A list of useful resources has been collated on this page to aid professionals working directly with children, young people and their families. Information on this page is already featured on the Local Offer website. Direct links have been applied to help you locate this information quickly. Some information on this page is hosted externally and as such, links will direct you to external websites.
If there are other resources you regularly access or use, and you feel that adding them to this page would assist you and other professionals, please contact:
local.offer@derbyshire.gov.uk
Safeguarding
Derby and Derbyshire Safeguarding Children Partnership
Provides a range of information resources on topics such as safeguarding disabled children, early help, domestic abuse and more. It also provides a range of policies and procedures with key local guidance.
Derbyshire County Council - Starting Point
To request early help services for Derbyshire children and young people.
If you are concerned that a child is suffering or is at risk of significant harm, please contact Call Derbyshire on 01629 533190 immediately.
Health and Wellbeing
Health and Wellbeing
The Derbyshire Local Offer Health and Wellbeing resources are designed to support everyone. They’re useful for professionals working with children and young people, as well as parents, carers and other visitors to the site.To view all health and wellbeing resources, please visit:
Useful Pages and Resources
Apply for an assessment
Children's Services SEND Information Sharing Agreement
Explains the responsibilities for exchanging data between organisations to ensure that the shared information is handled securely, legally, and appropriately.
Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP)
Explains how to apply for an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan assessment in Derbyshire. It provides guidance on eligibility, the application process, and what happens after you submit a request.
EHCP Statutory Annual Reviews
Find documents and forms for the statutory process of looking at the needs and provision specified in an EHC Plan, and deciding whether these need to change.
Derbyshire County Council - EHC Hub
The EHC Hub is Derbyshire County Council’s secure online portal that lets families, education settings and professionals request an EHC needs assessment and then collaborate, contribute views, upload documents, track progress and take part in plan reviews.
How to use the EHC Hub
Find written guides and videos a range of step-by-step video guides and downloadable PDF documents to help you navigate every stage of the Education, Health and Care (EHC) Hub process.
SEND Service Contact Details
Find details to contact the SEND Service.
Early Years
Early Years Graduated Response April 2023
Find information about the provision for young children requiring support from within educational settings without the necessity for an EHCP.
Referral for a Derbyshire specialist support service for children in the foundation stage
To refer to the EYSEN specialist teaching service or Derbyshire portage service.
Early Years SEN Inclusion Fund Application and Evaluation
Find information, guidance notes, forms and example forms relating to the Early Years Inclusion Fund.
Early Years SEN Panel
The Early Years SEN Panel is a multi-agency group that considers services for children aged 0 to 5 years old with complex SEN.
Early Years SEN Outreach Team
Find information, forms and example forms relating to the Early Years Outreach Team.
EYFS Celebratory Checkpoints
Find information and forms relating to the Early Years Celebratory Checkpoints.
Early Years Descriptors of Special Educational Needs Provision
Find information about the importance of Quality First Teaching and the responsibility of all practitioners to use their best endeavours to meet the needs of all children.
Early Years NHS Notification of SEND 0-5
Find information about how to notify the LA of a child under compulsory school age who you suspect has a special educational need or disability.
Education and Learning
Educational Psychology Services (EPS)
Learn about how EPS work collaboratively with children, young people, families and schools to holistically explore and understand complex situations. We use applied psychology and a range of tools and approaches to promote well-being, maximise inclusion and support positive educational outcomes.
Out of School Services (ACRE)
Explains available out-of-school services providing support in attendance and missing education, Elective Home Education (EHE), and temporary education support from Out of School Tuition (OOST) and Tailor Made Programmes (TMP).
Inclusion Support Advisory Service (ISAS)
Find information about the Inclusion Support Advisory Service (ISAS), Graduated Response, Referrals for targeted and specialist support, useful resources and webinars.
Derbyshire Graduated Response May 2022
This document makes explicit the provision for children and young people requiring support from within educational settings without the necessity for an EHCP.
AET Progression Framework
The Inclusion Support Advisory Service (ISAS) recommends the use of the AET Progression Framework to support the identification of needs and planning for support and provision. It is a strengths-based model which enables schools to identify areas for development for individuals and groups of children.
ND Advocates
We are aiming to empower schools to be training an ND Advocate in each setting, who will be provided with high quality resource material to deliver training in their own setting, regular network meetings to share good practice and receive further Continued Professional Development (CPD), and regular newsletters and resources to develop good practice to support their neurodivergent community in school.
Autism Education Trust
Gain understanding of autism and learn evidence-based strategies to support your pupils. The Autism Education Trust Programme offers face-to-face and virtual training, and practical resources to support education professionals in mainstream and special settings.
