1. Local Government and the SEN Green Paper
Some Thoughts
May

2. Local Councils welcome…
Improved choice for parents and young people
Increased personal budgets
Focus on lifetime outcomes
A single system 0 -25
Integrated assessment – and less of it
Having a single plan for health, education and care – but should also include work
Greater transparency in assessment and funding
Clarity of roles of local authorities & voluntary sectors
Increased diversity and types of providers

3. Challenges (1)
Creating a single but flexible assessment system which is transparent and minimises conflict of interest
Ensuring partners to a single plan meet their obligations – especially health
Retaining support for parents and young people to find their way through a more diverse range of providers
Reforming funding formulae
Creating a single 5-25 system
Transport

4. Challenges (2)
Clarifying roles of Local authorities, education funding agency, skills funding agency
Accountability of all schools and colleges
Regulation of independent special schools and colleges
Timescales and impact of policy turbulence
Impact of funding convergence (& less of it)
Different legal basis SEN / LLDD- especially appeals

5. What local councils are doing
Working in partnership on LLDD and SEN
Improving involvement with parents & young people
Bringing rigour and equity in placement decisions
Increasing choice, especially where there is a lack of local provision
Improving relationships with FE & specialist colleges
Integrating SEN and LLDD processes
Some extending mediation systems to LLDD
Reviewing costs of transport and IAG

6. To watch out for ... Impact of IAG cuts on LDA assessments
Staff cuts in national and local government – disruption to existing relationships
Little national guidance ; much local variation
Second guessing the outcome of the Green Paper process
Reducing costs – sometimes drastically

7. LAs would like ISCs to . . . Strengthen links with local FE providers
Focus of outcomes of young people returnign to their home community
Offer a much more flexible mix of services – including less for some learners
Radically change the residential model – less long term full time, more short stays
Offer expertise locally
Take part in multi LA discussions – e.g. Greater Manchester

8. Contacts