1. SEN and Disability – National Policy Update
National Sensory Impaired Partnership (NATSIP)
31 January 2012
André Imich, SEN and Disability Professional Adviser, DfE

2. Green Paper feedback Pathfinders Other development Your questions
Areas Covered
Green Paper feedback
Pathfinders
Other development
Your questions 2

3. Chapter 1: Early identification and assessment
training for the children’s workforce;
encouraging more joint-working across agencies,
listening to parents more;
plans for improving the health and development review at age 2 to 2 1/2 through expanded health visiting services.
single assessment process and Education, Health and Care Plan

4. Chapter 2: Giving parents control
Local offer of services
Personal budgets
Mediation
School choice

5. Chapter 3: Learning and achieving
Building specialist expertise in schools and colleges
School based SEN category
Behavioural, emotional and social difficulties
School accountability

6. Chapter 4: Preparing for Adulthood
Transition planning
Role of general practitioners
Education, training and work

7. Chapter 5: Services working together for families
Three core features of role of LA:
– securing a range of high quality provision;
– strategic planning of services; and
– enabling families to make informed choices and exercise greater control over services.
Local commissioning of health services
Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS)
SEN Support Services
Educational psychologists
Collaboration between local services
Funding arrangements

8. Pathfinder – Three Common Objectives
DfE and DH have appointed 20 pathfinders representing 31
local authorities and PCT partners to:
Develop a new birth to 25 assessment process and single plan incorporating education, health and social care assessments, bringing together the range of support;
Explore how the voluntary and community sector could improve access to specialist expertise and to introduce more independence to the process; and
Ensure the full engagement of children, young people, and their parents and families.

9. Pathfinder activity
All pathfinders will work within existing statutory frameworks to test core elements, including:
A multi-agency approach, with clear lines of accountability
Links between support planning and strategic commissioning,
particularly through health and well-being boards
Use of personal funding
Pooled and aligned budgets
Focus on outcomes in a single plan
VFM and cost
Mediation
Some pathfinders will test optional elements of banded funding, age range, support to parents and support to vulnerable groups

10. SEN Pathfinders 2011 Surrey&B&Hove& ESussex& Hamps& WSussex Kent&
Medway
Southampton
Wiltshire
Devon
Cornwall +
I o Scilly
Greenwich
Bromley &
Bexley
Lewisham
Hertfordshire
Northamptonshire &
Leics City
Nottinghamshire
Solihull
Trafford
Oldham &
Rochdale
Manchester
Wigan
Gateshead
Hartlepool &
Darlington
Calderdale
NYorks

11. Early Years Foundation Stage
Consultation on revised draft EYFS – summer 2011
Reducing Early Learning Goals (ELGs) from 69 to 17
For each ELG, practitioners assess, using best-fit judgement, whether children are at ‘expected’ level, ‘exceeding’ it or below it (‘emerging’)
Generally positive response to new ELGs – mathematics and literacy received most comments
Further consultation on the ELGs – closed on 19 January 2012
Revised EYFS implemented from September 2012

12. Exclusion from schools and pupil referral units in England - A guide for those with legal responsibilities in relation to exclusion (CONSULTATION)
Consultation ends – Friday 17 Feb 2012

13. Statutory guidance to LAs about SEN expert
Where requested by a parent, LAs will need to appoint a “SEN expert” to attend an independent review panel.
“SEN expert” - a professional with suitable expertise and experience of the requirements on schools in relation to identifying and supporting SEN and disability, e.g.: EP; specialist SEN teacher; or behaviour support teacher.
Role -“expert witness”, providing impartial advice to the panel on how SEN might be relevant to the exclusion - whether the school’s policies, or their application in relation to the excluded pupil, could be construed as unlawful, unreasonable, irrational or disproportional insofar as SEN and / or disability are concerned.
All parties should be allowed to ask questions of the expert.
The SEN expert’s role does not include making an assessment of the pupil’s educational needs.

14. Phonics Check Year 1 phonics sample materials:
The phonics screening check must be administered during the week commencing 18 June 2012

17. Reform of public service - The wider picture: Principles for a reformed adult social care system:
Personalisation: individuals not institutions take control of their care.
Plurality: the variety of people’s needs is matched by diverse service provision, with a broad market of high quality service providers.
Partnership
Protection
Productivity
People

18. Your questions