The Children and Families Act 2014 introduced a statutory duty for local authorities to develop, publish and review a local offer. This sets out what should be available for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
The SEND code of practice section 4 outlines the two key purposes of the local offer.
- To provide clear, comprehensive, accessible and up-to-date information about the available provision and how to access it, and
- To make provision more responsive to local needs and aspirations by directly involving disabled children and those with SEN and their parents, and disabled young people and those with SEN, and service providers in its development and review
There is also a list in section 4 of what must be included in the local offer. This covers a range of subjects included leisure activities, education, health and social care information, Education Health and Care (EHC) plan information, transitions arrangements to name just a few.
Parent carer forums and the local offer
Local authorities must involve parents, children and young people in developing and reviewing the local offer. PCFs can play a vital role in the development of the local offer.
The local offer responsibility can sit within different local authority teams depending on your areas structure. It is helpful for parent carer forums to identify the lead for the local offer and approach then to discuss how they can work together.
As a parent carer forum, there are different ways to work with the local authority to develop the local offer. This could be through different methods such as:
- Being part of a steering group that oversees the development.
- Being involved in work groups looking at areas in the offer for example preparation for adulthood.
- Running workshops for parent carers to help develop areas of the local offer.
- Being involved in reviewing the feedback received on the local offer.
Video: Co-producing the local offer
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SEND Code of Practice
Section 4 ‘The local offer’
Find out moreWorking with local authorities
Find out about the forums role in working with the local authority
Working with Local AuthoritiesParticipation and co-production
Find out about the forums role in coproduction
Participation and co-productionCommunication and gathering parent carer voice
Find out how to collect parent carer voice
Communication and gathering the parent carer voiceContact adviser
Find out more about your named Contact adviser
Contact Parent Carer Participation Advisers
National Network of Parent Carer forums (NNPCF)
Find out more about the work of the NNPCF
National Network of Parent Carer Forums (NNPCF)