Clackmannanshire Counciland Stirling Council

Education

Guidance on Co-ordinated Support Plans

Revised 2013

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Contents

Section Page

1. Introduction 4

2. Who is eligible for a Co-ordinated Support Plan? 4

3. Requesting an assessment 5

4. What does a Co-ordinated Support Plan contain? 6

5. Who makes the decision? 8

6. Role of the Support Coordinator 9

7. Advocacy, mediation and dispute resolution 9

8. Additional Support Needs Tribunals 10

9. Creating a new Co-ordinated Support Plan 12

10. Reviewing a Co-ordinated Support Plan 16

11. Custody of a Co-ordinated Support Plan 20

12. Transfer of a Co-ordinated Support Plan 20

13. Disclosure of a Co-ordinated Support Plan 20

14. Discontinuance, preservation and destruction of a Co-ordinated Support Plan 21

15. Young People approaching 18th Birthday 22

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List of AppendicesPage

1 Timeline to create a Co-ordinated Support Plan 23

2 Flow diagram to create a Co-ordinated Support Plan 25

3 List of letters from CSP Management Group to create a Co-ordinated Support Plan

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4 List of letters from Support Coordinator to create a Co-ordinated Support Plan 27

5 Timeline to review a Co-ordinated Support Plan 28

6 Flow diagram to review a Co-ordinated Support Plan 30

7 List of letters from CSP Management Group to review a Co-ordinated Support Plan

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8 List of letters from Support Coordinator to review a Co-ordinated Support Plan 32

9 List of letters from CSP Management Group to discontinue a Co-ordinated Support Plan

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10 Time limit exceptions 34

11 Appropriate agency request period and exceptions 35

12 Reviewing Co-ordinated Support Plans and time limit exceptions 36

Supporting Documents (on Intranet)

Guidance for Allied Health Professionals on Report Writing for CSPs (including report proformas)

Guidance for Social Workers on Report Writing for CSPs (including report proformas)

CRIB – Communication Resource Information Booklet

Coordinated Support Plan template

Request form for CSP Management Group

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1. Introduction

Chapter 5 of the Code of Practice gives detailed information on Co-ordinated Support Plans (CSPs). Below are extracts from that chapter and guidance on how the Code has been interpreted by Clackmannanshire and Stirling Councils Education Service, The process of preparing and reviewing a Co-ordinated Support Plan is also explained.

2. Who is eligible for a Co-ordinated Support Plan?

The 4 criteria for requiring a Co-ordinated Support Plan are as follows:

1. An education authority is responsible for the education of the child/young person

Early Years and Pre-SchoolChildren below the age of 3 years are not eligible for a Co-ordinated Support Plan as they are not eligible for school education. When the child is in a pre-school provision managed by us or a partnership nursery they are eligible for a Plan if all the other criteria are met. The Code suggests that we should not however wait until the child is 3 years old to determine whether a plan is required. It may be appropriate to begin the assessment process at 2 years old.

School AgeThe Code stipulates that we must be responsible for the education of the child/young person before a Co-ordinated Support Plan can be prepared. However, we are also responsible for determining if a child/young person requires a plan if that child/young person has been placed in an independent or grant-aided special school by the relevant authority group or through the Children’s Hearing System as we are still responsible for that child/young person’s education.

We are not responsible for Co-ordinated Support Plans for a child/young person attending a school in another authority, an independent or grant-aided special school by way of a parental placing request or if the child/young person is educated at home. In these circumstances we may be asked to determine if the child/young person has additional support needs or requires a Co-ordinated Support Plan but we are not obliged to do so. The CSP Management Group would take this decision. 2. The child or young person has additional support needs arising from one or more

complex factors or multiple factors

There are a wide range of factors that may lead to a child/young person having additional support needs. These have been grouped into broad, overlapping themes:

Learning Environment Family Circumstances Disability or Health Social and Emotional Factors

The Code states that a factor is “complex” if it has, or is likely to have a significant adverse affect on the child/young person’s school education. Multiple factors are factors that may not be complex but taken together have, or are likely to have a significant adverse effect. In all cases it is the factors’ impact on the child/young person’s education that is important. This is determined by the assessments carried out by the Team around the Child.

3. Those needs are likely to continue for more than one year

The Code stipulates that the additional support need is likely to continue for more than a year however the support to address that need does not need to continue for more than a

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year. Again this is determined by the assessments carried out by the Team around the Child.

