Isle of Wight Council

SEND Reform - Work on the Isle of Wight

Education, Health and Care Plans

From September 2014 the new Children and Families Act 2014 will become law. This replaces the current Statement of Special Educational Needs and Section 139a Learning Difficulty Assessment with the Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) running from birth to age 25 years for children with special educational needs.

Transitioning from statements and s139a Move-On plans in to EHCPs.

The Code of Practice will also include the 'Transition' arrangements setting out how, who and over what time frame IW County Council have to move existing statements of special educational needs and section 139a Move-On plans (learning difficulty assessments) in to the Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) format.

Parents, carers, children and young people will continue to be at the heart of these changes through Parents Voice/People Matter. We are also working with a range of people, including schools, colleges, children’s and adult’s social care, the NHS, and the voluntary and community sector.

The main differences are that the EHCP is:

  • More person centred with more engagement and involvement from parents, carers, children and young people in the process
  • More co-ordinated assessment process across education, health and care services
  • Focusses on outcomes to be achieved for each child/young person
  • Runs from birth to age 25
  • Includes parents, carers, children and young people at the heart of the changes
  • The legislation applies equally to all schools including academies and free schools

The Lead Officer for this workstream is Kate Symes, Manager, Special Educational Needs Service, Children’s Services who can be contacted via the contacts tab above.

Developing the approach for the Isle of Wight

A multi-disciplinary team has been compiled consisting of key stakeholders including parents and carers, schools and health. The purpose of the workstream, and workstream members are set out within the terms of reference, to view, please click here. As this process develops our information will be updated.

The workstream includes the following aspects:

  • EHCP process for the Isle of Wight Council and Health CCG
  • EHCP format and guidance, including provision sign-off from Health and Social Care
  • EHCP professional appendices single format
  • Family/Our Story format and guidance
  • Child/young person’s Story (My Story) and guidance
  • Trial EHCP for one EY child and one 16+ student
  • Training for professionals
  • Raising awareness publicity requirements
  • Technical briefings on the Reforms for professionals across agencies
  • Approach to mediation and disagreement resolution
  • Defining quality outcomes
  • Determining the assessment co-ordinator type role to work with families
  • Annual review process
  • Developing a conversion plan for existing statements and Section 139a Move On Plans
  • Trial conversions from existing statements of SEN and Section 139a Move On Plans in to EHCPs
  • Impartial, information and advice requirements
  • Step down process when a decision is made not to undertake a statutory assessment or proceed to an EHCP following a statutory assessment