Commissioning

Commissioning is a way of understanding need, planning a response to meet this need and reviewing the effectiveness of action taken.

 

Southwark Council's commissioning principles

Southwark Council is developing its commissioning processes, working in line with the principles set out by the Department for Education that:

• young people should be educated in mainstream settings where appropriate
• young people should be educated in their local area where appropriate
• every young person should receive a well planned transition between services. 
   

Local services should work holistically and in a person centred way to ensure these principles are achieved.

 

Policy context from the Department for Education

The Department for Education (DfE) emphasises the importance of local provision for children and young people with SEND. Their policies aim to ensure that support is accessible close to home, reducing the need for placements far from families and communities.

Keeping young people in their local area helps maintain family connections, social networks, and continuity of care. It also supports better outcomes by enabling consistent support across education, health, and social care.

The Department for Education (DfE) has made clear that mainstream education should be the default option for most children and young people with SEND, unless their needs require specialist provision. This stance is reflected in several key initiatives and policy documents:

• Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and Alternative Provision (AP) Improvement Plan (2023)
  The DfE outlines a vision for an inclusive education system where mainstream and specialist settings work together. It emphasises that mainstream schools should be equipped to support a wide range of needs, reducing reliance on specialist placements.
   

• Regional improvement in standards and excellence (RISE) Programme (2025)
  The Regional Improvement in Standards and Excellence (RISE) initiative provides free CPD (continuing professional development), autism training, and inclusion resources to help mainstream schools improve their SEND provision. It supports a whole-school approach to inclusion and aims to break the link between background and educational outcomes. 
   

• Education Endowment Foundation (EEF): Special educational needs in mainstream schools (2025)
  The DfE endorses evidence-based strategies from the EEF, which highlight that excellent teaching is the most important factor for pupils with SEND. Their guidance encourages schools to adopt inclusive practices that benefit all learners. 

 

2025/26 commissioning development

• Developing and improving our PfA (Preparing for Adulthood) pathways with a particularly focus on employability.
• Developing and improving careers advice and guidance for young people with SEND, including information available on our local offer and public platforms. 
• Ensuring that our Phase Transfer process is robust, ensuring that every young person receives proactive input from the SEND service and personalised support to plan their future.
• Review and challenging costs across the Post-16 sector to ensure there is equal access to public funds. 
• Improving transition planning, tracking and signposting between SEND and social care, voluntary and community organisations.