Staffordshire County Council is inviting children, young people, parents, carers and professionals to help shape the future of local support for those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
Time to reflect and refresh
Staffordshire’s current SEND and Alternative Provision (AP) strategy runs from 2021 to 2026. But with national policy and funding shifting, the council is now carrying out a mid-point review to understand what’s working, what still needs improvement, and what priorities should guide the next few years.
As part of this refresh, they’re asking for input from the people who know the system best – the families, professionals and young people living and learning within it.
How to get involved
There are three main ways that people in Stone and across Staffordshire can take part:
- Children and young people can complete a short online survey, tailored to their age and needs. There are different versions for:
- Ages 3 to 7: Early years survey
- Ages 7 to 11: Key stage 2 survey
- Ages 11 to 18: Key stage 3 survey
- Ages 18 to 25: School leavers survey
- Parents and carers can attend local community conversation events, where they can share their views in person with council staff.
- Anyone can share thoughts online using a digital post-it note
Share a digital post-it note
You can find all of the above, plus background on the strategy and why this refresh matters, on the council’s engagement hub:
https://letstalk.staffordshire.gov.uk/send-strategy-refresh
Key dates to know
- Information sharing begins: 2nd June 2025
- First face-to-face event: 19th June 2025
- Final date to give feedback: 4th July 2025
A renewed focus from the council
The new Cabinet lead for Education and SEND, Janet Higgins, has pledged to make improving SEND provision one of the council’s top four priorities.
Janet, who has both personal and professional experience in the field, said:
“Through my own experiences, I fully understand the pressures families face day-to-day and I am determined to ensure that all children in Staffordshire receive the support they need at the earliest possible point to help them reach their full potential.”
Demand for support in Staffordshire has increased rapidly in recent years, and the council has highlighted ongoing shortfalls in national funding. Staffordshire currently ranks 148th out of 151 local authorities for SEND funding.
Janet continued:
“Fundamentally the national SEND system is failing and in desperate need of reform. The current position is not sustainable, and the level of Government funding is not nearly enough to meet the increasing need for support or the increasingly complex needs of the children we support.
“We will do as much as possible with the resources we have; however, our efforts are unlikely to be enough if the Government do not step up and deliver the critical funding and policy reforms which are needed.
“We know that this is a key issue for our MPs too and I will be looking for their support to help lobby Government on behalf of Staffordshire families.”
Supporting schools and shaping the future
Feedback gathered during the consultation will be shared with schools to help improve how they support and include children with additional needs. It will also shape a refreshed strategy that responds to the voices of those with lived experience.
Printable versions of the surveys are available for younger children who may prefer to draw or write with adult support. Teachers or carers can assist with completion where needed.
Download printable surveys here
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