1. West Midlands Outcomes Resource
GUIDANCE: Share Overview Module as introduction, where appropriate, before beginning Module 1.

2. Module 1:
What are outcomes and how are they linked to aspirations, needs and provision

3. By the end of module 1, everyone will:
Have a common understanding of what outcomes are
Understand how aspirations, needs, outcomes and provision link together
Know how these fit in with the EHC plan

4. How do outcomes fit into the EHC plan?
What does the Code of Practice say?
‘Outcomes underpin and inform the detail of EHC plans. Outcomes will usually set out what needs to be achieved by the end of a phase or stage of education in order to enable the child or young person to progress successfully to the next phase or stage.’ 9.681
References:
1Special educational needs and disability code of practice: 0 to 25 years, DfE,

5. How do aspirations, needs, outcomes and provision fit in the EHC Plan
How do aspirations, needs, outcomes and provision fit in the EHC Plan? SE7 diagram2
References:
2SE7 Thinking about Outcomes (0-25 Coordinated Assessment and Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan (Version 6 – March 2015) Appendix 4),

6. How do aspirations, needs, outcomes and provision fit into the graduated approach?
What does the Code of Practice Say? ‘SEN support should take the form of a four-part cycle through which earlier decisions and actions are revisited, refined and revised with a growing understanding of the pupil’s needs and of what supports the pupil in making good progress and securing good outcomes.’
Outcomes should be set throughout the graduated approach (at SEN support) and not just for those children and young people with high needs that require an EHC plan.
Assess
Plan Do
Review
GUIDANCE: Share any information/guidance form your local area on the graduated approach/pathway children with additional needs at SEN support. Option to share the PSS Birmingham graphic which demonstrates how to use person-centred practice throughout the graduated approach which can be found in the resource pack.

7. 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.
This following diagram shows that the relationship between aspirations, needs, outcomes and provision is cyclical.  Children and young people’s aspirations set the direction of travel in terms of understanding needs (barriers), setting relevant outcomes (building strengths) and agreeing appropriate provision.  As outcomes are achieved, a child or young person’s aspirations may become further refined or even change, which should continue to inform the correct direction of travel3. 
Needs and outcomes may change and in turn provision may need to change and that is why it is vital that there is a continuing cycle of opportunities to review .
References:
3Adapted from ‘What makes a good EHC plan’, Gloucestershire County Council.

8. Think about the ‘Golden thread’ throughout
Needs
Outcomes
Provision
Aspirations
Review
GUIDANCE: An opportunity to share examples of when outcomes may come before needs

9. Example EHC pathway from Nottinghamshire shown as an animation
Key points to note are the links across the different stages:
My Story (personal profile using person centred planning approaches)
My Plan
My Life
My Review
Click to view the animation
GUIDANCE: Click on green screenshot of the animation when viewing slideshow to view via YouTube ( For those without internet access this animation file can be downloaded in advance via the wiki INSERT LINK (TO BE ADDED) or for a copy.
It is included as an example of an EHC pathway. Highlighting the importance of working with the CYP and their family to develop a personal profile and understanding of their aspirations in order to develop the outcomes which link with the EHC plan.
References:
4 EHC Animation, Nottingham County Council,
This is an extract from the Nottinghamshire animation, the full version can be accessed here.4

10. Aspirations What does the Code of Practice say?
Before you can begin to develop outcomes for a child or young person you must first establish
their aspirations
and/or their parent carers aspirations for them
What does the Code of Practice say?
‘With high aspirations, and the right support, the vast majority of children and young people can go on to achieve successful long-term outcomes in adult life.’ 1.395
References:
5Special educational needs and disability code of practice: 0 to 25 years, DfE,

11. What does this mean and why is it important?
Aspirations describe where a child or young person (and their family) wants their life to be in the long term and should be achievable.
Understanding the aspirations, hopes and dreams of children and young people, means we can begin to understand the barriers that exist for individuals and set out the right direction of travel6
References:
6Adapted from ‘What makes a good EHC plan’, Gloucestershire County Council.

