Wirral’s SEND and Alternative
Provision Strategy 2025-2029
Wirral’s roadmap for improvements to SEND services for children and young people
This four-year strategy sets out the Local Area SEND Partnership's (LASP) plans to:
improve SEND services
create better SEND provision
provide better outcomes for children and young people with SEND in Wirral.
Who are your Local Area SEND Partnership?
Your LASP is made up of representatives from organisations across Wirral. These organisations provide support and services for children and young people with SEND.
The organisations and groups that make up your local area partnership are:
Wirral Council
Cheshire and Merseyside ICB
Wirral’s Parent Carer Forum: Parent Carer Participation Wirral (PCPW)
Wirral Association of Secondary School Heads
Wirral Primary Heads Association
Wirral Special School Heads Association
Wirral Community Health & Care NHS Foundation Trust and Wirral University Teaching Hospital representative
Wirral Metropolitan College (on behalf of post 16 providers)
Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Wirral SEND Information Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS)
Our Values: how we will work to deliver improvement
We are committed to:
Being Person-Centred: We will put people first in everything we do.
Quality: We aim to be outstanding in all our work.
Teamwork: We will work together to achieve the best outcomes.
Advocacy: We will help everyone have a voice and be heard.
Integrity: We will do what’s right, for the right reasons.
Our Vision: what ‘good’ looks like for children and young people with SEND and their families
We have gathered feedback from:
families
young people
Ofsted
The Care Quality Commission
Other key stakeholders
We used this feedback to set out our goal for SEND services in Wirral:
All children and young people with SEND have the right to achieve their goals, reach their potential and lead a full life.
We will achieve this by working together to provide support and guidance based on the voice of the child, young person and family.
Our outcomes for young people and children: What this strategy is going to improve
Over the next four years, we’ll measure our progress using these six key outcomes:
My Voice: I help make decisions about my life, and people listen to what I say.
My Health and Wellbeing: I feel as healthy, happy, and safe as possible.
My Support: needs: I get the right help and I’m making progress.
My Learning: I have chances to learn and grow.
My Community: I can take part in local activities and make friends.
My Future: I feel prepared for adult life.
Our priorities: the things we are going to focus on and what will feel different as a result
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We will carry out the most important changes identified in Wirral’s 2025 Local Area SEND Inspection.
By the end of this strategy, you can expect:
EHCPs (Education, Health and Care Plans) are being created with you, your child, and professionals working together. They’ll be more person-centred and better reflect your child’s needs.
More EHCPs will be ready within 20 weeks.
You’ll be able to attend a yearly review of your child’s EHCP. If there are changes needed, you’ll receive an updated plan within 12 weeks.
Health services like speech therapy or mental health support will be easier to access, with shorter waiting times.
You’ll get advice and other types of support to help you if your child doesn’t meet the threshold for a particular service.
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We’re working to improve how we communicate across all SEND services in Wirral. Our goal is to make sure parents, carers, children and young people feel informed and listened to. Your views will be at the heart of any decisions about your support.
By the end of this strategy, you should notice:
More SEND-focused updates and information. With more chances for you to share your views and help shape services.
Staff who understand SEND better. Who plan support in a way that’s more personal and considers how SEND affects family life and school.
Different services working together more closely. Making it easier for you to get the right advice and support.
You and your child being more involved in planning your support. With your voice at the centre of the process.
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By the end of this strategy, you should notice:
EHCPs and annual reviews from Year 9 onwards will focus more on preparing for adulthood. They will look at things like further education, work, independent living, and health.
A keyworker will support your child as they move from children’s services to adult services. This will help to make the transition smoother.
Learning Disability health checks will be available for those eligible from age 14. Making sure young people get the right health advice and support early on.
You or your child will have a transition passport. Helping your child’s needs and support information move easily between services.
Better access to emotional health and wellbeing support. Provided through Branch, Wirral’s online mental health and wellbeing hub.
More supported internships, training, and employment opportunities for young people.
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We want to make sure that children and young people with SEND get the help they need as early as possible. Support will be based on their needs - not a diagnosis.
By the end of this strategy, you should notice:
More children with SEND being supported in mainstream schools. So fewer will need alternative provision.
A clearer process for children who are out of school for medical reasons. You’ll always know who is responsible for your child’s education and support.
Fewer children with SEND missing out on education in Wirral.
The use of profiling tools to understand needs and better support neurodiverse children and young people.
Clear information about what support is normally available in mainstream schools. So you can see what kind of setting best suits your child.
A clear approach to identifying and meeting needs in place.
Step by step, you are going to see change happen throughout the life of this strategy.
How We’ll Track Progress and Keep You Informed
We want to make sure the changes in this strategy are delivered as planned. Plus make sure that families can see how things are going.
The Local Area SEND Partnership (LASP) will follow a clear roadmap to carry out the priority actions.
Every month, we check how things are going using a set of key performance indicators (KPIs). If something isn’t working as expected, we take action to fix it.
The LASP Board will monitor the work taking place to improve services. Updates and reports will be published monthly on Wirral's Local Offer website SENDLO.
When Things Will Start to Feel Different
By the end of 2025
We will focus more on preparation for adulthood. It will be part of EHCP reviews from year 9 onwards.
We will issue more Education, Health and Care Needs Assessments that become EHCPs within 20 weeks.
The 'This is Me' neurodevelopmental profiling tool will be set up. It will be better at identifying needs.
It will be easier to see how services work together. This helps you to know where to go for support.
You will be able to see what support and resources are commonly found in schools.
We are now focused on helping all pupils who might be medically excluded from school. This means you will know who is providing the support your child needs.
By the end of 2026
No family will wait for a diagnosis or access to a service without support.
Transition passports will be in place. They will help children move from primary school to secondary school.
Young people moving from Children’s to Adult’s Social Care Services will get extra support.
You will always get advice or be directed to support if your child doesn’t qualify for a service.
The variety and number of supported jobs and internships will better meet local needs.
Most new EHCPs will be good or better. Also, all EHCPs will have been reviewed in the last 12 months.
By the end of 2027
Children and young people with an EHCP get a transition passport.
Children and young people with SEND will help create their plans. They will help to design the services available.