Setting the context

Christine LenehanDirector CDC

• Edward Timpson MP appointed Parliamentary Undersecretary of State (Children and Families);

• Dr Dan Poulter appointed at DH

• Draft legislation published for pre-legislative scrutiny in September 2012;

• Children and Young People’s Health Outcomes Forum submitted its recommendations to the Secretary of State for Health in July (including on children with disabilities and long term conditions)

• Changes to safeguarding guidance: Department reviewing responses to consultation on revised statutory guidance Working Together to Safeguard Children and Managing Cases: Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families.

Key policy developments

Draft legislation - key highlights

• New requirement for local authorities, health and care services to commission services jointly, to ensure that the needs of disabled children and young people and those with SEN are met.

• LAs to publish a clear, transparent ‘local offer’ of services, so parents and young people can understand what is available.

• More streamlined assessment process, which integrates education, health and care services, and involves children and young people and their families.

• New 0-25 Education, Health and Care Plan, replacing the current system of Statements and Learning Difficulty Assessments, which reflects the child or young person’s aspirations for the future, as well as their current needs.

• Option of a personal budget for families and young people with a Plan,• New statutory protections for young people aged 16-25 in FE and a

stronger focus on preparing for adulthood.• Academies, Free Schools, Further Education and Sixth Form colleges to

have the same SEN duties as maintained schools.

Timetable for legislative reform (indicative)

September to December 2012 Period of pre-

legislative scrutiny led by the

Education Select Committee

Allows the provisions to be informed and

improved by the views and evidence of

stakeholders, and to continue to learn from the experience of the

Pathfinders

December 2012 Education Select Committee publishes a report of its findings

Early 2013 Children and Families Bill introduced into Parliament.

Early 2013Draft Regulations

and a Draft Code of Practice published

for consultation, informed by

pathfinder learning.

Spring 2014 Royal Assent

(subject to Parliamentary

process)

September 2014 Implementation of provisions (meeting original Green Paper commitment to have reforms in place by 2014)

From now until Enactment: • 1996 Education Act and current Code of Practice still applies• Transition arrangements will be clarified by DfE

Aligning the legislative frameworks

Health and Social Care Act 2012

Care and Support Bill

SEND provisions

Duty on LAs to ensure integration of care and support services with health services

Duty on LAs to ensure integration of special educational provision with health and social care provision

Integration duty on NHS CB. CCGs and Monitor

Enhanced JSNA and new Joint health and wellbeing strategyJoint commissioning arrangements

Transition clauses

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Pathfinder update: Purpose of the PathfindersThe 20 SEND pathfinders (representing 31 LAs and their Health partners) are working towards the following common objectives:

• Develop a new 0-25 assessment process and a single plan which bring together the education, health and social care services on which children and young people who are disabled or have SEN and their families rely and focuses on improving outcomes;• Explore how the voluntary and community sector could ensure access to specialist expertise and introduce more independence to the process; • Ensure the full engagement of children, young people and their parents and families, schools and colleges; and

• Improve choice and control for children, young people and their

families through the use of personal budgets and direct payments.

Evaluation - early findings• Good progress has been made in setting up partnerships

and engaging families• A range of approaches to the single assessment process,

from bringing together the results of specialist, separate assessments to a single assessment event. The greatest focus so far has been on a single planning process.

• More family and young person centred processes are in place, using keyworking to improve communications

• The capacity of health, education and VCS to engage remains a concern in some areas

• A challenge remains about how to scale up approaches to a whole area in a sustainable way e.g. key working

Children and young people’s health outcomes strategy

• Secretary of State for Health established an independent Forum to deliver the following key outputs:– identification of the health outcomes which matter most

for children and young people, – how well these are supported by the existing indicators in

the Public Health and NHS Outcomes Frameworks and;– how the different parts of the health (and wider system)

will contribute and work together in the delivery of those outcomes.

Children & Young People’s Health Outcomes Strategy – Key messages from Children & Young People

• From the engagement already undertaken with CYP a number of key issues that they want the Strategy to address have emerged. – Better access to child friendly information– Care by professionals who have had training in working

with CYP– Care to be in environments which are appropriate to

their age and needs– Appropriate and efficient system for transfer from child

to adult services– CYP want to have a say and be listened to in decisions

about their health and take a lead where able

The ambitions behind the health reforms for children and young people

– Children, young people and their families are always involved in decisions about their care.

– Where there is informed, expert, clinical knowledge underpinning the commissioning of integrated services across primary, secondary and tertiary care, social care and wider services.

– Where there is a strong focus on outcomes and reducing health inequalities.

– Where the focus on promoting good health is of equal importance to caring for those who are ill.

– Where the use of evidenced based treatment is adopted across the life course.

Sub Groups

• The Forum set up 4 subgroups.• One subgroup looked at long term conditions,

disability and palliative care.• Subgroup co-chairs –

– Colin Green, Director, Children, Learning & Young People, Coventry City Council

– Gillian Baird OBE, Paeditrician, Guy’s Hospital, London

Subgroup’s report

• Subgroup report published with Forum report in July.

• Recommendations include –New indicators in the NHS Outcome, Public Health and

Commissioning Outcome Frameworks on -• the time to receive a definitive diagnosis from

first presentation or contact with NHS services,• the provision of integrated care for children and

young people with a long-term condition or disability, and

• ensuring effective and healthy transitions between child and adult services.

Next Steps

• Forum report being used as a basis for compiling the Children and Young People’s Health Outcomes Strategy.

• Discussions under way with organisations that have an interest in and responsibility for improved health outcomes for children and young people on agreeing their commitments to meeting the Strategy’s objectives.

• Strategy due to published this Autumn.