Agenda item

This report provides an update on implementation of the SEND reform in Bath and North East Somerset.

The Service Improvement Manager introduced this item to the Panel. He explained that this new legal framework for children and young people with Special Educational Needs & Disability (SEND) came into force from 1st September 2014. He said that the reform aims to improve life outcomes for young people with SEND.

He stated that 750 - 800 children and young people at school age at any one time require specialist SEN support through statements of SEN. These will be replaced by education, health and care (EHC) plans through an ambitious transfer plan. We anticipate completing 80 - 100 EHC needs assessments and up to 300 transfer reviews between Sept 2014 and July 2015.

He said that the scale of this task, combined with the requirement to embed person centred approaches, thinking and planning in our EHC planning has required a significant increase in capacity in the SEN team and he wished to praise their work so far.

He explained that the Parent Partnership Service (PPS) has been successful in attracting government funding to develop independent support with SEND for both parents and young people. He added that the Family Information Service will maintain and develop the published local offer including the rainbow Resource database.

He said that parents of children with EHC plans and young people aged 16 and over with a plan are now entitled to request a personal budget. He added that this will bring together any SEN, health or care funding linked to the plan into one ‘pot’ and give parents and young people more choice and control over how support is provided.

He stated that a training programme will continue into 2015 to introduce the SEND reform and support the development of EHC planning in practice. He said that training in person centred thinking will continue and this will be embedded in the children’s workforce training strategy when the SEND reform implementation project is complete. He added that SEND reform training will continue to include parents as both trainers and participants.

Councillor Liz Hardman commented that creating the EHC Plans will be a lot of work and therefore asked who would be doing it.

The Service Improvement Manager replied that SEND Lead Practitioners will meet all concerned parties and lead upon making the EHC Plans.

Councillor Liz Hardman asked what the resource implications were for schools.

The Service Improvement Manager replied that it will be a challenge to some schools especially if they are a small Primary. He added that he expected SEND Lead Practitioners to help on this matter as he would not want any shortcuts to be taken.

Councillor Nicholas Coombes asked what Quality Assurance measures were in place.

The Service Improvement Manager replied that a very draft framework was in place and would look to ask ‘Is the plan ambitious enough?’, ‘Have the targets / standards within the Plan been achieved?’

He added that the Personal Outcomes Evaluation Tool (POET) would be used to record the responses of both young people and their parents.

The Panel RESOLVED to note the progress made to date.