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Transcript of Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan guidance for...
Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan guidance for professionalsSeptember 2014
CamdenClinical Commissioning Group
2
Contents
Page
1 Introduction and context 4
1.1: What is the Children and Families Act 2014? …………………………………… 4
1.2: What are the key changes?................................................................................... 4
1.3: What is the new Code of Practice (CoP)?............................................................ 6
2 The Assessment Co-ordinator 7
2.1: The role and remit of the Assessment Co-ordinator………………………......... 8
2.2: Who are the Assessment Co-ordinators in Camden?........................................ 9
2.3: The roles and responsibilities of the Assessment Co-ordinator…………….... 10
3 What is an EHC plan? 12
3.1: SEND Support in the early years…………………………………………………….. 14
3.2: SEND Support for school age children and young people…………………….. 15
3.3: SEND support from post 16 to 25…………………………………………………… 16
3.4: What are the key principles on which the Camden EHC plan is based………. 16
3.5: Four guiding principles for creating the EHC plan………………………………. 17
4 The EHC assessment and planning process 20
The EHC Decision Process Flowchart 20
A) EHC request phase 21
A.1: How is an EHC statutory assessment requested? ……………………………… 21
A.2: Who can request an EHC statutory assessment?.............................................. 21
A.3: What needs to be submitted to the EHC Pre-Assessment Panel?.................... 22
A.4: Who is on the EHC Pre-Assessment Panel? …………………………………….. 25
A.5: What happens if an EHC statutory assessment is not agreed?........................ 25
A.6: What happens if an EHC statutory assessment is agreed? ……………………. 25
B) EHC preparation phase 26
B.1: What needs to be done before the EHC planning meeting?.............................. 26
B.2: The initial meeting between the AC and parent/carer (pre-EHC meeting)…… 27
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C) EHC meeting phase 28
C.1: Who needs to be invited to contribute to the EHC planning meeting?............. 28
C.2: Where should the EHC planning meeting take place?........................................ 29
C.3: What should the agenda be for EHC planning meeting?.................................... 29
C.4: The hallmarks of a positive EHC planning meeting……………………………… 29
C.5: At the EHC planning meeting - completing Section E…………………………… 30
D) Getting sign off on the EHC plan 38
D.1: What should happen after the EHC planning meeting?...................................... 38
5 Feedback from parents/carers who participated in Camden’s EHC Pilot 39
6 Appendices 40
1. General Hints and Tips for Assessment Co-ordinators……………………….. 40
2. Letter inviting C/YP, parents/carers and professionals to EHC planning
meeting: Sample A and Sample B………………………………………………..… 41
3. Date of Birth and school cohorts (updated for 2014-15)……………………… 43
4. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)………………………………………….…… 44
5. A guide to setting outcomes…………………………………………………..…… 49
6. Examples of short, medium and long-term outcomes…………………….……. 52
7. Competencies for 0-25 EHC Plan Assessment Co-ordinators………………… 56
8. EHC Plan Checklist……………………………………………………………………. 57
9. What to include in each section of the EHC plan………………………………… 60
10. EHC Process Timescale Toolkit…………………………………………………… 63
11. Thresholds criteria for children’s services in Camden……………………….. 64
12. Camden Integrated working guide: Lead Professional………………………… 65
7 Glossary 66
8 Further reading 67
9 Camden key contact details 68
Note:
As the new protocols for SEND are implemented, it is anticipated that the following guidance will
be modified to reflect our practice in Camden, in accordance with our statutory duties to children
and young people with SEND.
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1) Introduction and context
1.1 What is the Children and Families Act 2014?
In February 2013, the government published the Children and Families Bill. This Bill includes
changes to the law for children and young people with special educational needs (SEN) in
England. The Bill passed through parliament and in March 2014, the government introduced the
Children and Families Act.
This Act paved the way for the introduction of a new support system for children and young
people with special educational needs and disability (SEND) in England from 1 September 2014.
The Act brings together the current separate arrangements for children in schools and young
people in post-16 institutions and training up to age 25. The scope of the Act has been extended
to include all disabled children and young people, rather than only those with special educational
needs.
1.2 What are the key changes?
The key changes are aimed at developing much better relationships with young people and
families and for co-production of long term outcomes based on person-centred planning.
From September 2014, all local authorities are required to draw up an Education, Health and
Care (EHC) plan instead of a statement of SEN. There are some significant changes to the
process of assessment, planning and delivery of EHC plans. The main change is that it produces
a plan which is more outcomes focused and family centred. The EHC plan will detail the
provision to meet the child/ young person’s educational, health and care needs and include what
offer of a personal budget is available (if any).
The new 0-25 EHC planning pathway is different to the SEN statementing process. There are
four main points of difference:
there is more emphasis on gathering information across services at the point of referral
the family is much more involved through the co-ordinated integrated assessment and
planning stages
it produces a plan which is more outcomes focussed and family centred, having
involved the family much more
the (new) family-centred way of working can lead to better quality plans as it enables
professionals to develop a more comprehensive understanding of the child or young
person (C/YP).
Children and young people who meet the thresholds for statutory intervention will be assessed
and supported by the EHC assessment and planning process. In Camden, the EHC process will
be managed by an Assessment Co-ordinator (AC). The AC is the main contact point for
parents/carers and manages the EHC assessment and planning process for children and young
people with SEND, across the 0-25 year old age range.
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The AC role is similar to the Lead Professional, but is time limited to managing the EHC
assessment and planning process. The AC role will end after the agreement of the EHC plan. At
the end of the statutory EHC planning process or at any time in the future, if the C/YP has unmet
needs, these can be managed through the CAF process with a Lead Professional and Team
Around the Child.
The law came into effect from 1st September 2014 and all new assessments will be carried out
under the new system. Local authorities should transfer all children and young people who have
a statement or receive support as a result of an LDA into the new system as quickly as they are
able to, but this will take time to do properly. As a result of the change in the law, transitional
arrangements are also being put in place by each local authority.
Transition to a new system:
Not all children under 5 will need an EHC plan, even where they have additional needs that
require additional funding for provision. Some will have a multiagency plan with an additional
funding agreement. Some, but not all, children with these non-statutory plans will need a
statutory process on starting school. Some will access all the resources they need through
the schools funding arrangements once they start school. More detail is available on the
Camden Local Offer website www.localoffer.camden.gov.uk
It is expected that most children and young people who have a statement will be transferred to
an EHC plan. Statements of SEN will remain in force until the transition to an EHC plan has
been completed.
Children and young people with statements who would have continued to have one under the
current system, and young people in further education or training with an LDA will be gradually
transferred over to the new arrangements over the next three and a half years, by 1 April 2018
Not all young people with a statement of SEND and who are leaving statutory education (but
remaining in further education) will need an EHC plan, even if they have additional needs that
require additional funding for provision. Some will have an individual funding agreement in
place appended to a contract between the LA and the provider. The college or young person
remains entitled to request a plan.
All young people who receive support as a result of an LDA who are continuing in Further
Education (FE) or training beyond 1 September 2016 who need an EHC plan should have one
by 1 September 2016.
The right to request an EHC needs assessment has been suspended for children with
statements for the transition period. However, a parent/carer can request a re-assessment
under the Education Act 1996 during the transition period and can appeal if refused by the
Local Authority, and the Tribunal has the power to order the LA to carry out an EHC needs
assessment.
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1.3 What is the new Code of Practice (CoP)?
The new CoP represents the first full revision of the legislation for SEN since 1996. The CoP
(June 2014) and SEN draft regulations provide information about a new system for SEN needs
where “every child should be given the best chance to succeed in life”. The key principles
as set out in Chapter 1 of the CoP will shape SEN practice and facilitate nursery, school and
college based identification, support and intervention for all but the very few youngsters whose
level of need will require unusual levels of additional and individual support through a statutory
single plan.
At the heart of the new CoP is the emphasis on a different way of engaging with children and
young people. Planning for a C/YP with SEND should start with the individual and take account
of their wishes and aspirations, the outcomes they seek and the support they need to achieve
them. It should enable the C/YP and their parents/carers to have more control over decisions
about their support.
Changes from the SEN Code of Practice (2001)
The Code of Practice (2014) covers the 0-25 age range and includes guidance related to disabled
children and young people as well as those with SEN
There is a clearer focus on the participation of children and young people and parents/carers in
decision-making at individual and strategic levels
There is a stronger focus on high aspirations and on improving outcomes for children and young
people
It includes guidance on the joint planning and commissioning of services to ensure close co-
operation between education, health and social care
It includes guidance on publishing a Local Offer of support for children and young people with SEN
or disabilities
There is new guidance for education and training settings on taking a graduated approach to
identifying and supporting pupils and students with SEN. SEN support replaces School Action and
School Action Plus (in schools) and Early Years Action and Early Years Action Plus( in Early Years
settings)
For children and young people with more complex needs a co-ordinated assessment process and
the new 0-25 Education, Health and Care Plan (EHC plan) replaces statements and Learning
Difficulty Assessments (LDAs)
There is a greater focus on support that enables those with SEN to succeed in their education and
make a successful transition to adulthood.
Code of Practice 2014 – Introduction VI
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2) The Assessment Co-ordinator (AC)
Local authorities should adopt a key working approach, which provides children, young people
and parents/carers with a single point of contact to help ensure the holistic provision and
co-ordination of services and support.
Code of Practice 2.21
In the CoP, a key working approach to coordinating EHC statutory assessments has been
introduced. Every local authority has developed a local approach to key working arrangements.
In Camden, the AC role is being carried out by a range of professionals, as part of their existing
post. The AC role is informed by person centred approaches to reflect aspirational and
achievable outcomes for all individuals with SEND. Effective planning should help
parents/carers, children and young people to express their needs, wishes and goals and should:
• focus on the C/YP as an individual, not their SEND label
• be easy for children, young people and their parents/carers to understand and use
clear ordinary language and images, rather than professional jargon
• highlight the C/YP's strengths and capacities
• enable the C/YP, and those who know them best, to say what they have done, what
they are interested in and what outcomes they are seeking in the future
• tailor support to the needs of the individual
• organise assessments to minimise demands on families and
• bring together relevant professionals to discuss and agree the overall approach.
Using this approach within a family context, educational settings, professionals and local
authorities can ensure that parents/carers, children and young people are genuinely involved in
all aspects of planning and decision-making.
Tip:
It is important for there to be a distinction between the practitioner’s professional role
and the role of AC. It may be useful to explain to parents/carers at the outset the distinction
between your professional role and the remit as AC. The main remit of the AC is to listen to
and record the views of the C/YP and their parents/carers and to facilitate the process of
multi-agency assessment and the co-production of outcomes.
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2.1 The role and remit of the AC
The AC is the main contact point for parents/carers and co-ordinates the EHC plan for children
and young people with SEND, across the 0-25 year old age range. In this context, the AC is a
key working role and has the following main functions:
to be the single point of contact for the family
to co-ordinate the integrated assessment process
to interface with parents/carers, offering support and guidance, and enabling their
participation in the EHC assessment and planning process
to work towards the provision of holistic and integrated support to meet the individual
needs of the C/YP and their family and support the co-production of a quality EHC plan
to improve outcomes for children and young people with SEND who require additional
support through an EHC plan.
The AC will work closely with the SEN PPO during the integrated assessment process. The
roles and responsibilities of the AC, PPO and SEN Case Officer are differentiated in
the diagram below:
Record outcomes agreed by the network at EHC
planning meeting chaired by the AC
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Tip:
The AC is a temporary key-worker role over a defined period of time, comprising a
discrete process of supporting families, collating information and liaising with professionals
during an EHC plan assessment. Once the EHC plan has been signed off, the role of the AC
ends and the key worker roles are held by the Lead Professional and/ or the SEN Planning
and Placement Officer (PPO).
2.2 Who are the Assessment Co-ordinators in Camden?
In Camden, the AC is a member of staff from statutory services in health, social care or
education, who works in partnership with the SEN team to co-ordinate the EHC assessment and
planning process. Any of the following professionals or professionals from within the teams below
may be asked to be an AC, although the list is not exhaustive:
Educational / Child Psychologist
Advisory teacher for hearing/visually impaired
Early Years Intervention Team Area SENCOs / Inclusion Teacher
Social Worker
MOSAIC Team
Health Assessment Co-ordinators
Speech and Language Therapist
Physiotherapist
Occupational Therapist
Health Visitor/ Specialist Health Visitor
Family Support Worker
CAMHS Practitioner (including Complex Needs Outreach Team)
Post-16 consultant including social or health worker, e.g. in Transitions Team or Camden
Learning Disabilities Service
Connexions Team.
