Partnerships

Post-16 Pathway Partnership Group

This multi-agency group features a wide range of members including councillors to achieve the following outcomes:

• create a clear and communicative pathway to support young people prepare for adult life, inclusive of Health, Education and Social Care, considering key stages and points of transition
• develop a pathway that will be accessible via numerous platforms including Wiltshire's Local Offer
• work with Stakeholders to ensure the pathway is holistic and co-produced
• work with young people, carers, and families to ensure the information provided is accurate and relevant
• identify gaps in provision for Post 16 provision to feed into future planning and support the increasing post 16 cohorts

If you are interested in finding out more about this group or think you might be able to contribute contact localoffer@wiltshire.gov.uk (opens new window).

Safeguarding Vulnerable People Partnership (SVPP)

The Safeguarding Vulnerable People Partnership (SVPP) are the multi-agency safeguarding arrangements in Wiltshire.

The SVPP was established in February 2019, in response to Working together to safeguard children (gov.uk) (opens new window) which required that local safeguarding partners set out arrangements to work together to safeguard and promote the welfare of local children, including identifying and responding to their needs. The safeguarding partners are the Local Authority, Clinical Commissioning Group, and the Police. They have a shared and equal duty to make arrangements to work together to safeguard and promote the welfare of all children and adults in a local area (as set out in Working together to safeguard children (gov.uk) (opens new window) and the Care Act 2014 (legislation.gov.uk) (opens new window)).

For more information visit:

Wiltshire Safeguarding Vulnerable People Partnership (wiltshiresvpp.org.uk) (opens new window)

Creative Solutions Board (CSB)

The Family and Children Transformation Partnership have been evaluating the outcomes from a pilot scheme around transitional safeguarding (opens new window), one of the products of this has been the Creative Solutions Board. The board is an opportunity for practitioners to bring complex individuals who have complex needs but for whom 'business as usual' or our local system of support is not working, to a multi-agency board of decision makers from key organisations. The CSB will then work together to come up with creative solutions to enable the practitioner to 'flex' the system and attempt to unblock some of the issues that exist in Wiltshire. The CSB will also work to develop system change so that similar blocks are avoided in the future.

The CSB core group will have senior representatives from key organisations such as AWP, DHI, adult and children's social care, probation, housing, police as examples. Other organisations will be invited to input as appropriate and as the CSB develops. The CSB has a chair, and there is also a CSB Co-ordinator to support the running of the process, manage the requests and support practitioners who present at the CSB.

Practitioners from the core CSB organisations and professionals who sit outside of the CSB can submit a request for an individual they are working with to be discussed at the CSB. The practitioner will have support from the co-ordinator to bring together the correct information and present the individual to the CSB. Any actions agreed by the CSB will be led by the practitioner with support from coordinator. There is no additional worker involved in the CSB, it is not a 'handing off' any actions set will be completed by the existing team around the individual or potentially a new referral. Support from the practitioners will be provided by the navigator and co-ordinator.

This process is to support those for whom 'business as usual' has not worked. It is not to replace any existing work, and it is not a referral to a new service or a new support worker. The CSB will take place monthly focussing on 1 or 2 individuals each session.

In this pilot year we are hoping to present individuals with a range of needs and challenges to fully evaluate how the CSB works for different types of and individuals and to ensure that the approach works well for everyone.

If your team has an individual who you think would be appropriate to bring to the CSB or if you have any questions about the appropriateness of a request, please email Jemma.Halligan@wiltshire.gov.uk (opens new window) who will come back to you to talk it through and share more information.

We also welcome your thoughts and input; we are on a learning curve as we develop the Wiltshire approach, and we expect that changes will be made as we go. We appreciate your ideas and feedback in helping to make the CSB work the best it can for Wiltshire. If you have any creative ideas or solutions, or any insight into different system barriers that you think might exist, we welcome your input. Please get in touch at Jemma.Halligan@wiltshire.gov.uk (opens new window).

Multi-Agency Forum (MAF)

It is vital to provide the right help early on, to ensure our children and young people have the best chance of achieving good outcomes. For this to happen we need truly collaborative working across services, teams and thresholds.

Almost every community area in Wiltshire has a locally owned and managed Multi-Agency Forum (MAF). This is very important as localised ownership is the glue that keeps MAFs focused on local needs and locally supported partnership working. This in turn makes the MAF more meaningful and useful for local staff.

The quality of support available at MAFs is exceptionally high and helps direct professionals to the most appropriate support for the child or young person - so less time is spent navigating services. This also means that any support or intervention needed to support children, young people and their families in Wiltshire, can happen at an earlier stage.

