1. WELCOME TO THE NATSPEC ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2015

2. Implementation of the Children and Families Act 2014
17 March 2015
Caroline Bicknell, Deputy Director
Department for Education, 0-25 SEND Unit

3. The aims and features of the SEND reforms
Contents
The aims and features of the SEND reforms
Implementation: progress and challenges
Current activities underway

4. Aims of the SEND reforms
We want all children and young people with SEND to achieve well in their early years, at school and in college; find employment where possible; lead happy, healthy and fulfilled lives; and have choice and control over their support.
The SEND reforms join up support across education, health and care, from birth to 25. Help will be offered at the earliest point, and with children and young people and parents/carers fully involved in decisions about their support and what the young person wants to achieve. Measures of success include:
Positive experience of the system for children, young people and families
Improved outcomes for children and young people
Effective preparation for adulthood

5. From September 2014 new requirements on LAs and Clinical Commissioning Groups:
Work with children and young people with SEND and families.
Establish partnerships across education, health and care, including early years, post-16 institutions and housing.
Co-produce and publish the Local Offer
Develop plans for joint commissioning
Develop processes for assessment, planning and EHC plans
Identify what could be provided through personal budgets
Local mediation and disagreement resolution arrangements

6. New rights for young people and parents
Young person or parent of a child has the right to request that a particular institution, including a college approved under section 41, is named in an EHC plan
The local authority must comply with that preference and name the school or college in the EHC plan unless it judges that:
it would be unsuitable for the age, ability, aptitude or SEN of the child or young person, or
the attendance of the child or young person there would be incompatible with the efficient education of others, or the efficient use of resources
Local authority to co-produce EHC plans, the Local Offer etc

7. Education Health and Care Plans
From 1 September anyone, including a post-16 provider, can request an assessment of education, health and care needs
Young people with EHC plans can ask for a particular college to be named in the plan
Final EHC Plan must be shared with institution named in Plan
EHC plans must be reviewed annually and, from age 13 (Yr9) must include preparing for adulthood.

8. Section 41 and specialist post-16 institutions
Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014 allows the Secretary of State to publish a list of approved independent special schools and special post-16 institutions.
The approved list allows independent institutions to make themselves subject to duties in Children and Families Act
Young person has right to request that a S41 institution is named in their EHC Plan
LA under a qualified duty to agree that request

9. Students aged 19-25
Some 18 year old students will need longer to achieve the outcomes in their EHC plans, so will need to continue in education with plans up to a maximum age of 25.
No automatic entitlement to continued support at age 19
Nor can an LA cease an EHC plan simply because a young person is aged 19 or over.
In deciding that SEN provision is no longer required, the local authority must have regard to whether the educational or training outcomes in the EHC plan have been achieved.
As you told us, a special school is not the best place for a student of this age. DSG cannot be used to fund such places.

10. Preparing for Adulthood
How can we make sure young people are better prepared for adult life?
Preparing for adulthood EHC reviews from Year 9 onwards
Better transition into post-16 education and training
High quality study programmes including pathways to employment such as supported internships
Multi-agency approach
Support for transition to adult services

11. Supported internships
Study programmes for young people with LDAs or EHC plans
Extended work placement plus further study in English and Maths
36% offered paid work in the pilot
Life changing transition into employment
£5m for LAs on supported internships and other preparation for employment: just announced
Help on PfA’s website – supported internship section with advice and link to Access to Work funding

12. Progress since September 2014
Delivery partners everywhere working hard to implement reforms and good progress being made
Independent Supporters in place and positively received.
February LA implementation survey shows further improvements since October
Positive feedback from parents and young people
Minister Timpson asked Ofsted/CQC to develop inspection framework
Other feedback positive too, though challenges with:
Transitions from Statements and LDAs
Meeting EHC timescales
Building quality of Local Offers

13. Some challenges in post-16
Local Offer – work in progress, particularly over post-16.
Capacity for EHC assessment and planning
Dealing with multiple LAs with different requirements
Placements and funding - relationships with LAs and commissioning of specialist provision.
EHC plan transfers – progress and involvement of colleges 13

14. DfE Action underway includes…
DfE SEND Advisers – continuing support and challenge to LAs
Joint workshops for LAs and FE sector – underway now
Ofsted/CQC inspection proposals on SEND – likely to consult soon
Joint action with DH to improve health engagement – Designated Medical Officer conference 23 March
SEND FE sector working group – NATSPEC member
Call for Evidence on High Needs Funding – evidence being considered
Extra £5 million for supported internships
Future delivery support plans and VCS funding in – likely to be announcement shortly 14