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2.3 The Roles and Responsibilities of the Assessment Co-ordinator
The CoP guidance on the role of key worker is listed below. The AC provides some but not all of
these functions and takes a key working approach.
• emotional and practical support as part of a trusting relationship
• enabling and empowering for decision-making and the use of Personal Budgets
• co-ordinating practitioners and services around the child or young person and their family
• being a single point of regular and consistent contact
• facilitating multi-agency meetings
• supporting and facilitating a single planning and joint assessment process
• identifying strengths and needs of family members
• providing information and signposting
• advocating on behalf of the child, young person and/or their family
• facilitating the seamless integration of clinical and social care services with specialist and
universal services.
Code of Practice 2014 2.21
These responsibilities can be divided into three main areas:
Responsibility to the family
Responsibility to the TAC
Responsibility to the administrative process.
Tip:
Responsibility to the process:
- Facilitating a single planning
and integrated assessment
process
- Collate information for EHC
Panel across all phases including
pre-assessment phase and
records from the multi-agency
planning meeting.
- Chair the EHC Planning
meeting
- Take the lead in the network for
determining outcomes.
Responsibility to the TAC:
- Facilitating multi-agency
meetings
- Co-ordinating professionals
and services around the C/YP
and their family.
Responsibility to the family:
- ‘Tell us once’ approach to information sharing - Being a single point of contact - Providing support, information and signposting - Use of person centred planning to enable co-creation of outcomes for EHC plan.
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Professionals will need to balance their professional expertise with the AC role and
it is important to distinguish the AC role from advocacy for the parent and family.
There is a possibility that the AC role is seen by families and by other professionals as an
advocacy role, but it is different from advocacy. The AC should support families and
ensure that the voice of parents/carers inform the process, but not to advocate for their
view to be prioritised over and above their own or other professional advice.
Meeting the needs of children and families will be dependent on several activities. Firstly,
the AC needs to make sure families understand the process itself what will happen by
whom and by when. Secondly, the AC’s are responsible for making sure that families’
voices are heard and that information is recorded accurately. In carrying out their role,
the AC may represent a view but not argue the case on behalf of the parent/carer where
that view differs from that of the assessing professionals. The AC should, however ensure
that parents/carers are supported to articulate their views and are aware of advocacy
services who can support them. Remember, the level of provision stated in the EHC plan
will be determined by the professional advice described in their statutory reports. This
helps Camden to make the fair and equitable use of the resources we have available,
based on the level of need.
Where the parent/carer view differs from that of the assessing professionals, they will
need their own advocate. There are groups (for example charitable organisations, Parent
Partnership Service) who are more appropriate advocates for the parent and family.
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3) What is an EHC plan?
A local authority must conduct an assessment of education, health and care needs when it
considers that it may be necessary for special educational provision to be made for the child or
young person in accordance with an EHC plan.
Code of Practice 2014 – 9.3
An EHC plan brings the educational, health and social care needs of a C/YP into a single legal
document. The purpose of an EHC plan is to make special educational provision that meets the
needs of the C/YP, to secure the best possible outcomes for them across education, health and
social care and, as they get older, prepare them for adulthood. To achieve this, local authorities
use the information from the assessment to:
establish and record the views, interests and aspirations of the parents/carers and C/YP
provide a full description of the C/YP’s SEND and any health and social care needs
establish outcomes across education, health and social care based on the C/YP’s needs
and aspirations
specify the provision required and how education, health and care services will work
together to meet the C/YP’s needs and support the achievement of the agreed outcomes.
This is a statutory multi-agency plan which is co-produced during an EHC planning meeting and
records information about a C/YP’s educational, health and/or social care needs. The plan is
based on the views of the C/YP in question and places emphasis on their parent/carer’s views.
The EHC plan is focused on identifying positive outcomes and ways of working towards these
outcomes to maximise the chances of success for the C/YP. Effective engagement with
parents/carers and carers through structured conversations is crucial in the development of an
EHC plan.
During an EHC planning and assessment process, key working facilitates the coordination of a
joined up package of support for children, young people and families in the context of an
integrated team providing coordinated support, sometimes referred to as Team around the Child
(TAC) or Team around the Family (TAF). The TAC/TAF is a collaborative team drawn together
by the practitioner providing key working support or by the family themselves. The team brings
together practitioners from the agencies most important to ensuring the C/YP and family get the
support they need to fulfil their potential. It is likely that a TAC/TAF will meet periodically with the
family and together they will develop, agree to, and support the EHC plan.
In Camden, Early Help is offered when parents/carers or practitioners first identify that a C/YP
may have difficulties or is struggling to overcome challenges in making progress. These might
13
be about their health, welfare, behaviour, progress in learning or any other aspect of their well-
being. Often a common assessment will be used to assess and understand what outcomes are
needed. The EHC assessment and planning process is very similar to existing good practice and
builds on the integrated working models that already exist to support children, young people and
families.
As part of an EHC assessment and planning process, a short-term multi-disciplinary or multi-
agency plan may also be drawn up. This is likely to be where there are a number of different
health professionals involved with the C/YP. The aim of this would be to have short term shared
targets in one place, along with a short term medical plan for the C/YP. This may be reviewed on
a more regular basis than the EHC plan.
The EHC assessment process has a 20-week timescale. EHC plans must be focused on the
outcomes the C/YP seeks to achieve across education, health and care. EHC plan’s must set out
how services will work together to meet the C/YP’s needs and in support of the identified
outcomes. EHC plans will be based on a co-ordinated assessment and planning process which
puts the C/YP and their parents/carers at the centre of decision-making.
A quality EHC plan:
- must be focused on education and training, health and care outcomes
- must include wider outcomes such as positive social relationships and emotional resilience
and stability
- records outcomes that should enable C/YP to move towards long-term aspirations e.g.
employment/higher education, independent living and community participation
- meets the requirements of the Children and Families Act 2014 and the CoP 2014
- describes positively what the C/YP can do
- is clear, concise, understandable and accessible
- needs and provisions to be “specified” in the provision sections
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3.1 SEND support in the early years
It is particularly important in the early years that there is no delay in making any necessary
special educational provision.
Code of Practice 2014 - 5:36
Early Years Action and Early Years Action Plus no longer exist as separate categories. Children
with SEN are described as having ‘additional needs’ and only a small number of this group will
need a statutory assessment for an EHC plan.
Early years providers in the voluntary sector are unlikely to have the specialist advice available
within their own setting that they can draw on, unlike other educational settings. They should first
seek advice from the Area SENCo or Early Years Intervention Team, as they currently do. Where
appropriate, advisory staff will support a referral to the Educational Psychology Service.
Where a child with additional needs attends a Children’s Centre or school nursery provision, and
their needs cannot be met within the resources available to that setting, the setting or an involved
professional can make a referral to the educational psychology service via an eCAF submitted
via Framework-i which is web based. The link is http://framework/fwlive/
When prompted, the referrer can select the service they want to refer to – in this instance, the
person submitting an eCAF selects the Educational Psychology Service. The resources available
are described in the local offer and may include the advice and guidance provided by the Area
SENCOs and Early Years Intervention Team (EYIT).
Section 23 notifications from health:
Where a child has health needs assessed by a health professional, whether or not they are
attending a provision, there is a statutory requirement for health to notify the local authority of
the child’s needs. In Camden a Section 23 (Health) referral can be made by Health
professionals and other professionals to notify the Local Authority about under-fives with SEN or
disabilities. This will provide information about the child’s health needs from key health
professionals for example a MOSAIC key worker, paediatrician, audiologist, opthalmologist,
speech and language therapist, occupational therapist, physiotherapist, community paediatric
nurse, or specialist health visitor. It could provide details of the concerns of an early years setting
or safeguarding professional. The on-line referral form for Section 23 Health Notification is
published on the SEN website - www.camden.gov.uk/sen
and in Camden’s SEND Local Offer - www.localoffer.camden.gov.uk .
The Section 23 Notification may be followed up by an EP or Specialist Teacher visit which would
be aimed at providing the EHC PAP with educational advice. If the recommendation following this
15
visit is to proceed with an EHC assessment, the AC will assume responsibility for the case at this
point. It may be that the EP or Specialist Teacher who does the initial visit to the family is best
placed to be the AC.
The local authority is required to respond within 6 weeks. This may remain an early intervention
or may lead to an EHC statutory assessment request being made at a later date. Good practice
indicates that the earlier these notifications are made, the greater the impact is likely to be for the
child.
Where there is a multi-agency plan in place for a child and there are additional resources
required, in order for that child to be able to access education provision, as agreed by the EHC
Panel, those resources will be funded. This may or may not require an EHC plan at this stage
and if the child’s needs are likely to be met on entry to school without the need for a plan, a
funding agreement will be put in place.
Children and Young people who have SEN may also have a disability under the Equality Act
2010. The local authority and other public bodies including schools have duties under the
Equality Act towards disabled people and are required to provide appropriate services to them.
3.2 SEND support for school age children and young people
Schools in Camden are building on their good practice to explain to parents/carers how they
support children with SEND. All the Camden schools are publishing their school ‘offer’ for
children with SEND on their website. Please note that School Action and School Action Plus no
longer exist as separate categories. Children with SEN are described as having ‘additional
needs’ and only some of this group will need a statutory EHC plan.
In Camden we resource our schools to a higher level than in many boroughs so that schools can
make provision to meet identified needs without having to request an EHC plan. This means that
schools will work closely with parents/carers and professionals to access provision through the
Local Offer and then take a more flexible approach to ensure needs are met quickly and at an
earlier stage.
A child can receive a programme of additional support in a Camden school, including small group
and 1:1 support where that is appropriate in a Camden school that costs up to £10,750 without
the need for an EHC plan. There is no financial benefit to requesting an EHC assessment if the
support that they need can already be provided by the school without needing a plan. In such
cases, an assessment may be turned down, or if an assessment is carried out and a plan issued,
there will be no additional funding attached to the plan. Even if a child had a plan, and support
costs less than band 1 funding (£10, 750), the school would not receive any additional funding.
In other borough schools, Camden will need to fund provision costing above £6,000 of the
school’s own SEN budget. Similarly, for another borough child in a Camden school, the school
16
will need to recoup costs above £6,000 from the borough of residence. There is an explanation
of the new school’s SEN funding arrangements (High Needs Block funding) in the Local Offer.
3.3 SEND support from post 16 to 25
All professionals working with this age group need to be aware that young people between the
ages of 19 and 25 can often move from one college to another. For this reason, transition is a
key consideration as young people may often change from one provision to another. The AC will
need to be aware of the post-16 landscape and ensure contact is made with the relevant people
that can assist in drawing up the EHC plan.
SEN support in colleges 16 to 19
The local authority is able to fund additional support for a young person who is at college without
an EHC Plan. A young person should be supported at this point with a non-statutory ‘moving on’
plan which identifies support needs. The college then submits a High Needs Cost form to the
local authority which details how the college will support these needs.
The Preparing for Adulthood (PfA) programme, funded by the DfE as part of the delivery support
for the SEND reforms, has produced a range of resources to support this strand of work, which
can be found at www.preparingforadulthood.org.uk The four Preparation for Adulthood outcomes
need to be incorporated into the EHC plan (employment, health, supported living and
development of peer group). Preparing for adulthood also identify five key messages for those
working with young people essential to improving their life chances.
Personalise your approach to all aspects of support using person centred practises
Develop a shared vision for improving life chances
Improve post-16 options and support
Raise aspirations for a fulfilling adult life
Plan services together by developing outcomes focused strategy informed by the
voices of young people and their families.
Before the AC completes their role a lead professional needs to be identified who can monitor
progress and ensure that good quality Preparation for Adulthood outcomes are achieved.
3.4 What are the key principles on which the Camden EHC plan is based?
The Camden EHC plan is based on the following principles:
• The C/YP is at the centre of the assessment of need and the EHC plan
• All professionals working with the family carry out their role in a way which reflects the
learning and culture of Early Support and person centred planning approaches
17
• Parents/carers have an active partnership role in identifying, developing and evaluating
the EHC plan
• Assessment should be as streamlined as possible
• “Tell us once” approach to information sharing
• There is transparency and openness in regard to all parts of the process
• Information is shared across agencies
• Multiple appointments are co-ordinated to happen at the same time where possible and
appropriate
• Local education, health and care services must work together to plan shared services
• Where services are identified early as being needed, they should not be delayed till the
end of the assessment
• The EHC plan provides a template for conducting and/ or recording the outcomes of a co-
ordinated assessment. In doing this the C/YP and parents/carers should experience a
straightforward and joined-up process which leads to timely, well-informed decisions
• The EHC assessment and planning process will be embedded so that we can make
robust decisions about EHC plans.
