Published: Friday, 22nd December 2017

The updated website is even more accessible for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), their families and professionals.

The website includes advice on everything from Education, Health and Care plans to Autistic Spectrum Disorder Services and the Special Educational Needs and Disability Information Advice and Support Service.

Council staff worked in collaboration with people from the Action Change Equality (ACE) participation group for young people with SEND plus two work experience students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and visual impairment to cater to their needs.

About the website

Feedback from professionals, young people and their families during focus groups has been incorporated - resulting in a more colourful homepage and more videos and easy read descriptions. An apprentice with ASD has recently been employed as the new local offer co-ordinator to work on further improvements to the site.

A rolling news section has also been introduced which includes up to date events and activities for families that are happening in and around the Borough.

The improvements come ahead of the Council's pilot personal assistant service, or buddy scheme, which will give support to children and young people with SEND. The scheme is expected to be up and running in April 2018.

The Local Offer website was praised in the borough's SEND inspection earlier this year. Inspectors said it "includes a wide range of information about services, sources of support and advice".

'A great range of information'

Councillor Chris Kirby, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said: "The Local Offer website includes a great range of information designed to support children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities aged 0 to 25 years old and their families.

"From early years advice to things to do and training and employment opportunities, you can find the answers to what you need on the website so why not bookmark it to make sure that you're up to date?"

Find out more and view the Local Offer website