4. Those needs require significant additional support to be provided by the authority in the exercise of any of their other functions as well as their functions relating to education or one or more appropriate agencies as well as by the authority themselves

The Code stipulates that, as well as support provided by Education, there needs to be significant support required from at least one of the following:

Any other Council service e.g.; Social Work Any other local authority Any NHS Board Careers Scotland Any further or higher education college or establishment Skills Development Scotland

These organisations are called “Appropriate Agencies”. While the child/young person may receive support from independent or private organisations such as INPP, Kumon Tutors etc, they are not considered when determining the support required for a Co-ordinated Support Plan and should not be named in the Plan.

However, if a child is receiving support from a voluntary agency, private provider or charity organisation commissioned by Social Work, this should be included as part of the support provided by an “Appropriate Agency”.

As well as Education, there needs to be significant support from at least one other Appropriate Agency. The Code does not define the term “significant”. Allied Health Professionals and Social Work colleagues have developed assessment criteria to assist with determining their level of involvement and this is indicated on their reports (see supporting documents on Intranet). A CSP is likely to be required if there is a substantial level of input from one appropriate agency. A CSP may also be required where there is more than one agency working with the child/young person but none specify a substantial input. In all cases paperwork should be submitted to CSP Management Group for a decision, providing the other 3 criteria are met. The CSP Management Group will consider the reports submitted and will decide whether the level(s) of support(s) indicated would require coordination through a CSP.

Report proformas have also been created for use by Allied Health Professionals and Social Work colleagues (see supporting documents on Intranet). Decisions on significance will take into account:

Frequency Intensity Nature Duration

3. Requesting an Assessment

The provision of additional support and requests for CSPs will be managed through the Staged Intervention process. This process should involve parents/carers and the child/young person at every stage. Parents/carers should be aware that they can request an assessment to establish whether their child has additional support needs or requires a CSP at any time through the Staged Intervention process. The Staged Intervention meeting is the appropriate forum for the parents/carers and the Team around the Child to discuss the need for any new assessments to be carried out. It is the responsibility of the Support Coordinator

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to contact the ASN Officer if a request for a particular assessment is made by parent/carers or any other agency working with the child/young person. If appropriate, the ASN Officer will request any additional assessments on behalf of the Education Service as per the 2009 Act and will ensure that the agency concerned are aware of the timescales stipulated in the Code for carrying out the assessment and providing the report.

Parents/carers can request a particular assessment or examination (educational, medical, psychological or a combination of these) be carried out at any time regardless of whether a CSP is being considered. We are required to comply with this request unless it is unreasonable to do so.

4. What does a Co-ordinated Support Plan contain?

There is a designated Co-ordinated Support Plan (CSP) format that must be completed for all CSPs. The content of this form is laid out in accordance with the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2009 and the supporting document, Supporting Children’s Learning – Code of Practice (revised edition) 2010, annex B.

The Plan contains:

Front pagePlease complete name of child/young person, school attended and delete the appropriate Council logo.

Section 1Child / Young Person Details

The child or young person’s name. Contact details for the child or young person. Preferred language or communication method. School currently attended. Date of entry to current school.

Section 2Parental DetailsSpecify contact details for the parents or those adults who have, or share, responsibility for the care of the child or young person. If the address of either parent is not to be disclosed for any reason, this must be indicated here.

Section 3ProfileThe purpose of this section is to build a holistic pen picture of the child or young person. It should focus on the positive aspects of the child or young person’s life, e.g. his/her skills and capabilities. It may also include information about the school attended or curriculum, other planning in place, his/her favourite activities, or how he/she likes to learn. It should not use emotive language or phrases that could be considered the opinion of the author such as ‘he is a lovely little boy’ or ‘she has a fantastic personality’.

Section 4Factors giving rise to additional support needsThis part of the Plan must state the complex factor(s), or multiple factors giving rise to the additional support needs. In some cases, the factors may be in diagnostic terms such as autism spectrum disorder, learning disability or clinical depression. In other cases, the factor or factors may be more descriptive and related directly to the personal circumstances of the child or young person and family.

