The Designated Clinical Officer (DCO)
What does the DCO do?
The Designated Clinical Officer (DCO) supports health services to make sure they are meeting the needs of children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.
The DCO plays a key role in ensuring that health services are fully engaged and meeting their requirements around SEND across Kirklees.
The DCO works with children & young people aged 0-25 years with SEND and with all those involved, including parent/carers, , health, social care, education and the community & voluntary sector.
The DCO has 4 main functions:
Provide direction and guidance:
- Are health recognising SEND do they help early enough?
- Are health services accessible and inclusive for those with SEND?
- Is health getting support right when it comes to SEND?
- Are decisions made by health supportive of SEND?
Confidence
- Carefully examine what health are doing to support those with SEND and work with health colleagues to ensure they get it right.
- Provide help to make sure EHCP’s have the right support from health.
- Ensure health information on the Local Offer is accurate and up-to-date
Planning & strategy
- Work with leaders across Kirklees to look at how health are doing with SEND support and if they are meeting legal requirements.
- Are leaders funding the right health services for those with SEND?
- Reporting on how inclusive health services are?
Promoting the following:
- Working together to make sure health support is right
- Providing advice to those working in SEND to ensure health support is right
- Working with children, young people and families to make sure their voices are heard.
Who is the Kirklees DCO?
The current DCO starting working in Kirklees in September 2023, they are employed by the NHS but work very closely with Kirklees Council. The DCO is a medical professional and has experience of working with young people with SEND.