1. 2014 SEND Reforms Person Centred Reviews
Buckinghamshire County Council
2014 SEND Reforms Person Centred Reviews
Jane Turner / Paula Williams
Educational Psychology Service
This is an overview of the Person Centred Approach to Annual Reviews
Presented by Jane Turner or Paula Williams EPs

2. By the end of the session you will be aware of:
The Principles of the Children and Families Act 2014
The requirement to make Annual Reviews ‘person centred’
The benefits of taking this approach
How this might look
The Children and Families Act 2014 specifically recommends the including the child and YP’s views wherever possible – suggest use of Person Centred Approaches to reviews

3. Children and Families Act 2014
Section 19 makes clear - LAs, must have regard to:
• the views, wishes and feelings of the child or young person, and the child’s parents
• the importance of the child or young person, and the child’s parents:
participating as fully as possible in decisions
being provided with information and support to enable participation in those decisions
• to support the child or young person, and parents, to help them achieve the best possible educational and other outcomes, preparing them effectively for adulthood

4. 9.22 The assessment and planning process should:
Focus on the child or young person as an individual
be easy for children, young people and their parents or carers to understand (clear ordinary language and images No professional jargon)
highlight the child or young person’s strengths and capabilities
enable the child or young person, and those that know them best to say what they have done, what they are interested in and what outcomes they are seeking in the future
tailor support to the needs of the individual
deliver an outcomes-focused and co-ordinated plan for the child or young person and their parents
This approach is often referred to as a person-centred approach.
Local authorities must ensure that children, young people and parents are provided with the information, advice and support necessary to enable them to participate in discussions and decisions about their support.
Local authorities should consider whether some young people may require support in expressing their views, including whether they may need support from an advocate (who could be a family member or a professional).
Local authorities must not use the views of parents as a proxy for young people’s views. Young people will have their own perspective and local authorities should have arrangements in place to engage with them directly.
2.15 Advocacy should be provided where necessary. Local authorities must provide independent advocacy for young people undergoing transition assessments, provided certain conditions are met (see section 67 of the Care Act 2014).

5. The Person Centred Approach
Person Centred Planning is a way of enabling Young People to think about what they want now and in the Future. It is about supporting them to make plans, work towards their goals with the right support

6. Person Centred Approach
Suggested Headings:
What we like and admire about…
What is working well
What is important to…
What is important for…
What is not working
What are the outcomes
Action Plan
It is essential that the child/young person is part of the process and is prepared prior to the meeting and participates in the actual review either supported/facilitated by an adult or independently.
Participants will be encouraged to give their views in a less formal way for example each member of the review will be asked what they like and admire about the child/young person. Everyone has the opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate what is working well and what their role and contribution to this is, as well as looking at what is difficult and not going well. This can then be addressed and results in jointly agreed actions.
There is still a requirement for some agencies to write a written report prior to the review for example if an assessment needs to be made by an educational psychologist, a speech and language therapist or a specialist teacher.
A person centred review represents a significant cultural shift for many of us. We often focus on the process and the service rather than the child
and what matters to them and their family. The focus should be on how the child/young person feels about themselves, about school and their learning as
well their aspirations for the future and what they need to do to achieve this. Longer term outcomes (key stage or phase of education) are in the EHC Plan, short-term outcomes or steps towards the longer term outcomes will be recorded in the education setting’s document e.g. Annex A to the EHC Plan

7. The benefits of PCP Values the child / young person and parents input
Reinforces ownership
Promotes a supportive team around the child / young person – Key working rather than keyworker
Aims to motivate the child / young person by focussing on the positives and celebrating these
Plans are individualised
Shared planning, problem solving and commitment lead to better outcomes
Models mutual respect that aims to promote continual process of listening, learning and action planning

8. Outcomes A move away from objectives to outcomes
Focussed on the young person/child in the context of the family- person centred
Are not about the intentions/ needs of the professional
Raise aspirations
Use action verbs – performance orientated
Typically written in the future tense
Holistic- multi- professional
Tell us what will happen (or is expected to happen) after a specified intervention
Are evidence based- the stronger the base the stronger the outcomes
Imply greater accountability
Reflect longer term outcomes (e.g. end of a key stage)
Individual outcomes such as might be set out in an EHC plan: for example, Martha can communicate independently with her friends at playtime.
• Service level outcomes: for example, paternal mental health has improved in 10 families
• Strategic outcomes: for example, there has been a 10% increase in young people supported into employment and independent living
3.33 Partners should use their joint understanding to determine the shared outcomes they seek to achieve, for example improvement in educational attainment, levels of mental health and wellbeing and reductions in health inequalities. They should draw on national priorities (for example, those set through the NHS Outcomes Framework), local priorities (for example, the JSNA and Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy). This should be a transparent process – the local community should be aware both of what the shared outcomes are and the plan to achieve them

9. The Mental Capacity Act
8.21 The right of young people to make a decision is subject to their capacity to do so as set out in the Mental Capacity Act The underlying principle of the Act is to ensure that those who lack capacity are empowered to make as many decisions for themselves as possible and that any decision made or action taken on their behalf is done so in their best interests. Decisions about mental capacity are made on an individual basis, and may vary according to the nature of the decision. Someone who may lack capacity to make a decision in one area of their life may be able to do so in another. There is further guidance on the Mental Capacity Act and how it applies both to parents and to young people in relation to the Act in Annex 1, Mental Capacity.
Taken from the CoP

10. Mediation
The Children and Families Act 2014 provides the opportunity for parents and young people to go to mediation before they can register an appeal with the First-tier Tribunal (Special Educational Needs and Disability)
Parents and young people will also be able to go to mediation about the health and social care elements of an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan.
The aim is to promote early resolution of disputes through non-judicial means.
Mediation is a form of alternative dispute resolution (ADR). ADR mechanisms serve to resolve disputes generally by involving a neutral third party.
The LA must provide information about these services
No one who provides mediation information or conducts mediation sessions can be directly employed by a local authority in England.
People from voluntary organisations who are contracted by local authorities to provide mediation/ ADR services can act as mediation advisers or as mediators.
Quotes lifted directly from the DfE letter notifying LAs of updates (June 2014)

11. Local Authority contacts for PCP
Training, support and input to local forums will be offered by the Educational Psychology Team Antonia Cobbald ( address to follow)