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You said, we did - Local Offer

February 2025

You saidWe did
You said that waiting times for CAMHS support are too long.

We made a plan to reduce the waiting time for therapeutic appointments. In January 2025 waiting times had reduced to 29 weeks from 54 weeks.

We continue to work to improve this for young people and are monitoring the situation to ensure that this progress continues each month. 

Can you update the special school and unit portfolio documents for West Northants.

We created new accessible documents. You can find them in the document directory.

The Local Offer directory offers the ability to create your own shortlist and print it if you need to. Just click the 'heart' to build a list of your favourites. 

January 2025

You saidWe did
You said you wanted more information about respite and short breaks. 

We analysed the results of our first survey held in Autumn 2024.

We have set up a new Local Offer webpage for the information about short breaks (now known as daytime activities, overnight breaks and respite).

Short breaks

November 2024

You saidWe did
You said that if you used the postcode search it made it difficult to find services.We analysed the results of our first survey held in Autumn 2024.

We asked the designers to hide the postcode search bar for you.

September 2024

You saidWe did
It is hard to find information about what happens when our young people become adults. 

SEND Partners co-produced and compiled information that has informed the Local Offer PFA pages and we have created accessible documents that you can print if needed.

Preparation for adulthood

August 2024

You saidWe did
That the name 'Disabled Children's Team' is not used nationally to describe the social care support for our children and we would like it changing in Northamptonshire to reflect a children first approach. 

We obtained feedback from parents and carers, and other professionals working with our families, with our parent forum groups in North and West Northants, and have now changed the team name to 'Children with Disabilities Service'. 

The Local Offer has been updated with the new details

July 2024

You saidWe did

You needed more information about Power of Attorney, Deputyship, Wills & Trusts

You needed to be able to attend events as well as go to work

Our WNVP held two free workshops, one in the day in person, and one online in the evening

June 2024

Our partners from NHFT run wellbeing cafes for young people as part of the Children and Mental Health Services 

You saidWe did

“We would like to see Harper (our therapy dog) more” 

Offering support to parents

That the young people would like more resources (such as art resources, fidget toys etc.) in café.

We have made Harper available in the Northampton cafe on Mondays or Fridays each month. Young people can sit with her in the café space or use her for support in 1:1’s.

We have continued to encourage parents to come along to cafe and made it clearer that there is support available for them at cafe, with or without their young person

All cafes now have them available

May 2024

You saidWe did

You want a safe space to independently access information about situations and issues that you often experience.

This broad range includes emotional and mental health issues, physical health, accessing support, sleep, and friendships.

You want to understand more, and learn from others that have been in your situation.

You want to achieve your best by knowing what you can do, and what might help.

Thousands of children, families and people that work with children have helped to form the idea of a shared learning platform.

Young people have designed the service now known as iDiscover.

April 2024

You saidWe did
The web pages for Children and Young People’s Education services were difficult to navigate and to find relevant information

We reviewed the content, improved search functions and the layout of our web pages to make it quicker and easier to find relevant information. 

All amendments have been made based on user feedback. We have published the web changes during May 2024.

Please let us know if you can't find anything on our webpages or on our Local Offer.

February 2024

You saidWe did
I can’t find any information on the Holiday, Activities and Food scheme (HAF) on the Local Offer for children receiving means-tested benefits.We provided information and the link to the website about West Northamptonshire’s HAF Scheme.

January 2024

You saidWe did
Its hard to get back to the Local Offer webpages from the search directory.
 		The Digital Team created a clearer link back to the webpages from the directory.
Having two search boxes so close to each other is confusing.The Digital Team have added text to the Local Offer search bar which makes it clearer which one to use.
There are too many filters in the directory.We have streamlined the data base to make it easier to find what you are looking for.

December 2023

You saidWe did
We can't easily find the SEND ranges on the Local Offer website.We added a listing so that the SEND ranges can be found on both the services results, and the resources results.

November 2023

You saidWe did
We can’t find the SEND Improvement Board records on the SEND Local Offer.We added them to the web page for the SEND Strategy for everyone to read.

October 2023

Our Partners at NHS England reviewed our SEND Local Offer and sent us over the following comments.


“We found it easy to navigate, generally user friendly etc. We liked the alphabetical visual content page and also the intelligent search engine that anticipates what you are searching for as you type.”
You saidWe did
“In searching for “transition” (on the WNC website) it does not take me to Preparation for Adulthood. I think transition is more of a health term whereas Preparation for Adulthood is more common language in care and education settings.”

We have asked the Web team to add Transition to the WNC search bar so that when someone searched for ‘transition’ on the website they will have the Local Offer as a result. (search engine optimisation).

The Local Offer directory will return results for transitions and PFA.

The Health section looks a bit brief in parts at the moment but I know there is the caveat at the start that it is all still under development.We have updated the description of complex needs, and are waiting for advice about Children’s Continuing Care from our local partners.

I like the simplicity of the pages – not too much text and well-spaced out. Easy to read etc.

Are there links to easy read docs or in other formats for those that may need this?

We are undertaking ‘accessibility document’ training in November 2023 to ensure that all new printable resources meet the government guidance for accessibility requirements for public sector websites and we will be able to add more resources when this is completed.
I really like the inclusion of the QR code.We are aiming to include these in all our printable resources.
The phrase “social care” as opposed to “social need” (though I think it does go on to describe wider “need”/early support etc. The word “care” – may be a bit off-putting or people think that’s not relevant for them, whereas everyone has needs.This will be discussed at the next Local Offer Steering Group in January 2024.
We thought the You Said, We did, inclusion is nice. Obviously very new and work still needed but good to have the examples – be good to see the outcomes from this.Thank you.

