Trauma-Informed Practice

1.1 Medway Council is a unitary authority with a population of 279,142 (based on 2020 mid-year estimates), 58,777 of which are aged 0-15 years old. Medway has 101 schools of which 5 are special schools, 2 alternative provision, 78 infant, junior and primary schools, 19 secondary and 1 college.

Medway's proportion of pupils with an EHCP is 4.2% (2022/21), which is higher than the national average (4.0%). According to Medway's June 2022 Data Return to the DfE, 31.9% of children and young people with EHCPs are in mainstream schools, significantly lower than the national average of 40.4%.

Medway's permanent exclusion and suspension rates are improving and remain in-line with national. The main reason reported for suspensions is "persistent disruptive behaviour", 49.1% of Medway suspensions give this reason compared to 33.5% nationally.

Attendance is declining and Persistent Absence is increasing. Whilst this is a national picture, exacerbated by the pandemic, data shows Medway's persistence absence (11.4%) continues to remain higher than the National figure of 10.9%.

Working with Kent and Medway's Violence Reduction Unit (VRU), Medway Council's Education and Specialist Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Division is looking to roll out an extensive programme of training to embed Trauma-Informed Practice approaches across Medway's Schools, Academies and Alternative Provisions (referred to from this point on a 'Education Providers'). This training programme is linked to the Council's High Needs Budget (HNB) Deficit Recovery Plan and strategic priorities to improve inclusion of children and young people with SEND in mainstream education. 1.2 The specification below outlines the expectations of the training and practice development programme and a suggested phased approach (which can be further developed between the Local Authority and successful bidder). 1.3 The Medway Council's Education and SEND Division is looking to roll out an extensive programme of training to embed Trauma-Informed Practice approaches across Medway's Education Providers. The training and development programme needs to be driven by the evidence base so we would expect a provider to support schools to audit existing practice and then develop a transferable toolkit specifically aimed at Education Providers, which can be personalised to the needs of their school, to support them to continue to embedding trauma-informed approaches.

The overarching aim is for all Medway Education Providers to be Trauma-Informed in how they work - strategically, culturally, and operational; on a whole-school and individual pupil basis. This means that Trauma-Informed approaches are the expected norm - they are accepted and embedded fully and leaders within those settings continue to have a focus on strengthening this practice, both in day-to-day operations and in their continuous improvement.

In order for any Education Provider (and the Local Authority - as a key stakeholder and the co