That was the finding of the most recent review meeting between the city's SEND Partnership Board, the Department for Education and the Care Quality Commission following a Local Area Review of SEND services, which also concluded that SEND is 'very much embedded in a vision for Wolverhampton as an inclusive city where all children and young people can thrive and are respected'.
The Local Area Review, carried out in 2021, highlighted a number of areas of good practice and those which require further development, and a Written Statement of Action was produced to outline the steps that would be taken by partners to further improve SEND services in the city.
The review meeting, the latest in a series of regular progress checks, determined that partners 'continue to make sustainable progress' against the activities outlined in the Written Statement of Action, and that this work 'is having a positive impact.'
It also found that clear and sustained progress had been made in addressing 2 key areas – implementing strategically planned co-production at every level, and planning and support of transitions within school age, to 19 and to 25 – meaning these will no longer need to be monitored going forward.
Councillor Jacqui Coogan, the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Education, said: "We want to ensure all our children – and particularly those with special educational needs and disabilities – get the very best possible start in life, and the council and our partners are working round the clock to ensure this is the case.
"This latest review meeting has confirmed that the Wolverhampton SEND Partnership Board is continuing to make good progress to improve services for children and young people with SEND, and their families, working hard against a backdrop of increased demand for SEND services.
"The review team were particularly grateful for the contributions from Voice for Parents, our Parent Carer Forum, and from HY5!, our youth forum, whose feedback demonstrates that co-production has improved significantly and is now a strength in Wolverhampton.
"We know there is still much to do, but progress is continuing, and will continue, at pace to deliver the high standards our families expect."
The Local Area Review looked at how well the council, the Black Country Integrated Care Board, The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, the Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, Early Years’ settings, schools and further education providers identify, assess and meet the needs of children and young people with SEND.
