1

Criteriaforundertakingan

Education, Health and Care

NeedsStatutoryAssessment

CONTENTS

Page

1.INTRODUCTION...... 3

ExtractsfromTheSpecialEducationalNeedsandDisabilityCodeofPractice:

0-25years

2.PURPOSE4

3.WHO IS THIS GUIDANCE FOR?...... 5

4.BACKGROUND...... 5

5.WHAT ISANEDUCATIONHEALTHCAREPLAN(EHCP)?...... 6

6.CRITERIAFORUNDERTAKINGASTATUTORYASSESSMENT...... 7

Goodplanningandprovision

CriteriaOne:EffectiveOnePlanningisinplace

CriteriaTwo:Effectiveinterventions

CriteriaThree:TheschoolisfullyusingitsdelegatedSENbudget

CriteriaFour:Thechildhasexceptional,severeorcomplexneedsthatarelikelytobelongterm

7. CHECKLIST...... 13

Introduction

ExtractsfromThe Special Educational Needs and DisabilityCode ofPractice: 0-25years

Chapter1.17 - A child’s parents,young people,schools andcolleges havespecific rights torequesta needs assessmentfor anEHC plan andchildren andtheirparents and young peopleshouldfeel abletotelltheir school or college iftheybelievetheyhave or mayhaveSEN.The legaltestofwhenachildor young personrequiresanEHC plan remains thesameas thatfor astatementundertheEducationAct1996.

Chapter9.1 - Themajorityofchildrenandyoung peoplewithSEN or disabilitieswill havetheir needsmetwithin localmainstreamearly years settings,schools or colleges. Somechildren andyoung people mayrequire anEHC needs assessmentin order forthe local authorityto decidewhether itis necessaryfor ittomake provisionin accordancewith anEHC plan.

Chapter9.2 - The purpose ofanEHC plan is tomakespecial educational provisionto meetthespecial educationalneeds ofthechild or young person,tosecurethe best possible outcomesfor themacross education,health andsocialcareand,as theyget older,preparethem foradulthood.

Chapter9.3- A local authoritymustconductan assessmentofeducation,health andcare needswhen itconsiders thatitmaybe necessaryfor special educational provisionto be madeforthechild or young person inaccordancewithanEHC plan.Thefactorsa local authorityshouldtake into accountin decidingwhether itneeds to undertake anEHC needs assessmentaresetoutin paragraphs 9.14to 9.15.

Chapter9.16- Local authoritiesmaydevelopcriteriaas guidelines to helpthemdecide when itis necessarytocarryoutanEHC needsassessment(andfollowing assessment, to decidewhether itis necessaryto issue anEHC plan).However,local authoritiesmust be preparedto departfromthosecriteriawherethere is acompellingreasonto doso in anyparticular caseanddemonstratetheirwillingness to dosowhere individual circumstances warrantsucha departure.Localauthoritiesmust notapplya ‘blanket’ policyto particular groups ofchildren or certaintypes ofneed,as thiswould preventthe consideration ofachild’s or young person’s needsindividuallyand ontheirmerits.

Thisdocumenthas been preparedforuseinReading in lightoftheabove guidance

Purpose

The purposeof thisdocument is toexplainthecriteriathathave been adoptedby Reading Borough Councilwhen consideringtheneed toundertake astatutory assessmentof a childor youngperson’s special educational needs.This document willalso explain thelink betweena person-centredapproach (seeCOP Chapter 9.23)andEducation, HealthandCareplans (EHCPs).

Thisdocument shouldbe read in conjunctionwith

  • TheSpecial Educational Needs and DisabilityCode ofPractice:0-25 years issuedbytheDfEandDOH (July2014) (referred to in thisdocumentas COP).
  • TheReading Borough CouncilLocal Offer

Who isthisguidancefor?

This guidanceisforanyone involved working as teamsaround the child. This will include:

  • Children and youngpeople
  • Parentsandcarers (and theirsupporters)
  • Staff from all education settings (pre-school settings, schools and colleges – including VI form and FE colleges)
  • Local Authoritypractitioners (including education and social carestaff)
  • Healthpractitioners (includingpaediatricians,therapistsand CAMHSstaff)

Background

FromSeptember 2014, theChildrenandFamilies Act 2014 introduced anumber of significantchangesin the waythat children and youngpeoplewithspecial educational needsanddisabilities (SEND) are supported.Thesechanges include:

  • a single assessmentprocessleadinginsomecases to an Education, Health and Care plan supporting0-to-25year olds who haveSEN ora disability. Thesystems leadingtostatementsof SEN and LearningDifficulty Assessments(LDAs) are replaced with anewassessment process whichintegrateseducation,health and social careprovisionfor a child or youngperson.The newapproach reflectsthe childor youngperson’saspirationsfor thefuture, as wellastheircurrentneeds.Provision made through EHCplans canalsobedelivered through aFEcollege.
  • the introduction of a Local Offer which will reflect the services that are available across education,health and socialcare without theneedfor a statutoryassessmentor anEHCplan.Voluntarysector provision can alsobe shown in theplan.AnEHCplan will not be needed to access theseservices.

