Education, Health & Care Plans The Assessment and Planning Process

Workshop Aims To cover: The role of an Edge Inclusion Independent Supporter Person-centred – keeping children, young people and parents at the centre The principles of the EHC assessment and planning process What a good EHC Plan should look like The sections of an EHC plan

Cheshire East, Cheshire West and Chester. Independent Support The EHCP Independent Support role has been developed to support and enable families with children who have special educational needs and/or disability to improve educational, health and social outcomes. Edge Inclusion provide free, impartial Independent Support to parents, carers and young people living in Stockport, Halton, Cheshire East, Cheshire West and Chester. Read from slide Contract with the Council for Disabled Children and funded by the DfE for Independent Support - Independent Supporters – our role is to support parents, carers and young people

The Role of an Edge Inclusion Independent Supporter Act as a named supporter throughout the EHC assessment and planning process Individualised support with transfer of a Statement to an EHC plan Support if you are considering requesting an EHC needs assessment for your child or if you are a young person who wishes to apply for an assessment for yourself Help you to ensure your views, wishes and aspirations are included Assistance with the one page profile for your child or young person Provide information on the Local Offer and Personal Budgets Information and signposting to other relevant services Support at meetings Help you to understand the draft EHC Plan

Person-Centred - Key Principle of the EHC Assessment and Planning Process The Local Authority must have regard to the views, wishes and feelings of the child or young person, and the child’s parents; the importance of the child or young person, and the child’s parents, participating as fully as possible in decisions, and being provided with the information and support necessary to enable participation in those decisions; the need to support the child or young person, and the child’s parents, in order to facilitate the development of the child or young person and to help them achieve the best possible educational and other outcomes, preparing them effectively for adulthood. Children, young people and parents should be kept at the centre of the EHC assessment process. The Children and Families Act 2014 makes clear that local authorities, must have regard to (read from slide) At every stage of process assessment, planning and review Children, young people and their families should be at the centre Listening to children and young people and their families and their desired outcomes now and for the future

5 Key Principles of the EHC Assessment and Planning Process 1. Person-centred 2. Aspiration 3. Multi-Agency Team Work 4. Co-production 5. Outcome focused 5 key principles behind the EHC assessment process – have already mentioned person- centred Aspiration - High aspirations and expectations regardless of disability or special educational needs Support to achieve full potential To be enabled to grow up to live meaningful and fulfilled lives 3. Multi Agency Team Work - A holistic understanding of a young person and all of their needs A single support plan for the young person to which everyone contributes Team work and coordination to ensure an integrated approach 4. Co-Production Full involvement of children, young people, parents and carers, schools and colleges, all relevant professionals - 5. Outcome Focussed Planning focussed on outcomes and the difference it will make Agreeing long and short term outcomes with young people, their families

The Significant Features of the Statutory Assessment Process Applies to all children and young people (CYP) aged 0 – 25 years old with an additional need LA is responsible for identifying all children and young people with SEN in their area New reduced timescale – 20 weeks rather than 26 weeks A duty to secure the educational provision set out in Education Health & Care Plan (EHCP) is the same as in a Statement of SEN Health and social care involvement must be recorded in EHC Plans EHC Plans focus on what is relevant to support educational attainment, employment or further education The rights of appeal now includes further education The view of young person is paramount after age 16 Transfers from Statements to EHCP should be completed by 1.4.17

Applying for an EHC Needs Assessment Requests can only be made by: A child’s parent A young person or A person acting on behalf of a school/post-16 institution Requests for EHC Needs Assessment can be made by a school, parent, young person over age of 16 but under 25, or a person acting on their behalf School, early years setting and colleges support the SEN of children and young people. If, despite this support and activity the child or young person does not make expected progress -: The setting should consider requesting an EHC Needs Assessment from the LA, involving the parents/carers and child /young person in their decision making Edge Inclusion can support your application, helping to ensure your and your child or young person’s views, wishes and aspirations are expressed. (Other agencies cannot directly request an EHC Needs Assessment but can bring the child/young persons needs to the attention of the LA.)