It should be clear from the assessment information what the complex and/or multiple factors are and how these are influencing the development of the child or young person and his/her

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ability to benefit from school education. All the complex and/or multiple factors involved should be stated in this section. The factors triggering the requirement for a CSP need to have, or be likely to have, a significant adverse effect on the school education of the child or young person and this adverse effect is likely to continue for more than one year (see section on “Who is Eligible for a Co-ordinated Support Plan”)

Section 5 Column 1Educational Objectives - i.e.; what is to be achieved by the child/young personThis column should contain those educational objectives that require the various forms of support to be co-ordinated if they are to be achieved. The educational objectives are aims and goals suited to a child’s strengths and needs and that the child may be expected to achieve in a year. These objectives should be set to ensure that the school education provided, or to be provided, will benefit the child or young person. They may for example include social skills or communication skills or independent living skills. They may cover relevant experiences beyond the classroom including those in the community. Where other plans are in place, the CSP should refer to these but not duplicate the content of the plans unless this is required to meet the statutory requirements for the Plan. The educational objectives should be written co-operatively by the Team around the Child and should be written from the child/young person’s perspective, i.e. ‘James will….’. They must also be based on the aims detailed by the appropriate agencies in their reports. Column 2Additional Support required – how will this objective be achievedThis column should contain the additional support required by the child/young person to achieve each of the educational objectives. Each description of support to be provided should be clear and specific with details of frequency and timings. Each statement may include:

Teaching and other staffing arrangements Appropriate facilities and resources, clearly named Any particular approaches to learning and teaching to be used Use of information and communication technology

Column 3Persons providing the additional support - who will help achieve the objectiveIn this column specify the persons by whom the additional support shall be provided.These will be the agencies or professionals and parents/carers providing the support i.e. ‘speech and language therapist’, ASN Outreach/Inclusion Teacher‘, ‘Social Worker’, ‘School staff’ but not the actual names of the individuals.

Section 6Nominated schoolName of the school it is intended that the child will attend in the next 12 months and contact details. Also include the nature of placement i.e. day, residential, part-time etc.

Section 7Parental CommentParental comments on any aspects of the CSP process as well as the plan itself. These comments can be provided in alternative formats if required and referred to in this section. It is important to ensure that specific details on how and where these comments were sought are shown. For example:

“Comments given at Staged intervention/CSP review meeting held on (insert date)”“Comments given during telephone conversation held on (insert date)”Comments received via email received on (insert date)”Comments sought on (insert date) by telephone/letter/email but not received”

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Section 8Child or Young Person’s CommentsThis section should include the views, if any, of the child or young person on any aspects of the CSP process as well as the Plan itself. Children and young people should be enabled to complete these themselves or they could provide written or verbal comments to be inserted. Alternative forms of communication can be used, such as a verbal recording, photographic/ video evidence, talking mat, the use of signs or symbols, etc. Further information on various methods of communication can be found in the CRIB – Communication Resource Information Booklet available on the Council Intranet. Children and young people should be encouraged to consider areas such as their involvement in the process, including the drafting of the Plan, and whether their views have been adequately taken into account. Again, details on how and where these comments were sought should be given.

Section 9CSP Review Timetable (please note that this has changed)This section includes:

The date the CSP began (i.e. the date it was signed by the Service Manager, Inclusion)

When the subsequent review of the CSP must begin (12 weeks before the 12 month anniversary of the CSP signing)

When the review must be completed (by the 12 month anniversary of the CSP signing)

The ASN Officer will complete all these dates.

Section 10Education Authority Contact Points.The Headteacher / Depute Headteacher / Support Coordinator is responsible, on behalf of the Education Service, for co-ordinating the additional support required by the child/young person as detailed in the CSP. In the case of a child educated in a school or provision outwith the Authority, this is the responsibility of the Educational Psychologist.

Section 11Parental advice and information on the CSPThe parent of a child or young person with a CSP or the young person themselves may obtain advice and further information from the ASN Officer, or any other member of the ASN team in their absence.

The CSP form can be downloaded from the Council Intranet.

5. Who makes the decision?

It is the responsibility of the Team around the Child (TAC) to consider whether the child/young person meets the 4 criteria for a Co-ordinated Support Plan. The Team around the Child is made up of all those people involved in delivering support to the child/young person. These may include:

Parent/carers School and Support for Learning staff Educational Psychologist Occupational Therapist Physiotherapist Speech and Language Therapist ASN Outreach Teacher or Inclusion Teacher Social Work staff Dietician Class Teacher School Nurse

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However, it is ultimately the role of the CSP Management Group to determine whether the 4 criteria are met and therefore, whether a Co-ordinated Support Plan should be approved.