What is anEducation,HealthandCareplan (EHCplan)?

AnEducation,Healthand Careplan isfor children and youngpeople(aged0-to-25 years old) who haveSEN or adisabilityandwhoneedamuchhigher level of support thaneducationsettingscandeliver ontheirown. An EHCplan is led bytheneeds andaspirations of thechild or youngpersonandhis or her parentsworkingin partnership with practitioners andother supporters.

The purposeof anEHC planis

  • tosecure thespecial educationalprovisionassessedas beingnecessary to meet the SEN of the child or youngperson
  • tosecure the bestpossibleoutcomesfor them acrosseducation, healthand social care,and,
  • as theyget oldertoprepare themfor adulthood
  • establishoutcomesacross education,healthand social carebasedon the child or youngperson’s needs andaspirations
  • specifytheprovision required andhoweducation, healthand care services will work together tomeet the childor youngperson’s needsand support the achievement oftheagreedoutcomes (ref. COP Chapter 9.2)

Inmostcases, children and youngpeoplewill be able to access theservices they require through theLocal Offer and via the Cluster Moderating Process andastatutoryassessment (or an EHCplan) will not be needed.Onsomeoccasionsmore specialist help will be neededandtheirneeds willbe bestmet byhaving an EHCplan.Inallcases, it will be appropriateto adopt theOnePlanning approachtoensurethat thechild or youngpersonremainsatthe centre oftheplanningfor the services thattheyrequire.

Criteria tocommence an Education, Health and Care needs assessment.

The Special Educational Needsand DisabilityCode ofPractice(Chapter 9.16)allows local authoritiestodevelopcriteriafor decidingwhether to undertakeastatutory assessmentforan EHC plan. Criteriamust beflexible and adaptable.

Inconsideringwhetherachildor youngperson requires astatutoryassessment,the local authoritywill be lookingfor evidence ofthefollowing:-

Goodplanningandprovision

Goodand effectiveplanning will be demonstratedbythefollowing qualitiesbeing evident:

  • Personcentredplanning:-allplanning, decisionmakingand support shouldfollow fromtheexperiences,opinions, aspirations,goals and hopes of thechild, young personandtheirfamily andshould be developed in partnershipwith them.
  • Focus on outcomes-:particularlythose importantfor or tothe childor youngperson andtheirfamily.
  • A clearcycleofAssess-Plan-Do-Review:-evidence of a series ofcycles over time which mayinclude:-
  • theinvolvement of appropriateexternal services;
  • clearlyidentified andmonitored outcomesfor the childor youngperson;
  • involvementand supportfrom the wider community.
  • Evidence based:-interventions shouldbeevidence basedand theireffectiveness monitoredand evaluated over time.
  • Provisionlinked to needs:aclear linkbetweenneeds andprovision andprogress is monitoredover time.
  • Evidence of Quality First teaching.

Good and effective provisionwill be demonstrated bythefollowing being evident:-

  • Effectiveevidence-based interventions with outcomes monitored over time and informed by external practitioners.
  • The school orcollege fullyusing its SEN resources. (Aplan or provision mapshouldbe submittedbythe schoolor college showinghowthe child or youngperson’s outcomes andneeds have been and willbe met).

In order to judge thisthefollowing questionswillbe asked:-

  • Have theresourcesavailable tothe school or collegebeen utilisedfully and appropriately. Have theybeen evaluated?
  • Haveservices available through the Local Offer been accessed? Has this been evaluated?
  • Is thereevidencethat the school or college has provided targeted intervention addressingthe childoryoungperson’s individual needs?
  • Is there evidence of individual or small groupsupport?
  • Is thereevidenceof active monitoring outcomesandadjustments made to thechild or youngperson’s programmes intheevent of limitedprogress beingmade?
  • Has theschoolor collegesought advice or supportfromexternal services?
  • Is thereevidencethat the childor youngperson has hadaccess toQuality First teaching?
  • Is thereevidencethat the school or college have focused onmeetingthe agreed outcomesfor the childor youngperson?

Reading Local Authority Criteria used when considering to start an Education, Health and Care plan assessment.

