SEND ‘Courageous Conversations’ offer peer challenge and support for local areas (SEND Partnerships) to recognise strengths, help develop and improve. The format is designed to support the local area’s SEND and Alternative Provision (AP) priorities, preparation for (or follow up from) annual engagement meetings and/or inspections and to enable mutually beneficial learning for all involved in the activity. Courageous Conversations provide a unique opportunity for the local area to focus on a particular topic or theme, rather than the fuller range of SEND review activity provided by the LGA Peer Review approach, DfE SEND Advisor work or other local authority/SEND partnership initiatives.
The SESLIP SEND Courageous Conversation Cycle began in January 2024. After two positive evaluations a new cycle of ten Courageous Conversations was again included within the region’s Regional Improvement Plan for 2026-2027, funded by the Department for Education. This activity falls within the ‘regional diagnostics strand’.
The latest evaluation report can be found in the document library and was published in October 2025.
The offer of the opportunity to participate in the Courageous Conversation cycle extends to all 19 SEND areas across the SESLIP area and the Regional Improvement Plan for 2026/27 with a target of 10 to be delivered by the end of the financial year.
The SEND Courageous Conversations, as a key component of the integrated Regional Improvement Plan. The offer forms part of the entry point to trigger the region’s targeted support offer. You can see the Regional Improvement Delivery Plan here. This project supports What works in SEND Pillar 3. Please click here for more details.