City of York Council’s Executive will be asked to approve a new strategy to support children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) in York this month.
The five-year strategy, entitled Inclusion and Belonging, sets out to help every child and family in York feel that they belong at school, in their community, and in the wider city.
The strategy has been developed through extensive co-production with young people with SEND and their families.
It focuses on four strategic priorities:
- Voice and Influence and Working Together with Families
Embed co-production and clear communication with families at every level. - Early Identification and Support
Strengthen universal and targeted services to identify needs early and intervene and meet need effectively. - Providing the right support at the right time: Ensure that education, health, and care services work together to provide timely and effective support that meets the needs of children and young people, enabling them to reach their full potential. Emphasis is placed on promoting inclusive practices across all settings, strengthening the confidence, skills, and capacity of mainstream schools. This also includes ensuring high-quality, sustainable, and diverse SEND provision, with sufficient specialist places available where necessary
- Preparation for Adulthood
Ensure effective transition planning from the earliest years through to independence, employment, and adulthood.
The strategy also addresses the need for a confident and skilled workforce and the need to improve mental health support for children and young people.
While prioritising support for children in local mainstream schools, it also responds to feedback from families about the need to think more broadly about inclusion and belonging, including those children who are not in school for a variety of reasons and are educated other than in school.
The strategy has been developed to be flexible, in anticipation of national SEND reforms from autumn 2025, and aligns with the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill to support safeguarding and raise standards.
Cllr Bob Webb, the council’s Executive Member for Children, Young People and Education, said:
We want York to be a city where all young people are valued, included, and supported to achieve their full potential and this strategy puts children, young people and their families at the centre of everything we do.
“I’d like to thank everyone who has worked with the council to co-produce thefinal strategy. Your views and feedback have been invaluable in helping to ensure it will meet the needs of our younger residents now, and in the future.”
The Inclusion and Belonging Strategy aligns with the draft Autism and ADHD Strategy 2025–2030 [all-age]. The actions outlined in the Inclusion and Belonging SEND Strategy are designed to support and complement its key priorities.