Additional Strategies, Statements and Projects
East Sussex Area SEND Inspection
The East Sussex Area SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) inspection took place in November 2024. The report has now been published:
The report was published by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC). It gave the East Sussex Local Area Partnership the middle rating for the:
- delivery,
- planning, and
- commissioning of SEND services.
The local area partnership’s arrangements lead to inconsistent experiences and outcomes for children and young people with SEND. The local area partnership must work together to make improvements.
The report also highlights areas of good practice and the positive examples of multi-agency working. This was where professionals from education, health and social care come together to provide holistic support for children, young people and their families.
The report also identifies what the partnership needs to do better and sets out four areas for improvement. Together, we will be updating our East Sussex SEND Strategy to address these areas. Stay up-to-date by visiting our East Sussex SEND Strategy web page.
SEND Joint Commissioning Statement
You can read the SEND Joint Commissioning Statement on PageTiger.
The SEND Joint Commissioning Statement has been co-produced by:
- East Sussex County Council, and
- Sussex Integrated Care Board.
This statement supports co-production. It also aims to establish the priorities for working together. Documents that helped create this statement include:
- East Sussex SEND Strategy
- The Sussex Integrated Care Board's Continuous Improvement Priorities
You can read more about this document on the NHS Sussex site:
Children and Young People’s SEND Co-production Commitment
You can read the Children and Young People’s SEND Co-production Commitment on PageTiger.
This commitment outlines our co-production with Children and Young People with SEND. It provides guidance on how to hear the voices of pupils and ensure that their needs are central to all our work. The commitment includes a strong focus on embedding this guidance across our organisations.
To create the commitment, we worked with over 60 Children and Young People with SEND from:
- primary schools,
- secondary schools, and
- special schools.
Other partners from were also involved in the development, including:
- schools,
- the NHS, and
- the voluntary sector.
The commitment was also shaped by feedback from public consultation.
East Sussex SEND Co-production Handbook and Charter
East Sussex SEND Co-production Handbook
This handbook expands upon the collective expectations and commitment of:
- East Sussex County Council,
- East Sussex Parent Carer Forum (ESPCF), and
- NHS Sussex.
The aims of this handbook are to:
- Raise awareness and understanding of what co-production is
- Explain how we rely on co-production in East Sussex
- Provide tools and resources for those working in co-production to use
- Help ensure SEND services use co-production
The handbook allows us to work together with families to review, design and develop SEND services in East Sussex.
East Sussex SEND Co-production Charter
The East Sussex SEND Co-production Charter also covers the work between:
- East Sussex County Council,
- East Sussex Parent Carer Forum (ESPCF), and
- NHS Sussex.
The aim for co-production, however, is much broader. Where possible, both parties will help joint working with other statutory:
- agencies,
- departments, and
- organisations.
This will be by working with representatives and co-ordinating projects with shared objectives.
Anyone working with parent carers need to be aware of and supported in using this Charter.
Families and Schools Together Charter
The Families and Schools Together Charter was created with representatives from:
- schools,
- parents and carers, and
- East Sussex County Council.
It lists the key principles for inclusive practice and co-production between schools and families.
When it comes to decision making, it also highlights the importance of involving:
- children and young people with SEND, and
- their families.
It outlines four foundational values, which are our “cornerstones”. They support positive experiences, and outcomes, and guide this approach. These are:
- open communication,
- equal partnership and mutual respect,
- transparency and accountability, and
- the understanding of need.
To find out more, download the Families and Schools Together Charter PowerPoint Presentation.
For questions about the Families and Schools Together Charter, please email:
The Partnership for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools (PINS)
A new pilot project launched in October 2024. The project is the Partnership for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools (PINS). It aims to better support Neurodivergent children in and outside of the classroom.
The pilot project provides early support to:
- build inclusive educational environments,
- proactively address mental health challenges, and
- support collaboration between schools and parent carers for the benefit of their children.
The project is currently running in 16 primary schools across East Sussex.
The work is led by a partnership between the:
- NHS,
- Local Authority education leads,
- Schools,
- Voluntary sector, and
- three local Parent Carer Forums (PCFs).
This is to make sure both the home and school environments work together to best support children and young people.
You can find out more on the NHS Sussex website:
You can also watch the video below, to find out more:
Autism in Schools Project
The Autism in Schools project is being rolled out across Sussex. It aims to support children and young people to be their true selves, both at school and at home. In East Sussex, it is currently running in:
- four secondary schools,
- seven primary schools,
- one special school, and
- three early years settings.
This project includes:
- staff training,
- the development of parent / carer networks, and
- efforts to build pupil confidence and awareness.
The goal is to ensure that Autistic pupils and their families receive the support they need.
The NHS Sussex Learning Disability and Autism Programme continues to support the project. This includes working with Local Authorities.
A pan-Sussex Community of Practice meets each term. This allows them to:
- share good practice, and
- hear from researchers to ensure practice continues to be evidence-based.
East Sussex All-Age Autism Action Plan 2025 - 2027
The East Sussex All-Age Autism Action Plan is for and about autistic people of any age. This includes those with a formal diagnosis of autism, as well as those who identify as autistic.
It has been co-produced with people with lived experience, alongside representatives from:
- East Sussex County Council,
- NHS, and
- Independent sector providers such as wellbeing, education and employment providers.
Throughout 2024 we consulted with the East Sussex autistic community and wider stakeholders. This helped us to identify what is most important to autistic people living in the county.
Find out more on the main East Sussex County Council website:
Accessibility Strategy
You can view the Accessibility Strategy (2022-2025) PDF.
The Accessibility Strategy (2022-2025) outlines East Sussex County Council’s vision and the practical implications for improving access of disabled children and young people to the services which we provide. This includes services we deliver directly, and those which we provide alongside our partners, including education.
Please note - some files on this website might not be suitable for users of assistive technology.
If you use assistive technology and you have issues with any of our documents, please contact us. We will do our best to help and we will contact you about the next step.
You can contact us on localoffer@eastsussex.gov.uk
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
East Sussex County Council recognises the diverse needs and strengths of our communities. We are committed to:
- promoting equality,
- recognising the benefits of diversity, and
- ensuring inclusion in service delivery and employment.
Please visit the main East Sussex County Council website to read out commitment:
Czone is an East Sussex County Council website for schools. The website has a section on equality guidance, school resources and books. The equality and diversity guidance documents are aimed at education settings. Families might also find them useful to read. They include topics such as:
- LGBTQ+
- Race and religion
- Rights Respecting Schools Award
- Hate incidents
- Women
- Local groups
- Books that celebrate diversity
Visit the Czone website to find out more:
Glossary of East Sussex SEND Terms
We explain some of the terms used on this website on our page, Glossary of East Sussex SEND Terms.