Three ‘navigators’ have been employed at Cornwall Council to act as a first point of contact for families of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

It can be a daunting prospect for any parent or carer who thinks their child might need additional help, which is why it is vital they know who to talk to and how to access support.

The new roles will help ensure families with SEND children always have someone at the end of the phone who can help.

Called ‘SEND system navigators’, they will assist the team with communicating key information when requests for statutory education, health and care (EHC) needs assessments are made. In time they will also be reaching out to families to share key information at set times during the academic year.

The trio are due to begin training in November.

Good communication between families, schools and service providers is crucial and the council has vowed to make this as efficient as possible.

Cllr Barbara Ellenbroek, cabinet member for children and families, said:
“It’s great news that these three new roles have been created and I’m sure they will make a huge difference both to the SEND team and to the families they support. It is one of the council’s priorities to make sure Cornwall is a brilliant place to be a child and grow up, so it is vital that families with SEND children know about the support available to them and how best to navigate their journey. I look forward to seeing the impact these new staff members will make.”

Rachel Delourme, head of inclusion and SEND at Cornwall Council, added:
“We’re always looking to improve the way we communicate with SEND families at every stage of their children’s journey through education, which is why we have invested in these three new ‘system navigator’ roles. The individuals have varied backgrounds, and I am confident that each will bring different expertise to support better communication, both internally and externally with families and schools. I can’t wait for them to get started!”

For more information on SEND services and support in Cornwall, visit the council’s dedicated web pages.

For more information about SEND Navigators, please click on the link below;

New ‘navigators’ will help SEND families in Cornwall get the right support | Cornwall | Fostering