CSP Management Group

The CSP Management Group is chaired by the Service Manager, Inclusion and consists of members of the Education ASN team, Outreach/Inclusion Co-ordinators, an Educational Psychologist, a representative of allied health professionals (AHPs) from NHS Forth Valley and senior social work staff. They meet on the first Tuesday of every month (excluding July and August and January) and the remit of the group is to carry out the functions of the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2009 in relation to the management of the Co-ordinated Support Plan process on behalf of the Clackmannanshire and Stirling Councils.

The Group are responsible for all decisions regarding CSPs. The ASN Officer communicates these decisions on behalf of the Group to the Support Coordinator and to the parents/carers and the young person if appropriate. Any papers to be considered by the CSP Management Group should be sent to CSP Admin Support for collation and distribution. The schedule of the Group is also available on the Council Intranet. All paperwork should arrive at least one week before a scheduled meeting.

6. Role of the Support Coordinator

The Support Coordinator is the head teacher or depute (or in the case of schools outwith the management of the Council, the Educational Psychologist carries out the functions of a Support Coordinator) working with the child or young person. The Support Coordinator is responsible for monitoring provision of all additional support provided to the child or young person and to ensure that the required support identified is in place and delivered whether through the Staged Intervention process or via a CSP or other Plan.

Once a Plan is in place, the Support Coordinator must ensure that all those involved in providing support (the Team around the Child) are aware of what is required of them. It is also the responsibility of the Support Coordinator to ensure all decisions made by the CSP Management Group are communicated to the appropriate agencies. Although the ASN Officer, on behalf of the CSP Management Group, will inform parents/carers, and the young person where appropriate, of the decisions of the Group, it is the responsibility of the Support Coordinator to ensure they are invited to any meetings where Staged Intervention and/or Co-ordinated Support Plans will be discussed.

The Support Coordinator should also know the procedures to follow if there is a break in the delivery of the support to the child/young person, for example, when due to the sickness or absence of a person from an appropriate agency. It is the responsibility of the Support Coordinator to ensure a suitable replacement is found to ensure continuity of support by contacting that particular agency. If no replacement is identified and the support to that child or young person is interrupted, the Service Manager should be notified as soon as possible.

The Support Coordinator is the formal point of contact for parents/carers and all those involved in supporting the child/young person and therefore must be conversant with all relevant policies, guidelines and procedures relating to CSPs.

7. Advocacy, Mediation and Dispute Resolution

Parents/carers and the young person themselves may not always agree with the decisions made by the Support Coordinator, the Team around the Child or the CSP Management Group regarding the provision of additional support. They may also find it difficult to speak

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up in meetings and to get their views across. The Act makes provision for access to advocacy, mediation and dispute resolution services for parents/carers and young people.

AdvocacyUnder the Act, parents/carers, children and young people have the right to have a supporter or advocate with them at meetings to discuss additional support needs. This could be a relative, friend, befriender or voluntary organisation worker. It could also be a professional working with the child/young person as long as there is no conflict of interest with the professional’s duties under the Act. We do not have a duty to provide or pay for a supporter or advocate but we must, through our information materials, tell parents/carers, children and young people of their rights to advocacy and how to find a service in their area.

The Act requires the Scottish Government to make an advocacy service available, free of charge to parents/carers in Tribunal proceedings. Parents/carers will be able to get information on how to access the advocacy service from the Tribunal secretariat or the leaflet “Getting Help and Resolving Disagreements” which is sent out, by the ASN Officer, when any decisions regarding a CSP are sent. The service will be provided through a partnership between Barnado’s and The Scottish Child Law Centre, referred to as ‘Take Note’. All initial enquiries should be made through the Scottish Child Law Centre on their advice line on 0131 6676333 and further information can be found at www.barnados.org.uk/takenote.

MediationMediation provides an option for avoiding, resolving or narrowing the area of disagreement between the authority and the parents/carers and/or child/young person. Mediation can also help build or rebuild positive relationships between the authority and the family. A mediator is an independent third party. The ASN Officer will provide details of independent mediators and agencies that can provide mediation. It should be noted that mediation services can be used at any time during a disagreement and does not affect the entitlement to make a reference to a Tribunal. However, mediation is only available to resolve disagreements relating to duties of the authority under the Act and not for resolving disagreements with the school.

