West Essex Inclusion Project
Connecting SEND pathways
As a cross-district initiative, this project is designed to improve the accessibility, consistency and quality of inclusive and SEND-specific physical activity opportunities.
Taking a place-based approach and recognising that Epping Forest, Harlow and Uttlesford share overlapping communities, service pathways and system partners, Active Essex has been instrumental in bridging grassroot services and gaps to strengthen cross-district understanding. As a result, this is making provision more visible and ensuring families across West Essex can benefit from the full range of inclusive opportunities available.
The Find Your Active Navigator continues to play an important enabling role within this project, supported by the strong working relationship developed with colleagues leading the West Essex Inclusion project.
The Find Your Active Navigator has helped:
How does this project align with the priorities of Harlow Place Partnership?
Learnings, challenges, successes and investment are being shared across West Essex from the Harlow Place Partnership work. The partnership has identified a priority of ‘accessible and inclusive opportunities’ and through existing place-based relationships, this work has helped strengthen broader connections across West Essex. We have seen this work support an improved plan around training, education and upskilling to enhance inclusive practice across the area.
Active Essex has been well positioned to support this work, drawing on longstanding relationships with locally trusted organisations across West Essex. These connections have helped to ensure that learning, local intelligence and opportunities are shared more effectively across the area.
The stronger collaboration between partners across the West Essex footprint has enhanced the visibility of existing provision and enabled a more coordinated pathway of support for families who have previously struggled to navigate the system.
The West Hub team have brokered relationships with partners across system-wide networks to broaden collaboration pathways and improve alignment with wider local priorities.
Key learnings
It's important to take time to reflect and understand the learnings from work undertaken, to focus on ways to improve in the future.
Parallel work
Strands of work across multiple areas didn’t have visibility of one another until this project....
Coordinated
Have greater awareness of partners work to be able to better support families more holistically.
Navigating priorities
Districts have different focuses, but this project has encouraged intentional alignment.
Inclusive practice
Shared insight from HAF provision has helped partners to understand engagement with families.
Avoid duplication
Stronger connections and shared insight help complement developments rather than compete.
Our relationship with providers, partners and community groups have enabled us to bring valuable frontline perspectives into the project. These collective insights have helped the wider partnership identify where gaps remain, which are having the greatest impact and what additional support is needed.Danielle Warnes, Active Essex Relationship Manager
As the project develops and Harlow Place Partnership insights continue to be shared, Active Essex are committed to continue this way of working. The Hub team aim to maintain a strong emphasis on expanding inclusive physical activity opportunities across West Essex, ensuring that children, young people, and their families, can access the support they need more easily.
A key priority moving forward will be to maximise training and development opportunities that build local capacity and strengthen the skills of providers, enabling them to better support SEND communities. Consequently, this approach will help cultivate a more diverse workforce of physical activity deliverers and encourage them to broaden their offer to meet a wider range of needs.
