INFORMATION, ADVICE AND SUPPORT TO CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS AND DISABILITIES (SEND) AND PARENTS

See 'Attachments' for a Word version of the description. On 1 September 2014, Part 3 of the Children and Families Act 2014 took effect; offering simpler, improved and more consistent help for children and young people in England with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The new system: • has replaced statements of SEN and learning disability assessments with Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans - setting out in one place all the support families will receive; • requires councils to publish a 'local offer' showing the support they expect to be available in the area to all children and young people who have disabilities or SEN; • requires better co-operation between councils and health services to make sure that services for children and young people with SEN and disabilities are jointly planned and commissioned; • gives parents and young people with EHC plans the offer of a personal budget; • has introduced mediation for disputes; and • has introduced a legal right for children and young people with an EHC plan to express a preference for state academies, free schools and further education colleges. On 30 November 2017 the Minister for Children and Families, Robert Goodwill, announced a package of additional support for embedding the SEND reforms in England during 2018-19. This included: • £29 million to support councils and their local partners with implementation of the reforms; • £9.7 million to establish local supported internship forums; creating work placements for young people with SEND and training job coaches, who are vital to the success of supporting those with learning difficulties into paid work; and • £4.6 million for Parent Carer Forums, which bring parents together with local decision-makers and help to provide them with a voice in the process. It is critical to the success of the new system of support for children and young people with SEND that they, and their parents, have access to high quality, accurate information and impartial advice and support to enable them to participate effectively in decisions that affect them. This should best ensure that children and young people with SEND receive the right support at the right time, which improves their education and life outcomes. Effective participation by families is a fundamental principle of the SEND reforms. To complement this programme of ongoing delivery support, the Government is now seeking applications for a new contract in 2018-19 and 2019-20 to ensure that, in every local authority area, children and young people with SEND and their families have access to impartial information, advice and support covering SEND issues - including through a dedicated Freephone service.