Derbyshire Schools SENDCo Helpline
Access initial support, information and signposting around inclusion and SEN from Derbyshire County Council's schools' SENCO/SENDCO helpline.
Inclusion Panel
Derbyshire schools can apply to Inclusion Panel where they can demonstrate the implementation of a graduated response and how the notional SEND budget has been spent. Inclusion Panel is a mechanism for Derbyshire schools to access additional funding to support the inclusion of children and young people with additional needs.
Post-16 Inclusion Panel
Post-16 providers can apply for additional funding from the ‘High Needs Block’ to enable them to support the inclusion needs of young people. This applies when SEND place funding, sometimes referred to as Element 2 (£6,000), has been utilised.
The Engagement Service
The Engagement Service is part of the newly restructured Derbyshire Inclusion Support Service and consists of Nurture, Positive Play and Outdoor Learning.
Nurture Team
The Derbyshire Nurture Team (DNT) is part of the Inclusion Support Advisory Service (ISAS). We are a team of specialist Nurture trained teachers and teaching assistants with extensive skills and experience of working in Derbyshire schools and academies to promote positive behaviour and emotional wellbeing.~
Positive Play
The Derbyshire Positive Play Team is part of the Inclusion Support Advisory Service (ISAS). We have been running the programme for over 20 years and have experience of working in Derbyshire schools and academies to promote positive behaviour and emotional wellbeing.
Outdoor Learning
During outdoor learning children develop various essential skills, from problem-solving and critical thinking to confidence and resilience.
Sensory and Physical Support Service (SPSS) - Teacher of the Deaf Team
Sensory and Physical Support Service (SPSS) - Physical Impairment
Sensory and Physical Support Service (SPSS) - Vision Impairment
For schools & settings to make a referral to the Sensory and Physical Support Service.
My SEND Learning Programme (MSLP)
Describe in one document a child's views, health needs, social care needs, outcomes, provision and more.
Derbyshire County Council Sensory Processing Needs Toolkit
A guide and forms for schools, settings and practitioners on how to support children with sensory needs, in order to remove or reduce the impact of this on their learning.
Derbyshire Supporting Pupils with Medical Conditions
Find information and forms for making arrangements for supporting pupils with medical conditions.
Children and young people with SEND in youth custody
Derbyshire Youth Justice Service (YJS) works with young people and their communities to tackle youth crime in Derbyshire. We are committed to children only entering custody as an absolute last resort.
Alternative Provision Directory
Find a variety of organisations that offer alternative provision to children and providers in Derbyshire to support a variety of ages and needs. View the Derbyshire Alternative Provision Directory.
Derbyshire Services for Schools - Education Improvement Service - Early Years Team
All early years providers including schools who are funded by the local authority to deliver early education places must have regard to the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice. Every child deserves a high-quality early education. The benefits can be seen throughout early childhood itself and also later in their schooling. A high-quality early education is particularly beneficial for children from disadvantaged backgrounds and for children with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND). The Education Improvement Service - Early Years Team promote effective and high-quality teaching and learning through signposting and providing information, advice and training, thereby enabling inclusive practice, and safeguarding of all children.
Derbyshire County Council - Education Improvement Service
The children's services Education Improvement Service provides school-based guidance on all areas of school improvement, teaching, learning and leadership. The majority of children and young people with special educational needs are educated in our mainstream schools. The Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Code of Practice emphasises that ‘Special educational provision is underpinned by high quality teaching and is compromised by anything less.’ (DfE, 2015, Pg.25) and that ‘High quality teaching, differentiated for individual pupils, is the first step in responding to pupils who have or may have SEN. Additional intervention and support cannot compensate for a lack of good quality teaching’ (DfE, 2015, Pg. 99). The Education Improvement Service supports inclusion through the promotion of high quality, adaptive teaching and support for the leadership in evidencing effective SEND provision. This is part of the universal offer to support the implementation of the graduated response, this includes sharing information at Headteacher meetings or resources such as ‘SEND on a page’. In addition, school-based consultancy and a range of training events are delivered throughout the academic year.
Preparing for adulthood
Preparing for Adulthood Pathway
Find information helping children and young people to prepare for adulthood. It sets out how services should work together to support young people with special educational needs and disabilities to prepare for adult life.
Preparing for Adulthood Toolkit
Find all tools and resources from the National Development Team for inclusion (NDTi).
Preparing for Adulthood - Health
Explains how health services support young people with special educational needs and disabilities as they prepare for adulthood. It covers topics like managing health conditions, accessing healthcare, and promoting independence during the transition to adult life.
Derbyshire Training Provider Network Meeting
These online network events are for any organisation or professional supporting young people who are Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET) back into Education, Employment, or Training (EET).