Kent SEND APP Jane O'Rourke's video transcript

Transcript video for Jane O'Rourke's, Director of Children's Services, NHS Kent and Medway interview.

[Title card: Kent’s SEND Improvements - Jane O’Rourke, Director of Children’s Services]

Interviewer introduces the video off screen as Jane appears on the screen:

"I am here with Jane O’Rourke, who is Director of Children’s Services at NHS Kent and Medway, to talk about the Improvement Plan."

"Jane, we have some questions from Kent PACT, that’s Parents And Carers Together. I am here to put those questions to you, to answer from a health point of view. Before we begin those questions, could you start by explaining to those watching, the involvement of NHS Kent and Medway and the SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) Improvement Programme."

Jane O’Rourke:

"We have a really important role in the Improvement Programme. We have areas of the Improvement Programme that are specifically related to health, around some of the waiting list issues we have in some of our health pathways. We also have some legal responsibilities under the SEND framework and the Code of Practice that we need to make sure that we meet. And we have a really important role in Education, Health and Care Plans, ensuring that health clinicians have input into those plans and are providing the right clinical advice for those plans to ensure that children get the right support when they need it."

Interviewer:

"Thank you. So the first question we have is when will you stop evaluating, communicating, planning, running focus groups and actually, simply, get on with it?"

Jane O’Rourke:

"So we are getting on with it. That work has already started, and is ongoing. I don’t think we will stop evaluating and communicating. It’s really important that we keep doing that, and we keep going back and sense checking everything we’re doing to make sure it’s making the difference that we need it to make. And it’s really important that we keep communicating with our parents and families during all of that work, to ensure that it’s meeting their needs as well."

Interviewer:

"Thank you. And is the plan to pass the next inspection, or is it a commitment to longevity and aspiration for our children?"

Jane O’Rourke:

"The most important thing is that we have services for children with SEND that are able to stand the test of time, that we transform them so that they are sustainable in the future, and our aspiration is absolutely to do that. But we do also need to pass the next inspection. There are areas that we are still failing in that we need to ensure we’ve addressed when we’re reinspected. So I think that we need to continue to work on both of those things simultaneously."

Interviewer

"Thank you. And finally, how can we trust you to actually do as you say you will?"

Jane O’Rourke:

"That’s a really difficult question to answer. And I understand why the question has been asked. And I think it is a real challenge. All I can say is that I am absolutely committed to working with all of the system partners, and to be really open and transparent with parents and families, and clear about some of our challenges so that we build that trust and we get to a place where parents feel that they can trust us. That’s really important."

[Closing captions on screen/voiceover] To find out more visit www.kent.gov.uk/send.