SEND Pathfinder Update

1. SEND Pathfinder Update Mark Evans, Nottinghamshire County Council Pat Bullen, Leicester City & Northants

2. Context- Green Paper Reform • Statements and Learning Difficulty Assessments • to be replaced by a quicker • better integrated assessment and • Single Education, Health and Care Plan from birth to age 25 setting out all the services that the child/young person and their family will receive for their support • Statutory protections comparable to those currently associated with a statement of SEN • to be provided for 16-25 year olds in further education • so that young people will get the support they need wherever they are taught

3. Proposed from 2014 ... • CYP aged from birth to age 25 who would currently have a statement of SEN or learning difficulty assessment will have a single assessment process and Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) for their support which will afford parents the same statutory protection as statement of SEN • All the services on which the CYP and their family rely will work together with the family to agree an EHCP which reflects the family’s needs and ambitions for the CYP’s future outcomes covering education, health, employment and independence • The plan will be clear about who is responsible for which services, and will include a commitment from all parties across education, health and social care to provide their services • Local pathfinders will test how to reform radically the statutory SEN assessment and statement and explore the best replacement, including whether the voluntary and community sector could coordinate assessment and bring greater independence to the process; and • The time taken to complete the assessment process will be reduced

4. Green Paper Reform • Statements and Learning Difficulty Assessments • to be replaced by a quicker • better integrated assessment and • Single Education, Health and Care Plan from birth to age 25 setting out all the services that the child/young person and their family will receive for their support • Statutory protections comparable to those currently associated with a statement of SEN • to be provided for 16-25 year olds in further education • so that young people will get the support they need wherever they are taught

5. Pathfinders • Commissioned by DfE and DoH • 20 Pathfinders in 31 local authorities- including Leicester & Northamptonshire jointly, and Nottinghamshire, in East Midlands • £150,000 per local authority through to March 2013 • Test some core elements of reform • EHC plan • Personal budgets • Strong partnerships between agencies • Improved commissioning – links to health reforms • Role of VCS • Cost of reform • Optional elements • Will national funding framework be more transparent? • Better support for parents • Better support for vulnerable young people • Impacts on those aged 16 – 25 and in early years

6. Leicester & Northants Pathfinder • Focus in Cohort 1, on children within enhanced resourced provision in mainstream schools- often only two agencies, not three • Single Assessment based on emerging Early Support approach- a ‘super-ordinate’ assessment, i.e. combining, not replacing, diagnostic and other assessments • Person-centred process, which parents/carers in Cohort 1 like • Cohort 1- current children in ‘the system’ i.e. have Statements already, purpose to trial process and better co-ordinate services, with an emphasis upon outcomes • Personal budgets- virtual at this time, but led by learning in social care and health • Challenge of new funding arrangements emerging before legislation required • Cohort 2 much larger (45) and includes children in special school/academy provision, plus children entering the assessment process

7. Nottinghamshire Pathfinder • Covering up to 30 children/young people and their families across 3 cohorts representing a cross section of ages • Cohort 1 - complex needs known to health, education and social care and are in ‘the system’ i.e. that have a statement • Group 2 - transitioning to adulthood • Group 3 - Looked after children • Group events (families and professionals) held to inform and shape the design of the pilot • Commencing ‘live’ testing of the assessment and planning process from September • Linking personal budgets to the plan – some interest from a very small number of families involved in the Pathfinder • Move from static statement

8. Nottinghamshire’s draft single plan 3-part plan Personal profile taken from ‘All About Me’ which is completed by voluntary sector partner with parents/ young person Important to/for and working/not working help to develop ‘Outcomes’ and ‘Needs’ section with the parents/ Young person which is completed at the multi-agency meeting Resource section to be completed after multi-agency meeting for agreement at Panel

9. Challenges • Important to create a strong link to the Local Offer – who will be the ‘navigator’? • Ways of working , structures and systems will need to be considered • Keyworking support around the family to have the confidence to contribute • Ensuring aspirations are raised • Moving away from the static nature of the statement to ensure outcomes in the plan are monitored

10. Legislative Timescales PATHFINDERS Providing evidence to the Education Select Committee May be extended after March 2013 ??? Feeding initial learning to DfE Providing more learning to DfE Parliamentary Processes Draft Bill Published Bill Introduced into Parliament BILL Consultation and pre-legislative scrutiny Royal Assent & implementation Summer / Autumn 2013 3rd Sept 2012 Autumn Winter 2012 Spring 2014 onwards Spring 2013