Management Information Sheet

IMPORTANT CHANGE

The local authority (LA) is improving the way in which it handles requests for EHCP needs assessment received from education providers. The change aims to facilitate the following:

• To ensure that providers are working to the Special Educational Needs & Disability Code of Practice 2015 (SEND CoP) and are implementing and evidencing the impact of the graduated response
• To ensure the LA are working to the CAF Act 2014, SEN Regulations and SEND CoP 2015
• To ensure robust decision making by the Needs Assessment Panel (NAP)
• To ensure decisions are communicated to parents/young people in a timely manner
• To ensure the best possible experience/outcomes for children, young people and their families
• Improved performance against the 20 week timescales for issuing an EHC plan
• Provide an improved service user experience and a high quality plan that is produced in a timely manner

In order to be successful in this, we need the support and co-operation of all those involved in the EHC needs assessment process.

In deciding whether an EHC needs assessment is necessary, the LA will consider whether there is evidence, that despite the provider 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. At present the LA are not always receiving this evidence at the time of referral. This leads to delays in the process whilst the LA request and wait for the relevant documentation, which in turn puts pressure on the LA's ability to meet timescales.

Process

1. Where a provider decides to provide a pupil/young person with SEN support, parents must be formally notified. At this point; the LA would ask that you also inform the school's assigned EHCPCo, (thus, putting the child 'on the LA's radar').
2. The setting would then implement the 'graduated approach: Cycle One - assess, plan, do, review (APDR).
3. Following cycle 1, where a pupil continues to make less than expected progress, despite evidence-based support and interventions that are matched to the pupil's area of need being in place, the educational establishment should consider involving specialists, including those secured by the establishment itself or from outside agencies.
4. The setting to liaise with the EHCP co attached to the school about said child. The EHCP co will then further signpost setting to resources and possible intervention in readiness for the 2nd cycle to commence (if necessary).
5. The setting should then invite parents in for a meeting/review and cycle 2 ADPR is initiated. At the meeting the Views & Wishes of the child/parents are gathered (on the views and wishes form).
6. If having implemented the 'Graduated Approach' and completed two cycles of 'APDR' the child/young person is not making the desired level of progress, a fully evidenced referral for EHCP needs assessment should then be submitted to the LA via the local offer. Wherever possible referrals should be submitted on online.

A complete referral will consist of:

• Completed Referral form including:
• Evidence of the child or young person's academic attainment (or developmental milestones in younger children) and rate of progress.
• Information about the nature, extent and context of the child or young person's SEN.
• Evidence of the action already being taken by the provider to meet the child or young person's SEN.
• Evidence that where progress has been made, it has only been as the result of much additional intervention and support over and above that which is usually provided.
• Evidence of the child or young person's physical, emotional and social development and health needs, drawing on relevant evidence from clinicians and other health professionals and what has been done to meet these by other agencies.
• Views & wishes of the child/parents (gathered either at the conclusion of cycle one or two of APDR.
• DP1 Parental Consent.
• Where a young person is aged over 18, the LA will consider whether the young person requires additional time, in comparison to the majority of others of the same age who do not have special educational needs, to complete their education or training.

Incomplete requests will be returned within 3 working days to the provider detailing any omissions.

EHCP Coordinators will be visiting schools this term and will be able to go through the paperwork with you and answer any queries you may have.