Essex Partnerships for Inclusion for Neurodiversity in Schools (EPINS) 2024-25

SEND Station has been providing training support and consultation for around 100 schools in Essex as apart of the EPINS initiative since September 2024. Schools have access to our SENDScription® package where they can choose from a wide variety of live training events and follow up consultation.

The EPINS project is pioneering a new model for supporting good outcomes in mainstream primary schools for neurodiverse students and strengthening partnerships between parents, carers, and schools. By focusing on improving knowledge, skills, and environments, the aim is to better meet the needs of neurodiverse children and enhance their educational experiences.

HCRG Care Groups Essex Child and Family Wellbeing Services have been chosen to lead the project aimed at developing skills and the confidence of Essex mainstream primary schools to support inclusion. The project has also been formulated to engage with parents and carers to gain insights and form an integral part of this coproduction partnership. The Essex Family Forum have been chosen to fulfil this role. The approach for EPINS will be based around the key principles of the ‘Autism in Schools Projects’ that have been run in other LAs outside of Essex. The project aims to provide:

• good quality training for staff
• parents supporting parents’ groups
• an understanding children’s experience of school

The intention through EPINS will be to enable and facilitate a bespoke, school centred package of support and resources to:

• help shape whole school SEND provision
• provide early interventions at a school level
• upskill school staff
• support strengthening of partnerships between schools and parent/carers

EPINS will complement the existing support of Essex County Council for schools to access, if they need a bespoke training approach, additional to that on offer from ECC SEND teams.