Dispute Resolution/Independent AdjudicationIn the context of the Code the service for resolving disputes is only applicable when the disagreement is about the way the authority are exercising their functions under the Act. The disagreement may be about any aspect of the provision of additional support and is not limited to CSPs.

This is a formal process. All requests for dispute resolution have to be made to the Scottish Ministers and the Ministers will refer the application to the relevant education authority. The Ministers appoint an independent adjudicator and all appropriate papers are sent to them. Their role is to review, objectively and independently, all the information relating to the dispute and to make recommendations on the best way forward. It is expected that both parties will accept the recommendations made by the adjudicator. The whole process is expected to be completed within 60 working days. All requests for Dispute Resolution should be made to: Support for Learning (Section 70), Area 2c, South Victoria Quay, Leith, Edinburgh, EH6 6QQ.

It is important to note that using advocacy, mediation or dispute resolution services does not in any way affect the parents/carers or young persons right to make a reference to the Additional Support Needs Tribunal.

8. Additional Support Needs Tribunal

Parents/carers and young people can make a reference to the Tribunal on matters relating to CSPs, placing requests (in relation to special schools and/or CSPs), school to post-school

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transitions and disability discrimination. In relation to CSPs, a reference can be made regarding:

A decision to prepare a Plan A decision not to prepare a Plan A decision to continue a Plan following a review A decision to not to continue a Plan following a review A failure to meet the timescales stipulated in the Act A decision to refuse a request for an early review A failure to respond to a request to consider a Plan A failure to provide the support contained in the Plan

Therefore it is imperative that the procedures outlined in the following sections are strictly adhered to in order that references to the Tribunal service can be kept to a minimum.

A leaflet called “Getting Help and Resolving Disagreements” has been produced as a guide for parents/carers and young people and is available on the Council public website.

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9. Creating a New Co-ordinated Support Plan

The Code stipulates that a request to consider a Co-ordinated Support Plan can be made at any time by the young person, parents/carers or by a member of the Team around the Child.

As Additional Support for Learning is organised through the Staged Intervention process it is expected that any consideration given to CSPs will be discussed at a Staged Intervention meeting. This is the most appropriate forum for these discussions as the whole Team around the Child, including parents/carers should be in attendance. Discussions should also take place at Care Review meetings where appropriate.

If a request is made to consider a CSP outwith one of these meetings it is the responsibility of the Support Coordinator to arrange a meeting and to invite the Team around the Child to attend. All requests should be made in writing. It is important it is made clear to all concerned that the purpose of the meeting is to discuss a CSP. Every Staged Intervention meeting concerning a child/young person on or likely to move to Stage 4 should include a discussion about the possibility of a CSP.

A timeline and flow chart have been produced (see appendices 1 and 2) that outline the procedure to create a Co-ordinated Support Plan; the following sections describe that procedure in more detail.

LettersOn both the timeline and the flow chart, letters have been colour coded to indicate who would send them:

___ –Light green indicates letter will be sent by the ASN Officer on behalf of the CSP Management Group (see appendix 3). These use letters in their name ie; Newcsp(a)

___ –Light blue indicates letter will be sent by the Support Coordinator (see appendix 4). These use numbers in their name ie; Newcsp(1)

On the flowchart (appendix 2) these letters are represented by flags.

All letters needed by Support Coordinators are available to download from the Council Intranet. It is acceptable to add information to these letters however no information should be removed as it corresponds to specific duties under the Act and Code of Practice. The following shows the steps to create a new Co-ordinated Support Plan as per the timeline in appendix 1 in more detail.

Step 1 – takes place in week 1A Staged Intervention/Care Review meeting is held with all agencies working with the child/young person and their parents/carers. If this meeting is for a child/young person on, or likely to move to stage 4 of Staged Intervention there should be a discussion around CSPs. The Team around the Child should consider whether the 4 criteria for a CSP might be met. If it is felt that the 4 criteria may be met, all those present should schedule a meeting to prepare the CSP for no longer than 10 weeks time.

Step 2a – takes place in week 1If the Team around the Child feel that the child/young person may meet the 4 criteria for a CSP, letter Newcsp(1) is sent to all the Appropriate Agencies currently working with the child/young person by the Support Coordinator. This letter formally requests that CSP reports be prepared and sent and confirms the meeting to prepare the CSP. Even if reports are requested verbally from those at the meeting, a written request should still be sent. This formally gives the appropriate agencies 10 weeks to prepare and send their reports as per the Act (subject to time limit exceptions - see appendix 13).

