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Universal SEND Services
The Universal SEND Services programme is funded by the Department for Education (DfE) to bring together support for learners with SEND in schools with support for learners with SEND across further education (FE).
To deliver our ambition of improving preparation for adulthood from the earliest years all the way through education, in a seamless, joined up way, nasen is working in strategic partnership with the Education and Training Foundation (ETF), whose mission is to improve the quality of teaching and leadership in the FE and training sector, and the Autism Education Trust (AET), who have years of experience in supporting and informing education professionals about autism.
Please make sure that you are signed up to receive communications from the member community through your free Whole School SEND account to get access to all outputs from this programme. Register below, if you haven't already.
What is the 'Universal SEND Services' Programme?
Too many children and young people with SEND continue not to achieve their ambitions, and not all schools and colleges are yet inclusive and welcoming of learners with SEND.
The aim of the Universal SEND Services programme is for all children and young people with SEND to attend education settings where:
- Leaders prioritise SEND in their improvement plans by acknowledging that SEND is everybody’s responsibility.
- The education and opportunities for children and young people with SEND are built into every policy, not added in afterwards.
- School and college leaders consider preparation for adulthood from the earliest stages when designing the curriculum and through other opportunities.
- They are taught by professionals who are reflective in their approach to meeting the wide range of needs in their class.
- Teachers are better equipped to identify needs earlier and can adapt their teaching to address and support these needs effectively.
- The expertise of parents and the voice of the learner is valued to pursue a truly co-produced educational experience.
What support is available through this programme?
A range of support and CPD opportunities is available to schools and further education settings over the course of the programme. As this is a Department for Education (DfE) funded project, participants may be contacted by an external evaluator to measure the impact and success of the project. By participating in any of the webinars, live sessions or other activities you are providing consent by default to have your data shared and be contacted by the DfE and/or the external evaluators to support the evaluation process.
Online CPD Units
This series of online Continuing Professional Development (CPD) units has been designed to support those who work with children and young people in schools and further education settings. They address the barriers most commonly observed in classrooms and other learning environments, regardless of age, label or area of need.
Specialist Spotlight Sessions
To complement each unit you also have the opportunity to join a live Specialist Spotlight session, often involving the same professionals who helped to develop the units. It’s a chance to contextualise the learning, share experiences and learn from colleagues from across the country. Places are limited so book early to avoid disappointment!
Excellence Gateway - Online CPD
ETF will be delivering a range of CPD sessions and events for managers and practitioners through their excellence gateway - Communities of Practice. These online sessions are open to anyone working in the Education sector with an interest to improving experiences for learners with an inclusion need.
Responsive Webinars
Our live webinars are delivered four times a year, and take stock of the needs of the workforce and address the priorities of the sector at a given point in time.
Community Networks
We recognise the importance of context, and our community networks allow us to work together towards co-produced solutions to local issues, linking up existing regional networks alongside a national focus group.
Regional networking and support
Suitable for school-based practitioners these networking opportunities will support prioritisation of SEND across the region.
Resource update and exemplification
We have developed a wealth of resource materials over years of supporting the schools and further education workforce to develop inclusive practice. We remain committed to updating these existing resources, such as case studies and videos, to extend their relevance.
Parents and Carers
Whilst the Universal SEND Services (USS) programme is predominantly aimed at supporting the continuing professional development of educational professionals and enabling the cultural / leadership shift towards inclusive practice, we also recognise parents and carers as key stakeholders and a number of our resources - such as our Ask, Listen, Do leaflets - are aimed at helping to develop successful partnerships between families and education settings.
Get regular updates
Programme Partners
Education and Training Foundation
Our strategic partnership with ETF is enabling our ambition to bring together both school and Further Education and Training professionals to support a joined-up education journey for children, young people and their families, resulting in more of our talented young people achieving their aspirations.
Autism Education Trust
The Autism Education Trust (AET) has a proven history of very successfully delivering support to schools through their programme, which is created in partnership with autistic people, parents and education professionals. Our combined efforts will upskill more education professionals, and empower them to improve the lives of thousands of autistic children and young people.