26th October 2026

• Sheffield’s SEND Local Area Partnership (LAP) works together to improve support and opportunities for children and young people with SEND and their families across Sheffield. Partners include Sheffield City Council, NHS South Yorkshire Integrated Care Board, Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, Learn Sheffield and Sheffield Parent Carer Forum.

  Here’s a snapshot of some of the work being done across the city to improve support and opportunities for families of children and young people with SEND at the start of Sheffield’s SEND transformation journey. You can find out more about the full plans here.

  Wait times for Autism and ADHD assessments

  Although waits for families seeking an autism and/or ADHD assessment for their child or young person remain unacceptably long, as is the case elsewhere in the UK, Sheffield’s Neurodiversity Programme is working hard to improve the situation locally.

  Sheffield’s Neurodiversity Programme is working to improve available support for children and young people who may be neurodivergent, while also reducing waiting times for autism and ADHD assessments. Progress has been made through increasing the number of assessments that can be made, targeted support in schools, improved communication with families, and the launch of new services such as the ADHD Neighbourhood Service, which aims to improve access to support closer to home. For more information about the programme, its aims, and the support available, click here.

  Investment in SEND Statutory Assessment and Review

  We know many families have experienced delays and frustrations with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs). Sheffield City Council is working to increase the size of its team that manages Educational Health & Care plans (EHCPs) in order to make it more visible, responsive and effective in supporting children, young people and schools.

  The SEND Statutory Assessment and Review Service (SENDSARS) is responsible for managing requests for Education, Health and Care (EHC) assessments.  These are made when a child or young person needs more support than is available to them in school. The team also produces EHC plans, co-ordinates school placements for children and young people, monitors and supports annual reviews and provides advice to schools, parents and carers about statutory assessments and EHC processes. 

  The larger team will help to improve the timeliness and quality of support for families. For enquiries, contact: SENDAssess&Review@sheffield.gov.uk 

  Experts at Hand

  Experts at Hand is a new approach launched nationally in September to help ensure children are receiving the best support possible at nursery, school or college. The service works by bringing in health and education experts like educational psychologists and speech and language therapists to work closely with early years educators, teachers and staff. Children will not need a diagnosis to access support – it will be based on the child’s need.

  What’s happening in Sheffield?

  Sheffield is providing the new approach from Autumn 2026. This will roll out over time to a wide range of mainstream educational settings – early years, schools, and post-16.

  This new approach follows the national SEND reforms and is in line with what we know in Sheffield about families’ concerns around long waits for support. This has meant children and young people are often only receiving help once difficulties have already become established and are then harder to address.

  Making sure children and young people get the right support at the right time, which includes meeting the right professionals, is important. Experts at Hand means health and education experts will work alongside the teachers and staff in your child’s nursery, school or college to deliver this support.

  These professionals will work directly with your child or young person in the place they learn every day, with the teachers and staff they know and trust. This will help identify and meet your child or young person’s needs more quickly and give them support before things get more difficult for them. Find out more here.

  The LAP needs your help!

  How do you currently access information about SEND support and services?

  As part of Sheffield’s SEND transformation, the LAP would like to understand more about how you currently access information about SEND support and services. Please spend five minutes filling out the survey here

  Call out for film participants!

  In order to tell the story of the Sheffield SEND transformation journey and communicate important changes to support children, young people and the professionals that support them, the LAP is producing a series of films. The LAP wants to talk to parents and carers of children and young people with SEND in Sheffield who would be interested in featuring in the first film.

  How to get involved

  If you would like to volunteer to be in the film please get in touch. Sarah Firth, SEND Partnership Communications Manager is looking at arranging some short information sessions (online or in person) to talk through the project and what your role will involve. Email: sarah.firth14@nhs.net