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If the agencies are unable to comply with this timescale they are asked to inform the Support Coordinator as soon as possible. The Act outlines the acceptable reasons for a delay in the Regulations (see appendix 11). If there is going to be a delay the ASN Officer should be notified immediately.

Step 2b – takes place in week 1Letter Newcsp(2) should be used to inform parents/carers that these reports have been requested and that a meeting has been scheduled. This letter formally acknowledges to the parents/carers and young person if appropriate, that a CSP is being considered. The Act stipulates that we now have 16 weeks to complete the process. Leaflets on ‘Co-ordinated Support Plans’ and ‘Going to Meetings’ should be included with this letter. The ASN Officer should be CC-ed into this letter. If the parents/carers were not at the meeting, this letter will also inform them of steps taken so far and what will happen next. Step 3– to take place by week 2The Support Coordinator sends an email to the ASN Officer and CSP Admin Support along with the minute of the meeting at which a CSP was discussed and a copy of the letter Newcsp(2) sent to the parents/carers. This minute should detail the discussion and list the CSP reports requested and the deadline for submission.

Step 4 – to take place by weeks 10 or 11CSP meeting takes place. This meeting is to decide whether the child/young person may meet the criteria for a CSP based on the reports submitted by the appropriate agencies. It should already have been scheduled when the reports were requested.

Step 4aIf the Team around the Child agree that the 4 criteria may be met, the CSP should be drafted at this meeting. If the Team around the Child cannot agree as to whether a CSP should be drafted advice should be sought from the ASN Officer to avoid unnecessary work. All CSPs should be written on the correct CSP form available on the Intranet. It is vital that the views of the parents/carers and the child/young person are sought and are included in the Plan. For further guidance on what should be included in the plan please refer to the earlier section and the Code of Practice. It is important to note that the majority of the work to prepare the Co-ordinated Support Plan should take place at this meeting however it is also recognised that the Support Coordinator might need to communicate individually with Appropriate Agencies to finalise the detail of the Plan. If the representative from the Appropriate Agency is unable to attend the meeting, the information contained in their report can be used to write the educational objective(s) to which they will contribute however the draft Plan must be shared with them before it is submitted to the ASN Officer and CSP Admin Support.

The final draft of the Plan must also be shared with the parent/carers and the young person if appropriate before it is submitted to the ASN Officer and CSP Admin Support. Their views should be sought and recorded. It is recognised that parental comments are often given over the phone or by email therefore it is important to state where, when and how these were sought and given.

It is also important at this stage to remind all involved that the final decision as to whether the criteria have been met and whether the CSP should be finalised lies with the CSP Management Group.

It is also recognised that some children and young people may have difficulty in expressing their views. Although annotated photographs showing the child or young person receiving support can be submitted, other methods of communication could be considered. Guidance written by NHS colleagues called “CRIB – Communication Resource Information Booklet” is available to download from the Intranet that gives details of various communication methods. Go to Step 5

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Step 4bIf, after considering the reports submitted by the appropriate agencies, the Team around the Child now feel that the 4 criteria for a CSP are not met, then a CSP will not be prepared. The Support Coordinator should send the reports and a minute of the meeting to the ASN Officer and CSP Admin Support. It is the ASN Officer’s responsibility to inform the parents/carers and the young person that a CSP will not be prepared and to explain their rights of appeal. The ASN Officer will send letter Newcsp(a) to the parents/carers.

Step 5 – to take place by week 11The Support Coordinator now fills out the request form and sends this with all CSP reports and the draft CSP to the ASN Officer and CSP Admin Support. These should be sent electronically wherever possible. Papers can also be faxed to the CSP Admin Support. It is important that all draft CSPs are received as a separate, electronic word document and not as part of a scanned pdf document as minor amendments may need to be made by the ASN Officer.

It is also important at this stage to inform the ASN Officer whether the young person should receive a copy of the Co-ordinated Support Plan if the decision is that one should be issued. It is the responsibility of the Team around the Child to determine whether the young person has the capacity of understanding. This information should be indicated on the request form. The Code stipulates that if the Team around the Child, including the parents/carers cannot reach a consensus on this matter or there is significant uncertainty about comprehension then a speech and language assessment should be undertaken to inform this process.

Step 6– to take place weeks 11-15The CSP Management Group will meet to consider the request, the CSP reports and the draft CSP and will decide if the levels of support are appropriate for a CSP to be issued.

