20^th November 2008

Dear Colleagues

I wrote to you all on 28th April thanking you for your detailed comments on our draft Inclusion Strategy.  Subsequent to that letter the draft strategy has been further discussed at a range of partnership groups and again comments have been taken on board and revisions made.
This is a complex area, with considerable work already going forward and much more to do.  In this context the Children and Young People’s Partnership has endorsed an “Interim Strategy” to reflect the fact that this is still very much work in progress.

I am pleased to enclose a copy of our interim Inclusion Strategy for children and young people with learning difficulties and /or disabilities (LDD).  This strategy demonstrates our vision and commitment to support children and young people at the earliest opportunity.  It sets out a series of priorities and actions so we can begin to provide seamless, flexible, continued provision at the various stages of transition in a young person’s life.  

The strategy builds on the discussion document circulated for consultation in March 2008 and discussions over the summer and autumn.  It provides a framework for improving life chances and outcomes for children and young people across a broad spectrum of needs, from mild to moderate learning difficulties to more complex health and physical disabilities.   

This work continues to be taken forward by our LDD Strategic Board, which is a group of senior representatives across the Council, health services and schools. They will be supported by a LDD Reference Group, who will ensure that improvements for service provision are taken forward, as part of our strategy and action plan.    

This strategy will be updated next year, in line with the development of our next three-year Children and Young People’s Plan. 

Yours sincerely