Rationale
Hope is an integrated service which combines both Surrey County Council and Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust Policies and Procedures. As issues arise the response process to be followed will be that of the most appropriate organisation. The General Manager for Hope is to be contacted in the first instance and will direct the query to ensure the appropriate application of Policies and Procedures of each organisation.
Legislation and guidance
This document meets the requirements of schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010 and the Department for Education (DfE) guidance for schools on the Equality Act 2010.
The Equality Act 2010 defines an individual as disabled if they have a physical or mental impairment that has a 'substantial' and 'long-term' adverse effect on their ability to undertake normal day to day activities.
Under the Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Code of Practice, 'long-term' is defined as 'a year or more' and 'substantial' is defined as 'more than minor or trivial'. The definition includes sensory impairments such as those affecting sight or hearing, and long-term health conditions such as asthma, diabetes, epilepsy and cancer.
Schools are required to make 'reasonable adjustments' for pupils with disabilities under the Equality Act 2010, to alleviate any substantial disadvantage that a disabled pupil faces in comparison with non-disabled pupils. This can include, for example, the provision of an auxiliary aid or adjustments to premises.
Schools are required, under the Equality Act 2010, to have an accessibility plan. The purpose of the plan is to:
- Increase the extent to which disabled young people can participate in the curriculum
- Improve the physical environment to enable disabled young people to take better advantage of education, benefits, facilities and services provided
- Improve the availability of accessible information to disabled young people
Aims
The Hope Service aims to treat all its young people fairly and with respect. It is committed to providing a fully accessible environment and provision which values and includes all young people, staff, parents and carers, and visitors. As part of this provision all staff will challenge negative attitudes towards disability and accessibility and work together to develop a culture of awareness, tolerance and inclusion. This involves providing access and opportunities for all young people without discrimination of any kind.
Reviewing and monitoring
The Accessibility Plan will be reviewed every three years, but may be reviewed and updated more frequently if necessary.
Links with other policies
This accessibility plan is linked to the following Hope policies and documents:
- Health and Safety Policy
- Equality and Diversity Policy
- SEND Policy and SEND 14 Questions
- Supporting Young People with Medical Conditions Policy.
1. Increasing the extent to which disabled young people can participate in the curriculum
| Key actions | Staff | Timescales | Success criteria | Completion/comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ensure the day programme curriculum meets the needs of all the young people. | Teacher in Charge (TiC) | Ongoing | Curriculum policy captures the Intent of the day programme and ensures the delivery of the key strands and skills to positively impact on all the young people in the day programme. |
|
| Ensure each young person has a personalised offer in the day programme. | All | Ongoing | Young people with SEND can fully access the day programme. Staff are utilising the information on the thumbnail and keyworker forms to ensure provision is tailored to each young person. | Each young person has an individual timetable which is reviewed regularly. Regular case reviews need to be embedded and ensure timetable is reviewed at regular intervals for all young people. |
| Ensure lesson resources are personalised to match the needs of each learner. | Teachers | Ongoing | Young people with SEND can access the education curriculum and make sustained progress. | All SEND information for the young people in the day programme is shared with teachers to ensure lessons are personalised. Improvement of partnerships with schools and SEND caseworkers to ensure Hope staff have the relevant information required for each young person. |
| Off site activities planned to ensure accessibility and participation of all young people. | Kerry Coyle, Zarina Vakil | Ongoing | Fully inclusive off site provision, young people are included in choosing holiday activities. | All activities fully inclusive for all young people in day programme and are adapted if required. Risk formulation for all young people is updated regularly and flexibility offered within the timetable and curriculum, should risks be present. |
Staff training to address the individual needs that impact on the young people in the day programme. These may include:
| All | Ongoing | Staff more able to meet the day programme curriculum needs of each young person. All young people with a disability make sustained progress. |
|
| Ensuring appropriate exam concessions are in place where relevant and that exams can be taken in a suitable venue for each young person with relevant staffing, as required | Juliet Roberts (JR), Teacher in Charge), Chris Ward (CW), Jordan Cook (JC) | Ongoing | JR, (TiC), CW and JC ensure that any young people who take exams at Hope receive exam concessions where needed and are not disadvantaged. | JR, (TiC), CW and JC liaise with substantive education placements to ensure concessions are applied for where applicable. TiC to liaise with Psychiatric hospital placement to facilitate external exams can take place, where appropriate. |
2. Improving the physical environment to enable disabled young people to take better advantage of education, benefits, facilities and services provided
| Key actions | Staff | Timescale | Success Criteria | Completion/Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The environment to be adapted to the needs of any young people, staff and parents and carers as required. | Coordinators, Team Managers, Administration staff | Ongoing | Young people have full access to the physical environment. Access plans for individuals where required. Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan for any young person who requires one. | Wheelchair accessibility to exit the Guildford building, at the rear, needs ramp access. The Guildford toilet is not fully accessible for wheelchair users. All staff to be aware of specific young peoples sensory needs and to adjust the environment as applicable. |
| Accessible car parking. | Team Managers | Ongoing | Disabled parking available on both sites near to the entrances. | To ensure that all staff and visitors have access to disabled parking and ensure wellbeing and risk assessments are in place to meet staff and visitor needs when required. |
| Ensure emergency exits can be accessed by all. | Team Managers | Ongoing | Any disabled personnel can safely access emergency exits on both sites. | Audit of all emergency exits on both sites to ensure they are compliant for disabled personnel, also addressed through annual external Health and Safety monitoring visits. |
3. Improving the availability of accessible information to disabled young people
| Key action | Staff | Timescales | Success criteria | Completion/comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Understand the needs of each young person and ensure that information is available to them in a relevant and accessible format. For example:
| Coordinators, Key workers, Lead Teachers | Ongoing. As and when needs arise. | All young people can access curriculum and Hope service information in a format that meets their needs. | All Special Educational Needs (SEN) and Educational Health Care Plan (EHCP) information for each young person is disseminated to all staff with specific actions identified. Training to be provided for staff on Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) |
| Hope Service is aware of services available through Surrey County Council to convert written information into alternative formats and how to access interpreters and signers when there is an identified need. | Managers, Teacher in Charge | Ongoing | All young people can access curriculum and Hope Service information in a format that meets their needs and families. | Does not apply |
Policy Reviewed: January 2025
Next Review date: January 2028
Key Person: J Roberts