6a&dIf the Group decides that the levels of support are not appropriate, the Support Coordinator and the parent/carers will be informed of this decision by letter:

Newcsp(b) – Letter to the Support Coordinator states that the decision of the CSP Management Group is that the levels of support are not appropriate therefore the CSP will not be finalised and signed. Instruction is given to the Support Coordinator to inform the Appropriate Agencies of the decision using letter Newcsp(3)

Newcsp(c) - Letter to parents/carers states that the decision of the CSP Management Group is that the levels of support are not appropriate therefore a Co-ordinated Support Plan will not be issued. This letter also outlines the parent/carers rights to appeal this decision.

If this decision is taken the child/young person’s additional support needs will continue to be met through the Staged Intervention process

Newcsp(h) - This letter is sent if no decision could be made by the CSP Management Group due to lack of information provided or if any necessary reports were missing. Parents/carers will be informed that the Support Coordinator will be working with the Team around the Child to rectify this and the request will be submitted to the next CSP Management Group. If the deadline for completion of the process will be missed due to this, the ASN Officer will inform the Support Coordinator of the necessary action to take.

6b&cIf the Group decides that the levels of support are appropriate, the ASN Officer will inform the Support Coordinator by email if there are any suggestions for amendments to be made to the CSP, as advised by the CSP Management Group. Any suggested changes to AHP educational objectives will be fed back to the AHP working with the child or young person by the health representative on the Group for their consideration and amendment where appropriate. This is also true of objectives suggested by Social Work. The Group may also

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decide that it would be appropriate for a member of the group to support the Support Coordinator in finalising the CSP. The ASN Officer will also inform the parents/carers that the CSP is being finalised and by which date they can expect to receive a signed copy, using letter Newcsp(d)

Step 7– to take place by week 15The Support Coordinator should now make any final amendments to the CSP and ensure the final version is shared with the contributing appropriate agencies and the parents/carers. The CSP should be returned, electronically to the ASN Officer.

Step 8– to take place by week 16The ASN Officer will add the appropriate dates and submit for signing to the Service Manager, Inclusion. Please note the start date of the CSP is the date it is signed by the Service Manager.

Step 9– to take place by end of week 16Copies of the signed CSP will be sent by the ASN Officer:

Newcsp(e) to the Support Coordinator. This letter contains information regarding the process of reviewing the Plan, what to do if a request for an early review is made and an instruction to send a copy of the Plan to the Appropriate Agencies.

Newcsp(f) to the parents/carers. This letter also contains information regarding the process of reviewing the Plan but also the procedures and right to appeal should the parents/carers be unhappy with the Plan in any way.

Newcsp(g) to the young person. This letter is similar to the one sent to the parents/carers however it is only sent if the ASN Officer has been notified that the young person has the capacity of understanding. This is done when the original request form to consider a CSP is sent.

Step 10 - to take place by end of week 16The Support Coordinator sends a copy of the signed CSP to the Appropriate Agencies named using letter Newcsp(4)

Step 11 – to take place by end of week 16The date of the start of the CSP and the subsequent review dates are logged on the Co-ordinated Support Plan database by the CSP Admin Support and a paper copy of the Plan filed in the Education department. A copy of each letter sent during this process will also be filed along with all reports and minutes received.

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10. Reviewing a Co-ordinated Support Plan

The Code stipulates that a Co-ordinated Support Plan must be formally reviewed at least every 12 months. However, the Code also allows parents/carers or the young person to request that the plan is reviewed at any time. We must comply with this request unless the request is unreasonable.

The Co-ordinated Support Plan must also be reviewed earlier than the stipulated 12 months if:

The child/young person moves from one establishment to another, including transition from nursery to primary or primary to secondary school

There are any significant changes in the child/young person’s circumstances which affects the support required to meet their needs

Should any of these circumstances occur the Support Coordinator should immediately advise the ASN Officer.

A timeline and flow chart have been produced (see appendices 5 and 6) that outline the procedure to review a CSP, the following sections describe that procedure in more detail.

Step 1 – to take place 4 weeks before review should beginThe ASN Officer and the CSP Admin Support monitor the CSP database and are alerted when the process to review all CSPs should begin.

