A website with support for children with additional needs and their parents has undergone an extensive makeover, North East Lincolnshire Council has revealed.
The North East Lincolnshire SEND Local Offer website houses advice and support for parents and professionals, as well as news about upcoming events, training and fun activities.
Over the last 6-months, the site has been given a new, more simplified and accessible design, with key areas now more prominently placed and easier to get to.
What’s changed?
Pages have been reconfigured to give them a more mobile device-friendly experience.
Councillor Samuel Grice, deputy leader and portfolio holder for children and education at North East Lincolnshire Council, said that the site refresh had been carried out with the end-user in mind.
“Research carried out at the start of the project has helped guide this whole project. We’ve listened to what people have told us about the existing site, and we’ve looked at the data.
“We want this site to be a one-stop-shop for parents, carers, young people and professionals to find out about local services, activities, events and groups.
“I really hope that our SEND community find the refreshed local offer site easier to access and to navigate. We’re always open to feedback to continue fine-tuning and updating the site.”
Research showed that just over half of visitors to the site were using a mobile device to access it. The new page designs have been made to be friendly to mobile devices.
Lots of people viewing the site missed out on a significant amount of information because they weren’t scrolling down pages, so work has been done to ensure that site visitors don’t need to scroll as much to view information.
Key changes include:
- Accessibility-first design
- Simplified navigation and removed clutter
- Improved readability
- New ‘Things to do’ makes it easier than ever to find out what things are available in the area for children and young people, parents and carers and professionals.
- New feedback button – we want to know what you think of our pages. If you like them or if you have any suggestions for improvements.
- Education Health and Care Plans are quickly accessible via a button on the home page.
- New preparing for adulthood section has content that will get people with SEND the information or support they need to live independently.
- New page layout coming soon. All pages will be in a new uniform design that are easier to understand and utilise images and symbols to improve accessibility.
Want to check out the new local offer site? Visit Home – NELC SEND Local Offer.
You said, we did
Below are some examples of ‘You said, We did’, where we’ve taken feedback from site users to refine the new look.
Would like a quick link to the EHCP as it is hard to find on the hub
We added a button on the homepage that links to all pages about Education Health and Care Plans. We made every page accessible in under 3 clicks from the homepage.
Would like less complex jargon
We have simplified the homepage and have created a new simpler page template that will make information easier to understand, less wordy and more interactive.
Using plain accessible language
We have simplified the homepage and have created a new page template that will make information easier to understand, less wordy and more interactive.
The website has what is needed but it’s not in the right place
We have completely overhauled navigation so that every page is accessible in under 3 clicks from the homepage. There is a new category system where every page is logically sorted to each category that relates to them.
Make process clearer on Local Offer
A page content evaluation is underway and all pages will be made to follow a strict guideline that utilises more images, instructs and symbols to make content easier to digest for everyone.
More mobile friendly
A majority of our users visit the website on their mobile. We have designed the new homepage, category pages and page designs to be equally mobile compatible.
Include more pictures for reference
There will be much more imagery and symbols on webpages to make the content more accessible. All pages will follow new guidelines so that information is more concise and easily digestible with further information available if necessary.
I want to know more about work experience, access to work, asking for adaptations, more time, making your needs and adaptations known when applying for jobs.
This content is available on our new education and planning for adulthood sections on the new website.
We want to know more about what is available in the way of local events that are autism and disability friendly.
Our new ‘Things to do’ page will list accessible activities, services, training and more.
I have been in schools and places that are just not inclusive for me and want to be better understood.
Our website is more user-focused and designed for easy navigation. Our feedback button has also been added as a way of you telling us what you would like to see on the website.
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