3.5 Four guiding principles for creating the EHC plan
1. The EHC plan should follow a person-centred planning approach
This means:
• The C/YP’s views, aspirations, priorities and hopes are the starting point and at the centre
of all planning
• Listening to C/YP and their family is critical
• Advocating that everyone has the right to exercise choice and control in directing their
lives and support.
• Resources are deployed creatively to meet the outcomes required for the individual rather
than using ‘standard packages’. Parents/carers and communities may also contribute
bespoke solutions and resources
• Planning is made with the C/YP and their families
• All processes are characterised by openness, honesty and transparency
• The EHC plan is the result of co-production meaning that parents/carers have been an
integral part of the both the process and planning with other agencies
• We can help to deliver more personalised services for a range of service users - i.e.
personalisation through person-centred planning.
18
Tip:
Person-centred thinking: A range of skills and tools that help to focus on the person, their
gifts and skills, what is important to them and what provides good support for them. Person-
centred thinking is the foundation of person-centred planning.
The purpose of using person-centred planning is to:
1) Provide a practical way for children/young people and their families to have choice and
control
2) Focus on the positive aspects of a C/YP’s life rather than on what they cannot do
3) Focus on the C/YP’s strengths, interests, likes and the things that others like and admire
about them
4) Discover and act on what is important to children/young people and their families
5) Aim to assist children and young people in leading inclusive and independent lives.
In person-centred approaches, children, young people and families are:
At the centre of all work and full partners
Treated with respect at all times by practitioners sensitive to family, culture, ethnic and
socio-economic diversity
Given timely, unbiased and complete information that can be understood and that
supports ability to make informed choices
Given flexible, responsive and individualised support, resources and services.
2. Partnership working
This means:
• Sharing all information appropriately
• Reaching decisions in which families are active participants not just present at
decision making meetings
• Using everyday language and not hiding behind professional jargon
• Using technical / professional language only when it is required (for example to
describe and explain a medical condition and the implications)
• Multi-agency working which puts the needs of children, young adults and
families at the centre of coordinated resource management
• Joint planning and responsibility by agencies for the achievement of the
health, wellbeing safety and learning outcomes
• The child, young person, young adult and their family genuinely feeling like they own the
EHC plan which will be achieved through the quality of partnership working where
professionals are working ‘with and for’, families rather than delivering services ‘to’ them
19
• Genuinely holding children, young adults and their families at the heart of all
processes and decisions
• Practitioners in all services should be committed to a different way of working with
parental/carer empowerment as a core value.
2. Choice
• All families are unique and they want and need different levels of control. This may
change through the years in response to different family and individual situations and
experiences
• Families must be supported to understand the range of options available to them
• The quality of partnership working can support children, young people, young adults and
their families to realise their ambitions by exercising informed choice
• In Camden, there may be constraints as the objective will be to deliver the best use of
public funds. Whilst a range of options may be considered, the Local Authority will always
first look at whether the C/YP’s needs can be met locally.
3. Outcome / goal-focussed planning
• Using person-centred approaches, the EHC plan’s will consistently concentrate on the
outcomes / goals we want to achieve
• These outcomes/ goals will be driven by the child/young adult and family and informed by
the professional expertise of those working with them
• We believe that by working in this way, with joint responsibility for all the outcomes / goals
we want to achieve, we will identify the resources needed to deliver the outcomes / goals
in a more co-ordinated, comprehensive and creative way.
20
4) The EHC assessment and planning process
EHC request received (EHC inbox)
Assign Assessment Co-ordinator (AC)
Pre Assessment Panel Are HNB /disability thresholds
met ?
Recommend
non-
statutory
integrated plan
EHC planning meeting led by AC,
confirm previously drafted sections of EHC plan;
agree planned outcomes and strategies;
scribed by SEN (PPO) to complete proposed EHC Plan
No
AC calls the family
AC meets with the family
EHC Decision Making Process
Yes
Prepare for EHC planning meeting
Reports and recent assessments collated
from assessing professionals.
EHC PAP decides whether to conduct EHC needs assessment
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4
Step 5
Proposed plan sent to parent/carer
for consultation (15 days for comments/amendments)
Amended proposed plan sent to parent/carer and TAC
Draft final plan taken to
SEN (EHC) panel for
sign off as final
Consultation process
Name provision
Final plan issued to parent/carer
and relevant agenciesStep 6
Up to 4
weeks
Up to 15
weeks
Up to 20
weeks
Timeline
Is there sufficient information to make a decision?
Request further
information
Up to 12
weeks
Up to 14
weeks
No
Up to 6
weeks
21
A) EHC statutory assessment request phase
A.1 How is an EHC statutory assessment requested?
Following a request for an EHC needs assessment, or the child or young person having
otherwise been brought to its attention, the local authority must determine whether an EHC
needs assessment is necessary. The local authority must make a decision and communicate
that decision to the child’s parents/carers or to the young person within 6 weeks of receiving the
request.
Code of Practice – 9.11
A.2 Who can request an EHC statutory assessment?
A request for a EHC Statutory Assessment is a formal process and follows the guidance from the
relevant legislation: Section 36 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
Section 36, 9.8. The following people have a specific right to ask a local authority to conduct an
education, health and care needs assessment for a C/YP aged between 0 and 25:
• the child’s parent;
• a young person over the age of 16 but under the age of 25; and
• a person acting on behalf of a school or post-16 institution (this should ideally be with the
knowledge and agreement of the parent or young person where possible).
9.9. In addition, anyone else can bring a child or young person who has (or may have) SEN to
the attention of the local authority, particularly where they think an EHC needs assessment may
be necessary. This could include, for example, foster carers, health and social care
professionals, early years practitioners, youth offending teams or probation services, those
responsible for education in custody, school or college staff or a family friend. Bringing a C/YP
person to the attention of the local authority will be undertaken on an individual basis where there
are specific concerns. This should be done with the knowledge and, where possible, agreement
of the child’s parent or the young person.
After compulsory school age (the end of the academic year in which the pupil turns 16), the right
to make requests and decisions under the Children and Families Act 2014 applies to the young
person directly, rather than to their parents. Parents or other family members, can continue to
support young people in making decisions or act on their behalf, provided that the young person
consents to them doing so.
Accordingly:
• Requests can be made by parents/carers, schools, colleges, social care (for Looked After
Children)
22
• If parents/carers submit a request and the child is in early years provision or school or
college, the Local Authority will request education information from that provision in the
format of the EHC Statutory Assessment Request Form
• If school or college submits a request, they must complete the EHC Statutory Assessment
Request form, which is in Appendix B of the statutory request form
• Parents / carers are not required to complete a form and they can submit their request via
email or any written format
• Requests from schools or other professionals will need signed consent from
parents/carers
• The only exception to the above pertains to Looked after Children, when the request
comes from social care, they can give consent as the corporate parents
• The Camden form will also include a section which has all the professionals currently
involved with the C/YP and will include the proposed nomination of an AC
• Regardless of who submits, all requests will be considered against the same criteria.
Anyone else can bring a child or young person who has (or may have) SEND to the attention of
the local authority, particularly where they think an EHC needs assessment may be necessary.
This can be done by emailing the information that you have, outlining your concerns, and
attaching the evidence for the concern to [email protected], posting or faxing
this information to the SEN Team (contact details are on the back page of this guidance).
The SEN Team will take into account the nature of the concern and the evidence for the concern
and will contact the early years provider, school or college for further information before
considering what action to take. The referrer will be informed of what action has been taken.
A.3 What needs to be submitted to the EHC Pre-Assessment Panel?
In considering whether an EHC needs assessment is necessary, the local authority should
consider whether there is evidence that despite the early years provider, school or post-16
institution having taken relevant and purposeful action to identify, assess and meet the special
educational needs of the child or young person, the child or young person has not made
expected progress.
Code of Practice – 9.14
The Section 23 Notification process will work in the same way as it did for the old statutory
assessment process. If you have not had Framework-i training please contact the SEN team on
020 7974 6500.
23
In Camden, the EHC Pre-Assessment Panel (EHC PAP) will consider a wide range of supporting
evidence to inform their decisions including up to date reports from professionals. This will
include information collated by the educational provider or professional (for children not yet in
provision especially under twos). In the pre-assessment phase and will include records from the
multi-agency planning meeting. Local authorities may develop criteria as guidelines to help them
decide when it is necessary to carry out a Statutory EHC assessment. In line with current
legislation these criteria will now be extended to ages 0-25.
The EHC PAP will look at the educational provider’s submission including their Appendix B report
and attachments and evidence that the C/YP has not made expected progress. The EHC PAP
will seek to gain information on the C/YP’s current level and a clear picture of the C/YP’s needs.
The EHC PAP will ascertain that there have been sufficient interventions over time, and that the
service (e.g. sensory team), nursery, school or FE college has made full use of the resources
available to them. The EHC PAP will also need to see evidence that the advice of involved
professionals has been implemented via individual plans and regular progress reviews. The
actioning of professionals recommendations through specific targets, strategies and interventions
will be the evidence base informing the decision making by the EHC PAP.
Up to date reports may be submitted by professionals in Education (EP, Area SENCO, Inclusion
teacher, Specialist teachers for Hearing Impairment and Visual Impairment), Health (SALT, OT,
Physiotherapy, Consultant Paediatricians) and Social Care. It is critical that for Under Fives,
reports have been completed within the previous six months. For older C/YP reports must have
been completed within the previous year. If a child is not of statutory school age and is therefore
not in an educational setting, the EHC PAP will seek advice from the EP, Area SENCO or
Inclusion teacher and the sensory team.
As part of the EHC statutory assessment request, Section A: Personal Profile of the EHC plan
template should be completed by the nursery, school or FE provider. Section A is the vehicle to
promote personalisation which will lead to person-centred planning as reflected in the key
principles set out at the beginning of the CoP (Chapter 1). It also allows the C/YP to contribute to
the plan. In some cases youngsters will be well able to communicate the things that are important
to them, in others this will need facilitating to ensure that person centred planning can lead to
good outcomes supported through any additional resources made available through the SEND
budget delegated to the relevant educational setting.
The educational setting or involved professional may support the C/YP to complete this section
culminating in the C/YP identifying their aspirations and priorities; these will contribute key
24
information in support of any setting, including nursery, school and college. This ensures that the
C/YP is at the heart of the process, has a voice and feels listened to and understood.
Section A also provides parents/carers with an opportunity to respond separately from their
youngster. Practice suggests that parents/carers may choose to do this in a variety of preferred
ways either through a meeting facilitated by the nursery/ school SENCO, or a conversation with
trusted support staff or with the help of a parent supporter. Many educational settings have
excellent practice in ‘structured conversations’ developed during their engagement with
Achievement for All.
• Tips:
• Use the C/YP’s and parent’s own wording wherever possible and indicate where this is
the case using quotation marks
• If necessary, use prompts to support the individual and encourage self-expression e.g.
‘can you tell me more about that’ or ‘what would help to make things better’
• Aspirations and goals might be short, medium or long term and all should be carefully
recorded by the educational provider
• It may be necessary to clarify who will request or refer and by when.
Sections B, C and D – Summary of strengths and needs
Sections B, C and D identify the needs and strengths which relate to the C/YP’s SEND.
The professionals undertaking the proposed assessment will provide the information for these
sections and the SEN PPO will draft these sections. Nurseries, schools or colleges may choose
to convey this information at a meeting bringing together the parent/carer views and C/YP
information with the nursery’s, school’s, college’s assessment evidence, records of progress and
any previously allocated resources to support the identified SEND. These should be cross
referenced with existing professional reports. Sections within Chapter 5 and 6 of the CoP are
helpful in supporting the underpinning rationale for school based practice and the expectations of
early intervention, resource allocation and outcome based intervention to support a ‘make a
difference’ educational culture.
Section B, C and D will also identify the C/YP’s strengths and evidence of what works well as
well as evidence of any difficulties that need addressing to ensure progress can be realistic within
an aspirational context. Care will need to be taken to explore these issues in a sensitive way.
25
Tips:
Learning needs can be cross referenced with age appropriate curriculum documents
Communication needs can be cross referenced with age appropriate checklists
Social, emotional and mental health needs can be cross referenced with age appropriate
checklists
It may be necessary to consider which further educational, medical or care assessments
are needed, and by whom to reach a consensus about the nature of a C/YP’s needs.
A.4 Who is on the EHC Pre-Assessment Panel?
SEN Team Leader
Educational psychologist
Health representative
Social care representative
SENCO or relevant representative from nurseries, school or further education college.
