Finding the right help - Derbyshire Local Offer

Derbyshire Local Authority Support - Rooted in the child, young person and family voice

Derbyshire Support Tree

Support grows from the child or young person’s voice and parent/carer views about barriers to learning and barriers to belonging, through school as the first point of support, and then out to the right Derbyshire Local Authority (LA) service when extra help is needed.

Schools begin this process by listening and understanding the needs of children and young people and use the plan, do, review cycle to implement interventions to support learning in school.

Parent and young person roadmap: finding the right support

This roadmap uses a tree to show how children, young people and families can find the right support at the right time. Every child is different, sometimes support starts with small changes in school or at home; sometimes extra advice is needed from a specialist service. The aim is to listen carefully, understand what is happening, and help the right people work together.

Parts of the tree

Roots

What it means for you: Your child or young person’s strengths, interests, needs, views and family story.

What might happen next: Adults listen to what matters, what is working well, and what feels difficult.

Trunk

What it means for you: The everyday support around your child: family, school, trusted adults and key professionals.

What might happen next: School and family work together to understand barriers and agree practical first steps.

Branches

What it means for you: Different support pathways, depending on the main worry or barrier.

What might happen next: The right service is identified, and support can step up, step down or wrap around as needs change.

Leaves

What it means for you: The strategies, adjustments and interventions that help your child grow.

What might happen next: Support is reviewed regularly through assess, plan, do and review.

Fruit

What it means for you: The difference we want to see: feeling safe, included, learning, attending, communicating and preparing for the future.

What might happen next: Everyone checks whether the support is helping and what needs to change next.

How to move through the tree

Notice the worry. Write down what is happening, when it happens, what helps, and what makes things harder.
Talk to someone you trust. This might be a class teacher, tutor, SENDCO, head of year, family support worker or another trusted adult.
Share the child or young person’s voice. Ask: “What feels hard?”, “What helps?”, “What would make school or learning feel better?”
Agree a plan. The plan should say what will be tried, who will do it, and when it will be reviewed.
Review what has changed. If the plan is helping, keep going and build on it. If it is not enough, the support may need to step up to another branch.
Work together. Families, schools and services should keep communication open so support feels joined up and easier to understand.

Remember: you do not need to know the name of every service before asking for help. Start with the worry, share what you know, and ask the school or service to help you find the right branch. Support should grow from the child or young person’s voice, strengths and needs.

Which branch should I try first?

Inclusion and SEND support

If you are worried about learning, Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND), communication, sensory needs, physical access, confidence or inclusion in school.

Who can help?
Start with the class teacher, tutor or Special Educational Needs and Disability Coordinator (SENDCO). School may use the graduated response and may seek advice from the Inclusion Support Service (ISS), Sensory and Physical Support Team (SPST), Educational Psychology (EPS) or the SEND Service and Derbyshire Information Advice and Support Service (DIASS) where appropriate.

Attendance and engagement support

If you are worried about anxiety about school, reduced attendance, emotionally based school avoidance, or finding it hard to engage.

Who can help?
Speak to school first. The school can work with its Inclusion Support Advisory Teacher, Educational Psychologist and consider attendance, early help, engagement or specialist advice if barriers continue.

Exclusion, access and inclusion response support

If you are worried about suspensions, risk of exclusion, part-time timetables, managed moves or off-site direction.

Who can help?
Speak to the school leadership team or Special Educational Needs and Disability Coordinator (SENDCO). The Inclusion Support Advisory Teacher, Educational Psychologist or Inclusion Response Team may support schools where risks are significant.

Education access and home education support

If you are worried about your child is not on a school roll, is missing from education, or you need advice about elective home education.

Who can help?
The Children Missing Education (CME) Team or Elective Home Education (EHE) Team can advise, depending on the situation.

Early years support

If you are worried about Your child is aged 0 to 5 and you are worried about development, early learning, communication, behaviour, sensory needs or Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

Who can help?
Speak to your early years provider, health visitor or setting Special Educational Needs and Disability Coordinator (SENDCO). Early Years SEN, Portage, SEMH Outreach or the Early Years SEN Helpline may be appropriate.

SEND statutory pathway

If you are worried about Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment (EHCNA), Education Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), annual reviews or disagreement about SEND decisions.

Who can help?
The SEND Service can advise on statutory processes. Families can also seek impartial information, advice and support through appropriate SEND advice services.

Wider family and learning support

If you are worried about childcare, free school meals, youth employment, post-16 choices, adult learning or wider family information.

Who can help?
Families may need support from the Families Information Service (FIS), Free School Meals Team, Derbyshire Adult Community Education Service (DACES), Derbyshire Youth Employment Support (YES) or other local offer services.