CriteriaOne:- EffectivePlanning is inplace

Thekeyfeatureswill include:

  • Person centred and/orfamilycentredplanningas appropriate.The experiences,opinions, goals andhopes ofthechild, youngperson andtheir familyare central.Allways ofworkingshould leadfromhowtheyare experiencedbythe child, youngperson andfamilyand shouldbedeveloped bythemor inpartnership with them.It is essential thatthe views,wishes and opinionsof thechildor youngperson with SENDare at theheart ofany planning anddecisionmaking. It is alsoessential that the views,wishes and opinionsof parentsand otherfamilymembers are central to planningand decisionmaking. Foryoungpeople (i.e. those over compulsory school age andaged 16 to 25 years),it is the youngperson’s views and opinions which willtake precedencealthoughtheir parentsorcarers will commonlystill be an important supporter. For easeofreading,anyreference to parents in this guidanceisequallyapplicable to carersandothers with aparental role.
  • A clearfocuson outcomes,particularlythoseimportanttothechildor young personand theirfamily
  • AOnePageprofilewhich is available to all
  • Evidence ofa series of‘assess-plan-do-reviewcycles’ over time (for example a minimum of two terms or 8 months).

(ref. COP Chapter 6.44 etc)that include:-

  • the involvement of appropriateexternal services;
  • clearlyidentified andmonitoredoutcomesfor the childor youngperson;
  • the involvement ofthechildor youngperson in assessmentand planning;
  • the involvement of parentsor carers inassessment andplanning
  • involvementand supportfrom the wider community
  • aperson centredplanningapproach

CriteriaTwo:-Effectiveinterventionsarebeingimplemented.

The Special Educational Needsand DisabilityCode ofPractice:0-25 years willbe usedbynursery/school/collegestaff and other practitionerstoinformagraduated response toidentifying andmeetingpupils’ orstudents’needs. Chapter 6.44 addresses schools’responsibilitiesandChapter 7 covers the provision available through colleges.

Criteria Three:- Theschool/collegeisfullyusing itsallocated SENfunds

Afullycostedplanor provision map should be submittedbythe school or college showinghowthe childoryoungperson’soutcomesandneeds will be met.

The keyquestionsare:

  • Have theresourcesavailable intheschoolor collegebeen utilisedfully and appropriately? Has thisbeenevaluated?
  • Have services available through the Local Offer been accessed?

Has this been evaluated?

  • Is thereevidencethat the school or college has providedtargetedintervention addressing the child oryoungperson’s individual needs? Is thereevidence of individual or small group support?
  • Is thereevidenceof active monitoringinformingadjustments to thechild or youngperson’s programmes intheevent of limitedprogress beingmade?
  • Has theschool or college sought advice or supportfromexternal services?
  • Is thereevidencethat the childor youngperson has hadaccess toQuality First Teaching?
  • Is thereevidence that theschool or college have focussed onmeetingthe agreed outcomesfor the childofyoungperson?

Criteria Four:- Thechildhasexceptional,severeorcomplexneeds thatarelikelytobelongterm

  • The childor young person’s needsare significantlygreater thantheir same- agepeers,arelongtermand require specialist resourcesor provision to achieve long-termpositive outcomes. This maybe evidenced additionally via the allocation of additional resources through the Cluster Moderation process.

Evidence of the exceptional natureof needswillbe required,for instance:-

  • Early years outcomes/P-scalelevels/academic attainmentswhich are significantlybelowage expectedlevels or other specific examplessuch as lack ofprogressioninphonicsor readingdevelopment over a prolonged period.
  • A log of behavioural incidents over time, ideally, this will be for at least two terms. Thelogwill includedates, timesand duration of episodes,the interventionsusedandthe success ofthemeasures implemented.
  • Life, social and emotional skills
  • Independence skills
  • Adaptations required to access the curriculum
  • Specialequipmentorfacilities required toaccess the curriculum ormaintain schoolattendance

Check List

Child’s Name…………………………………………….….D.O.B……………………………….

Criteria / Yes-comments / No comments
CriteriaOne:-EffectivePlanning is
in place
One Page profileattached?
Evidence of the Cycles of Intervention via Assess, Plan, Do and Review.
Durationofandhowlong?(minimum3 cycles)
CriteriaTwo:-Effective interventions are being implemented.
Evidence of useof allocation of resources from within the school, via the Local Offer, Cluster Moderating process (as appropriate) and Children’s Action teams and other agencies.
Evidence of a range of alternative strategiesand resources?
Evidence of interventions/approaches used and reviewed over time?
Evidence of assessing/monitoring/evaluating?
CriteriaThree:- The school/collegeis fullyusing itsallocated SEN resources
Have resourcesthrough theLocal Offer or schooloffer beenaccessed?
Has delegated fundingbeen utilised, detailed andevaluatedappropriately?
Has anIEPor provision map been submitted?
School/collegefundinginformation provided?
Evidence of resourcesallocated tomeet child/youngpersons’needs?
Clear evidenceofuse ofbudget- under/over £10,000
CriteriaFour:-Thechild has exceptional,severeor complex needs that arelikelyto belong term
Learning levels
RASA
Numeracy SensoryNeeds Physical Need
Special resources/facilities Adaptations

OFFICIAL USE ONLY

Decision:………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..Completed by………………………………………………………………….

Role………………………………………………………………..

Date…………………….…….