SEND support and resources for professionals

We are committed to supporting staff across health, education and social care services so that they can provide the right support for families at the right time. We work in partnership with schools, SEND services, parents and carers to develop guidance, resources and training opportunities for professionals in Camden.

Understanding SEND

Working in SEND services can be challenging and complex. Listed below are national policies and resources to support those navigating the SEND system:

• The Children and Families Act 2014 is the legal framework underpinning all aspects of SEND practice
• The SEND Code of Practice is the statutory guidance that organisations must follow when delivering SEND services
• The Council for Disabled Children's resource hub provides lots of guides on various SEND topics, from EHC Plan guidance to strategic support in Early Years partnerships
• IPSEA are the leading charity in SEND law in England, and can support professionals and families in navigating the system

SEND in Camden

• Our SEND Glossary provides explanations for various SEND related terms and acronyms
• Our SEND Strategies set out our approach to improving services and support for children and young people with SEND, and their families
• The SEND and Inclusion Service Standards set clear expectations for professionals working in our SEN Team, Educational Psychology Service, Sensory Service and Early Years Inclusion Team, as well as our commitment to schools and families

Early Years

• the SEND: Guide for Early Years Settings explains the duties and responsibilities of early years providers who support children with SEND
• our Early Years Inclusion Team supports nurseries to identify and assess children who may have SEND and ensure they receive appropriate support
• top-up funding for Early Years settings e.g. Camden Local Inclusion Fund (CLIF) and Disability Access Funding (DAF) can be found on our Funding for SEND in education settings page
• Nasen's Early Years SENCO Calendar can help professionals identify and track their tasks
• the Early Years Inclusion Team (EYIT) have co-produced advisory documents to provide schools and settings with supportive guidance on making reasonable adjustments for the diverse needs of pupils in their care:
  • Offering early years places to children with SEND
  • Children on reduced timetables in the early years
  • Reasonable adjustments in toileting for children with additional needs
  • Phonics instruction for Nursery children with complex needs transitioning to Reception

Education

• our Ordinarily Available Provision outlines Camden’s expectations for what is ordinarily available in mainstream educational settings for children and young people with special educational needs. It is designed to provide a consistent framework to support educational settings in identifying needs and planning support for children and young people with SEND
• our approaches to Funding for SEND in education settings outlines how we financially support children and young people
• Camden Learning works in partnership with schools and SEND services to drive improvements in education, their SEND CPD offer includes information, guidance and training opportunities
• for children and young people with EHC Plans, our Annual Review template and (IPSEA)'s annual review checklist can help professionals prepare for the Annual Review
• to apply for our Exceptional Needs Grant, professionals should complete the ENG request form, in line with their school’s copy of the ENG Handbook and send with a completed parental consent form by email to elaine.cowin@camden.gov.uk
• Camden Kids Talk provide training workshops for professionals working with children with communication needs
• see our special schools and other specialist providers including alternative provision
• the Camden Language and Communication Service offer training for our mainstream schools to support children with language and communication needs, email whh-tr.camsltclcs@nhs.net for more information
• for social communication assessments, professionals can refer via the Single Point of Referral (SPOR) Form to the Social Communication Assessment Service (SCAS)
• our SEN Team can provide advice and guidance with education related queries via our duty line 0207 974 6500 or by email at sen.enquiries@camden.gov.uk

Health and Wellbeing

• the SEND Code of Practice: a guide for health professionals
• Children and young people’s continuing care national framework to support in assessing, deciding and agreeing continuing care for children with complex health needs
• see our Health services for those with SEND page for more information on the health services we offer in Camden
• for most CNWL services, professionals can refer via the Single Point of Referral (SPOR) Form
• NHS London Waiting Room has a site dedicated to the Neurodevelopmental Support in Camden, listing the various services and organisations supporting young people with Autism and ADHD

Social Care

• our Safeguarding and SEND information sets out our approach to working with families
• professionals who wish to refer a child to Early Help services should complete a Common Assessment Framework (CAF) referral form and follow our guidance to submit the referral
• the Camden Safeguarding Children Partnership (CSCP) provides multi-agency guidance for professionals, including the thresholds for different levels of social care support
• CSCP also provide Digital Safeguarding Briefings, introducing transitional safeguarding to support work with adolescents
• if you are concerned about a child, contact the Children and Families Contact Service (formerly known as MASH)