Management Information Sheet

Education Health and Care plan Needs Assessment Panel

MI Sheet TypeInformation
MI Number:156/19
Publication Date:11/10/2019 12:00:00
LA Contact:Barbara Kewn (01603 224486)
Audience:Headteachers, SENCo, Inclusion leads, Teachers

Education Health and Care plan Needs Assessment Panel

Calling all SENCo’s Head teachers, Inclusion Leads, Teachers…. We need your professional input.

You may be aware that the weekly Education Health and Care plan - Needs Assessment Panel has been running in its current format now for the last 18 months and what started out as a LA lead panel, has developed into a multi-disciplinary panel meeting, which in turn has meant more robust decision making for Norfolk learners. Last year it was particularly successful and the LA are proud to say that in every panel meeting there was professional representations from Education, Schools, Colleges, LA, Health and Children’s Services.

The new school year is upon us and we are keen to continue the good work in motion. Therefore, we are asking for education professionals to pledge to attend the Needs Assessment panel just once or twice this academic year.

The time commitment required is for 1 day (a Thursday) at the Professional Development Centre on Woodside Road, Norwich. Start time is 09:30 a.m. and goes on to around 3:30 pm.

The agenda is made up of the following:

  1. Confidentiality and introductions Sign in / refreshments
  2. Training session - PowerPoint Presentation/overview of process & criteria for decision making; work together through 2 examples (1 assess or not/1 plan or not)
  3. Panel analysis on:
  4. Yes/no to assess
  5. Yes/no to plan
  6. Moderation of decisions

There are on average between 60 to 90 cases discussed each week, and it has been invaluable having all disciplines in attendance. Feedback from professionals has always been positive:

  • Knowing the EHCP process reasonings, all info needed and what I can do better with my advice.
  • Looking at referrals in detail, EHCP paperwork and supporting information. What is a good referral and what isn’t. Also making decisions about the evidence with others. This will inform future referrals made by myself
  • Could highly recommend to other professions, it has helped me tremendously in my role as SENCO
  • Reading some of the applications showed me the importance of giving illustrative examples, the impact of strategies and more importantly what would happen if these strategies weren’t deployed.

If you would like to support this panel please book on via e-mail with EHCP panel in the subject line, stating the date you would like to attend and send it to: mandy.woods@norfolk.gov.uk