Meet Katie Janes – Education, Health and Care Co-ordinator (EHCCO)

Hello, my name is Katie Janes and I am an Education, Health and Care Co-ordinator (EHCCO) within the SEND Team.

As an EHCCO, I manage a caseload of approximately 210 Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs). The role is fast-paced and involves coordinating assessments, annual reviews, consultations and amendments, while working closely with families, schools and professionals to resolve issues and identify appropriate provision.

A key part of my role is balancing statutory duties, family expectations, school requests and the resources available to ensure children and young people receive the support they need. I also work hard to ensure EHCPs accurately reflect a child or young person's needs and the provision required to help them achieve their outcomes.

The part of my role I enjoy most is building positive relationships and working collaboratively with schools, families and professionals to achieve the best possible outcomes for children and young people.

Meet Naomi and Claire – SEND Quality, Assurance (QA) and Improvement Team

We're Naomi and Claire, the SEND Quality, Assurance (QA) and Improvement Team, and with over 50 years of SEND experience between us we proudly serve as SEND's QA resident double act!

Between us, we quality assure EHCPs and the statutory advice that helps shape them, gather valuable feedback from families about their assessment journey, and turn those experiences into meaningful improvements.

We also deliver training to health, social care and education professionals on SEND statutory duties, support the development of the SEND Team, and regularly attend community drop-in events.

We're professionally curious, passionate about working together, sharing great practice and building strong multi-agency relationships. If it's about collaboration, continuous improvement and putting children, young people and families at the heart of what we do, we're probably already involved!

What is CEIAG?

CEIAG = Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance

CEIAG helps children and young people understand their education, training and employment options and supports them to make informed decisions about their future.

For young people with (Special Education Needs and Disabilities) SEND, effective CEIAG can play an important role in preparing for adulthood by helping them explore opportunities, develop confidence, identify career aspirations and plan the steps needed to achieve their goals.

How the Right Support Helped FR Find Her Pathway

Preparing for adulthood is an important part of every young person's journey. The right support, provided through an EHCP and effective Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (CEIAG), can help young people identify their strengths, aspirations and future pathways.

FR has kindly shared her story:

"I was excluded from mainstream school and ended up in a specialist education setting. The way I acted whilst there was so I could fit in, and it is not something I am proud of.

I was there from Year 10 through to Year 11 and left with no GCSEs, so I was very unsure what my next steps would look like.

I enrolled at a mainstream college to try and gain my English and Maths, but that failed as I felt misunderstood and my relationship with staff started failing.

I had a careers appointment to look at what would happen next and I was fortunate to have that with someone who understood my past and only wanted to look at my future.

I knew I wanted to work with young people and children but needed to gain my qualifications. This is when SEND4 was suggested.

I joined SEND4 in January 2026 and knew instantly that the work the mentors do with young people is something that I wanted to be able to do.

With the help of the Careers Adviser and the CEO at SEND4, I have been doing work experience with the mentors alongside studying for my Level 2 Maths and English.

I have already been offered a paid position with SEND4 once I have gained my Maths and English, which I hope will be over the summer.

I have chosen this pathway because I believe if I had been given this kind of support when I was younger, my education could have been a lot different and I want to make a difference."

FR's story demonstrates the positive impact that personalised support, aspiration-focused planning and strong careers guidance can have in helping young people achieve their goals and move successfully towards adulthood.

Congratulations, FR. We wish you every success for the future.

Who are SENDiass4BCP?

This month we are pleased to introduce Rebecca Bartlett from SENDiass4BCP.

SENDiass4BCP provides free, impartial and confidential information, advice and support for children and young people up to the age of 25 with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), along with their parents and carers living in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.

The service can support families to understand SEND processes, navigate education-related issues, and ensure that children, young people and families are able to participate in decisions about their support and future.

Families can access SENDiass4BCP at any stage of their SEND journey and are encouraged to contact the service if they would benefit from independent advice or support. SENDiass4BCP

Preparing for Adulthood starts early and focuses on supporting children and young people with SEND to develop the skills, confidence and opportunities needed for adult life.

The four Preparing for Adulthood outcomes are:

• Employment and meaningful occupation
• Independent living
• Good health
• Friends, relationships and community inclusion

Throughout the coming months, we will be sharing more information, resources and success stories that showcase how young people across BCP are achieving their aspirations and building positive futures.

Our SEND Family Drop-ins continue to provide an opportunity to meet SEND professionals, ask questions and access advice and support.

Everyone is welcome and we look forward to seeing you.

Bournemouth Hub

ARC Somerford, Christchurch BH23 3EH

New 2027 dates will be published soon.

Your experiences continue to help shape and improve SEND services across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.

We want to hear:

✅ What's working well
✅ What could be improved
✅ Your experiences of SEND services
✅ Ideas for future developments

You can share your views through:

• Parent Carers Together
• SEND Family Drop-ins
• Parent Carer Feedback Forms
• Children and Young People's Feedback Forms
• SEND Voice and Participation Opportunities

Every piece of feedback helps us improve outcomes for children, young people and families across BCP.

As we head towards the start of a new academic year, we would like to thank all children, young people, families, schools and professionals for your continued partnership and support. We look forward to working with you throughout the autumn term and sharing more SEND news, updates and success stories in future editions of SEND Family News.