Issue - meetings

Report ED14014

The Committee considered a report outlining progress being made through the Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Pathfinder Programme on testing and implementing the requirements set out in the proposed Children and Families Bill and the indicative Code of Practice, which had been released for consultation to highlight potential risks and issues presented by the changes in legislation.

The SEND Pathfinder had been developed in partnership with London Borough of Bexley to test areas within the Children and Families Bill, published on 5^th February 2013, which aimed to take a more holistic approach to special educational needs and disability for children and young people in England.  The Bromley and Bexley Pathfinder had been asked to test the development and application of Education, Health and Care Plans for children and young people with complex needs from birth to 25 years, as well as areas including development of personal budgets, banded funding and preparing for adulthood (transition).  Work had been undertaken with parents through Pathfinder work stream activity, and a series of parent and professional workshops had been held to develop new Plan templates and processes that would support a single multi-age assessment process for children and young people as they moved from pre-school to school and then towards transition.

In considering the indicative Code of Practice, a Co-opted Member underlined the need to focus on the improved outcomes the new approach to special educational needs and disability would have for children and young people with SEND and their families.  A Member noted the length of the Code of Practice and was concerned that it would be difficult for parents and carers to identify what their child was entitled to.

The Portfolio Holder highlighted the key role of the Clinical Commissioning Group in working with the Local Authority to develop joint commissioning arrangements, clear responsibilities, ownership and accountability across commissioning of SEND services.  The Health and Wellbeing Board was also working to seek input and information from all key stakeholders to contribute to the development of the strategy.

RESOLVED that:

1)  The implications of the new legislation be noted; and,

2)  Further reports be presented to the Education PDS Committee on specific changes arising from the new legislation.