Due to the new time scales, the EHC PAP will now be held weekly rather than fortnightly.
A.5 What happens if an EHC assessment is not agreed?
If the EHC PAP decides not to proceed with an EHC assessment, they may issue a note in lieu
of a statutory EHC plan. In these instances the case will be handed back to the Education
provider for them to source additional resources as per the local offer. There will be an
expectation that there will be a planning meeting to be attended by parents/carers, EP and all
involved professionals to clarify the multi-agency plan and discuss how it will be implemented.
The EP will guide the setting on how to deliver the multi-agency plan. For some children there
may be a multi-agency plan in place requiring additional resources, in order for that child to be
able to access education provision, as agreed by the EHC Panel. The EHC PAP may decide
that an EHC plan is not needed at this stage but the necessary resources will be funded.
A.6 What happens if an integrated EHC assessment is agreed?
The EHC PAP will identify who the AC will be.
The SEN Case Officer will notify the AC within the same week
The SEN Case Officer will notify the involved professionals
The SEN Case Officer will complete the grid of professionals from whom advice should be
sought and copy to the AC
The SEN case officer will then set up a temporary workspace in a SharePoint folder with
a blank plan template and the referral documentation which includes parent/carer views.
Only relevant practitioners will have access to cases where they are actively involved with
the assessment
26
The SEN case work officers will keep practitioners informed about permission levels and
set up permission for AC’s and other professionals when required
The AC should arrange to meet with the parents/carers as soon as possible to have the
pre-EHC meeting and to populate Section A if this has not yet been completed
Prior to the meeting with parents/ carers the AC must gather information already known to
the Local Authority.
Note:
The 20-week clock starts ticking on the date that the Local Authority SEN team receives the
request to consider initiating a Statutory EHC Assessment and date stamps it.
B) EHC Assessment Preparation Phase
B.1 What needs to be done before the EHC meeting?
To prevent parents/carers needing to repeat information, wherever possible the EHC plan
should be pre-populated with information held on record e.g. CAF
The AC will collate existing information and reports on the C/YP with current assessments
and recommendations that will inform the EHC plan
The AC will get permission from parent/carer for consent to share information across
agencies - consent form should be signed prior to the EHC planning meeting
The AC should aim to give 6 weeks notice prior to the EHC planning meeting so that all
participants have enough time to arrange their diaries
The AC will need to co-ordinate with professionals who have completed or are in the
process of carrying out assessments. Professionals will need an opportunity to say
whether their assessments are complete, and if not, what the time frame is likely to be.
Part of this discussion should be about the hypotheses that are being tested for the C/YP.
If these have been clearly outlined to parents/carers, they are more likely to understand
the time frames
The SEN Case Officer will support the AC in obtaining the most up to date reports.
27
B.2 The initial meeting between the Assessment Co-ordinator and parent/carer (pre-EHC meeting)
Tip:
To try and manage time effectively, ACs should work towards more co-ordination at the
beginning of their role which should allow for time-saving later on.
Before the EHC meeting, the AC will have a preparatory meeting with the parent/carer. The AC
should prepare for this meeting by collating and reading all available professional reports and
ensuring that they have an understanding of the C/YP’s needs and condition. This may involve
the AC undertaking some preliminary reading and/ or research. Through SharePoint, the AC will
have access to all reports that have been circulated in advance. The preparatory meeting
provides an opportunity for the AC to check out information with families.
Tips:
• Ascertain prior to the pre-EHC meeting if an interpreter or communication support is
needed
• Information should be recorded accurately
• Check spellings if necessary
• At this time, it may be necessary to identify any gaps in knowledge and discuss and agree
with the family if there is any specialist assessment information required and commission
this
• It will also be appropriate at this time to confirm or elaborate on parent/carer and C/YP’s
views as recorded in Section A – Personal Profile
• The AC will confirm the information already summarized in sections B,C and D with
parents/carers.
At the preparatory meeting, the Assessment Co-ordinator will have two main tasks:
Task: Outcome:
1) Brief the family about the role of the AC
and explain the EHC process to
parents/carers. The discussion should
include a comprehensive and accessible
overview of the process of a multi-agency
assessment and possible outcomes which
may or may not lead to a request for a
Parents/carers have a good understanding of
the EHC multi-agency assessment process
and of the role of the AC.
Parents/carers are empowered to explore
their options and are signposted to advocacy
services if required.
28
statutory assessment which in turn, may or
may not lead to an EHC plan. Parents/carers
should be given time to ask questions and
raise any concerns or queries.
Parents/carers may want some time to
discuss, consider and explore their options.
Parents/carers will name any additional
professionals from whom advice should be
sought.
2) The AC should allocate time to review the
following:
front page
Personal Details - this contains key
contact information and personal
details of C/YP and parents/carers
Section A- Personal Profile
Section B, C and D – Summary of
strengths and needs.
The AC will confirm all information with
parents/carers and ensure that it is recorded
correctly. The AC will ensure that the front
page, Personal Details and Section A are
completed accurately in preparation for the
EHC planning meeting.
The AC will confirm the information in
sections B,C and D with parents/carers and
ensure they understand the information and
where it comes from and check for the
factual accuracy.
Note: The majority of the EHC plan should already have been drafted in conjunction with
the parent/carer and C/YP prior to the pre-EHC planning meeting. (Section A by the
educational provider and Sections B,C and D by the PPO).
C) EHC meeting phase
The purpose of the EHC planning meeting is to bring together the C/YP and their family with the
AC and all the involved professionals to clarify and record the specific outcomes for the C/YP and
the strategies and resources to support the C/YP in reaching those outcomes.
In order to achieve the above, the AC will need to facilitate the discussion with the C/YP,
parents/carers and all involved professionals which will enable devising the support plan and the
settings of objectives.
C.1 Who needs to be invited to contribute to the EHC planning meeting?
• The C/YP
• Parent / carers
• The AC
• Involved professionals
29
• The SEN PPO (who will be expected to keep a record of the decisions for example about
what planned outcomes are agreed and keep a record of the views expressed at the
meeting as part of the evidence base).
The AC should be mindful of who needs to attend the EHC planning meeting and how to conduct
the meeting in a family friendly and time efficient way. There may be times when certain
professionals cannot attend the meeting. They may be able to be a ‘virtual’ participant though a
video link-in or by representing their views via a recent report.
Tip:
The AC will be expected to lead the meeting and should be prepared in terms of necessary
paperwork. The AC will need to manage the agenda to ensure that the meeting is completed
within the allotted time.
C.2 Where should the EHC planning meeting take place?
The meeting should be held at the place which is most convenient for the C/YP and parent/carer.
Possible venues may include: council buildings, children’s centres, schools, college or the family
home.
The AC will need to make it explicit with all involved who will book the meeting room and, in
some instances, may need to confirm who will pay for the meeting space. An example of this is
Children’s Centres where meeting spaces are in great demand and where there may be a
charge.
C.3 What should the agenda be for the EHC planning meeting?
The meeting itself should focus on agreeing the outcomes and goals (Section E). It will prove
most effective when the views of the parents/carers and C/YP are documented and confirmed in
advance of the EHC planning meeting, and may have already had a discussion informing and
early draft of planned outcomes / goals. This will make best use of families and professionals’
time planning together as a group.
C.4 The hallmarks of a positive EHC planning meeting
On the pre-planned EHC meeting date, the AC should ensure that all participants are introduced
and welcomed and should offer an overview of the aims of the meeting.
30
Tips:
Positive and productive meetings should include all of the following:
• Punctuality and professional conduct
• Friendly and respectful engagement between C/YP, parents and carers and all
professionals
• A comfortable seating arrangement that enables good eye contact amongst all
participants, including the C/YP
• Active listening
• Giving the C/YP and parents / carers the time needed to formulate and express their
views
• Using everyday language whenever possible
• Clarifying and explaining where necessary
• Using language that encourages communication e.g. open ended questions
• Good time management ensuring that the EHC plan is completed within the allotted time.
C.5 At the EHC planning meeting – completing Section E
Tip:
In completing Section E - planned goals / outcomes, the AC should be guided by what is
important to the C/YP and for the C/YP and the EHC plan must specify the outcomes sought for
the C/YP – See Appendix 8.
EHC plans should be focused on education and training, health and care outcomes that will
enable children and young people to progress in their learning and, as they get older, to be well
prepared for adulthood.
EHC plans can also include wider outcomes such as positive social relationships and emotional
resilience and stability. Outcomes should always enable children and young people to move
31
towards the long-term aspirations of employment or higher education, independent living and
community participation.
The EHC plan should include a range of outcomes over varying timescales, covering education,
health and care as appropriate but recognising that it is the education and training outcomes only
that will help determine when a plan is ceased for young people aged over 18. Therefore, for
young people aged over 17, the EHC plan should identify clearly which outcomes are education
and training outcomes.
Tip:
Focusing on outcomes moves thinking away from a deficit model to a more positive, reality-
based model. It may be helpful to include parent/carer quotes and it may also be appropriate
to preface an outcome with a statement such as ‘Parents/carers would like……….’ which will
show that parents/carers have ownership of the overall objective. It may help to write the
outcome as positively moving towards something you want to achieve rather than away
from something you want to avoid.
An outcome can be defined as the benefit or difference made to an individual as a result of
an intervention. It should be personal and not expressed from a service perspective; it should
be something that those involved have control and influence over, and while it does not always
have to be formal or accredited, it should be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time
bound (SMART). When an outcome is focused on education or training, it will describe what the
expected benefit will be to the individual as a result of the educational or training intervention
provided.
Outcomes are not a description of the service being provided, for example ‘the provision of three
hours of speech and language therapy’ is not an outcome. In this case, the outcome is what it is
intended that the speech and language therapy will help the individual to do that they cannot do
now and by when this will be achieved.
When agreeing outcomes, it is important to consider both what is important to the C/YP i.e. what
they themselves want to be able to achieve, and what is important for them as judged by others
with the C/YP’s best interests at heart. In the case of speech and language needs, what is
important to the C/YP may be that they want to be able to talk to their friends and join in their
games at playtime. What is important for them is that their behaviour improves because they no
longer get frustrated at not being understood.
Outcomes underpin and inform the detail of EHC plans. Outcomes will usually set out what
needs to be achieved by the end of a phase or stage of education in order to enable the C/YP to
32
progress successfully to the next phase or stage. An outcome for a child of secondary school age
might be, for example, to make sufficient progress or achieve a qualification to enable him or her
to attend a specific course at college. Other outcomes in the EHC plan may then describe what
needs to be achieved by the end of each intervening year to enable him or her to achieve the
college place. From year 9 onwards, the nature of the outcomes will reflect the need to
ensure young people are preparing for adulthood.
Long-term outcomes should be identified which should be aspirational and focused on
preparation for adulthood, to be achieved by the end of education. These may include
independent living, preparing for work/ adulthood, good health, community inclusion. (For further
information refer to the Pathways to Adulthood website: www.preparingforadulthood.org.uk).
What should good outcomes indicate?
- What does this do for you?
- What does this give you?
- What would this make possible for you?
- When?
- Where?
- With?
What sort of outcomes should we see in EHC plans?
• Learning and Employment
• Independence and Independent living
• Friends, relationships and community
• Good health.
Lessons from the Pathfinders:
- Long term outcomes should be based on good person-centred planning
- Medium term outcomes based on best practice and evidence of what works - both in terms
of teaching and learning and life outcomes.
London regional SEN Pathfinder Champion conference, 19th March 2014
33
In the Camden the EHC plan should record the following outcomes:
Long-term: for life/adulthood - long-term outcomes should enable the following:
• children and young people are as healthy as they can be
• children and young people are kept safe from harm
• children and young people are able to communicate confidently, make choices, form
friendships and be part of their community
• children and young people are able to play, learn, work and achieve their potential
• children and young people are resilient and able to face/cope with/overcome any
difficulties they may face
• children and young people are prepared for living as independent an adult life as
possible.
Note: The AC will need to exercise discretion and flexibility when coordinating the
EHC plan for a C/YP with a life limiting illness or degenerative disability. In these
instances, it will be important to approach long term outcomes with care and
sensitivity.
Medium-term: end of education, phase e.g. early years, primary (KS1/2), Secondary
(KS3/4/5), Further Education.
Short-term: up to a year.
Long-term and medium-term outcomes will appear within the EHC plan and short term
outcomes will be included within the appendices – this will allow for changes to be made
easily by the network around the child should this be necessary, without any further sign-off
from budget holders.
