ATLAS (Accept, Teach, Listen, Access, Support) is one of seven Youth Voice participation groups in Surrey, and is a prominent voice on important topics from the perspective of young people with additional needs and disabilities living in the county. ATLAS has co-produced a range of concrete changes to services for young people with additional needs and disabilities, attends regular strategic meetings within the local authority (LA) and Local Area Partnership, and has shaped high-level strategies relating to additional needs and disabilities. ATLAS has led work to reframe the language used in Surrey in relation to young people with additional needs and disabilities, which is now reflected in county-wide terminology. The group has an effective governance structure centred around Action Cards, which ensures the priorities of young people with additional needs and disabilities are taken forward, regularly monitored and followed up within the LA and Local Area Partnership. ATLAS was identified as “a shining beacon” in the county’s Additional Needs landscape as part of Surrey’s 2023 Ofsted/CQC SEND Inspection.
The SEND Effective Practice Evidence Framework considers that the “strength of evidence” of this case study is promising – the work has been evaluated and shared internally, but has been sustained for over 5 years. The “breadth of impact” of this case study is promising – there is evidence of impact in terms of lived experiences of young people with SEND[1] and feedback from professionals.[2]
[1] For ease of reading, we use the term ‘SEND’ to refer to disabled children and young people and children and young people with special educational needs.
[2] The SEND Effective Practice Evidence Framework uses two “signal strength” indicators to present the strength of evidence and the breadth of impact of a case study. Each indicator has four bars – emerging, promising, good and robust. The “strength of evidence” indicator is based on how the project has been evaluated and the length of time it has been sustained. The “breadth of impact” indicator is based on whether the case study can demonstrate impact in four broad areas – the more areas of impact, the higher the signal strength indicator.