Producing Good Education, Health and Care Plans Quality Assurance January 2016 Spring Term 2016 DfE NeedsOutcomesProvision Aspirations

Workshop aims and outcomes  Aim: To improve the quality of EHC plans  Outcomes: Participants will be able to write good EHC plans in line with the Code of Practice within 2 months of attending this event Participants will work together to ensure a robust moderation process is in place.

A good Education Health and Care (EHC) plan…  Meets the requirements of the Act, regs and the Code.  Describes positively what children and YP can do  Clear, concise, understandable and accessible  Is co-produced  Sets good, relevant outcomes  Tells the child or young person’s story well/ coherently

Think about the ‘Golden Thread’ throughout There should be a golden thread directly from the aspirations to the provision - this is achieved by thinking about outcomes as steps on the journey towards the aspirations. NeedsOutcomesProvision Aspirations

Some common issues so far  Missing out complete sections  Using the letters required by the Code, but content of the sections not matching that required by Code.  Putting several sections together (often E, F, G, H1, H2) and not labelling the different elements or not labelling them clearly enough  Lack of specificity

Section A: Views, Interests and Aspirations  Should capture information succinctly  May use a single page summary introducing the child or YP as an effective way to give an introduction to a child  Includes a brief history of the child or YP  Has clearly marked sub-sections making it easy to find the required information  Must be clear about the child / YP’s views and aspirations  Must show every effort has been made to enable the child or YP to express aspirations whatever their age  Should enable parental aspirations and goals to include those which are longer term and go beyond provision  May be written in the first person

Section A: Views, Interests and Aspirations Should also include details about: –play –health –schools –independence and friendships –how to communicate –child young person’s history –further education and future plans including employment (if practical)

Activity 1  In pairs, consider Section A of the example plan using the EHCP checklist.  Identify 2 key points or areas for improvement  Points for discussion/clarification

Section B: Special Educational Needs  Each child or YP must be treated individually  Plans should identify a range of needs with reference to current levels of functioning and achievement  All of the key needs should be clearly stated – they could be numbered  LAs can choose how they reflect the range of needs  Should be evidence of what the child or YP can do as a basis on which to build  Each need must link to Provision (F) and be reflected in Outcomes (E)

Section B: Special Educational Needs  May also include needs for health and social care provision that are treated as special educational provision because they educate or train the child or YP (9.73 onwards) NOTE: Speech and language therapy can be regarded as either education or health care provision, or both – can therefore be included in an EHC plan as either educational or health provision. However, since communication is so fundamental in education, addressing speech and language impairment should normally be recorded as special educational provision unless there are exceptional reasons for not doing so.

Activity 2  In pairs, consider Section B of the example plan using the EHCP checklist.  Identify 2 key points or areas for improvement  Points for discussion/clarification

Section C: Health Needs relating to SEN  A direct contribution by health should be evident or it should be stated that there are no health needs  Needs must be recorded as such, not as provision  Key needs should be identified rather than conditions  Implications for the educational setting should be included  Each need must link to Provision (G) and should be reflected in Outcomes (E)  The CCG may also specify non- SEN health care needs

Section D: Social Care needs relating to SEN  It should be clearly stated if there are no social care needs  Key social care needs identified through the EHC needs assessment should be clearly set out  Each need must link to Provision (H1 or H2) and should be reflected in Outcomes (E)  The LA may also choose to specify non-SEN social care needs

Activity 3  In pairs, consider Sections C and D of the example plan using the EHCP checklist.  Identify 2 key points or areas for improvement  Points for discussion/clarification

Section E - Outcomes Presentation by Fazilla shown here

Section E: Outcomes  Must be SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time limited.  Must be a range of outcomes – ideally those expected by the end of a key stage or phase.  They should be forward thinking.  Straightforward steps to achieving the outcomes  Monitoring and review arrangements in this section.  Not expected to amend when shorter outcomes are achieved as the longer term outcomes are still valid. New shorter term outcomes can be identified as part of the annual review.  Beware of confusing outcomes with provision  Each outcome should track to Needs (B, C, D) and Provision (F, G, H1 or H2)

Activity 4  In pairs, consider Section E of the example plan using the EHCP checklist.  Identify 2 key points or areas for improvement  Points for discussion/ clarification

Section F: Special Educational provision  Provision must be: –Specific – Say exactly what the provision is –Quantified – how much of it, who will deliver it –Detailed – but not to classroom teaching strategy level –Given for each SEN (Section B) –Linked to Outcomes (E)  Can be helpful to show the outcomes and provision in one table – must label clearly which is Section E (Outcomes) and which is Section F(Provision)  Expected outcomes should be shown in this section where there is a Personal Budget that contributes to it

Activity 5  In pairs, consider Section F of the example plan using the EHCP checklist.  Identify 2 key points or areas for improvement  Points for discussion/clarification

Sections G, H1 and H2: Health and Social Care provision Health and social care provision must be: –Made for each health and/ or social care need that appears in Sections C and D of the plan –Specific – say exactly what the provision is –Quantified – how much of it, who will deliver it –Detailed – but not to teaching strategy level –Linked to Outcomes (E)

Section G: Health provision  This section should be as detailed as Section F (SEN Provision)  Speech and Language Therapy is usually included in Section F  If health needs are identified in Section C, there should usually be provision to match  LA and CCG may include other health care provision not linked to learning difficulties or disabilities for co- ordination purposes.  Should be clear how any health provision secured through a personal health budget will support achievement of the outcomes

Section H1 and H2: Social Care provision  H1 - provision made for an under-18 resulting from section 2 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970  H1 includes: practical assistance in the home; travel assistance; provision of meals; facilitating holidays; telephone or special equipment provision; non-residential short breaks  H2 must only include services not provided under CSDPA.  H2 services could include adult social care provision for over 18.  Other social care provision not linked to learning difficulties or disabilities could be included where appropriate.

Section I: Placement Must state name and type of school – type where name not yet known These details only to be included in the final EHCP – draft EHC plan must be blank.

Section J: Personal Budgets  Should say if a personal budget is not requested  Shows the allocation  Sets out arrangements for direct payments as required by education, health and social care regulations  Must specify the SEN and outcomes to be met by any direct payment  Gives details of monitoring and reviewing arrangements

Section K: Advice and Information  Lists the advice and information gathered during the EHC needs assessment  The advice and information must be included as appendices to the EHC plan  Must be clearly labelled – can be placed at the beginning or the end of the plan

Lunch

Activity 6 – Anna or Joe’s EHCP…………… ExpectationRating (0-5) Meets the requirements of the Act, regs and the Code. Describes positively what Anna or Joe can do Clear, concise, understandable and accessible Is co-produced Sets good, relevant outcomes Tells the child or young person’s story well/ coherently Has 'The Golden Thread'

Session 2 – Review of EHC plans  In your group use a blank checklist to consider the EHC plan you have brought.  If there are queries arising, note these, either for the panel session or to be taken away for follow-up.  30 mins total

Session 3 - EHC needs assessment pathway Presentation by local authority on their pathway, in particular how they  Involve parent carers and young people  Have developed an approach to deliver good EHC plans in a timely manner  Build in quality assurance

Session 4 - Forward planning – Assessment pathway  In groups –consider what actions you need to take forward from today in relation to: - Improvements to structure and content of EHC plan - The assessment pathway - Systems for quality assurance of EHC plans - Any other issues arising