34
Tips
Outcomes are:
• SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, time-limited)
• Focussed on the learner
• Not about the intentions of the service or level of provision
• Performance-orientated - use action verbs
• Typically written in the future tense
• Not limited to learning
• Able to tell us what will happen (or is expected to happen) after a specified time period
• Able to imply greater accountability to the C/YP and their parents/carers
• Able to involve C/YP and their families
• Able to reflect shorter and longer term outcomes – the Local Authority and Health
colleagues are devising a set of exemplar outcomes from EHC plan’s to model good
practice. These will be made available on SharePoint or contact the Educational
Psychology service on 020 7974 6500.
35
Formulating SMART outcomes
Specific Exactly what is it
that you want to
achieve?
Who is involved?
What does the C/YP want to achieve?
Where: identify a location if relevant
When: establish a time frame
Which: identify requirements, opportunities and
constraints
Why: what are the specific reasons, purpose or
benefits of accomplishing the outcomes?
Measurable What is it you need
to achieve the
outcome?
How will the C/YP and or service provider know
when an outcome has been achieved?
What evidence could be used to show if the outcome
has been achieved?
What will be different if the outcome is achieved?
Achievable This has to be
something you can
do over time.
Is the outcome possible and fair taking the current
situation into account?
Are there contributing factors to consider such as
additional resources?
What will successful completion look like?
Realistic Can you achieve
the outcome within
the time frame?
Why is this outcome important?
What will change/ improve as a result of the outcome
being achieved?
What will successful completion look like?
Time-bound
Do you know how
much time you
have to achieve
the outcome?
When should the outcome be achieved by?
How often should progress be reviewed?
Have review dates/ progress checks been built into
the process?
Adapted from SEN Reforms in Islington – June 2014
36
Sections F to H2 - provision
Tip:
Q: What is the distinction between outcomes and provision?
A: Provision should help the C/ YP achieve an outcome.
Section A to D will provide information from which agreed outcomes can be identified to inform
the provision in Sections F to H2. Priorities will be broad and aspirational. They may be framed in
the longer term and could be organised against the four broad areas of need set out in section
6.28 – 6.35 of the CoP (June 2014):
Broad areas of need
Communication and interaction
Cognition and learning
Social, emotional and mental health difficulties
Sensory and/or physical needs.
The timescales around agreed priorities could relate to NC key stages in 2014-15, although these
are being replaced by educational phases.
Sections F to H2 of EHC plans must specify the provision required to meet each of the C/YP’s
special educational needs. The provision should enable the outcomes to be achieved.
These sections will set out the provision which is agreed and will draw on the evidence of
Sections B to D. These sections of the nursery, school, college based plan identify approaches
that make the most of a C/YP’s strengths to address identified needs and difficulties in a way that
will be quantified, reviewed and assessed to show the difference made.
The process followed in Sections F to H2 will have regard for the key principles in the CoP
(Chapter 1); it will also outline provision required to meet the medium term outcomes additional to
the school’s local offer and will rely on agreement between all identified parties to deliver on their
commitments. It will set time frames by when outcomes should be achieved with evidence of
what ‘success’ looks like. It will ensure that those with the appropriate experience, qualification
and training deliver support to achieve agreed outcomes and will commit to reviewing progress
through a review meeting where again a person centred approach can be evidenced.
Tip:
Ensure that any changes of educational placement through transition e.g. to school/
secondary phase are addressed.
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Who has agreed the plan and what is the budget?
The draft EHC plan should be taken to EHC panel for final sign off. Agreement date and review
arrangements should be recorded and the people who will be involved in monitoring and
reviewing the plan at annual review.
The SEN PPO will initially lead on discussing potential personal budgets in 2014-15,
asking the family whether they would like to request a personal budget and letting
them know what is currently available in Camden to take as a personal budget
This will be based on levels of support needed and guidance from professional
reports.
Section K – Advice and information Reports and assessments used to develop this plan
The AC should record all professionals and information sources used to develop the plan.
Appendix 1: Important contact information
The AC should record all important contact information making sure that contact details are
recorded correctly and up to date.
Appendix 2: The plan for the next 12 months
The EHC plan should specify the arrangements for setting shorter term targets at the level of the
school or other institution where the C/YP is placed. Professionals working with children and
young people during the EHC needs assessment and EHC plan development process may agree
shorter term targets that are not part of the EHC plan. These can be reviewed and, if necessary,
amended regularly to ensure that the individual remains on track to achieve the outcomes
specified in their EHC plan. Professionals should, wherever possible, append these shorter term
plans and targets to the EHC plan so that regular progress monitoring is always considered in the
light of the longer term outcomes and aspirations that the C/YP wants to achieve. In some
exceptional cases, progress against these targets may well lead to an individual outcome within
the EHC plan being amended at times other than following the annual review.
The AC should summarise all the agreed outcomes and should support the PPO to fill in the grid
so that it is clear:
who has taken responsibility for the outcomes
what resourcing is needed
what the agreed time limits are
success criteria
which agency has responsibility for the provision.
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Where a looked after child is being assessed for SEN, it is vital to take account of information set
out in their care plan and Personal Education Plan to ensure that the child’s EHC plan works in
harmony with the Care Plan and adds to, but does not duplicate information about how
education, health and care needs will be met. The EHC plan review should be synchronised with
social care plan reviews. When referencing information contained within the Care Plan, only
information relevant to meeting the child’s SEN should be included in the EHC Plan.
D) Getting sign-off on the EHC plan
D.1 What should happen after the EHC planning meeting?
Copies of EHC plan to be circulated to C/YP and their parents/carers and all involved
professionals
Monitoring and accountability: registration process for EHC plan’s so SENAS has clarity
about which children are receiving EHC plans and how funds are being spent.
Documents on the temporary SharePoint site would be closed down would be transferred
over to TRIM where it is stored securely -this will offer reassurance to parents/carers
On completion of the EHC plan, the AC role would cease. Accordingly, the next task would
be that on completion of the EHC plan, the AC will hand over to the PPO and liaison with
the family would pass over to the PPO
It is good practise that the AC would inform the C/YP and their family that the AC role is
now ceasing (they make continue to be involved in their professional remit). AC’s should
explain that the family is to liaise with the PPO if they have any further questions and
queries
It is important to be sensitive to endings and the need for closure after an important
partnership with the C/YP and their families that has enabled the co-creation of a robust
EHC plan
The completion of the feedback forms will enable a ‘good endings’ task (feedback forms
and time sheet logs available from SEN team)
Completed feedback form and time sheet logs to be returned to:
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5) Feedback from parents/carers who participated in Camden’s EHC Pilot
What’s working well in Camden
What we would like professionals to do more of
People who listen to what actually works with your family… and really
look at what you need
People who know what they are talking about and offer advice that’s
relevant for your child
Schools work in partnership with parents - so that you all agree a plan
and work together to achieve it
The key difference (between the old statutory assessment process and
EHC) is that it started with the parents and then the professionals were
brought in
Camden staff work hard to be inclusive
Nicest thing is being involved from the beginning.
Follow up on our concerns
Listen to when parents say something is not working
Read all the paperwork before the meeting
Support during transitions
Ideally have a named person that somebody can refer to when there
is an issue.
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6) Appendices
1. General Hints and Tips for Assessment Co-ordinators
1) Make sure that you know the child’s date of birth and which school cohort they will
be in (take the cohort list with you and make sure you have the updated version – see
Appendix 3)
2) Be aware of crucial dates e.g. when nursery and school applications have to be
submitted by
3) Have up to date criteria for EHC plan assessment
4) Make sure your laptop is charged and ensure a facility to open your laptop on the
visit
5) Print out relevant pages (e.g. Local Offer) before the visit
6) Ask the parent/carer if they want their contribution to be written in the first or third
person
7) Have a checklist for people to whom the family might need signposting e.g.
transport, short breaks, list of nursery and school SENCO’s, parent partnership,
parent forums
8) Consider using a rating scale with parents/carers to gauge their level of concerns,
experience of the multi-agency meeting
9) Be prepared for the meeting
10) Don‘t promise anything
11) If working outside of your usual age groups, check with a professional with
expertise in that age range.
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2. Letter inviting parents/carers, and professionals to EHC planning meeting (please adapt to first-person for a young person) Sample A
Address
Date:
Dear …….
Re: …………………. (DOB…….)
I would like to introduce myself as the Assessment Co-ordinator who will be your main point of contact
whilst X is undergoing an Educational, Health and Social Care (EHC) statutory assessment of his/ her
special educational needs.
I would like to arrange an initial meeting with you in order to discuss the process and confirm some of
the information about your child.
Would it be possible for us to meet at on............ (date), at ………. (time), at ……….. (place),?
We will also have a follow up meeting with all the involved professionals so that we can agree
outcomes for ……… which will be incorporated into his/ her EHC plan should this agreed by the EHC
panel.
I can be contacted on…………
Kind regards
Signature:
Name:
Job title:
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Sample B
Address
Date:
Dear …….
Re: …………………. (DOB…….)
Following our recent conversation, I would like to confirm that I will be acting as the Assessment Co-
ordinator whilst X is undergoing an Educational, Health and Social Care (EHC) statutory assessment
of his/ her special educational needs.
I would like to confirm the date for our initial meeting on..... (date) at ………. (time) at ……… (place)?
We will also have a follow up meeting with all the involved professionals so that we can agree
outcomes for ……… which will be incorporated into his/ her EHC plan should this agreed by the EHC
panel.
I can be contacted on…………
Kind regards
Signature:
Name:
Job title:
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3 Date of birth and school cohorts (updated for 2014-15)
Born between dates: Age 01.09.2014 Year Group
during 2014-2015
Starts school
1.9.09 - 31.12.09 and
1.1.10 - 31.8.10
4 R 1.9.14
1.9.10 - 31.12.10 and
1.1.11 - 31.8.11
3 Ns 1.9.15
1.9.11 - 31.12.11 and
1.1.12 - 31.8.12
2 Ns-1 1.9.16
1.9.12 - 31.12.12 and
1.1.13 - 31.8.13
1 Ns-2 1.9.17
1.9.13 - 31.12.12 and
1.1.14 - 31.8.14
0 Ns-3 1.9.18
1.9.14 - 31.12.14 and
1.1.15 - 31.8.15
Not arrived yet! Ns-4 1.9.19
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4. Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
The AC and Professional Role:
1. What are the differences between the AC role and your professional and/ or
advocacy role?
It may be helpful to make the distinction between your professional and AC role clear to
parents/carers at the outset of the meeting: A possible script might include:
‘As a professional, this is my role with your child in nursery/ school/ college – I have knowledge of some of the needs your child might have, I have experience of how these needs may be met, I have knowledge of various interventions
In the role as AC I am here to listen to your views and record your input on the outcomes for your child and how this can be fitted into planning. I will do my very best to hear what you are telling me about your child and I will be clear about how this may translate into options for you and your family. I will try really hard to hear your views and to represent them accurately, but I will always check with you that I have heard correctly.
I will try and make sure that you understand when I am speaking from my professional perspective and when in my AC role I am representing your views. This will be especially important if we disagree about something e.g. provision’.
2. Are ACs expected to have expertise outside their professional competencies?
No, ACs are expected to have some specific skills such as the ability to chair multiagency
meetings, take account of different views. Communicate clearly and summarise different
viewpoints. They are not expected to carry out an integrated assessment on behalf of colleagues
and should explain this clearly to parents/carers.
3. If the most appropriate professional to be the A/C is unable to assume the role, will
AC’s who are not best placed be made to take on this role?
The PAP will hold the information and allocate ACs to address any challenges.
4. When a child has a low-incidence need, will the specialist need to be the A/C? (e.g.
hearing impaired child?)
Not necessarily, could be HI teacher or another involved professional.
Time management
5. What will the AC role time commitment entail?
We propose a minimum of three meetings with parents/carers which is consistent with Pathfinder
experience
6. Will there be guidance on timings allowed for meetings?
There are no specific ‘allowed timings’ but it is not expected that the multi-agency meeting should
exceed two hours. The majority should become shorter once practice is embedded. Careful
preparation by all parties is key to a focused and effective meeting.
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Location / planning of meetings
7. Is it expected that meetings with parents/carers will happen at home?
Meetings might happen in a range of settings including the C/YP’s home, provision, health setting
or at the Local Authority offices. The key here is flexibility and what makes best sense for the
C/YP and their family (e.g. it may be appropriate to have the meeting in the home of an early
years child not yet in provision). Whilst it will be the AC’s responsibility to book rooms, the SEN
Case Officer would support booking the venue and making arrangements with attendees
8. Do all ACs work in services with a Home Visit Protocol?
ACs should all refer and conform to their own services home working policy. If such a policy is not in place, the AC must raise this with their line manager with a view to establishing one.
