Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)

Children and young people aged 0-25 have a SEND if they have a learning difficulty or disability that calls for special education provision to be made. The ICB supports the health element of the SEND agenda for children and young people. 

We work in partnership with local authorities to contribute to the implementation of the SEND reforms (Children and Families Act 2014). This means we work together to identify the needs of the local population and any gaps in local provision and then jointly address them.

The Local Offer 

Each of our Places has a SEND Local Offer which provides information in one place. They can be found here:

• Dudley Local Offer
• Sandwell Local Offer and read the Sandwell Local Area Partnership Inclusion (SEND and alternative provision) Plan 2023-2026
• Walsall Local Offer
• Wolverhampton Local Offer

Our responsibilities

The ICB has responsibilities with regard to provision for children and young people with SEND. These are:

• To commission services jointly for children and young people (up to age 25) with SEND, including those with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs).
• To work in partnership with local authorities to develop the Local Offer.
• To have mechanisms in place to ensure practitioners and clinicians will support the integrated Education, Health and Care (EHC) needs assessment process.
• To agree Personal Health Budgets where they are provided for children and young people with EHC plans. 

SEND Inspection Reports

Each place’s SEND Inspection Reports can be found below: 

• Walsall:Direct link to report: https://files.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/50075533Direct link to revisit report: https://files.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/50191053
• Sandwell:Direct link to Sandwell Inspection Report - July 2023 https://files.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/50227802 Direct link to revisit report: https://files.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/50076824 Direct link to report: https://files.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/2668105
• Dudley:Direct link to report: https://files.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/50093279
• Direct link to revisit report: 50179811 (ofsted.gov.uk) 
• Wolverhampton:Direct link to report: files.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/50172049Direct link to Wolverhampton Council's statement of action

What services are commissioned for children and young people with SEND?

In addition to the general services commissioned for the whole of the population, health services specifically provided for children and young people with additional needs include:

• Therapy services: Speech and language therapy, physiotherapy, occupational therapy.
• Nursing and paediatrics.
• Child and adolescent mental health services.
• Equipment.
• Continuing care and complex care assessments and packages.

A range of support can be provided including Personal health Budgets which can be used for a variety of items.

Designated Medical/Clinical Officer (DMO/DCO)

The Designated Medical/Clinical Officer roles support the ICB to meet our statutory responsibilities for children and young people with SEND. The DMO/DCO provides a point of contact for the ICB, local authority, schools and colleges when specialist health advice is required.

Contact information for DMO/DCOs: