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Overview of the Children and Families Bill. Nottinghamshire 7 February 2014 Matthew Dodd Principal Officer Council for Disabled Children. This session:. An overview of the main clauses in the Bill The new SEN Code of Practice - ‘SEN support’ 3 questions for you to take away.
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Overview of the Children and Families Bill Nottinghamshire 7 February 2014 Matthew Dodd Principal Officer Council for Disabled Children
This session: • An overview of the main clauses in the Bill • The new SEN Code of Practice - ‘SEN support’ • 3 questions for you to take away
An important reminder: All current requirements stay in place until: new legislation is implemented new regulations come into force new Code of Practice is issued
Principles General principles for local authorities: • views, wishes and feelings of children, young people, parents • importance of full participation • importance of information and support • children’s development and best possible outcomes Disability in Part 3 Children and Families Bill
Children and Families Bill:Part 3 • Principles • Definitions and scope • Local integration of health, care and education and joint commissioning • Education, health and care needs assessment & plans • Personal budgets • Local offer • Schools’ provisions • SEN Code of Practice
Definitions and scope • SEN definition the same • From birth and up to 25 • Young offenders • LA and all children & young people in area with SEN: • LA to identify • LA responsibility • Disabled children covered if they have SEN - Equality Act duties for disabled children, no SEN • All schools’ duties apply to directly to academies
Local integration of health, care and education • Integrate services to promote the well-being • Joint commissioning by LAs & CCGs • LAs to keep education & social care under review • Requirement to co-operate to meet EHC needs: • Schools • Colleges • Local authorities, including social care • Alternative provision • Health agencies
Changing health structures • Health and Well-being Boards • Joint Strategic Needs Assessment • Health and Well-being Strategies • Arrangements for co-operation to improve children’s well-being • Work in 2012 by Children and Young people’s Health Outcomes Forum • Healthwatch
Local offer • Support available for children and young people with SEN • Regulations: • what the local offer should include • who should be consulted • complaints mechanism • Develop the offer with parents, schools, colleges, other services • Must include provision to support transition to adulthood
Education, health and care needs assessment & plans • EHC plans replace statements and 139A assessments • EHCP extends to FE, training, an apprenticeship or if ‘NEET’ (not in education, employment or training) • Other provisions similar to a statement • Regulations set out how assessment conducted • Duty to secure special educational provision set out in EHCP • Duty to secure health care and social care provision • Rights of appeal the same, but include FE
School provisions • Provisions apply to academies • Requirements to: • have a SENCO • inform parents if child has SEN • inform young people • use ‘best endeavours,’ schools and FE • publish information on how they meet the needs of children with SEN
Draft SEN Code of Practice • Revised Code of Practice • Removal of School Action and School Action Plus; introduction of ‘SEN Support’, graduated response • External specialists can be accessed at any point • Individual education plans will not be required by the Code; requirement to keep records • Evidence of a relevant and purposeful response • Threshold for statutory assessment the same
3 questions for you to take away • Have you discussed the local offer with the local authority? • How will you develop ‘SEN support’? • How will the you be involved in the transition to EHC plans?
You could… • Review what you currently provide from their delegated budget • Consider how you might want to influence services commissioned by health and/or the local authority • Develop links with the relevant officer in the local authority and inquire about initial publication of the local offer
You could… • Plan how to discuss the changes with parents and children who are currently on School Action/School Action Plus • Review how parents, children and young people are engaged in the process • Consider how you are going to introduce ‘SEN support’ into your college
You could… • Engage with the local authority to: • Find out what role you are expected to play in converting statements to EHC plans. • Find out which year groups are likely to have priority. • Identify the individual children with statements or LDAs who may need to move to an EHC plan in Autumn 2014
Council for Disabled Children website http://www.councilfordisabledchildren.org.uk/ Council for Disabled Children 8, Wakley Street London EC1V 7QE tel: +44 (0)20 7843 1900 fax: +44 (0)20 7843 6313