good practice with the inspectors – Also how can you help them? Tribunal?

PCFs Local Parent Carer Forum: The inspectors will regard them as the voice of the parents/ young people (see p. 7, para. 12) and that PCF and SENDIASS are the two parent/carer groups that will be contacted separately alongside the LA.  PCF and SENDIASS Should be invited to take part in focus groups with the inspectors, therefore it would be useful to identify local issues you want to raise, and good practice from respective services.

Information about SENDIASS role (and name…): *Prepare a brief description of your role and statutory requirements: -Who you are (statutory function, Chapter 2 SEND Code of Practice) -What the statutory responsibilities of SENDIASS are -Your core service funding/budget without IS or SEND reform grant funding -Make it clear that the LA is responsible for providing the local information, advice and support service, whether in house or outsourced. -Make clear the difference between IS and IASS especially in terms and relationship with CoP. * Inspectors may not be aware of the SENDIAS role and remit. Lots of ‘Independent or other confusion about name, be clear about who you are, impartial and not KIDS or Banardos etc.

About you What’s going well and what’s not going well -What you offer locally against statutory responsibilities of SENDIASS -What you are able to deliver and what you’re not (why; i.e. funding/resources) improve the situation. For example, how is your service supporting parents/carers/YP with SEN appealing

Parents/CYP Contacting Parents* -Ensure you are able to contact (email/letter) parents you have worked with promptly before the start of the inspection, OFSTED will request that you do. -Parents who want to take part in the inspection may need to be supported to do so, i.e. taking part in *webinars (computer access for example) or to take part in the focus groups. -Children and young people could be offered this opportunities as well. Important to think about how you will facilitate, if at all possible. *Ofsted like these

Question A: How effectively does the local area identify CYP who have SEND (p. 23-24) How does your service support children and young people to identify their SEND and or their parents? Use your service data (type of referrals, for example how many parents/CYP come to you wanting support to identify the nature of their child’s SEN; number of tribunal for refusal to assess; SEN related exclusions). Hopefully you have already gathered this information for benchmarking and other reporting processes. Write a Case study: what was the original referral reason, how you supported parent/CYP in understanding how the local area identify children and young people, what was the outcome from providing this support For example, explained the SEN Support process, how it is implemented locally etc.).

What is going well and what is not Give examples what is going well and why Give examples of what is not going well (gaps in service provided why -not adequately funded to) Explain what would help to address the gaps

Question B: How effectively does the local area assess and meet the needs of children and young people with SEND (p. 25 to 26. See para 92 for reference on IASS) How does your service support parents and/or children and young people to assess and meet the needs of children with SEND? Data - (type of referrals, how many parents/CYP come to you wanting support with assessment and provision Case Studies - For example, explained the SEN Support and or EHC Needs process and you provided support through the process, meetings, tribunal, mediation etc. Well/Not - Gaps, how you could fill them…

Case studies - Tracing a journey from start to finish. Question C: How effectively does the local area improve the outcomes for children and young people with SEND? (p. 26 to 28. See para 92 for reference on IASS) How does your service improve the outcomes for children and young people with SEND? Data –feedback forms; service reach; tracing journeys from referral to final destination Case studies - Tracing a journey from start to finish. How has the information, advice and support helped improved outcomes for the CYP-could be linked to the Preparing for Adulthood-key outcomes Well/Not – what more could you do ? How?

You do not need to have a big file with lots and lots of information What do you want the report to say? Talk to eachother

During the Inspection: Try and have all of the above information The inspection lasts no more than 5 days. You might be invited to meet with the in spectators on your own or part of a focus group. You may have an hour or 5 minutes to speak. Either way, use that time constructively by preparing in advance using suggestions above! Be helpful to the inspector, and bear in mind it’s the local authority responsibility to have a properly resourced IAS, not yours. Also the inspection is about the local area

After the Inspection Make a note of your experience for forum/region and IASSN When the inspection letter comes out decide how you want to respond – very varied Positive – build on, use in leaflets etc, (but be clear that could do more) Negative - Why? , what can be done (short and long term). No mention, Why? Lack of awareness? Too many other things going on? Use to advantage.