Sutton's SEND Charter

Our SEND Charter

Our aspirations as a partnership are set out in our Vision Statement below:

_ “We are collectively ambitious for our children and young people. Together we want to provide them with the best chances to achieve their best outcomes in life, whatever their starting point, and to prepare them effectively for adulthood”_

The Sutton Charter provides a framework for shared values and attitudes across the local area.

The charter has been consulted upon with schools, services, parents/carers and representative parent/carer organisations. The Charter will be used as one of the benchmarks to measure the success of the local SEND offer, gathering feedback against the areas shown below and reporting this to the relevant overseeing bodies.

Our SEND Charter Principles are that we:

• Welcome and Care.

• Value and include.

• Communicate.

• Work in Partnership.

• Develop and nurture each of these to build trust.

Sutton’s SEND Charter Principles explained

Welcome and Care

We will welcome the child or young person and show that we care by:

• Providing a happy and secure environment.

• Celebrating strengths and achievements.

• Preparing for transition points and supporting successful transfer to new settings.

• Acknowledging and respecting how both families and professionals contribute to the progress of the child.

Value and Include

We will all work together to support the child or young person to make the most of their educational experiences by:

• Having a ‘Can do’ and pro-active approach, pre-empting difficulties.

• Identifying needs early, agreeing how we can help, working with partners.

• Being creative and flexible so we respond in the best way to individual needs and changing circumstances.

• Problem-solving any difficulties even when it means uncomfortable conversations.

• Making well-considered decisions, valuing the input of families and professionals.

Communicate

We will communicate openly, clearly and honestly by:

• Making time to listen calmly and respectfully to others’ views, acknowledging their input.

• Responding promptly to queries, explaining answers clearly.

• Following up and reviewing regularly, using past information shared to inform discussions.

• Making sure professional partners explain needs clearly and simply, and say what they will do to make things better.

• Providing all the information needed in good time, in a form that can be readily understood.

• Using positive and constructive language, being sensitive to the stresses for families and professionals.

Work in Partnership

We will work in partnership across families and professionals to help us all be ambitious for our children and young people by:

• Sharing good practice at home and in education.

• Encouraging training and support networks to flourish.

• Preparing well in advance for adult life and the transition from childhood.

• Using feedback and contributions from all parties to improve what we do.

• Acknowledging that mistakes sometimes happen and putting things right when they do – and learning from them so they don’t happen again.

• Encouraging active participation in developing what we can offer to our local community.

• Treating each other with respect.