September 2023

Short Breaks journey – Phases of Engagement

StageWho did we engage withYou saidWe did
Initial engagement     
Sept 20 – Oct 20		14 people responded to the survey of which 13 were parents
  • Need to improve transitions
  • All children to be able to access support
  • One referral process
  • More early help support
  • Need flexible, responsive, forward thinking, transforming services
  • A simpler pathway to access services is required
  • Not enough staff to support children with 1:1 or 2:1 staffing needs
  • Flexible, integrated services
  • Services close to home

Potential new model designed that included:

  • Single service offer
  • Run and led by one organisation. 

The redesign proposal was developed by a Partnership Design Group

Design phase     
Nov 20 – Mar 23		Children With Disabilities Board (members included NPFG and providers)These proposals were discussed and reviewed at each Children with Disabilities Board to shape the model.Redesign proposal was developed and agreed by a Partnership Design Group, agreed, and approved by the Children and Young People’s Transformation Board
Second phase    
April 23- Jun 23		233 people from an electronic survey and 6 focus groups.    
43% of respondents were parents/carers    
28% current provider staff    
34% public

Majority of respondents said:

  • Bring residential and non-residential short breaks together
  • Flexible team across services
  • Increasing non-residential short breaks will reduce need for residential short breaks
  • One referral point and joined up assessment and reviews
  • More short breaks with 1:1 or 2:1 staffing
  • Additional services:
    • Fundraising
    • Peer support
    • Volunteer buddies
    • Whole family activities

The proposed lead provider model will have:

  • Central hub supporting all services
  • Single referral and assessment pathway
  • Staff working across the contracts
  • Grow capacity through fundraising and volunteers
  • Specialist play workers to support with designing activities
  • Build community relationships and links to enable greater choice of short breaks
  • Advertise short break opportunities centrally
  • Support families to step up and step down
  • Additional day care activity offered a residential short break
  • Add home care services
PhasePlans for engagement
Third phase    
Sept 23-Oct 23
  • Electronic survey
  • Public workshops
  • Short Breaks staff workshops
  • Provider forums
  • Community events
  • Scrutiny Committees
Final consultation    
October 2023

The final phase of engagement of the Short Breaks services has commenced before advertising the opportunity to potential providers to deliver the new vision of short breaks services.

This is now your final opportunity to share your views on the potential new model of short breaks services for the future.

We want to encourage you to complete the survey. Your view is very important to us and your feedback will help us get the short breaks services right for the future.

We recognise that this is a very difficult time for parents and that you may have more questions. With potential change on the horizon this can bring out a range of emotions, some may be positive but also there may be anxiety and concern about how this will impact you and the services you receive in the future. This is why it is important that we involve you in this final stage so that you can help to shape what the services look like going forward.

Nothing has yet been decided for certain yet, feedback given over the next 6 weeks from all stakeholders will be used to inform decisions about the way forward for these services.

The proposals that we are consulting on have been developed through engagement with families and providers including their staff. These discussions have shaped the proposal and we want to make sure that everyone has one last chance to have a voice before the final model is advertised to providers.

Final Engagement Opportunity

  • we want feedback on potential changes following previous engagement and the development of a new short breaks model
  • the proposed model combines the current short breaks services into one offer delivered by a single lead provider. This will allow for a more joined up approach, improved efficiency resulting in increased choice for parents on the range and flexibility of the services offered
  • the base budget for the services remains the same at £2.8m. By using the pooled funding more innovatively we aim to improve the range and quality of clubs and activities for children with disabilities providing a better experience for children and a break for parents helping to reduce the potential for the family to go into crisis and require more intensive support
  • the transformation may mean that the current services need to change with the aim of using resources more effectively to improve support for families
  • a new central hub is proposed to manage a single referral route, keep developing services, raise additional funds and recruit and train volunteers
  • the feedback received from the engagement will be used to develop the specification for the tender of short breaks services later in 2023, with the new model expected to be in place from April 2024

Complete the survey

This survey will close on 19 November 2023

August 2023

West Northamptonshire's new Local Offer launched in August 2023.

West Northants Council needed a new SEND Local Offer. The Send Local Offer is part of the SEND Support Services. The SEND Local Offer needed a new directory, as well as new webpages and content.

A group of partners from the local authority, health and the Northants Parent Forum Group (NPFG) recruited a new member of staff to run the project. The SEND Local Offer Manager started in Spring 2023.

A development group for the SEND Local Offer started in June 2023. Membership is from interested partners including health, social care and parents. School staff have volunteered to join the planning for the new academic year in Autumn 2023. This group will report to the Improvement Board. The SEND Local Offer development group said that families wanted a printed magazine as well as a new e-magazine to replace the popular SNIX magazine.

Parents took part in iterative testing of the custom-made directory for the Local Offer during the Spring of 2023. 8 people each gave up an hour of their time to help the Digital Team with the design. Another 2  representatives from the NPFG met with the team to give a strategic parental view.

4 different groups of young people met with the SEND Local Offer Manager to explain what they thought other young people would want to find. The 'preparing for adulthood' topics guided the conversations. They also said the Local Offer should be colourful and have photos of local people and places.

Parents described what information would be useful at each stage of their child’s development. Parents represented NPFG, a Dad's group, the Down's Syndrome Group and a Special School.

The web team built the new website and pages with all the content and links. The Digital Team listened to all the feedback and created a new directory and office systems.

There is a SEND strategy for the next 3 years, agreed with partners, including parents. The planning sessions offered an opportunity for the attendees to comment on a new SEND Local Offer.

We will publish feedback from all contributors for the Local Offer in this section. It will be populated monthly, with agreement from the Local Offer Steering Group.

Last updated 27 February 2025