SEND Inclusion forum

Information for schools and settings

The purpose of the Inclusion Forum is to work as a multi-agency team to drive inclusive early support for our children and young people in primary, secondary and post 16 settings in Cheshire East with identified SEND needs.

Inclusion Forum Members

Inclusion Forum members will consist of representatives from education and health who make up each locality’s Inclusion Support Offer. Members will discuss children and young people’s progress to recommend types of provision or additional targeted specialist support. Inclusion Forum does not replace the statutory Education health and care needs assessments and plans (EHCNA) process and schools and settings should consider the Inclusion Forum as part of their graduated response.

Parent carer involvement

Parents/carers must be involved in the whole process and consent to their child’s needs being presented at the Inclusion Forum. Schools and settings must meet and plan with parents/carers so that their views are represented in all decisions. There is opportunity on a child or young person’s SEN support plan to collect parent/carers views. Whilst we will not be asking for additional paperwork their views must be clearly included in the submitted SEN support plan and should be accompanied by a knowledge and agreement form.

Voice of the child or young person

The child’s or young person’s voice must be heard when a request is made to the Inclusion Forum. There is opportunity to also collect children and young person’s views on their SEN support plan and there is no obligation to provide additional paperwork. However, school and settings may wish to choose to also ascertain additional information about the learner’s views about themselves, school and their future.

Making a referral to the Inclusion forum

All referrals to the Inclusion Forum will be from schools and settings.

A request can be made to the Inclusion Forum for either:

Targeted support

• where a child or young person does not have an EHCP, but the school or setting can demonstrate that they have implemented and reviewed a robust graduated approach over time through SEN support plans and/or Ongoing Records of Action, alongside being fully engaged in the Inclusion Framework and their locality based inclusion support offer. Despite sustained intervention and appropriate support through repeated Assess, Plan, Do, Review cycles, the child or young person has made limited or insufficient progress. In these circumstances, schools may seek further advice and guidance to better understand and identify need, or request additional support through the Inclusion Forum process.

Targeted plus support

• where a child or young person has an EHCP and the school can evidence that all provision specified within the plan has been implemented over time. Despite this, the school or setting has significant concerns about its ongoing ability to meet the child or young person’s needs within the current placement. This may include situations where the child or young person does not have an EHCP but has experienced a series of suspensions, is at risk of permanent exclusion, or where there is evidence that further specialist assessment, support or consideration of provision may be required

Forum meetings will be held half termly in North 1, North 2, South 1 and South 2 localities.

Schools and settings must submit completed papers via the Inclusion Forum Portal at least a week before Forum meets.

Where the number of requests exceed availability then they will be placed on a waiting list for the following half term’s forum.

Once the forum have made their decision on any recommendations, schools and settings will receive confirmation of the forum decision within 10 working days.

Inclusion Forum Meeting dates 2026 – 2027

All papers should be received by the close of play exactly a week before Inclusion Forum will meet in order for the child or young person to be discussed that half term. Schools and settings will be notified if they have missed the deadline and will need to wait until the following half term.