SEND Co-production Charter

The SEND Co-production Charter has been fully co-produced with children and young people with SEND, parents or carers and representatives from Education, Health and Care in both Childrens and Adult Services as SEND spans 0 to 25 years.

We particularly thank Swindon SEND Families Voice and STEP for their support in the co-production of this document, as well as the SEND Young People’s Champions who co-produced the document with young people with SEND in Swindon.

For ease of access, the SEND Co-production Charter includes the following:

• The whole document both in booklet and page-per-view formats, to support reading online
• A separate 1-page document of the SEND Co-production Charter – the 5 C’s – collaboration, co-commissioning, co-design, co-delivery and co-assessment
• A separate 1-page document of the SEND Co-production Charter Promises – the commitment that services have made or are making and will continue to make to children and young people with SEND and their families
• A separate 1-page document of how services will evaluate their co-production with children and young people and families annually
• A separate 1-page document example form services can use to complete their annual evaluation of co-production
• A glossary of terms and references and links to other documents and websites

If you are a young person with SEND, and you wish to be involved in co-production of services you may use, or you feel that you are not being involved in co-production of services and wish to be, please let us know by emailing localoffer@swindon.gov.uk and we will ensure your details are passed to the appropriate service, so that your voice may be heard.

If you are a parent or carer of a child or young person with SEND, and you wish to be involved in co-production of services you or your child or young person may use, please contact Swindon SEND Families Voice at swindonSENDfamiliesvoice@outlook.com, our local Parent Carer Forum, who can offer you opportunities to be involved.

Swindon SEND Co-production Charter

For successful co-production with children, young people and parents or carers, it is important to plan for what may be referred to as the 5 C’s – collaboration, co-commissioning, co-design, co-delivery and co-assessment.

The 5 C’s have equal importance for the successful co-production of services now and in the future. It is a way to ensure that the Swindon SEND Local Area Partnership listen to the voices of children and young people at all stages of any project or new service.

To use the 5 C’s, the Swindon SEND Local Area Partnership needs to commit to build relationships with children, young people and parents or carers as follows:

Collaboration

• We will build strong relationships with children, young people and parents or carers, based on communication, trust and mutual respect
• We will grow shared values, shared goals and a common understanding of what needs to be achieved to continue to improve services for children and young people with SEND and their parents or carers
• We will share responsibility with children, young people with SEND and their parents or carers and value their active contributions
• We will share decision making and the implementation of decisions with children, young people with SEND and their parents or carers

Co-commissioning

• We will build in the voices of children and young people and parents or carers at the beginning of any new service or project to ensure all key stakeholder’s voices are heard

Co-design

• We will ensure the design of services remains relevant
• We will include clear communication between service providers and parents or carers who use services

Co-delivery

• We will ensure the voices of children, young people and parents/carers contribute to service delivery
• We will explain why the services are needed, and the support systems in place to ensure better outcomes, for example by giving peer support to others, co-delivery of empowerment workshops

Co-assessment

• We will ensure the voices of children and young people are heard in assessing what has worked well, what has not, and what changes are needed for further improvement

Swindon’s Co-production Charter Promises

The Swindon SEND Co-production Charter includes six promises related to improving the services and outcomes experienced by children and young people with SEND in Swindon. It is a demonstration of commitment and intent by the Swindon SEND Local Area Partnership to the principles and practices of co-production with children and young people with SEND and their parents or carers as a way of working that is embedded across and within the SEND system of services and support.

The SEND Local Area Partnership will value all voices and opinions given by children, young people and parents or carers regardless of background, identity or ability, so that they feel valued and respected.

The Swindon SEND Local Area Partnership and services working with children and young people with SEND, promise the following:

• To give children, young people and parents or carers information that is accurate and appropriate
• To tell children, young people and parents or carers who is going to listen and the difference their involvement could make in a service or project
• To give children, young people and parents or carers the choice to be involved, and the time and support to make any choices
• To listen to the views, experiences and ideas of children, young people and parents or carers and take these views seriously
• To work with children and young people in a safe, fun and enjoyable way that supports their needs. All contributions that are offered will be valued.
• To listen to children, young people and parents or carers and learn from them to make things better for them, ensuring they are heard in all decisions about them

Supporting documents

• SEND Co-production Charter booklet (PDF)
• SEND Co-production Charter page-per-view version (PDF)
• SEND Co-production Charter (PDF)
• SEND Co-production Charter Promises (PDF)
• Impact Evaluation of Services’ Co-production (PDF)
• Example Self-Assessment form for services (PDF)