André Imich, SEN and Disability Professional Adviser, DfE Implementation of the SEND reforms – Progress and challenges Annual Conference, Birmingham Tuesday 30 June 2015 André Imich, SEN and Disability Professional Adviser, DfE 1

Areas covered Key features of the reforms Progress with implementation Local offer Education health and care plans Transition of statements to EHC plans Measuring success - accountability Early National Implementation Issues Actions for special schools

Successful implementation 1 Systems (planning) 2 Engagement (people) 3 The key areas (doing) Systems and planning Senior level understanding, inc members Addressing capacity and resource implications Progress towards workforce development Setting up processes and systems inc IT Planning how to convert statements and LDAs Engagement with Schools and SENCOs Early years providers FE colleges and other post-16 providers Social care partners Health partners, inc CCGs Voluntary sector Parents and Parent Carer Forums Young people Key areas of development Develop and trial a coordinated 0-25 EHC needs assessment and planning process Set up joint commissioning structures Co-produce a 0-25 local offer A transparent process for personal budgets Establish 0-25 mediation arrangements

The new SEN system – Key features 2. All duties apply to all state-funded schools, inc. Academies 1. Involvement of children, young people and parents 3. Coordinated assessment; 0-25 Education, Health and Care Plan 7. Offer of a personal budget; more choice and control 4. LA, health and care services to commission services jointly 6. Statutory protections for 16-25s; focus on preparing for adulthood 5. A clear, transparent local offer of services for all CYP with SEND

SEND Implementation Survey February 2015: Key findings Assessment Compliance: 93% of LAs - extremely or very confident that their EHC pathways comply with the Code. 20 weeks: 59% of LAs - extremely or very confident about meeting 20 weeks. New assessment requests: 22% of LAs - same number of new requests in first 6 months of new system compared to a year ago; 33% of LAs - more and 45% - fewer. Local Offer: 100% published – range of quality Year 1 priority transfers: 40% of LAs - extremely or very confident that those expected to transfer to EHC plans will do so within the required timescale. How well practitioners are ensuring that families are experiencing person-centred review as part of EHC needs assessment pathways: Extremely well – 36% Quite well – 57% Limited progress – 7% School systems – 91% of LAs say most schools have new SEN systems in place .

SEN 2 Data (Jan 2015) 240,000 have EHC plans or statements; Over 4,000 children and young people have an EHC plan (1/3 new assessments) Nos with a statement or EHC plan increased by c. 3,000. Significant increase in assessments for under 5s; 90% statements completed in time; 65% of new EHC plans were completed in 20 weeks; 165 of EHC plans included a personal budget.

Purpose of local offer Clear and accessible information Transparent about responsibilities and decisions Improve choice and transparency for families Comprehensive and up-to-date Joint planning with service providers Make provision more responsive to local needs and aspirations Directly involve CYP with SEND & families in development and review Publish comments and LA’s action plan 7

What the Local Offer is Easily accessible information in one place Includes education, health and social care services available to support CYP with SEND from birth to 25 Particularly important for those without EHC Plans Variety of formats – interactive website, apps, paper, phone and stands 8

Examples of EHC plans

A good 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 Tells the child or young person’s story well/ coherently

Outcomes - Three key elements What the C&YP needs to be able to do after a given period of time Personalised SMART - specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time related.

“The Golden Thread” – Example I Aspirations Needs Outcomes Provision Jenny (age 14) wants to get a job in travel She needs to improve her spoken language skills Jenny can give directions to another pupil so they can walk to another classroom in the school at least 100m away, successfully on 2 out of 3 occasions by the end of KS4. 30 minutes small group (up to 5 students) language development programme, 3 times a week, designed and monitored termly by SALT with reinforcement activities in class.   Jenny will be provided with a 2 week work experience in a local travel agency during summer term 2017, organised by head of KS4 in her school.

“The Golden Thread” – Example II Aspirations Needs Outcomes Provision (At age 8) - Bob wants to be better at reading and be able to “read stuff”. Bob needs to improve his phonic skills Bob will be able to read a list of thirty 3-5 letter words with 2 and 3 consonant combinations, fluently, by the age of 11. A phonics programme, delivered in a small group, 4 times a week, for 30 mins each time. Teacher to co-ordinate, with individual support from a teacher assistant to monitor progress at least every 5 minutes and provide prompts as needed.

The Transition/Transfer process Schools play a key role The LA is responsible It’s an EHC needs assessment ISs can help families and YP For statements, max 16 weeks The Transition/Transfer process YP with LDA can ask for an assessment For LDAs, max 20 weeks Where agreed, can use existing advice No child to lose out Statements by April 18, LDAs by Sept 16

Leadership and developing the workforce Early National Implementation Issues Leadership and developing the workforce Ensuring there is genuine, continuing, co-production Moving towards the full vision of the local offer. Ensuring all agencies play their role Transition - statements to Education Health Care Plans

Measuring success - accountability Success measured across 3 broad areas – positive experience of the SEND system; – improved outcomes; and – effective preparation for adulthood Combination of (a) local accountability measures, (b) data analysis and (c) independent inspection will show how the system is performing. Key challenge - developing set of key indicators which will enable progress and impact to be monitored at local and national levels. https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/416347/Accountability_Publication.pdf

EXTERNAL INSPECTION (Ofsted, CQC) Accountability model – improved outcomes and experiences for family and CYP. EXTERNAL INSPECTION (Ofsted, CQC)

Family experiences of the new system “I was very impressed with the meeting last week, it’s probably the first time I've walked out of a meeting with someone from the LEA and actually felt my child's views were listened to.” “We felt very included in the whole process and as if everyone was really interested in the best outcome for (name of child). I particularly appreciated having phone calls and contact with a named person.” “We were able to discuss and value the positive side of my son” “Having opportunity to meet with key people together rather than many separate meetings.  Support from parent partnership was immense and school and others worked well together”

The journey towards further improvement.....… Co-production – individual and strategic Local offer, including publishing comments Developing post-16 provision Wider school improvement agenda and SEN support Quality assessment leading to quality EHCP Advice, guidance and support Measuring impact/ accountability Workforce development Leadership Feedback, feedback, feedback………..

In conclusion……… Challenges are evident – commitment to finding solutions Advice, guidance and support is available and continuing Need to maintain focus on co-production Many families already reporting improvements Development of accountability framework Evolution not revolution