1. SEND Pathfinder Update
Mark Evans, Nottinghamshire County Council
Pat Bullen, Leicester City & Northants

2. Context- Green Paper Reform
Statements and Learning Difficulty Assessments
to be replaced by a quicker
better integrated assessment and
Single Education, Health and Care Plan from birth to age 25 setting out all the services that the child/young person and their family will receive for their support
Statutory protections comparable to those currently associated with a statement of SEN
to be provided for year olds in further education
so that young people will get the support they need wherever they are taught

3. Proposed from
CYP aged from birth to age 25 who would currently have a statement of SEN or learning difficulty assessment will have a single assessment process and Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) for their support which will afford parents the same statutory protection as statement of SEN
All the services on which the CYP and their family rely will work together with the family to agree an EHCP which reflects the family’s needs and ambitions for the CYP’s future outcomes covering education, health, employment and independence
The plan will be clear about who is responsible for which services, and will include a commitment from all parties across education, health and social care to provide their services
Local pathfinders will test how to reform radically the statutory SEN assessment and statement and explore the best replacement, including whether the voluntary and community sector could coordinate assessment and bring greater independence to the process; and
The time taken to complete the assessment process will be reduced

4. Green Paper Reform Statements and Learning Difficulty Assessments
to be replaced by a quicker
better integrated assessment and
Single Education, Health and Care Plan from birth to age 25 setting out all the services that the child/young person and their family will receive for their support
Statutory protections comparable to those currently associated with a statement of SEN
to be provided for year olds in further education
so that young people will get the support they need wherever they are taught

5. Pathfinders Commissioned by DfE and DoH
20 Pathfinders in 31 local authorities- including Leicester & Northamptonshire jointly, and Nottinghamshire, in East Midlands
£150,000 per local authority through to March 2013
Test some core elements of reform
EHC plan
Personal budgets
Strong partnerships between agencies
Improved commissioning – links to health reforms
Role of VCS
Cost of reform
Optional elements
Will national funding framework be more transparent?
Better support for parents
Better support for vulnerable young people
Impacts on those aged 16 – 25 and in early years

6. Leicester & Northants Pathfinder
Focus in Cohort 1, on children within enhanced resourced provision in mainstream schools- often only two agencies, not three
Single Assessment based on emerging Early Support approach- a ‘super-ordinate’ assessment, i.e. combining, not replacing, diagnostic and other assessments
Person-centred process, which parents/carers in Cohort 1 like
Cohort 1- current children in ‘the system’ i.e. have Statements already, purpose to trial process and better co-ordinate services, with an emphasis upon outcomes
Personal budgets- virtual at this time, but led by learning in social care and health
Challenge of new funding arrangements emerging before legislation required
Cohort 2 much larger (45) and includes children in special school/academy provision, plus children entering the assessment process

7. Nottinghamshire Pathfinder
Covering up to 30 children/young people and their families across 3 cohorts representing a cross section of ages
Cohort 1 - complex needs known to health, education and social care and are in ‘the system’ i.e. that have a statement
Group 2 - transitioning to adulthood
Group 3 - Looked after children
Group events (families and professionals) held to inform and shape the design of the pilot
Commencing ‘live’ testing of the assessment and planning process from September
Linking personal budgets to the plan – some interest from a very small number of families involved in the Pathfinder
Move from static statement

8. Nottinghamshire’s draft single plan
3-part plan
Personal profile
taken from
‘All About Me’
which is completed
by voluntary
sector partner
with parents/
young person
Important to/for
and working/not
working help
to develop
‘Outcomes’ and
‘Needs’ section
with the parents/
Young person
which is
completed at
the multi-agency
meeting
Resource
section to be
completed after
multi-agency
meeting for
agreement at
Panel

9. Challenges
Important to create a strong link to the Local Offer – who will be the ‘navigator’?
Ways of working , structures and systems will need to be considered
Keyworking support around the family to have the confidence to contribute
Ensuring aspirations are raised
Moving away from the static nature of the statement to ensure outcomes in the plan are monitored

10. Legislative Timescales
PATHFINDERS
Providing evidence to the Education Select Committee
May be extended after March 2013 ???
Feeding initial learning to DfE
Providing more learning to DfE
Parliamentary
Processes
Draft Bill
Published
Bill Introduced into Parliament
BILL
Consultation and pre-legislative scrutiny
Royal Assent & implementation
3rd Sept 2012
Summer / Autumn 2013
Autumn Winter 2012
Spring 2014 onwards
Spring 2013