EHC Needs Assessments Advice and information must be sought* as follows: (CoP paras 9.45-9.52) The child’s parent or young person, and wherever possible the child Current educational institution attended, or person responsible for educational provision Health care professionals An Educational psychologist Social care (from children’s or adult services) From Y9, advice on preparing for adulthood and independent living From any person requested by the child’s parent or young person Any other advice or information which the LA considers appropriate e.g. from a youth offending team All agencies involved with the child or young person have a duty to provide the necessary information as required

16 weeks The first stage – the LA has 6 weeks to decide whether to conduct an EHC needs assessment. 16 weeks – latest a LA can inform a parent or young person if they do not intend to issue a plan. (Right of appeal.) A 20 week process from the start to the end – for transfers from statements and for new assessments

Decision to assess….or not LA must decide whether to carry out an EHC needs assessment within six weeks. The legal test is: The Child or young person has or may have special educational needs and it may be necessary for special educational provision to be made for the child or young person in accordance with an EHC plan. All agencies involved with the child or young person have a duty to provide the necessary information as required Decisions are made at a multi-agency Moderation Panel Using all the information provided by parents and schools and professionals, the LA must decide within 6 weeks whether to carry out an EHC Needs assessment. The legal test = incredibly broad If an EHCP is not granted, schools will still need to deliver an appropriate and effective system and monitoring programme suited to the individual child’s needs and reviewed termly. Right of appeal.

If a Needs Assessment is Not Agreed: The family may be offered a meeting to consider the support that is already in place for their child/young person in their school or setting and how this meets their needs. If the family is unhappy with the decision not to assess then they have the right to appeal. Read from slide The Local Authority will inform designated professionals (Health, Social Care and Education) whether an EHC Needs Assessment has been agreed within 6 weeks of the EHCNA form being submitted and the professional representation at the Moderation Panel, will inform the appropriate professionals of any follow up or further support, if required If the needs assessment is not granted we can refer you to the local Information Advice and Support Service (IAS) who are legally trained to deal with appeals.

Purpose of the EHC Assessment Process To establish whether an EHC plan is needed (decision is based on whether special educational provision is needed beyond what is normally available to mainstream educational institutions) To identify detailed needs across education, health and social care and the desired outcomes and provision needed to enable the needs and outcomes to be met. If a EHC Needs Assessment is agreed, the purpose of the process is (refer to slide). “The needs of the individual child or young person should sit at the heart of the assessment and planning process. LAs must have regard to the views, wishes and feelings of the child and their parent or the young person, their aspirations, the outcomes they wish to seek and the support they need to achieve them.” (SEND Code of Practice) Six weeks notice is then required for any new assessment information from professionals to be submitted

After the Assessment The LA will either: Issue a draft EHC plan or Decide not to issue an EHC plan Within 15 calendar days of receipt of draft plan, parents and young people: Should request a school or other institution to be named Can request a meeting to take place with an LA officer If an LA decides not to issue an EHC plan, a parent or young person does have a right of appeal. If you don’t agree with something in the final plan, we refer you to the local Information Advice and Support Service (IAS) who are legally trained to deal with appeals.

A Good Education Health and Care 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 Anybody should be able to look at any EHC plan and see all of these components quickly and easily.

EHCP Sections A: Views, interests and aspirations B: Special educational needs C: Health needs D: Social care needs E: Outcomes F: Special educational provision G: Any health provision reasonably required H1: Social care provision under S2 of Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970 H2: Any other social care provision I: Placement J Personal budget K: Advice and information received

Section A: Views, Interests and Aspirations Written by both parents and children/ young people Should also include details about: play health schools independence and friendships how to communicate child / young person’s history aspirations and goals for the future further education and future plans including employment (if practical), especially from Year 9 For the child or young person’s section, if written in first person, it should be clear whether children and YP is being quoted directly, or if the views of the parents or professionals are being represented. The LA must have regard to the views, wishes and feelings of the child or young person, and the child’s parents, so this section is really important and your chance to express your views on what is going well and what you would like to maintain and what is not going well and what you would like to change. Here is the chance for valuable contributions to be made to plans. Local Authorities must ensure that the EHC plan review at Year 9… includes a focus on preparing for adulthood… Planning must centre around the individual and explore the child or young person’s aspirations and abilities, what they want to be able to do when they leave post-16 education or training, and the support they need to achieve their ambition Edge Inclusion can support parents and young people so that Section A really does capture their views, interests and aspirations.

