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Overview of SEN reform. This presentation:. Gives an overview of the main clauses in the Bill Looks at Government amendments at Committee Stage Outlines the key issues still being debated by Parliament. An important reminder:. All current requirements stay in place until:
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This presentation: • Gives an overview of the main clauses in the Bill • Looks at Government amendments at Committee Stage • Outlines the key issues still being debated by Parliament
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
Definitions and scope • Clause 20: SEN definition the same • Clause 20: distinction between children and young people: • Young person over compulsory school age but under 25 • Legal entitlements transfer from parent to young person • Legislation will apply to children and young people throughout
Clause 22: application to all children & young people with SEN: • LA is responsible for identifying all children and young people with SEN in their area • LA is responsible for all children and young people with SEN in their area for the purposes of this legislation • All duties to apply to academies and free schools
Local integration of health, care and education • Clause 25: integrate services to promote well-being • Clause 27: LAs to keep education & social care under review • Includes SEN provision and children’s and adult social care • Determination of whether provision is sufficient
Clause 26: joint commissioning by LAs & CCGs • Put in place joint commissioning arrangements • Including for securing provision in EHC plans • Arrangements for resolving disputes between parties • Clause 28: Requirement to co-operate to meet EHC needs: • Includes education, health and social care
Clause 30: Local offer • Information on the education, health and care services a local authority expects to be available • Includes services available outside the local area • Regulations: • what the local offer should include • who should be consulted • Complaints mechanism
Clauses 36-47: Education, health and care assessment & plans • EHC plans replace statements • Threshold for assessment the same • Threshold for plan the same • EHC plans extend to FE and training • 139A assessment replaced • Can continue in an apprenticeship or if ‘NEET’
Regulations may set out: • how assessment conducted • how it might be combined with other assessments • Duty to secure the educational provision set out in EHCP • Health and social care needs to be recorded in EHCP • Rights of appeal the same, but include FE
Clause 48: Personal budgets • LAs to prepare a personal budget: • in relation to an EHC plan • where a request has been made by parent or young person • may include a direct payment • Details in regulations
Clauses 61-65: School provisions • 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
Local authorities must include in EHC plans: ‘the health and social care reasonably required by the learning difficulties and disabilities which result in him or her having special educational needs’.
Local authorities may include in EHC plans: ‘any other health care and social care provision reasonably required by the child or young person’.
Health commissioning bodies must: ‘arrange the health care provision for the child or young person specified in EHC plans’
EHC plans • Disabled children with health and social care needs, without significant educational needs, will not be eligible for plans. • Ensuring social care is an enforceable part of an EHC plan, in the same way as the education and health parts • Giving the First-Tier (SEND) Tribunal powers to rule on health and social care
Protecting current entitlements • ‘Wholly or mainly’ test for education provision • Removal of some important regulations • Admission to special academies without an EHC plan
EHC plans in post-16 Education and training • Lack of clarity about entitlement for 19-25 year olds • Whether young people at university should be eligible for an EHC plan
Other issues • Strengthening the local offer • Replacing School Action and School Action Plus • Young offenders being excluded from the reforms • The cross-over with the Care Bill which changes adult social care law
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