Working with parents/carers
9. When would parents/carers be asked who they would like to be their AC?
Parents/carers will not be able to choose the AC in 2014/5. The early years provider, school,
college or MOSAIC will identify the TAC and any discussions regarding a potential lead should
happen BEFORE the request for integrated assessment. The pre-assessment EHC Panel will
make the final decision regarding the AC.
10. How will we prevent parents/carers telling the same story over and over again?
It will be important for the AC to access key information about the C/YP prior to the meeting and
to familiarise themselves with up to date reports and pre-populated sections of the EHC plan
template such as Section A.
11. How will the borough enable improved access needed to interpreting and
translation services, as it can take weeks to book both services and this may prevent the
20-week timescale being met?
Interpreters have to be a priority for TAC meetings where there is no other available person able
to translate who is attending the meeting. As now, the final EHC plan will be translated if a
member of the family cannot translate.
12. Regarding families that don’t engage, how far should AC lead them?
Where the family are not able/ unwilling to engage, we will need to rely more on advocacy
services.
13. When should the outcomes (short, medium and long-term) be discussed with the
family? Is it at the meeting between the AC and the parents/carers or in the TAC meeting
with professionals and the family?
Both; between professionals and parents/carers from the outset of any intervention at any level –
from early intervention onwards:
• as part of your report/ assessment in the feedback to parents/carers
• preparation for the TAC meeting
• agree at the TAC meeting (even if a rough draft based on reports already prepared.
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At the EHC planning meeting
14. At the EHC planning meeting is it the responsibility of the AC to make the final decision about which outcomes are prioritised (when there are disagreements between professionals as well as with the family)?
The outcomes should be needs led. Need to consider how the significant ones can be included/ combined - this should be the main focus of the EHC planning meeting. Remember, the parent (and YP 16+) retain the right to appeal through a tribunal. The EHC plan should provide what a C/YP needs and this may not always match what a C/YP wants to have provided for them.
15. I am concerned about the timescale in those cases where there are very different views about priorities.
Yes, and we will need to manage as we do now (in less time) in cases requiring mediation and tribunals.
16. Should the family have an opportunity to take some responsibility for working
towards the outcomes with professionals?
Yes! It is very important to note and record what parents/carers/ community resources contribute
to the outcomes.
17. Will SEND guidance state how recent each professional’s involvement/
assessment/ consultation should have been for feeding into EHC plan?
Yes. The parents/carers and professionals need to agree it is current. The key issue is whether
the assessment can reasonably be considered current, usually determined by the child’s age and
the date of the assessment / report. Professionals and parents/carers need to confirm that the
reports remain relevant and up to date at the time of the assessment.
What happens next?
18. Does the PPO take the draft plan after the TAC meeting or does the AC hold it and
write it up?
PPO to draft outcomes at TAC meeting, then PPO takes case to EHC Panel.
19. Once the final plan has been issued, does the AC remain the key point of contact for the parents/carers?
No, the Planning and Placement Officer becomes the key contact person regarding SEN but the
C/YP may also have a Lead Professional involved in the network.
20. Can there be a format change for professional’s reports – prioritise outcomes in order – especially important if professional cannot attend the multi-agency meeting?
Yes, service/ team lead to discuss this within services and agree and inform each other of
changes.
21. What will happen if the borough has the right local provision that can meet the
child’s needs and parents want a different and / or independent named provision?
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The parents will make their preferences known and the Local Authority will consult those
providers and a decision will be made taking into account the child’s needs and value for money
for public funds. We should be transparent and explain the reasons. The parents will always
retain the right to appeal.
22. With older children / young people, what is the legal perspective if they disagree
with the plan but their parents/carers agree?
The view of the YP prevails if they are deemed competent and 16 plus. Note: this needs to be
considered further and we all need guidance and training on new legislation for 16+ and on their
capacity to make their own decisions.
23. How will parents/carers know / be assured that they are represented at the EHC
panel, and are part of the decisions the panel makes?
The panel has the evidence from the parent/ child views and the agreed outcomes. We will need
a process by which we denote degree of agreement – perhaps a cover sheet for panel?
24. Who will drive the C/YP’s reviews if the child has been discharged from our
service?
Through Annual Review process with PPO leading LA side and school leading the AR.
25. What about initial review following the implementation of the EHC plan - what is the
process for this and what if the plan needs to change?
We do need more detail on the AR process – like the EHC plan, it needs to be person-centred.
We would amend on evidence base as we do now.
Post-16 pointers
26. How is the annual review managed in post-16 FE provision? In line with the new CoP, the LA expects the SENCO or similar role within the college will co-
ordinate an annual review. This is a statutory requirement. The SEN service usually writes to
providers at the end of the summer requesting annual review dates for the upcoming year. They
will indicate where it is critical to any transition process that the review happens at a particular
time of year, for example in the autumn term so that any new provision can be finalised by
February for a September start. The college is expected to co-ordinate the arrangements to
obtain any updated reports that are required in advance of the review, in sufficient time to inform
the decisions made at the review.
27. Do all young people in post-16 provision need an EHC Plan? No - For young people up to the age of 19, Camden will continue to make sure that funding is in
place for a YP who has SEND that cannot be provided for without access to additional funding,
as specified in a funding agreement. The YP will still have a moving on plan co-ordinated by a
Connexions advisor. This does not take away the entitlement to request an EHC statutory
assessment, but in most cases an EHC statutory assessment will not be needed.
Where a YP seeks to remain in education beyond 19, a request should be made to the local
authority to undertake an integrated assessment and consider whether an EHC plan is needed.
Where there is evidence that the YP has special educational needs that cannot be met in
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universal provision without additional support, the local authority will undertake the statutory
assessment and consider whether or not to issue a plan.
28. How will we get updated information for the integrated assessment of a young person in post-16 provision, for a new plan or for the transfer of the statement to a plan and their needs have changed? The college will request updated reports from involved professionals, and there may already be recent reports that indicate the current needs and provision required to meet those needs. The college can request updated advice from an EP by referring to the educational psychology team: someone in the network will need to raise an e-CAF briefly outlining the reason for the request and attaching any available evidence. Referrals to the EPS are accessed via an eCAF – if you know you are likely to make referrals please ask your manager to arrange training and gain access to the eCAF system. Out of borough / independent schools
29. What are the implications if the child is in an independent school?
Camden has a statutory responsibility.
30. If there is an out of borough EP, will they attend the meetings and will their advice
be sufficient draft the outcomes in the new EHC format?
Good point, but Camden does still remain responsible for Camden statutory work so there are
implications for the agreement. PEP will pick up.
31: How will the local authority resolve disagreements?
Camden will make arrangements for independent disagreement resolution and mediation
arrangements across education, health and social care provision. Details are published in
Camden’s Local Offer.
Parents and young persons also have a right to make a formal complaint under Camden’s
Complaints procedure by writing to the Designated Complaints Officer. The officer will consider
the complaint by appointing one independent person to take part in dealing with the issues raised
and provide a written response within 28 days.
A complainant who is dissatisfied with the outcome of this process can take their complaint to the
Local Government Ombudsman.
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5. A guide to setting outcomes
A major feature of the new SEND reforms is that the system is driven by outcomes. These can
be individual outcomes such as a particular C/YP developing peer friendships. When drawing up
an EHC plan, children, young people and parents/carers will be encouraged to work with
professionals to set the outcomes that they wish to see achieved, with the aim that the support
provided will then be based on helping the C/YP achieve them. What this means is that
outcomes are essential to ensuring that a C/YP gets the support they need to achieve their
potential. If the outcomes set are not reflective of someone’s ambitions, then the interventions
someone receives could be wrong for them.
What is an outcome? Outcomes are the changes that you are trying to achieve. These can be changes in behaviour, skills, knowledge, attitudes, and circumstances. Outcomes result from what we do, such as a particular intervention or activity (these interventions could be the support that is listed in someone’s EHC plan). Outcomes can be short, medium or long-term.
Changes in behaviour E.g. eating more healthily.
Changes in skills E.g. learning to manage your money.
Changes in knowledge E.g. knowing how to access local services.
Changes in attitudes E.g. feeling more confident about the future.
Changes in circumstances E.g. getting a job or living on your own.
How do you set outcomes? When setting outcomes, it is important to initially establish a picture of ‘where we are now’; for example, what are the C/YP’s current skills and learning needs? From there, you can establish a long-term outcome; this is essentially the overall aim for the individual to achieve. Following this, it is a case of working backwards; to look at what differences need to be brought about in order to achieve the overall aim. These are known as short and medium term outcomes. For short term outcomes, these are typically what changes you would expect to see in a few weeks or months and medium term outcomes follow a slightly longer trajectory. Although the nature and time frames of short and medium term outcomes will vary depending on the C/YP, it would make sense for medium term outcomes to be yearly, so that they can be set or reviewed as part of an annual review process (such as an EHC plan review). When outcomes have been established, it is important to think about what intervention or activity is needed in order to make them happen. Parents/carers and young people must be involved in decisions about setting outcomes and children should also be involved as far as possible.
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What kind of outcomes can be sought? It is important to embrace the full scope of areas under which outcomes are set. If they are to appear in an EHC plan, they must, of course, have relevance to education, health and/or social care. In addition, the government has stated that, from the age of 14, outcomes must focus on helping someone to ‘prepare for adulthood’; specifically, preparing for independent living, finding employment, and accommodation. While these categories set a particular scope for outcomes to be considered under, it is important that families and local authorities do not feel limited in the breadth of areas of someone’s life that outcomes can cover. Setting outcomes should be done in a person-centred way to reflect their individual goals and aspirations. This can be done in a number of different ways, and should of course be to an individual’s preference. However, one approach you may wish to take is to look at the 7 areas being used to measure someone’s wellbeing and set outcomes under one or more of these:
Evaluation It is important to bear in mind that the entire process of setting outcomes is based on making assumptions about the C/YP. There are assumptions made about the following: the C/YP’s ability to achieve their long-term outcome, the causes of a problem that an intervention seeks to address, that a particular intervention will be effective for the C/YP. It is therefore important to ensure that progress towards outcomes is evaluated regularly. This will give families and local authorities the opportunity to identify whether interventions are working, whether outcomes are still relevant/ desirable, and also whether any unintended consequences have arisen.
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Measuring progress towards outcomes Sometimes progress is easy to measure, such as whether someone has passed a test, and sometimes they are more difficult concepts to measure definitive progress, such as someone’s increased confidence. There are various tools used to measure outcomes, but they can also be seen by asking a C/YP about any changes that might have happened, asking them to keep diary entries or simply by observing any changes from normal, for example someone making new friends, or becoming more vocal at home or in social groups. Progress is an entirely personal thing; what might be progress for one person might not constitute progression for someone else. For some people with profound a multiple learning disabilities (PMLD) or chronic health conditions, progress might even be to maintain a particular level.
Family involvement It is important that everyone involved in the C/YP’s life, from parents/carers to local authorities, to schools, is fully on board with the process of setting outcomes. Without this all-round support, there is only so much a C/YP can achieve. For example, without school support to provide a C/YP with the correct course to learn the appropriate skills, or without parental support to encourage a C/YP’s future ambitions, it may not be possible for them to achieve an outcome of getting employment. One way to help increase the buy-in of everyone in the C/YP’s life is for them to jointly set targets. These should be clear markers to determine whether the progress towards the outcomes has been adequate. Evaluation of outcomes and progress towards them should be done regularly. Again, this will vary depending on the individual and the outcomes set, but it would make sense for this to be combined with existing reviews such as annual reviews. The EHC plan should be reviewed at least annually and parents/carers and young people have a right to request a review or a reassessment of a plan and a local authority must ensure this happens unless it is less than 6 months since the assessment was conducted.
(Adapted from MENCAP: Setting outcomes: a guide)
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6. Examples of short, medium and long-term outcomes
Example One - Child X: three years, three months
Long-term outcomes identified Preparation
for adulthood, to be achieved by the end of
education. (This may include independent
living, preparing for work / adulthood, good
health, community inclusion).
Medium-term outcomes identified (by end
of early years / primary / secondary / further
education - delete as applicable).
X will be able to live independently by the end
of his time in education.
X will be able to consistently use short
sentences of at least 6 words in length to
recount a simple event or story giving key
information and relating events in the correct
order.
By the beginning of key stage 1, X will be able
to participate in self-chosen or adult-directed
tasks in the classroom for the majority of the
school day.
By the beginning of key stage 1, X will be able
to tolerate noisy or busy environments such
as his local playground, or the playground at
playtimes at school.