12. Activity
In groups review a personal profile and accompanying text. Then develop an example aspiration for this child or young person
INSTRUCTIONS: Share example personal profile and ask groups to complete the above activity. Ask group to share the aspirations they have developed before moving to the next slide. May need to explain what a person profile is and what it is used for.
GUIDANCE: Note that in developing aspirations with CYP and their family there are a range of person centred practices and tools to support this. If not completing module 2 you may wish to insert some person centred practices here from module 2 or those used in your LA.
MATERIALS NEEDED: Personal profiles
PERSONALISE:
Local areas can use their own personal profile
Some examples can be found at

13. Example
Aspirations
Rebekah (aged 17) wants to get a paid job in a hairdressers when she leaves education.
INSTRUCTIONS: The examples should be shown after the exercise has been completed, ask the groups to share there's first.
The example can be changed dependent on the personal profile used.
Local areas can choose and/or develop their own examples.
Some examples can be found at

14. Needs – Special Educational Needs and Disability
What does the Code of Practice say? ‘A child has special educational needs if they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made for him or her.
A child of compulsory school age or a young person has a learning difficulty or disability if he or she:
Has a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age
Has a disability which prevents or hinders him or her from making use of facilities of a kind generally provided for others of the same age in mainstream schools or mainstream post 16 institutions.
A child under compulsory school age has SEN if he or she is likely to fall within the definition given for school age children when they reach compulsory school age or would do so if special educational provision was not made for them.’ CoP, page
GUIDANCE: An example EHC plan from your local area could be shared here to illustrate the range of needs and their complexity.
References:
7Special educational needs and disability code of practice: 0 to 25 years, DfE,

15. What does this mean and why is it important?
Children and young people with SEND have learning difficulties or disabilities that make it harder for them to learn than most children and young people of the same age.
It is important to identify their need in order to establish if extra support or different help is needed to achieve their outcomes.
Some children will have additional needs which can be met through additional support in school or a setting (SEN Support). Other children and young people whose needs cannot be met at this level of support may require an EHC needs assessment.

16. SEND could mean that a child or young person has difficulties with: (These are just some examples)
all of the work in a setting, school or college including reading, writing, number work or understanding information
expressing themselves or understanding what others are saying
making friends or relating to adults
Behaviour in and out of school or college
organising themselves; or
A sensory or physical needs which may affect them in a variety of ways

17. SEND fall into four broad areas of need:
Communication and Interaction
Cognition and Learning
Social Emotional and Mental Health Difficulties
Sensory and/or Physical needs
Within these broad areas there are also 4 noted high incidence needs: ASD, communication difficulties, dyslexia and social emotional and mental health8.
References:
8 Information shared by Staffordshire County Council

18. Special Educational Needs
Example
Special Educational Needs
Rebekah has severe learning disabilities, which affect all areas of her learning, including literacy and numeracy.
She has receptive and expressive communication difficulties and struggles to understand two sentence instructions. Strangers also find it difficult to understand what she is saying.
Rebekah has a left hemiplegia and has difficulty with fine motor skills.
PERSONALISE: The example can be changed dependent on the personal profile used.
Some examples can be found at
GUIDANCE: Examples of other needs (Social care and health) could be shared here also

19. What is an outcome? What does the Code of Practice say?
‘An outcome can be defined as the benefit or difference made to an individual as a result of an intervention. It should be personal and not expressed from a service perspective; it should be something that those involved have control and influence over, and while it does not always have to be formal or accredited, it should be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time bound (SMART).’
References:
9Special educational needs and disability code of practice: 0 to 25 years, DfE,

20. What does this mean and why is it important?
Outcomes are how things will look different after the intervention.
The change you want to achieve.
Outcomes should be person-centred, holistic, last for a specific timeframe, about things that can be influenced, based on what is important to and important for the child or young person and remain SMART for that individual
Outcomes are not provision
GUIDANCE: Note that a specific timeframe should be meaningful for the individual and will relate to a particular stage or phase of their life e.g. key stage at school or a key stage of development.

21. Identify an outcome for this child or young person
Activity
In groups review the personal profile, accompanying text and the example aspirations you developed earlier.
Identify an outcome for this child or young person
INSTRUCTIONS: Share example personal profile, additional information and ask groups to complete the above activity. Ask group to share the outcomes they have developed before moving to the next slide.
MATERIALS NEEDED: Personal profiles
GUIDANCE: If group will be competing module 2 you may decide not to do this activity or you may do the activity but make it clear further information on writing a good outcome will be provided but this is an opportunity to have a first go. Alternatively you can add in some of the slides from module 2 if this is the only module that will be completed.

