1. Producing Good Education, Health and Care Plans Quality Assurance   January 2016
Needs
Outcomes
Provision
Aspirations
Spring Term 2016
DfE 1

2. 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 cascade good practice within 3 months of attending this event.
Participants will work together in their own LA and/or region to ensure a robust moderation process is in place.
STARTS AT 1020
Go through the intended aims and outcomes of the day. Advise delegates that we are skilling them up to be able to deliver training themselves. Resources to support today will be accessible through (add link to slide)
The day has been divided up into four sessions. For this morning – probably the most intensive session - we are going to focus on how to write and assess the quality of an EHC plan. This afternoon you will have an opportunity to apply this learning to your own plans. Finally we will hear about practice in an authority in the region and will focus on the assessment pathways that underpin good quality and timely plans.
Most LAs have learned a lot from the first 16 months of producing EHC plans, and have adapted their approaches and their templates. Improvements are evident. However, there is a still a journey to travel before we are all consistently producing good EHC plans most of the time. Today is a further opportunity to learn more and to look reflectively at what are the key components of a good plan
There are two plans on your tables, one pre (Anna) and one post 16 (Joe). Chose the one that most interests you and please only work on this one for the rest of the morning session. You also have three copies of a checklist pro forma and one copy of some guidance notes to accompany this pro forma. You will be using these throughout the day.
Note to presenter - try to achieve a balance of pre and post 16 plans in the room.
Today may challenge the templates that you are using. We are not suggesting that you change but you might find it helpful to review them in the light of what we learn today. In particular, how easy and straightforward are they to write and understand? Some information may be added to appendices if this makes a plan easier to write and understand.
There will undoubtedly be many questions raised as the day progress. We will try to respond to them all, and there will be a Panel session at the end for further queries. Finally, if you do have questions that don’t get answered, do leave them on your table and we will respond shortly.

3. 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
Just spell out that we should be able to look at any EHC plan and see all of these components quickly and easily.

4. 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.
Briefly talk this through
Needs
Outcomes
Provision
Aspirations

5. 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

6. 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
(SEND COP July 2014 advises if history is written in the first person, the Plan should make clear whether the child or young person is being quoted directly, or if the views of the parents and / or professionals are being represented)
It is helpful to remind ourselves what the Code of Practice expects to be in Section A in the majority of plans. The checklist and guidance notes set these out for you. These may be used to ensure that you meet the requirements of the Code when writing plans or to check compliance and quality when reviewing or moderating.
Remind participants to keep plans straightforward, and succinct. Do not over complicate. Remember the audience: Parents, schools and colleges and young people themselves.
Brevity and being concise is also important if a EHC plan is to have maximum impact. Section A needs to achieve this whilst respecting all contributions.
Remember that you may need to guide parents and young people to help them to identify longer term goals and aspirations. This is important, even for a young child. A school, or college is not a goal in itself. In other words, what is the purpose for the plan, what will it aim to achieve in the longer term?
EMPHASISE: Note that early evidence is suggesting that LAs can be more successful when meetings are held early in the process and they are able to gather this information at a very early stage of the needs assessment.
Remind participants that we are taking part in a training the trainers activity.

7. 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)
These ‘shoulds’ do add to a plan being good and useful.
Clearly more or less of this applies depending on the age and needs of the cyp

8. 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
THIS ACTIVITY ENDS AT 1045
Choose a plan (Anna or Joe) to work with for this morning. The plans have some good points but, purposefully, they are not exemplars. They are being presented today for training purposes. They are characteristic of some of the better plans that we see. Some changes from the original plans have been made for the purposes of this session.
Does the section do what it is asked to? Yes / No / Partly
MM colleague to note any feedback.
Take some feedback from this exercise - how we do this will depend upon the size of the audience.

9. 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)
STARTS AT 1045
EHC plans should be positive and not a list of things that children cannot do. It is important to include strengths as well as needs and the checklist has been structured to help with this focus. Needs can be written positively, as barriers to learning. This approach can work well if Parts A and B have been completed well.
Make sure that needs are needs e.g. ASD or Downs Syndrome are not needs in themselves.
Remember that when completing this section it should relate to Section A and track through to E and F (the ‘golden thread’)
LAs can choose how they reflect the range of needs. Depending on age, some LAs use the four areas of needs from the Code and others have used the PfA pathways
All key needs should be in plans. They may be numbered as many LAs find that this helps with tracking.
Remember that each needs has to be matched with provision.
LAs can choose how they reflect the range of needs
Some LAs have represented the 4 areas of need from the Code and others have used the PfA pathways

10. 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.
Explain the care and health that would be considered SEN e.g. that which educates or trains.
Code 9.74 states decisions about whether health or care should be treated as special educational provision must be made on an individual basis.
Joint Commissioning is Key. Emphasise need for LAs and CCGs to work our how these services are commissioned. Note that evidence is mounting that the SEND reforms work best when good joint commissioning arrangements are in place. It is very difficult to achieve the aspirations of the Children and Families act where this is not the case

11. 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
THIS ACTIVITY ENDS AT 1105
Does the section do what it is asked to - Yes / No / Partly.
MM colleagues to note any key points of feedback.