X will develop into a healthy adult. X will maintain correction of his feet through
Ponseti treatment for Talipes Equinovarus by
the beginning of key stage 1.
X will be fully included in his community by the
end of his time in education.
X will be able to start, join in and maintain
simple games with a set of his peers
consistently across playtimes by the beginning
of key stage 1.
X will consistently present with behaviour
appropriate to his age and stage of
development (listening, following adult’s
instructions, understanding rules, etc.) across
his home and school settings by the beginning
of key stage 1.
X will demonstrate his full educational
potential.
X will achieve a minimum of a 30-50 month
level in at least 4 of the areas measured on
the Early Years Foundation Stage profile by
the end of key stage 1.
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Example Two:
Long-term outcomes identified
Preparation for adulthood to be achieved by
the end of education. (This may include
independent living, preparing for work /
adulthood, good health, community
inclusion).
Medium-term outcomes identified (by end
of early years / primary / secondary / further
education - delete as applicable).
1. X will overcome his early expressive
language difficulties”
1. “X will have settled in reception, become
a successful communicator with aware
adults. This is most likely to happen if X’s
needs have been clearly identified and a
high quality support programme has been
put in place by the school.
2.”X will be accessing the EYFS
successfully through well-informed
differentiation, so X’s FSP scores are within
the age-appropriate age-band in some
areas of learning.”
3. “X’s non-verbal communication will
include ways of making and being friends
with peers”.
2. X will succeed in school and reach his full
potential in SATs and other exams, so that
he can – eventually - attend university.
X will continue to develop non-verbal skills, such as physical artistic and social relationships. This will be achieved during nursery and reception years through the adults differentiating the EYFS –particularly these ‘Areas of Learning’: Physical Development, Expressive Arts and Design, Mathematics, Personal Social and Emotional, particularly ‘Making relationships’.
X’s teachers will differentiate the curriculum so that he can access it. This requires differentiation to focus on modified methods for him to express himself and answer questions.
3 X will develop a strong sense of self,
and become confident to take part in
community activities.
The nursery will provide structured and supported opportunities for X to develop his social skills with children of his own age.
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Note: This is a different format which gives more detail of the medium-term outcomes:
1. Medium term outcome number one X’s Foundation Stage Profile scores are within the appropriate age-band in some areas of learning. This is most likely to be in number or ‘Understanding the World’ and ‘Mathematics’.
Why is it important to X? X needs to continue to develop his skills, knowledge and understanding of the world, despite his expressive language difficulties, so that he can continue to close the gap between himself and his peers.
Why is it important for X? X can show what he can do and knows, without being put under pressure to use language at a level that is beyond him, which might lead to frustration.
How will we know if we have been successful? X’s End of KS1+2 SATs will show that he has closed the gap between himself and his peers.
Who will monitor the outcome and how? School SENCO Parents/carers Speech and Language Therapist.
What needs to happen (steps and activities to meet this outcome)
Who will provide support
How often, when and where will it happen
X’s teacher will differentiate activities appropriately so that all work presented will be pitched at his receptive language levels, with visual support, and thus closer to his cognitive levels.
Class teacher and support. SENCO lead.
Daily special time. In-class support to reinforce key vocabulary in all sessions Peers who are good language models.
X’s IEP targets will continue to add receptive vocabulary each month. It is hoped that, with a focused programme of language acquisition, he will eventually close the gap between his receptive language levels and that of his peer group.
SLT programme, recommending the sequence and content of the programme.
X’s IEP targets will continue to improve his ability to express himself.
SLT programme, recommending the sequence and content of the programme.
2 medium term outcome number 2 X will be happy to attend community activities, such as scouts or swimming club, and have a friend there. X will be able to make friends with children in his class.
Why is it important to X? X will develop age appropriate social skills and feel he belongs within his peer group.
Why is it important for X? X will develop a sense of self and be emotionally resilient.
How will we know if we have been successful? X will choose peers and be chosen, to play with.
Who will monitor the outcome and how? Class teacher Parents/carers Community activity leader.
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What needs to happen (steps and activities to meet this outcome)
Who will provide support
How often, when and where will it happen
1. Structured social skills groups in nursery
Nursery staff
2. Play dates Parents/carers
3. Transition support in September school
medium term outcome number 3 X will become confident in his ability to communicate and enjoy the company of his peers.
Why is it important to X? It is important that X can have a chance to try things that he might enjoy and/ or that could help him to succeed.
Why is it important for X? – X is reported to ‘know’ that he speaks differently from his peers, and is becoming self-conscious about this. The parents/carers can see the potential that X has, and worry that he will become frustrated by the boredom of repartition or miss out on enjoyable activities through fear of the unknown.
How will we know if we have been successful? Parents/carers will report a greater level of social integration.
Who will monitor the outcome and how? Parents/carers and school.
What needs to happen (steps and activities to meet this outcome)
Who will provide support
How often, when and where will it happen
Parents/carers and school need to identify ways of supporting X in his social activities.
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7. Competencies for 0-25 EHC plan Assessment Co-ordinators
Camden Behaviours AC Main functions
Skills Skills I currently
use
New skills
The ten Camden behaviours are:
1. Adaptability
2. Analysis and judgement
3. Building support
4. Confidence and resilience
5. Customer service
6. Driving improvement
7. Leading people
8. Organisational awareness
9. Strategic perspective
10. Working together
1. emotional and practical support as part of a trusting relationship
2. enabling and empowering for decision-making and the use of Personal Budgets – where eligible and signposting as appropriate
3. co-ordinating practitioners and services around the child or young person and their family
4. being a single point of regular and consistent contact
5. facilitating multi-agency meetings 6. supporting and facilitating a single
planning and joint assessment process
7. identifying strengths and needs of family members
8. providing information and signposting 9. advocating on behalf of the child,
young person and/or their family 10. where possible, facilitating the
integration of clinical and social care services with specialist and universal services Section 2.21Code of Practice June 2014
• Able to listen to children, young
people and families
• Able to learn what is important to
and important for a child/ young
person
• Know how to listen to behaviour
as well as what children and
young people say directly
• Ability to raise aspirations in a
variety of ways: conversations,
sharing examples, gently
challenging low expectations
• Skills to research local offer and
ability to share it with families
• Able to use person centred
thinking skills and planning tools
• Able to use information from a
person-centred review to inform
an EHC plan
• Can co-ordinate contributions of
other people and use evidence
to develop co-ordinated plans
• Able to write clearly in plain
English without using jargon
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8. EHC plan checklist: SEN team and Assessment Co-ordinator tasks
Once agreed for EHC needs assessment at Pre-assessment panel (PAP)
Step one: Assessment Co-ordinator (AC) is assigned at EHC Pre-Assessment Panel
SEN team call Assessment Coordinator (AC)
SEN Case Officer (CO) arrange access to information available on SharePoint
SEN Planning & Placement Officer (PPO) discuss actions to date with AC
Agree timeline and record key dates (EHC process timescale toolkit available from SEN team)
Discuss possible dates for EHC planning meeting, others involved, venue and role of chair
Step two: Assessment Co-ordinator calls the family
Explain the role of Assessment Co-ordinator to the family
Contact the family to arrange meeting times, venue to confirm their views
Check if any special arrangements are needed e.g. interpreter or communication support, access
requirements
Agree who will collect the views of the child/young person and how
Assessment Co-ordinator meets with family (can be split into two meetings)
Check understanding of the process, roles and expectations including timescales and key dates
Check whether there are any gaps in the personal contact details and Section A of draft EHC plan
Collect any additional views and aspirations of the child or young person if needed, using person
centred approaches
Collect any additional views of the family using person centred approaches
Ensure Section A of draft EHC plan is completed
Confirm Appendix 1 re other professionals already working with their child and contact details
Discuss the progress of professional assessments/plans and identify emerging support needs and
outcomes
Check if the young person or family already use personal budgets and if they are interested in having
a personal budget. Give leaflet and explanation.
Discuss and begin to identify possible outcomes and solutions from the family perspective, including
universal services
Discuss parental expectations/duties with regards to travel arrangements to school and advise on
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process
Confirm the date, venue and arrangements for the EHC planning meeting
Confirm who the young person and family would like to be present at the EHC planning meeting
Advise on other support networks: SENDIASS (previously Parent Partnership Service), Special
Parents Forum, Independent Support Advisors.
Answer any questions and leave contact details, including suitable contact times
Assessment Co-ordinator to feedback to SEN team PPO.
Save updated draft EHC plan to SharePoint, including Section A and Appendix 1 :Important contact
information and draft outcomes in section E
Step 3: Preparing for the EHC planning meeting
SEN CO to ensure collection of professional reports/views is made available to the AC by agreed
deadline, including draft Section B, C and D included in EHC plan completed by PPO
SEN CO to support the AC in ensuring that information is up to date and accurate
AC to help the young person and family prepare for the meeting
Step 4: At the Education, Health and Care plan meeting
Assessment Co-ordinator to chair the meeting
SEN PPO supports the Assessment Co-ordinator to ensure that the focus is on outcomes and what
needs to happen to meet those outcomes and to write up draft EHC plan
Confirm previously drafted sections of the EHC plan
Agree planned outcomes and strategies, complete Sections F, G and H
Where a Personal Budget is requested, complete Section J
SEN PPO to write up complete proposed draft EHC plan
SEN PPO to send draft EHC Plan to family and professionals who contributed towards the
assessment for consultation (15 days for comments/amendments)
Assessment Co-ordinator to contact the young person and family for their feedback and support any
follow up action
SEN PPO and AC to discuss provision options and parental/ young person’s preference. Confirm LA will always consider local options and have regard to CoP when making decision
Following consultation with the parent/young person, the draft plan is amended where needed and
issued. (LA notifies parent/young person of rights to appeal.)
Step 5: Draft EHC plan taken to EHC panel
Confirm any transport requests with reason and distance from home to school
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Venue Date
Date of EHC assessment request
Information gathering with family*
Pre Assessment Panel decision
Information gathering with child or*
young person
Deadline for return of collected
information to AC
EHC plan meeting
Draft EHC plan sent to family for
consultation (15 days)
EHC panel decision
Provision named
Assessment complete (20 weeks)
Final EHC plan sent to family and
relevant agencies
* This may happen at the same meeting.
Adapted from SE7 Pathfinder materials.
SEN PPO to take final EHC plan to EHC panel for decision
Proposed plan sent to parent
Consultation process to agree educational provision
Step 6: Final plan issued to parent and relevant agencies
Final plan signed off and issued to parent and relevant agencies
Additional Docs – please ensure that these forms have been completed and returned to the SEN
team as soon as they are completed.
Consent for information sharing form (young person and / or family)
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9. What to include in each section of the EHC plan
Section
Information to include
(A) The views, interests and aspirations of the child and their parents/carers, or of the young person
• Details about the C/YP’s aspirations and goals for the future (but not details of outcomes to be achieved – see section above on outcomes for guidance). When agreeing the aspirations, consideration should be given to the C/YP’s aspirations for paid employment, independent living and community participation. • Details about play, health, schooling, independence, friendships, further education and future plans including employment (where practical). • A summary of how to communicate with the child or young person and engage them in decision-making. • The C/YP’s history. • If written in the first person, the plan should make clear whether the C/YP is being quoted directly, or if the views of parents/carers or professionals are being represented.
(B) The child or young person’s special educational needs (SEN)
• All of the C/YP’s identified SEN must be specified. • SEN may include needs for health and social care provision that are treated as special educational provision because they educate or train the C/YP (see paragraphs 9.73 onwards).
(C) The child or young person’s health needs which relate to their SEN
• The EHC plan must specify any health needs identified through the EHC needs assessment which relate to the child or young person’s SEN. Some health care needs, such as routine dental health needs, are unlikely to be related. • The Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) may also choose to specify other health care needs which are not related to the child or young person’s SEN (for example, a long-term condition which might need management in a special educational setting).
(D) The child or young person’s social care needs which relate to their SEN
• The EHC plan must specify any social care needs identified through the EHC needs assessment which relate to the child or young person’s SEN or which require provision for a child or young person under 18 under section 2 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970. • The local authority may also choose to specify other social care needs which are not linked to the C/YP’s SEN or to a disability. This could include reference to any child in need or child protection plan which a child may have relating to other family issues such as neglect. Such an approach could help the child and their parents/carers manage the different plans and bring greater co-ordination of services. Inclusion must only be with the consent of the child and their parents/carers.
