Education Health and Care Plans – the impact on learners and their transition into Post 16 Michelle Docking, Manager of Statutory Assessment and Resources Team Nathan Jones, Manager of LLDD Team

Children and Families Bill The Children and Families Bill sets out a new approach to special educational needs and disability (SEND). The Bill identifies a number of principles for working with families and in identifying and assessing children and young people’s SEND. These include:  Early identification  Simplified support  Coordinated assessments  Greater parental control  Clear offer for services  Personal budgets  Increased expectations and aspirations for children and young people with SEND  Preparation for adult life

 This new legislation brings changes to the way children and young people’s needs are assessed and will see an end to Statements of Special Educational Needs (Statements) and Learning Disability Assessments (LDAs)  The Bill brings together both of these assessments into one statutory document – the Education, Health and Care Plan (EHC Plan)  This and other SEND changes set out in the Bill are to be implemented from September 2014.

 The statutory protections of an EHC Plan will be comparable to those for Statements. The LA will continue to be the decision maker for assessments and will draft and implement the EHC Plan  The EHC Plan will bring together the support on which children/young people receive across education, health and social care  Services will have to work with families in developing the plan which will focus on outcomes for the child/young person

 From 1 st September 2014 young people in further education and training who receive support as a result of a LDA can choose to request an EHC needs assessment (20 week process).  A request for an EHC needs assessment can also be made by a person acting on behalf of the post 16 institution/another professional supporting the young person. In these circumstances, an EHC needs assessment must only proceed with the young person’s agreement  All young people who receive support as a result of a LDA who will continue in further education or training beyond 1 st September 2016 must have an EHC Plan by that date where one is needed. Until that point Local Authorities should continue to implement their duties in relation to young people who receive support as a result of a LDA.

 Realising the benefits of the new EHC Plans young people who receive support as a result of a Statement or LDA will require their transfer to the new system to be more than simply a re- badging of their existing Statement or LDA report  To ensure that EHC Plans are person centred and focused on outcomes, an EHC Plan must only be issued following a ‘Transfer Review’ – an EHC needs assessment  Local Authorities must finalise an EHC Plan, where one is needed, within 14 weeks of the notification to the parent/young person that they are carrying out a Transfer Review

 The Local Authority has drawn up a timetable for transferring Statements and LDAs to EHC Plans. The timetable details by year group the date by which the Transfer Review meeting needs to have been held and the date by which the Local Authority will have issued the EHC Plan  Schools and Colleges take responsibility for arranging the Transfer Review meeting. The young person, parents/carers and all relevant professionals should be invited to the meeting  The Local Authority has drawn up a Transfer Review pro-forma that needs to be completed by the school/college. The Transfer Review is to be submitted to the Local Authority as soon as possible  Following the Transfer Review meeting the Local Authority will consider the information submitted and a decision will be made as to whether an EHC Plan is to be issued

 The Statutory Assessment and Resources Team (START) are responsible for the Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment process and the Transfer from Statements of SEN/LDAs to EHC Plans  All schools/colleges will have a named SEN Casework Officer who will be able to provide advice and support - START contact number is  A helpline has been set up to provide advice and guidance relating to the transfer of Statements of SEN/LDAs to an EHC Plan, Transfer Review process –  Information relating to the EHC Needs Assessment, EHC Plan and Transfer Review process can be found on the Cambridgeshire County Council Website –

Transfer to Post 16 Education  The young person’s preference is at the heart of the process  The Post 16 application process is replaced by the EHC Plan and Review  The young person’s preferred provider will be consulted as part of the EHC assessment process  There will be a formal consultation over placement  The new legislation enables the Local Authority to name a Post 16 provider in the EHC Plan

EHC Plan and Higher Education  The EHCP does not transfer into the HE sector  The EHCP must be shared with DSA assessment centre  EHCP must be shared with receiving HE establishment