12. 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
START HERE AT 1105
Needs tended to be stated as conditions rather than the resulting health need
Non SEN health care needs might for e.g. need management in a special educational setting
Emphasise that for CCG to specify non-educational needs, it must be evidenced in health advice

13. 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
“Not known to social services” – why no advice?
Not really the time to be making a referral. NATSIP research found 5 families were referred to social care at a point where the EHC plan is being written.
EHC needs assessments do not alter agency thresholds. It is possible to have social care needs stated in Part D that will not require provision from statutory social care service
It is possible to have social care needs without social care assessments
It is working out who needs to be involved with a particular assessment at an early stage, preferably before an assessment is started. What has happened at ‘school support?’ This should not normally be the first time that social care needs are identified.
Non-SEN or disability could be CIN or CP plan relating to other family issues such as neglect. These may be included but only with child and parental consent It might help greater co-ordination
Refer to CDC guidance

14. 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
THIS ACTIVITY ENDS AT 1120
Is anything missing that you think should be there based upon what you have seen in the rest of the plan?
We have seen plans where health needs have been identified in Section A and then Section D says that there are none!

15. Section E - Outcomes Presentation by Fazilla Amide – see separate file
Introduce presentation.
This has been developed by Fazilla, a parent working in Enfield. We are showing this to illustrate some of the key aspects of writing good outcomes and also some of the flexibilities that may be used.
The video you will see is an important training video for you to use when you’re delivering training.

16. 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)
Well, that was indeed a powerful and refreshing look at the challenge of writing outcomes. I do feel that Fazilla has neatly summarised the main messages around writing outcomes. And we need to remember that her views are based on her experience as a parent.
In looking at this slide, which is drawn directly from the Code, you will see that she has covered most of these main points.
In addition ,we need to emphasise the last two. We do see a lot of plans that confuse provision (by the time he starts in a secondary school, he will have a wheelchair that fits) with outcomes (he will be able to move around the school building easily when he moves to secondary school).
And finally, the outcome need to have a clear relationship to Needs and to Provision – The Golden Thread should be evident.
Now let’s turn to the next exercise.

17. 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
THIS ACTIVITY ENDS AT 1200
This activity is on the same theme as the previous ones, but this time, in addition to using the checklist to judge the EHC plan, reflect amongst each other on the main messages and learning about outcomes from the video.

18. 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
STARTS AT 1200
Presenters to go through this slide in detail.
If this section is completed properly plan writers will not use woolly terms for example, ‘would benefit from..’; ‘have access to….’; ‘have opportunities to…’; ‘speech and language therapy as required’; ‘specialist teacher as specified by the service’
Note that parents can often make valuable contributions to plans. After all they have the children far more than schools and colleges do. However, their contributions are not statutory and cannot be included in Sections F, G, H1 and H2. Many LAs find it helpful to have an additional section that identifies parental and other contributions to plans.

19. 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
THIS ACTIVITY ENDS AT 1220

20. 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)
STARTS AT 1220
Ensure that provision matches needs as identified in D and A, as appropriate.
Needs may be met by universal services (e.g. normally available or voluntary clubs, sports provision etc.). Universal services should be identified though the Local Offer
Refer to CDC guidance

21. 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
Again, section G should be specific and avoid general references such ‘as deemed by the health authority;’ ‘normally commissioned’
Speech and language therapy can appear in Section F for meeting a SEN and here in Section G where the therapy is related to a health condition
Remind to check health needs identified in Section C and A - as these sometimes are identified here e.g. epilepsy is mentioned by a parent.

22. 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.
Ensure that provision matches needs as identified in D and A, as appropriate.
Needs may be met by universal services (e.g. normally available or voluntary clubs, sports provision etc.). Universal services should be identified though the Local Offer
Refer to CDC guidance

23. 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.
Be aware that this can be appealed against (as can B and F)

24. 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
LAs should have a policy towards personal budgets. It should be on the Local Offer site.
A personal budget is not a total resource allocation although some LAs do like to show 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.

25. 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
THIS IS LAST SLIDE BEFORE LUNCH BREAK AT 1230
Some LAs put at the start of plans - but must be labelled.
Not good enough to say advice can be available on request. It must be included in appendices.

26. Lunch

27. Activity 6 – Anna or Joe’s EHCP……………
Expectation
Rating (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'
START AT 1315 AND FINISH AT 1330
Activity 6 – take the EHC plan that you’ve been focusing on.
Individually, consider the totality of the plan under each of these components of a good EHC plan. How does Joe or Anna rate on a 0-5 scale for each component? Quick two minute analysis.
Now in pairs discuss your ratings and where there are differences in scores, explore why that is.
Take general observations from the large group.
Remind all that this approach gives a manager or a leader a quick tool for getting an overall sense of the quality of a EHC plan without having to do a forensic analysis.

28. Session 2 – Review of individual local authority EHC plans
In your LA group – LA officers and parent carer – 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
Need to circulate and ‘join-in’.
START AT 1330, FINISH AT 1400

29. 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
START AT 1400, FINISH AT 1430
May need to give a few mins warning.
Allow some Q&A, but then say these will need to be picked up at the Panel session

30. Session 4 - Forward planning – LA assessment pathway
In your LA group – LA officers and parent carer – 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
START AT 1430, FINISH AT 1500

31.
Panel session, including DfE SEND Adviser, Mott Adviser, and LA speakers (If willing)
Agree to follow-up any unasked or unanswered queries
CONCLUDE – Thanks to all for coming. We need to continue the journey towards good EHC plans together and see it as an ongoing learning process. Opportunities to share examples need to continue, both locally and regionally.
Thanks in particular to all who contributed today.
And finally, the materials will all be available from the Mott website by mid Feb at the latest. We’ll make sure the regional leads are informed as soon as they are available.