Section B – Special Educational Needs Describe in detail all the child’s SEN identified during the assessment. Should also include a description of the child’s current functioning – what the child can and cannot do. May also include needs for health and social care needs where such provision is for the child or young person’s education or training. Each need must link to Provision (Section F) and be reflected in Outcomes (Section E).

Section B – Examples of Special Educational Needs 1. Significant difficulties with concentration, motivation and application, which affect his ability to learn in all subjects. Dominic needs to improve his concentration. 2. Difficulties in coping with the structure of the school day. Emma needs to manage the school day structure. 3. Delay in the development of his spoken skills. Peter needs to learn to hold clear conversations with others. 4. Delays in the development of social skills. Gemma needs to be able to make and maintain relationships with others. 6. Unpredictable behaviour and difficulty in managing her anger and frustration. Fatima needs to learn to respond calmly when faced with unexpected events. 7. Poor self-help skills. Gill need to be able to feed and dress herself. Describe in detail all the child’s SEN identified during the assessment.

Sections C and D – Health and Social Care Needs EHCP must specify any health and social care needs identified through the EHC needs assessment which relate to the child or young person’s SEN. LA may also choose to specify other health care or social care needs which are not linked to the child or young person’s SEN Each need must link to Provision (Section G) and should be reflected in Outcomes (Section E). Read first point - EHCP must specify any health and social care needs identified through the EHC needs assessment which relate to the child or young person’s SEN. LA may also choose to specify other health care which are not linked to the child or young person’s SEN (e.g. a long term condition which might need management in a special educational setting) and other social care needs which require provision for a child or young person under 18 under S2 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970.

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. Needs Outcomes Provision Aspirations The aspirations mentioned in Section A, will be relat to the SEN and should also be reflected in the Outcomes and Provision sections. Section A Sections B, C, D Section E Sections F, G, H1 & H2

Section E - Outcomes SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time Bound Set out what needs to be achieved by the end of a phase or stage of education. A range of outcomes covering education, health and care. The benefit or difference made to an individual as a result of an intervention. It should be personal to the child / young person. From Year 9 onwards, For children and YP preparing for transition to adulthood - employment, independent living, community participation and health and wellbeing. Should include future key changes, such as changing schools, moving from children’s to adult care and/or from paediatric services to adult health, or moving on from further education to adulthood. Outcomes should support ASPIRATIONS and set HIGH EXPECTATIONS.

Section F – Special Educational Provision Provision must be: Specific – Say exactly what the provision Quantified – how much of it, who will deliver it Detailed Given for each SEN (Section B) Linked to Outcomes (Section E)

Think about the ‘Golden Thread’ throughout Needs Outcomes Provision Aspirations Section A Bob (aged 8) wants to be better at reading and be able to “read stuff”. Sections B, C, D Bob has significant literacy difficulties; in particular, a significant weakness of his phonic skills. Section E By the age of 11, Bob will be able to read a story he has written to a friend or to the class fluently. This story will include thirty 3-5 letter words with 2 and 3 consonant combinations. Sections F, G, H1 & H2 A phonics programme, delivered in a small group, 4 times a week, for 30 minutes each time. Teacher to co-ordinate individual support from a teacher assistant to monitor progress at least every 5 minutes and provide prompts as needed. As mentioned earlier, 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. Here you can see how, in this case, Bob’s aspiration of wanting to be a better reader links with his SEN, the Outcomes (targets) and the provision to ensure the outcomes are met. You can see the outcomes are SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time Bound - If they’re SMART, the purpose of the outcome will be clear, and everyone will know when the outcome should be achieved and when it has actually been achieved. The Provision is – Specific, quantified – how much of it, detailed, and links to the SEN in Section B and to the Outcomes in Section E.

