Pioneer View with Cara Madden, Service Manager SEND Team, Wiltshire Council

Welcome to the “Pioneer View”, a series where our Young Pioneers talk to disabled people and service providers in Wiltshire.
This episode, we are with Cara Madden, Service Manager Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Team at Wiltshire Council.
Cara manages the Wiltshire SEND Team, providing a network of services both in and outside Wiltshire Council to support young people in education and as they transition into adulthood. She also oversees SEND Lead Workers as they support young people with their EHCPs.
Here are some definitions of the terms and services Cara mentions:
Wiltshire’s Special Educational Needs and Disabilities service (SEND service) provides input and support with education for Children and Young people with Specialist Educational needs. This is done with coordinated services planned in partnership with each child/young person and their family. This empowers young people aged 0 to 25 years to live the lives they choose, encouraging them to establish a secure pathway into adulthood. The service also completes statutory assessments for EHCPs.
Carer Support Wiltshire (CSW) is a charity that support unpaid carers aged 5 and up in Wiltshire. They also complete Carer Assessments for those over 18.
Community Connecting is a team in Wiltshire Council that support young people to access voluntary work and networks in community.
An Educational Health and Care Plan (EHCP) is a legal document which describes a child or young person's special educational needs, the support they need (including financial), and the outcomes they’d like to achieve. This requires them to take an Educational Health and Care assessment (EHC), done by Wiltshire’s SEND service.
An EHCP Annual Review is a statutory process that reviews how a young person’s needs may have changed in the last year, as well as their progress.
Get Connected is a project working with Specialist Schools to support students with road awareness and safety.
The Learning Disability and Autism Service (LDAS) is an adult social care service of social workers and social care practitioners. They work with adults (aged 18 and over) who have a diagnosed learning disability and/or an autistic spectrum condition, to transition into adulthood and do other things they may want to achieve. They provide Care Act assessments, information, advice, signposting and Support Planning.
Outreach and Enablement Team is a group within Wiltshire Council providing additional support to young people over a short period of time, typically 6 to 12 weeks.
A Social Care Package ensures you receive the right health and social care support or services to live well based on your care needs. This is obtained by completing a Care and Support Needs Assessment, which you can be referred to by your GP, family member, professional, a person acting on your behalf or yourself online.
Wiltshire Centre for Independent Living (WCIL) is a user led disability charity that supports disabled people living in Wiltshire to have choice and control to live independent lives.
Wiltshire Employment Support Team (WEST) support people with special educational needs and disabilities to find and keep paid employment.
For more information, please follow the following links:
- Wiltshire SEND service: rightchoice.wiltshire.gov.uk/...
- EHCPs and their Annual Reviews: localoffer.wiltshire.gov.uk/a....
- LDAS: adults.wiltshire.gov.uk/Servi...
- Social Care Package: adultslas.wiltshire.gov.uk/we...
- Carer Support Wiltshire: carersupportwiltshire.co.uk/
- Get Connected: www.wiltshire.gov.uk/children...
- Outreach and Enablement Team: localoffer.wiltshire.gov.uk/a...
- Community Connecting at Wiltshire Council: adults.wiltshire.gov.uk/Infor...
- Other Community Connecting Services (through GP for instance): adults.wiltshire.gov.uk/Infor...
- WEST: workwiltshire.co.uk/west/
- WCIL: www.wiltshirecil.org.uk/about...
For more information about Wiltshire’s LDAS, please visit the following website:
adults.wiltshire.gov.uk/Servi...
If you want to give feedback about Wiltshire Council services, contact:
0300 456 0100
For more information please refer to the Wiltshire Local Offer.
Visit the website: localoffer.wiltshire.gov.uk/
Email: [e-mail]
Call the SEND Service directly on: 01225 712620.
Interested in sharing your Pioneer View, either as a provider or young person? Contact Wiltshire CIL to get involved!
Email: [e-mail]
Call: 0300 123 3442
#getinvolved #wiltspionners