Multi-Agency Forums are a valuable mechanism for enabling partnership working as they provide an opportunity for:

• discussing anonymised ESA cases for peer advice and guidance (unless it is clear that parents and the young person have given permission for their details to be shared with a range of professionals)
• hearing about local service updates and changes
• learning about effective interventions
• focusing attention on key issues specific to your locality
• effective peer support and networking

If you are looking to signpost to your MAF, or take part in your local forum contact CommunityNavigator@wiltshire.gov.uk (opens new window).

Selective mutism development of services

If you would like to be involved in the development of services for selective mutism please contact the ICB (bswccg.wiltshirechildrenservices@nhs.net (opens new window)) and express your interest in this particular area of need. You may also want to include Healthwatch Wiltshire (opens new window) in your communications as an active partner in supporting positive change in services in Wiltshire.

SENCO Network meeting

Join the SENCO Network meetings, run by the SSENS Team, for updates and training on different aspects of SEND. This is open to all SENCOs/ SEND support staff from primary, secondary, higher education and special schools.

Each meeting will usually include:

• an outside speaker - previously these have included the SALT Team and representative from commercial SEN programmes
• a Takeaway Training Pack to hear presented and then takeaway to use in your school
• an opportunity to network with other SENCOs and suggest topics for future meetings
• general updates from both Wiltshire Council and the world of SEND.

To ask any questions, request materials or take part in these meetings as a speaker or as a SENCO email SSENS@wiltshire.gov.uk (opens new window)

The Resource Base network

An excellent opportunity to be part of a termly Resource Base network meeting which fully supports improving outcomes for schools with a Resource Base.

The Resource Base network will provide a collaborative opportunity for colleagues across RB schools to get together and share best practice in a positive and supportive forum. In addition to providing updates, national/local developments, resources and guidance materials, guest speakers will be invited to discuss topics pertinent to Resource Bases, and schools encouraged to share their practice.

Throughout the network meetings, colleagues will be invited to discuss successes and challenges, case studies and scenarios of best practice and identify topics for future discussion. The network will be built by responding to the needs of its members and provide a valuable resource to develop practice.

By the end of the sessions you will:

• have had opportunities to network and share best practice with colleagues working in Resource Bases
• be able to reflect on your own practice within your Resource Base and how this could be developed
• have a range of practical guidance, support and development materials to enhance practice in your own setting.

To ask any questions, request materials or take part in these meetings as a speaker or as a SENCO email schooleffectiveness@wiltshire.gov.uk (opens new window).

Special School open mornings

Following the success of the 22 - 23 special school open mornings for staff working in resource bases, we are working to develop a number of open mornings within our special schools to widen the offer to include mainstream.

These will allow an opportunity to see the facilities within the schools, to hear about how the needs of children with SEN are met and to understand the various outreach support opportunities.

For more information and dates contact schooleffectiveness@wiltshire.gov.uk (opens new window).

New to SENCO

Starting in a new Special Educational Needs Co-coordinator (SENCo) role can be overwhelming with many different elements to consider and a long list of activities to prioritise. This network aims to support new or returning SENCos to develop links with SENCo colleagues, plan for strategic leadership of SEND provision and understand where the SENCo role sits within wider legislation.

For more information contact schooleffectiveness@wiltshire.gov.uk (opens new window).

To book your course or find relevant resources visit:

New to SENCo Network meeting (opens new window)

Improving outcomes with the SEND SEF

The SEND SEF is a self-evaluation document which has been designed as a comprehensive support and evaluation tool for schools to understand the current quality of SEND provision and practice, accurately identify areas of strength and effectively plan for development.

This course offers the opportunity to share best practice and network with others.

To book your course or find relevant resources visit:

Improving outcomes with SEND SEF  (opens new window)

SEND Employer Champions

Wiltshire Council is asking employers in the county to sign up to a new scheme which gives young people with SEND the chance to try out a workplace and show what they can offer.

Called the Wiltshire SEND Employer Champion Scheme, companies can sign up for bronze, silver or gold levels, participate in a number of activities and receive accreditation accordingly.

For more information visit:

SEND Employer Champions

Mental Health Open Forum

The forum provides a unique opportunity for people to speak directly to those who run mental health services in Wiltshire, talking about their experiences and sharing their ideas for ways services could be improved.

It's a collaboration between Healthwatch Wiltshire, service users and mental health service provider Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust (AWP), and is supported by a range of organisations including Wiltshire Council, Rethink, Carer Support Wiltshire and Citizens Advice.

For more information visit:

Healthwatch Wiltshire: Wiltshire Mental Health Open Forum (opens new window)