Children and Young People Placements for Residential and Fostering Special Educational Needs

Cornwall Council are looking for providers who can meet the needs of Cornish children. The service should meet the needs of young people who require residential care and produce good outcomes. The aim is to increase providers in Cornwall so we are not moving young people far away from their home authority. Cornwall is also opening its first adolescent mental health unit in Bodmin and we are likely to need residential provision to support the transition to the community.

Cornwall Council are looking to providers to continue to meet the needs of Cornish children in Cornwall. We are looking for a range of placements to meet the needs of Cornwall’s children. This includes Adolescents, sibling 3 / 4 groups, same day placements, Family and child placements, step down from residential and placements with younger children. The service should be outcomes focus and place children in the boundaries of Cornwall or immediate surrounding area. We are looking for a collaborative approach with providers.

Cornwall Council deploys a full range of provision to meet the educational needs of children and young people with SEN. One part of this continuum is independent special schools placements (ISP). In comparison with other Local Authorities Cornwall’s use of ISP is very low, 3% individuals who have education, health and care (EHC) plans. We are committed to children and young people living at home and attending school on a daily basis in Cornwall whenever possible. Our ongoing SEN provision review does not indicate an expansion in the use of ISP. For a few children and young people with highly complex needs very high quality, cost effective ISP are sought. Provision for our children and young people needs to be highly individualised and focussed on delivery of the outcomes in pupils’ EHC plans. ISP provision has to focus on mainstream opportunities, sometimes this is a return to mainstream education, but for everyone engagement with, and preparedness for, mainstream life is key.