Wraparound/Independent Support Service Trafford Making Sense of your Annual Review

Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCP’s) EHC Plans: A brief background Education, Health and Care plans (EHCP’s) were introduced on 1st September 2014 and replace Statements of Special Educational Needs. EHCP’s are bound by a SEND Code of Practice which sets out duties of care and guidance regarding EHCP needs assessment, support and provision for children and young people with SEN. EHCP’s are ‘outcomes’ and ‘aspirations’ focused. They look at the social, emotional, physical, health and educational needs of children and young people with SEN and the support needed to achieve their outcomes/aspirations. EHCP’s support young people until they are twenty five as long as they are in education, training or until their outcomes have been achieved. EHCP’s enable increased parent/carer, child and young people participation within decision making, support and provision.

You have your EHC Plan-So what’s next? Let’s recap on your EHC Plan The plan should be ‘SMART’: Specific – Information should be ‘specific’ and not vague. Measurable – Progress should be ‘measurable’. Achievable – Outcomes/aspiration should be ‘achievable’ for the child or young person. Realistic – Outcomes and aspirations should be ‘realistic’ and within the reach of the child or young person. Timebound – Support, provision and outcomes should be timebound e.g. a timeframe for implementation, when achieved/reached. The EHCP should be ‘person centred and contain contributions from children, young people, parents/carers. The EHCP should be ‘co-produced’ and contain information from health, therapy, education and social care professionals. Needs should be clearly explained and support/provision outlined within the EHCP.

A reminder of Aspirations and Outcomes Johnny Aspiration Johnny is twelve years old would like to go out and travel on his own independently by the time he is sixteen years old. Outcomes By the time Johnny is sixteen he will: Have developed his knowledge regarding road safety. e.g. how to cross the road. Be aware of ‘stranger danger’ and who to approach safely for help if necessary when out on his own. Have learnt/accessed travel training so that he knows how to navigate public transport e.g. reading bus/tram timetables or which stop to get off at. Have developed his understanding of money and it’s value so that he can pay for public transport and is not vulnerable in the community.

The Annual Review Meeting An annual review should be held on the anniversary of the date that your EHC plan was issued, although some schools/colleges will hold this at the end of the academic year in July. A parent can request an interim review or an early annual review if the child or young persons needs or provision have changed substantially or when they are transitioning from one education setting to another e.g. high school to college. Health and social care professionals may attend the annual review to forward information, reports and contributions regarding the child or young persons needs or rate of progress. If the young person is transitioning from children’s to adult social care or health services, professionals from these agencies may also attend the annual review to gather information regarding the young persons needs. If the child or young person is transitioning to another educational placement e.g. high school or college, educational professionals from these provisions may also attend the annual review to learn about the child or young persons support needs prior to the transition.

If the young person is in Year 9 or above, the annual review will also focus on preparation for adulthood e.g. independence and life skills, and what support the young person may need in these areas. An annual review meeting takes place to review how well your child or young person is reaching their outcomes/aspirations and what support they may need to achieve those outcomes. The annual review will look at the outcomes within the EHCP plan. If a child or young person has met their outcomes by the time of the annual review, other outcomes may be compiled to support in moving them towards their aspiration/s. Where/if appropriate the child or young person can attend the annual review to forward their views, wishes and opinions along with their parents/carers. The child or young person may wish to prepare a short presentation to share with attendees at the annual review meeting. The annual review should be ‘person centred’, placing the child or young person at the ‘centre’ of the meeting. Attendees may actively contribute to the annual review through verbal dialogue with the child or young person, or written contributions which are shared at the meeting.

Before the Annual Review The educational provision is responsible for organising the annual review and circulating invitations to relevant attendees. Parents/carers should receive two weeks notification before the annual review meeting.  Parents/carers and young people (where appropriate) will be asked to complete a form in order to contribute their views, wishes and opinions. This is called an AR2 form. The child or young person will be asked to complete an AR1 form. The school will complete the AR2 form and you should receive a copy of it before the annual review meeting. If this does not happen you are allowed to ask for the meeting to be postponed /rescheduled to allow time to review the form. Where appropriate, reports from health, therapy or social care professionals may also be forwarded to parents/carers before the annual review. Parents/carers can request the attendance of relevant health, therapy or social care professionals at the annual review.

Preparing for the Annual Review Read through the school AR2 form and its sections carefully in good time before the annual review. Check that all the information on the AR2 form is correct and up to date. If there are discrepancies, make a note of them and forward to school for revision before the annual review. Read through the EHC plan to remind of provision, support and outcomes agreed. If anything has changed regarding your child’s or young persons needs or outcomes since the EHC plan was finalised, make a note so that they can be discussed at the annual review meeting. Check that all relevant health, therapy or social care attendees have been invited to the annual review meeting. Locate relevant reports from health, therapy or social care professionals to read before the meeting and refer to during the meeting.

Write down any questions that you may have regarding your child’s or young persons support needs or outcomes for discussion at the annual review. Has anything changed that you would like to discuss? Practice and focus on what you ‘want to say ‘or discuss at the annual review e.g. key questions or issues. Think about any particular educational, health, therapy or social care outcome you would like from the meeting? Forward written comments or questions to school/college before the meeting ready for discussion. If you need professional support at the annual review, approach the relevant agencies or professionals in good time before the meeting to arrange.

During the Annual Review Try to remain calm and focused on what you want to say or discuss at the meeting. Refer to any notes made in preparation for the annual review to remind you of what you want to say or discuss. Ensure that you are ‘heard’ and that your views, wishes and opinions are represented at the annual review meeting. If not forwarded beforehand, note if any reports from relevant educational, health, therapy or social care professionals are absent. Refer to any reports you have from health, therapy and social care professionals during the meeting. Check that all the sections within the EHC plan have been discussed and any future actions noted. A local authority officer may attend the annual review and you can request their presence before the meeting.

After the Annual Review Meeting You should receive minutes of the annual review meeting from school/college. School/college will send information from the annual review to the local authority. If attended by a local authority officer, information will be gathered for insertion into the plan where/if required. The local authority will decide whether to keep the plan as it is, amend it or cease the plan. The local authority should inform parents of their decision within four weeks of the annual review. Any agreed actions should be enacted in a timely way in accordance with the child or young persons, educational, health or social care needs. Where/if appropriate, the EHC plan should be revised from discussion and agreed actions with the annual review. If amended, the EHC plan should be re-issued to parents for review and reference. School or college should also receive a copy of the amended plan. Where a EHC plan is revised, check that all agreed actions, outcomes and provision discussed at the annual review are clearly written into the plan. If an interim review meeting is agreed at the annual review, check arrangements for the meeting e.g. date/time, venue.

Thank You! Any questions?