Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Reforms
The Children and Families Act 2014, implemented from September 2014, has major implications for how the NHS organises and delivers services to children and young people who have a Special Education Need and/or Disability (SEND) between the ages of 0 and 25. It reforms the system of support across education, health and social care to ensure that services are organised with the needs and preferences of the child and their family firmly at the centre, from birth to the transition to adulthood.
To support these changes our CCG has appointed a Clinical Improvement Lead for Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND). This role is to ensure that the CCGs and their commissioned providers fulfil their obligations in relation to the SEND reforms.
The SEND Reforms require that all local authorities implement Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans to replace SEN Statements and Learning Difficulty Assessments for young people between 0-25 along with:
- Developing a Local Offer as a way of improving services and outcomes: https://www.staffordshireconnects.info/kb5/staffordshire/directory/localoffer.page?directorychannel=5
- Increasing participation, choice and control children and young people with SEND and their families have over the support they use
- Providing accessible, comprehensive and transparent information, advice and support
- Giving those with Education, Health and Care Plans the option to request a personal budget
This requires all partner agencies to work collaboratively to improved outcomes for Children and Young People with SEND.
You can find further information regarding SEND on Staffordshire County Councils website: https://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/education/welfareservice/SpecialEducationalNeeds/Special-educational-needs.aspx
Useful Links
Children and Families Bill - https://councilfordisabledchildren.org.uk/help-resources/resources/summary-children-and-families-act
Code of practice - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/send-code-of-practice-0-to-25
CDC Website - https://councilfordisabledchildren.org.uk/
Children & Young People and Families
Making it personal - https://councilfordisabledchildren.org.uk/help-resources/resources/making-it-personal-family-guide
SEND support-easy read - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/young-persons-guide-to-the-children-and-families-act-2014
https://councilfordisabledchildren.org.uk/help-resources/resources/send-support-easy-read-guides-parents-and-young-people