F. Special Educational Provision Needs Outcomes Provision Aspirations B. SEN E. Outcome F. Special Educational Provision Hugo communicates verbally usually on a two-word level. He can sometimes use the same word for different meanings, and is reliant on familiar others to understand what is said to him. Hugo's behaviour and how he interacts with other people and his environment are consistent with his diagnosis of Autism Hugo will be able to communicate and interact with familiar people and access services and other new opportunities. Hugo's social and emotional health will grow so that he can cope with change, overcome anxieties and engage in a range of activities that he enjoys and/or he needs to engage in, and which contribute towards the quality of his life.   Provision of a 16 hour per week inclusive group learning curriculum to develop social confidence and life skills, practised in college and in the community through a range of classroom, experiential and practical learning opportunities. A programme with a high level of staff support to keep Hugo safe: 1:2 in the classroom and 1:1 in the community. Teaching and support staff will be appropriately qualified and experienced in meeting the needs of students with ASD. Daily provision of a programme where Hugo can continue to learn and experience using a range of communication strategies and techniques. Staff will use a range of appropriate communication strategies with Hugo, including visual timetables. An identified member of staff with SEN expertise will oversee the programme. Again you can see how the needs, outcomes and provision and what would have been Hugo and his parent’s aspirations, all link up.

Activity Section A Does the extract taken from Section A say what the Child or Young Person or their parents/carers want for the future?   Section B Are the Special Educational Needs are easy to identify? Is the SEN matched to the provision? Section E Are the outcomes SMART? Specific? Measurable? Achievable? Realistic? Timebound? Section F Is the provision quantified (how much of it and how often)? Does it say who will provide what?

Sections G, H1 and H2: Health and Social Care Provision These sections should be as detailed and as specific as the SEN provision in Section F. If health needs or social care needs are identified in Sections C or D, there should usually be provision to match. Should be clear how any health and social care provision will support achievement of the outcomes. Read from slide Speech and language therapy can appear in Section F (Sp Ed Provision) for meeting a SEN and here in Section G where the therapy is related to a health condition. Health care provision reasonably required may include: specialist support and therapies, such as: medical treatments and delivery of medications; occupational therapy, and physiotherapy 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; provision or assistance in obtaining recreational and educational facilities at home and outside the home H2 must only include services not provided under CSDPA. H2 services could include adult social care provision for over 18. Read first two points from slide. Again, provision should match Social Care needs identified in Section D SEN and in Section A. Needs may be met by universal services (e.g. normally available or voluntary clubs, sports provision etc.).

Section I: Placement Must state name and type of school – type where name not yet known These details will only be included in the final EHCP – draft EHC plan must be blank The school placement can be appealed against (as can B and F). (We can refer you to the local Information Advice and Support Service (IAS) who are legally trained to deal with appeals.

Section J: Personal Budgets Detailed information on any Personal Budget that will be used to secure provision in the EHC plan. 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 Local authorities. have a policy towards personal budgets – and you can find this on the Local Offer site. Adele???? Mention this??? A personal budget is, in effect, a direct payment and policy should cover the offer across education, health and social care. For example, payments for short breaks, personal health budgets for therapies, home to travel arrangements or home to college personal assistants. E.g.. in one LA, a few students attend college supported by a personal assistant, paid through a personal budget and otherwise employed through the home. Personal budgets can offer some flexible and creative solutions for some children and young people.

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

Edge Inclusion Top Tips Keep a diary. Collect evidence. Keep everything in writing. Follow up phone calls with email / letter.

Thank you for coming today. I hope you have found it useful. Edge have worked with lots of families and supported them since Sept 2014. Given the time to focus can really help parents to get their views across. We are trying to increase awareness of our free service and reach as many families as possible, in order to achieve positive outcomes for children and young people. Help yourselves to leaflets. Thank ……….. For arranging the session. Chance to meet over a coffee if you would like further information.

CONTACT Independent Support in Stockport, Halton, Cheshire East, Cheshire West and Chester 07947 100727 is@edgeinc.co.uk SEN Support 07790 500487 sarah@edgeinc.co.uk