SEN Policy Reform
England
September 2014
VIEW Conference
13 March 2014
Christopher Robertson
Hard Hat Time
Steps to a new system
• Legislation introduced into Parliament early in 2013
and an Indicative ‘pin cushion’ draft 0-25 SEN Code
of Practice published primarily for the Bill Committee
(House of Commons) on 14 March 2013
• 2nd robust Reading of the Children and Families Bill
in the House of Lords (2nd July 2013)
• Full draft Code published for consultation in October
2013. Consultation on the Code and transition
arrangements ended on 9 December – ‘we are
analysing your feedback’
• Royal Assent in Spring 2014 followed by a ‘lead in
period’ to support an orderly transition before a new
statutory framework is implemented from September
2014 …. Final Code in June 2014 ???
Key principles in the Children
and Families Bill
• Participation: the Bill promotes the
participation of parents and young people in
decision-making about SEN
• Outcomes: the Bill focuses on outcomes and
improving progress for children and young
people with SEN
• Collaboration: the Bill requires a joint approach
across all agencies: cooperation and
commissioning
Stony Paths
Key components
• Multi-agency working
• Engaging with children, young people and
families (involvement, choice)
• The local offer (information and choice)
• Focus on school/college/setting responsibility
• Education, health and care plans
• Key working
• Personal budgets
• Preparing for adulthood
Tested by SEND (SEN) Pathfinders
‘Too early to draw conclusions’
Against the four objectives for the evaluation
• make the current system more transparent, less
adversarial and less bureaucratic
• increase choice and control and improve outcomes
• introduce greater independence into the assessment
process by the voluntary sector
• demonstrate value for money
SQW September 2012 (Evaluation, Interim
Findings)
Further developments
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SEND Pathfinder Programme Report (DfE, March
2013)
Extension of Pathfinders > September 2014
Introduction of Pathfinder ‘Champions’ in all
regions of England (e.g. Bexley & Bromley in
London, SE7 and Southampton in the South East,
Solihull in the West Midlands; Wiltshire in the
South West) to support non-pathfinder areas
A further independent evaluation report (SQW)
was published in June 2013 and another in
October 2013
‘Broad Acceptance of the
direction of travel’
(June report)
 Resources invested in the assignment of key
workers, development of personal profiles,
person-centred approaches, EHCP formats and
procedures – reported positive impact
 Changes to process and underlying ethos
regarded as most important (rather than formal
elements of a new approach)
‘A glass half full?’
 Increased choice and control (families)
 Collaboration with Parent Partnership
Services and Parent Carer Forums
 Some evidence of joined up commissioning
and service provision
 Successes reported in working with families
already in the system
 800 families recruited (March 2013)
‘A glass half empty?’
• Development of outcome focused plans challenging
(workforce development)
• Involvement of children and young people limited
• Uncertainty about role of VCS (supporting families)
• Impact of EHCPs limited (minimal evidence)
• Key worker role demanding (confidence and training)
• Limited testing with broader groups (19-25 age range)
• Slow development of the local offer (uncertainty about
content and concerns about resourcing)
• Limited take up of personal budgets and SEN direct
payments (use limited in scope > transport)
‘Impact evaluation’ October 2013
report
 Some encouragement – families’ satisfaction with
processes (assessment, support, involvement)
Can changes to processes improve outcomes?
Can changes the overall approach be scaled up and be
cost effective for the whole target population?
We won’t know until at least March 2015 (end of the SQW
evaluation) but there are clearly going to be challenges
ahead … the latest report noted that the EHCP process
takes (on average) 42 hours compared with 30 hours for
statementing (small sample)
Pathfinder extension activity
Extended pool of Pathfinder Champions (April 2014 –
March 2015) with additional funding for the programme
By March 2014 current Pathfinders (x 31) expected to
be early adopters of reforms offering EHC plans to all
ne entrants to the system
Pathfinder dissemination through events and
publications continues – information packs are being
refreshed (March 2014)
Government has ‘acknowledged’ (9 December letter to
Pathfinders) the need for further development work
supported with specialist expertise (e.g. in relation
personal budgets, high quality EHC plans and
preparing for adulthood) – more SQW reports
EHC planning: thematic report
• Eligibility – those with Statements eligible
• Change in eligibility – most obviously 19-25 year
olds
• Planning pathways: referral; considering if
assessment is required; coordinated assessment;
planning; sign-off
• Approaches to some key elements differ in pilot
areas
• Differences to Statementing: more emphasis on
gathering information across services at referral;
family more involved; plans more outcome focused
• Family-centred approach can lead to better plans
EHC planning: concerns
• Effective coordination and cooperation between
services
• Resourcing delivery of family-centred process – time
for EHC coordinator
• Meeting the 20 week timeframe requirements
• Sharing information between services and families
• Increased paperwork (e.g. summary assessment)
• Challenges involved in offering a comprehensive
personal budget offer
• Ensuring all families have the capacity to engage
• Negotiating between family members if conflicts
arise
Key working: thematic report
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Need to cover 4 areas: coordination; planning and
assessment; information and signposting support;
emotional and practical support
2 models – single person and multi-person
Skill set required is broad ranging
Breadth and depth of knowledge varies according
to key working model used
Effective key working teams draw on knowledge
and experience from different backgrounds
‘Co-producing’ can be challenging and time
consuming
Training of different kinds is essential
Longer term plans for key working need
consideration – beyond the 20 week phase
Key working: concerns
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Danger through dilution – multi-person model
Over extending roles – on top of day job
Time to do things well within and beyond ‘20 weeks’
Key worker backgrounds – who is lining up?
Independent support workers – potential confusion
Level and quality of training
Key worker salaries
Working with young people – what’s involved?
Front end approach could lead to frustration
SEN Pathfinder information
www.sendpathfinder.co.uk
Click on ‘information packs’ for
resources
Advice and Guidance
School Perspective
Draft SEN Code of Practice for
0-25 years (October 2014)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Overview (statutory and non-statutory, who it is for)
Summary (principles)
A Family Centred System
Working together (education, health and social care)
The Local Offer (local authority / school +)
Early years, schools, colleges and other
education and training providers
7. Assessments - Education, Health and Care (EHC)
Plans
8. Children and young people in specific
circumstances
9. Resolving disputes
Code notes ...
• Longer than anticipated (could be longer still)
• Detailed but technical and a little unclear
regarding statutory (must) and non-statutory
(should / best practice) ‘best endeavour’
guidance
• Accessible to a range of audiences?
• Makes assumptions about terminology (SEN
or SEND?) that may be unhelpful
• Still subject to editing and other changes
• Implementation lead in likely to be shorter
than anticipated
Schools and the Code
SEND leadership messages
1. Outcomes not hours
2. Every teacher is responsible for meeting needs
and the SENCO role is strategic
3. High aspirations – articulated through progress
targets and preparation for next stage of
education or and meetings adulthood
4. Work closely with parents - x 3 meetings a
year
5. Clarity about what you can and cannot do –
using the notional SEN budget
Ready to Go?
Schools working in accord with these messages
are ‘well on the way’ to implementing the SEN
reforms …
Handout – SEN Reforms
What local authorities, schools
and services need to know and
what they need to do
An updated and edited version of an information
leaflet published by the Council for Disabled
Children. Julie Jennings will refer to this!
Contact Details
Christopher Robertson
• School of Education, University of
Birmingham
• C.M.Robertson@bham.ac.uk