Family cases involving children and young people with SEND often feature added complexity, beyond the remit of family courts. Mencap and Public Health England identified 353,000 children as having a learning disability (2016) and with divorce rates sharply...
This year we want to show the world the incredible things that people with a learning disability achieve, smashing misconceptions about what people can do and shining a light on the stigma many still face every day. Mencap’s Learning...
This is the final article in our series on matters parents/carers may need to address in the following year. You can find the other articles here . Parents/young people can request mediation if they are unhappy with the social and/or health care elements...
This is the fourth in our series of articles this week, following on from what should be included in an EHCP, and how to find a placement. You can find the other articles here Parents/young people must have a mediation certificate before they can register...
This is the third in our series of back to school articles for parents and carers, following on from our discussion of the content of Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) and annual/phase transfer reviews. You can find the other articles here . Pupils...
This is the second article in our ‘Back to School’ series; yesterday we examined the content of Education, Health and Care plans (EHCPs). You can find the article here . Annual Reviews Local authorities (LAs) must review EHCPs at least once...
As pupils prepare to return to school and college, we’ve put together a series of five articles on matters that parents/carers may need to address in the next year. In our first article, we examine the content of Education, Health and Care Plans...
The National Autistic Society describes autism as a ‘lifelong, developmental disability that affects how a person communicates with and relates to other people, and how they experience the world around them’. Autism is a spectrum condition...
I spoke with Snap Care on 12 January 2022, to discuss Transition Reviews of Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs). Below are some of the questions and answers: 1. What are Transition Reviews? EHCPs are legally required to be reviewed...
The local authority must complete an EHC needs assessment if your child has or may have special educational needs, and if your child may need special educational provision to be made through an EHCP. You do not need a formal diagnosis in order to...
Many Local Authorities (LA) are currently holding review meetings to review and amend the Education, Health and Care Plan (“EHCP”) for children or young people that are due to transfer from one phase of education to another. Phase transfer...
Turning 18 is a fundamental milestone for all young people. For children and young people with a disability and/or special educational needs, it can be a particularly challenging time. In practice, planning for post-18 support for a disabled child tends to...
Slough Borough Council has declared bankruptcy, joining Northamptonshire County Council and Croydon Council in issuing notice that it can now provide only essential council services. In February 2021 the Financial Times reported twelve authorities were in...
When a local authority (LA) issues an EHCP, it must arrange the provision specified in Section F (s42 Children & Families Act 2014). The question of what is ‘reasonable’ time to implement Section F was examined in the recent case of BA, R (On...
I spoke with Snap Care on 31 March 2021, to discuss Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) and the relevant topic of ‘Back to School’. Below are some of the questions and answers: 1. Should all children/young people (C/YP), including those...
An area of SEN that can cause uncertainty is funding and, in particular, the different elements of SEN funding and what, in practice, these mean for support for pupils in schools. Element 1 Known as the core budget/Age Weighted Pupil Unit (AWPU) for each...
A report by an educational psychologist (EP) is often the corner stone for an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP). What do educational psychologists do for the EHCP? EPs gather information within the school/education context to work alongside other...
September is fast approaching and with it brings the start of a new school year. It would seem that parents now more than ever have an abundance of different types of school to choose from. Or do they? What responsibilities do the various bodies have and...
Angelman UK (also known as ASSERT) held its 10th family conference on the weekend of 10-12 th August 2018. Laxmi Patel , Head of Education, was invited to give a seminar on Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) and run workshops on what parents can do...
An acquired brain injury (ABI) is an injury caused to the brain after birth. It can be caused by a fall, a road traffic accident, stroke or a tumour or meningitis. The initial focus after all brain injuries is medical help. Once this has stabilised, for...
I recently visited the Helen Arkell Dyslexia Centre in Surrey, a specialist centre offering assessments and services for children and adults with Specific Learning Difficulties, to provide training on Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs). Helen Arkell...
The new Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Pilot Regulations giving the SEND Tribunal the ability to made recommendations on health and/or social care aspects of the Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) will apply to decisions made from 3...
The appeal of S-G v Denbighshire County Council and another has, for the first time, considered how special educational needs tribunals should handle a case where parents do not agree with one another about school placement. This judgement...
On Thursday 10 March we attended the Kidz to Adultz event at the Ricoh Arena. We attend these events every year. Every year, we speak to increasing numbers of parents raising concerns. This year, we spoke with dozens of parents, more than ever before,...
Laxmi Patel recently contributed to an article in School’s Week in response to a Freedom of Information request highlighting significant differences between local authorities in the number of assessments completed in the first year of the...
The Department for Education (DfE) has published statistical analysis of absences and exclusions for pupils with special educational needs (SEN). It is no surprise that the statistics show that children with SEN and/or disabilities are more...
The Children and Families Act 2014 came into force in September 2014. It completely changed how children with special educational needs (SEN) are now supported. Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCP) are available for children with the...
Laxmi Patel, head of Boyes Turner’s Special Educational Needs team, has recently written an article for Afasic news. Her article discussed the changes made to the way children with special educational needs (SEN) are supported. The article...
When carrying out an Education, Health and Care (EHC) needs assessment that will lead to an EHC plan the law is clear that the final plan must be issued within 20 weeks of the initial request. The law states in the Special Educational...