22. Example
Outcomes
Have had experience of work, including at a local hairdressers.
Be able to read everyday signs in the community and key words in the workplace.
INSTRUCTIONS: The examples should be shown after the exercise has been completed, ask the groups to share there's first.
PERSONALISE: The example can be changed dependent on the personal profile used.
Local areas can choose and/or develop their own examples.
Some examples can be found at

23. Provision What does the Code of Practice say?
‘Detailed, specific and should normally be quantified, for example, in terms of type, hours and frequency of support and level of expertise, including where this support is secured through a personal budget.’ CoP, page 16610
References:
10Special educational needs and disability code of practice: 0 to 25 years, DfE,

24. What does this mean and why is it important?
Provision is an activity or intervention to meet identified need and achieve the outcomes
Outcomes are achieved through supporting purposeful and evidence based provision in the EHC Plan11
Need to consider the different types of provision available to have the right balance and not just focus on hours of support. This includes looking at the universal services available.
Important to look at all the needs holistically and whether provision can meet more than one need or achieve more than one outcome
References:
11SE7 Thinking about Outcomes (0-25 Coordinated Assessment and Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan (Version 6 – March 2015) Appendix 4)

25. Activity In groups review the aspiration and outcome you developed.
Identify provision for this child or young person
INSTRUCTIONS: Ask groups to complete the above activity. Ask group to share the provision they have developed before moving to the next slide.
MATERIALS NEEDED: Personal profiles
PERSONALISE: The example can be changed dependent on the personal profile used.
Local areas can choose and/or develop their own examples.
Some examples can be found at

26. Example
Provision
Supported internship programme which includes: independent travel training, functional literacy and numeracy and work experience at a local hairdressers.
An allocated job coach providing Rebekah with support and advice for a vocation profile, on the job training, and Access to Work.
INSTRUCTIONS: The examples should be shown after the exercise has been completed, ask the groups to share there's first.
PERSONALISE: The example can be changed dependent on the personal profile used.
Local areas can choose and/or develop their own examples.
Some examples can be found at
GUIDANCE: Options to add in examples of health and social care provision

27. Example Needs Outcomes Provision Aspirations
Rebekah (aged 17) wants to get a paid job in a hairdressers when she leaves education.
- Rebekah has severe learning disabilities, which affect all areas of her learning, including literacy and numeracy.
- She has receptive and expressive communication difficulties and struggles to understand two sentence instructions Strangers also find it difficult to understand what she is saying.
- Have had experience of work, including at a local hairdressers.
- Be able to read everyday signs in the community and key words in the workplace.
- Supported internship programme which includes: independent travel training, functional literacy and numeracy and work experience at a local hairdressers.
- An allocated job coach providing Rebekah with support and advice for a vocation profile, on the job training, and Access to Work.
GUIDANCE: This is an opportunity to recap on how aspirations, needs, outcomes and provision fit together.
PERSONALISE: The example can be changed dependent on the personal profile used.
Local areas can choose and/or develop their own examples.
Some examples can be found at

28. Steps towards outcomes
What does the code practice say?
‘The EHC plan should also specify the arrangements for setting shorter term targets at the level of the school or other institution where the child or young person is placed. Professionals working with children and young people during the EHC needs assessment and EHC plan development process may agree shorter term targets that are not part of the EHC plan. These can be reviewed and, if necessary, amended regularly to ensure that the individual remains on track to achieve the outcomes specified in their EHC plan. Professionals should, wherever possible, append these shorter term plans and targets to the EHC plan so that regular progress monitoring is always considered in the light of the longer term outcomes and aspirations that the child or young person wants to achieve.’ CoP
References:
12Special educational needs and disability code of practice: 0 to 25 years, DfE,

29. What does this mean and why is it important?
These steps might be shorter term goals/targets which would lead towards the achievement of the holistic outcome.
A short term target will tend to have a 6-12 month timescale.
These short term goals/targets are set outside the EHC plan but linked to the outcomes in the EHC plan.
Having identified the goals/targets you can then identify the actions to get started on including corresponding timescales, people responsible and resources required
PERSONALISE: You may want to add in information about your own process here if your LA has a particular approach to this.

30. Additional Activities Suggestions:
Activity 1: Critique some examples of aspirations, needs, outcomes and provision – are they identified correctly
Activity 2: Given a mixture of aspirations, needs, outcomes and provision – identify the outcomes
MATERIALS: Activity 1: Example needs, outcomes and provision – some wrong, some right
Activity 2: Example needs, outcomes and provision.

31. Check - You should now:
Have a common understanding of what outcomes are
Understand how aspirations, needs, outcomes and provision link together
Know how these fit in with the Graduated Approach and EHC plan
GUIDANCE: A chance to review learning and check understanding

32. Feedback How was the training session? What support do you need next?
INSTRUCTIONS: Collect feedback from the attendees.

33. References:
1, 5, 7, 9, 10, 12 Special educational needs and disability code of practice: 0 to 25 years, DfE,
2, 11SE7 Thinking about Outcomes (0-25 Coordinated Assessment and Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan (Version 6 – March 2015) Appendix 4),
3, 6Adapted from ‘What makes a good EHC plan’, Gloucestershire County Council.
4 EHC Animation, Nottingham County Council,
8 Information shared by Staffordshire County Council