(E) The outcomes sought for the child or the young person
• A range of outcomes over varying timescales, covering education, health and care as appropriate but recognising that it is the education and training outcomes only that will help determine when a plan is ceased for young people aged over 18. Therefore, for young people aged over 17, the EHC plan should identify clearly which outcomes are education and training outcomes. See paragraph 9.64 onwards for more detail on outcomes. • A clear distinction between outcomes and provision. The provision should help the C/YP achieve an outcome, it is not an outcome in itself. • Steps towards meeting the outcomes. • The arrangements for monitoring progress, including review and transition review arrangements and the arrangements for setting and monitoring shorter term targets by the early years provider, school, college or other education or training provider. • Forward plans for key changes in a C/YP’s life, such as changing schools, moving from children’s to adult care and/or from paediatric services to adult health, or moving on from further education to adulthood. • For children and young people preparing for the transition to adulthood, the outcomes that will prepare them well for adulthood and are clearly linked to the achievement of the aspirations in section A.
(F) The special educational provision required by the child or the young person
• Provision must be detailed and specific and should normally be quantified, for example, in terms of the type, hours and frequency of support and level of expertise, including where this support is secured through a Personal Budget. • Provision must be specified for each and every need specified in section B. It should be clear how the provision will support achievement of the outcomes. • Where health or social care provision educates or trains a C/YP, it must appear in this section (see paragraph 9.73).
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• There should be clarity as to how advice and information gathered has informed the provision specified. Where the local authority has departed from that advice, they should say so and give reasons for it. • In some cases, flexibility will be required to meet the changing needs of the child or young person including flexibility in the use of a Personal Budget. • The plan should specify:
any appropriate facilities and equipment, staffing arrangements and curriculum
any appropriate modifications to the application of the National Curriculum, where relevant
any appropriate exclusions from the application of the National Curriculum or the course being studied in a post-16 setting, in detail, and the provision which it is proposed to substitute for any such exclusions in order to maintain a balanced and broadly based curriculum
where residential accommodation is appropriate, that fact
where there is a Personal Budget, the outcomes to which it is intended to contribute (detail of the arrangements for a Personal Budget, including any direct payment, must be included in the plan and these should be set out in section J).
• See paragraph 9.131 onwards for details of duties on the local authority to maintain the special educational provision in the EHC plan.
(G) Any health provision reasonably required by the learning difficulties or disabilities which result in the child or young person having SEN
• Provision should be detailed and specific and should normally be quantified, for example, in terms of the type of support and who will provide it. • It should be clear how the provision will support achievement of the outcomes, including the health needs to be met and the outcomes to be achieved through provision secured through a personal (health) budget. • Clarity as to how advice and information gathered has informed the provision specified. • Health care provision reasonably required may include specialist support and therapies, such as medical treatments and delivery of medications, occupational therapy and physiotherapy, a range of nursing support, specialist equipment, wheelchairs and continence supplies. It could include highly specialist services needed by only a small number of children which are commissioned centrally by NHS England (for example therapeutic provision for young offenders in the secure estate). • The local authority and CCG may also choose to specify other health care provision reasonably required by the C/YP, which is not linked to their learning difficulties or disabilities, but which should sensibly be co-ordinated with other services in the plan. • See paragraph 9.141 for details of duties on the health service to maintain the health care provision in the EHC plan.
(H1) Any social care provision which must be made for a child or young person under 18 resulting from section 2 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970 (CSDPA)
• Provision should be detailed and specific and should normally be quantified, for example, in terms of the type of support and who will provide it (including where this is to be secured through a social care direct payment). • It should be clear how the provision will support achievement of the outcomes, including any provision secured through a Personal Budget. There should be clarity as to how advice and information gathered has informed the provision specified. • Section H1 of the EHC plan must specify all services assessed as being needed for a disabled child or young person under 18, under section 2 of the CSDPA. These services include:
practical assistance in the home
provision or assistance in obtaining recreational and educational facilities at home and outside the home
assistance in travelling to facilities
adaptations to the home
facilitating the taking of holidays
provision of meals at home or elsewhere
provision or assistance in obtaining a telephone and any special equipment necessary
non-residential short breaks (included in Section H1 on the basis that the child as well as his or her parent will benefit from the short break).
• This may include services to be provided for parent carers of disabled children, including following an assessment of their needs under sections 17ZD-17ZF of the Children Act 1989. • See paragraph 9.137 onwards for details of duties on local authorities to maintain the social care provision in the EHC plan.
(H2) Any other social care provision
• Social care provision reasonably required may include provision identified through early help and children in need assessments and safeguarding assessments for children. Section H2 must only include services which are not provided under Section 2 of the CSDPA. For children and
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reasonably required by the learning difficulties or disabilities which result in the child or young person having SEN
young people under 18 this includes residential short breaks and services provided to children arising from their SEN but unrelated to a disability. This should include any provision secured through a social care direct payment. See chapter 10 for more information on children’s social care assessments. • Social care provision reasonably required will include any adult social care provision to meet eligible needs for young people over 18 (set out in an adult care and support plan) under the Care Act 2014. See Chapter 8 for further detail on adult care and EHC plans. • The local authority may also choose to specify in section H2 other social care provision reasonably required by the C/YP, which is not linked to their learning difficulties or disabilities. This will enable the local authority to include in the EHC plan social care provision such as child in need or child protection plans, or provision meeting eligible needs set out in an adult care plan where it is unrelated to the SEN but appropriate to include in the EHC plan. • See paragraph 9.137 onwards for details of duties on local authorities to maintain the social care provision in the EHC plan.
(I) Placement • The name and type of the school, maintained nursery school, post-16 institution or other institution to be attended by the C/YP and the type of that institution (or, where the name of a school or other institution is not specified in the EHC plan, the type of school or other institution to be attended by the child or young person). • These details must be included only in the final EHC plan, not the draft EHCP sent to the child’s parent or to the young person. • See paragraph 9.78 onwards for more details.
(J) Personal Budget (including arrangements for direct payments)
• This section should provide detailed information on any Personal Budget that will be used to secure provision in the EHC plan. • It should set out the arrangements in relation to how the personal budget will be managed as required by education, health and social care regulations. • The special educational needs and outcomes that are to be met by any personal budget must be specified.
(K) Advice and information
• The advice and information gathered during the EHC needs assessment must be set out in appendices to the EHC plan. There should be a list of this advice and information.
Extract from 9.69 Special educational needs and disability code of practice: 0 to 25 years.
Statutory guidance for organisations who work with and support children and young people with
SEND.
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10. EHC Process Timescale Toolkit
Example of Excel spreadsheet timescale calculating tool, available from SEN team.
Toolkit can be used as a guide when planning key dates for meeting and when decisions
need to be made in the statutory process.
EHC Process Timescale Toolkit EHC request Received 30-Jun-14 Start Date
Put on agenda for Panel 21-Jul-14 3 weeks
PAP held & decision made 28-Jul-14 4 weeks
AC assigned & initial parent meeting held. Advice requested from professionals
11-Aug-14 6 weeks
Reports received from contributing professionals
22-Sep-14 12 weeks
Put on agenda for Panel 29-Sep-14 13 weeks
Plan discussed at EHC Panel & Outcome Planning Meeting with parents/carers & professionals
06-Oct-14 14 weeks
Proposed plan sent to parents/carers 13-Oct-14 15 weeks
Parents/carers response due 28-Oct-14 plus 15 days
School response due (if applicable) 12-Nov-14 plus 15 days
Final plan issued 17-Nov-14 20 Weeks
Today: 13/07/2014
Weeks so far: 1.9
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11.Thresholds criteria for children’s services in Camden
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12. Camden Integrated working guide: Lead Professional
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7. Glossary
Term:
Meaning:
AC Assessment Co-ordinator
CAF Common Assessment Framework
CoP Code of Practice
C/YP Child and Young Person
EHC PAP Education, Health and Care Pre-assessment Panel
EHC plan Education, Health and Care plan
EPS Educational Psychology Service
ES Early Support
EYIT Early Years Intervention Team
FE Further Education
Joint Commissioning Commissioning arrangements that are co-ordinated or integrated across agencies or groups
LA Local Authority
LDA Learning Difficulty Assessment
MAP Multi-Agency Plan
NC National Curriculum
LO Local Offer is a ‘description in one place of the provision the local authority expects to be available for children and young people from birth to 25 years in their area who have special educational needs and/or disabilities including those who do not have Education, Health and Care Plans’: www.camden.gov.uk/SENDreforms
PfA Preparing for adulthood (both the theme and DfE SEND Delivery Partner: http://www.preparingforadulthood.org.uk/
PPO Placement and Planning Officer
SENAS Special Educational Needs Assessment Service
SENCO SEN Co-ordinator (based in educational settings)
SEND Special Educational Needs and Disability
TAC Team around the Child
TAF Team around the Family
YP Young Person
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8. Further Reading
Achievement for All, a school improvement approach that was piloted in ten local authorities from 2009 - 2011, is also being rolled out nationally - http://www.afa3as.org.uk Additional DfE-funded SEND Organisations referenced in these packs: Council for Disabled Children (CDC): The Council for Disabled Children (CDC) is the umbrella body for the disabled children's sector in England, with links to other UK nations, bringing together the diverse range of organisations that work with and for disabled children to support the development and implementation of policy and practice. CDC has developed some useful resource sheets on SEN and Disability Policy which can be found on their website via the following link: http://www.councilfordisabledchildren.org.uk/resources/cdcs-resources Department for Education/ Department of Health: Special educational needs and disability code of practice: 0-25 years, June 2014 Department for Education (DfE): Special Educational Needs and Disabilities – a Guide for Parents and Carers, August 2014 Department for Education (DfE) SEND Delivery Partners: There are seven Delivery Partners focusing on the following key issues:
The Bond consortium: child mental health -http://www.youngminds.org.uk/training_services/bond
The Early Language Consortium: early language development - http://eldp.talkingpoint.org.uk
The ES Trust with the National Children's Bureau: early support and key working - http://ncb.org.uk/early-support
Contact a Family and the National Network of Parent Carer Forums (NNPCF): parent participation - http://www.nnpcf.org.uk/ and http://www.cafamily.org.uk
The National Parent Partnership Network: supporting Parent Partnership Services - http://www.parentpartnership.org.uk
The National Development Team for Inclusion the Council for Disabled Children and Helen Sanderson Associates (Preparing for Adulthood): preparing for adulthood - http://preparingforadulthood.org.uk
The IMPACT consortium: short breaks delivery - http://www.shortbreaksnetwork.org.uk/policyandpractice/impact
In Control: In Control is a DfE SEND Grant Holder charity supporting organisations implement personalisation. They are one of the organisations supporting the SEN Personal Budgets Accelerated Testing Group - http://www.in-control.org.uk Search the SEN Gateway which provides access to all information, training materials and advice funded by DfE and produced by voluntary and community organisations to develop at www.nasen.org.uk SEND Pathfinder Support Team – www.sendpathfinder.co.uk - for case studies, video clips, evaluation reports and information about delivery partners who are supporting the reforms SEN Reforms in Islington – Advice, Guidance and Expectations, June 2014 SE7 Pathfinder website: www.se7pathfinder.co.uk
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9. Camden Key Contact Details
www.localoffer.camden.gov.uk Camden Special Educational Needs (SEN) Team www.camden.gov.uk/sen Phone: 020 7974 6500 Fax: 020 7974 6501 Email: [email protected] Postal address: Special Educational Needs London Borough of Camden 10th Floor, 5 Pancras Square Judd Street London WC1H 9JE Camden MOSAIC, Camden’s integrated service for disabled children and young people up to the age of 18: Phone: 020 3317 2200 Kentish Town Health Centre 2 Bartholomew Road London NW5 2BX www.camden.gov.uk/disabledchildren Single Point of Referral (SPOR) administrator: 020 3317 2250 Educational Psychology Team Phone: 020 7974 6500 Email: [email protected] 5 Pancras Square London N1C 4AG
Camden Learning Disability Service (CLDS) Phone: 020 79 74 37 37 Email: [email protected] Information in an accessible style for young people
and their carers http://camden.clickstart.org.uk/
The Transition Team Phone: Transition Manager or a duty social worker on 020 7974 3737. SENDIASS (previously Parent Partnership Service) Phone: 020 7974 6264 Highgate Newtown Community Centre, 25 Bertram Street, N19 5DQ. The Special Parents Forum Facebook https://www.facebook.com/CamdenSpecialParents-Forum Phone Kids: 020 7359 3635 Meetings are held at various community venues such as Voluntary Action Camden 293-299 Kentish Town Road and Kentish Town Health Centre Independent Support Advisors KIDS Email: [email protected] Phone: 020 7359 3635 If you have comments or feedback about the Local Offer or the SEND Reforms, please e-mail Camden at [email protected]