It has been recognised that, as a CSP should be in place for 12 months and that previously the review should have been completed 12 weeks from the date it expires, that this left children and young people without CSP targets / Educational Objectives for up to 3 months It has been agreed by the CSP Management Group, on behalf of Clackmannanshire and Stirling Councils Education Service, that the CSP review should now be completed by the expiry date of the CSP and not 12 weeks later. This should also assist Support Coordinators with the scheduling of review meetings, as the whole CSP process will be 12 months instead of 15 months and will ensure no child or young person is without a Plan who requires one.

In order to ensure compliance with the above timescales, CSP Admin Support will send an email to the Support Coordinator 4 weeks before the CSP review must commence with a reminder of the review commencement and completion dates. The email will also outline the date of the relevant CSP Management Group meeting and deadlines for submissions of papers to this Group. The email will also inform the Support Coordinator that, if the review period falls over the summer holidays, there is the possibility to extend the 12-week deadline to up to 20 weeks (see appendix 12.

The reminder is sent 4 weeks before the commencement date in order that the Support Coordinator can request CSP review reports and arrange the review meeting if one is not already scheduled.

Step 2- to take place 4 weeks before review should beginThe Support Coordinator should schedule the meeting to review the CSP (this can be a joint Care review meeting or a Staged Intervention meeting if the timescales allow) and send an invitation to the Team around the Child, including the parents/carers using the following letters:

CSPReview(1) to the appropriate agencies working with the child/young person. In this letter the Support Coordinator must request CSP review reports from the appropriate agencies giving sufficient time for these reports to be prepared. The Code stipulates that an appropriate agency has 10 weeks, from the date requested, to complete a report. This is to give the agency sufficient time to carry out their assessments, write their report and share it with their line manager and parents/carers. The reports should be sent to Support Coordinator before the scheduled meeting to review the CSP in order that they can be

16

distributed to the Team around the Child. If this is not possible, the appropriate agency should bring their report to that meeting.

CSPReview(2) to the parents/carers. This letter will outline what will happen at the meeting and who will be invited to attend. The parents/carers also have the right to request a new assessment from an agency not already working with the child/young person. This letter will instruct them to request this via the Support Coordinator and it will be the responsibility of the Support Coordinator to inform the ASN Officer, by email, who will make the request on behalf of the Education Authority as per the Act, if appropriate.

Step 3 – to take place by end of week 6The purpose of the CSP review meeting is for the Team around the Child to establish whether the 4 eligibility criteria for a plan are still met by the child/young person based on the new CSP review reports submitted by the appropriate agencies. The meeting should also give consideration to:

How far the educational objectives have been met The child/young person’s current and future additional support needs The setting of new educational objectives, the support required and the agencies

responsible for providing it.

a) If the decision of the Team around the Child is that the levels of support have reduced significantly and/or that any of the other criteria are no longer met, the Support Coordinator should indicate this on the CSP Request form by completing the relevant sections. This form can be downloaded from the Intranet. This is sent to the CSP Admin Support along with copies of the CSP review reports used to draw this conclusion and the minute of the meeting.

b) If the decision of the Team around the Child is that the levels of support have increased, have not changed or have changed very little and that the 4 criteria are still met, the Support Coordinator should indicate this on the CSP Request form by completing the relevant sections and sending to the CSP Admin Support along with copies of the CSP review reports used to draw this conclusion and the minute of the meeting. Please note that the request is not to simply redraft the current Co-ordinated Support Plan but to prepare a new one as educational objectives, support required and the agencies responsible for providing it may have changed. The Support Coordinator and the Team around the Child should go ahead and prepare the CSP at this meeting with input from all in attendance. If any appropriate agencies are not in attendance and they are included in the CSP, it must be shared with them prior to submission.

The draft of the Plan must also be shared with the parent/carers and the young person if appropriate before it is submitted to the CSP Admin Support. Their views should be sought and recorded. It is recognised that parental comments are often given over the phone or by email therefore it is important to state where, when and how these were sought. If the Support Coordinator is finding it difficult to obtain these then the attempts to gain comments should be noted on the request form and on the draft Plan.

It is also recognised that some children and young people may have difficulty in expressing their views. Although annotated photographs showing the child or young person receiving support can be submitted, other methods of communication could be considered. Guidance written by NHS colleagues called “CRIB – Communication Resource Information Booklet” is available to download from the Intranet that gives details of various communication methods.

It is preferable that all paperwork is sent electronically to the CSP Admin Support. Reports received in paper form can be scanned and emailed or faxed. It is important that all draft CSPs are received as a separate, electronic word document and not as part of a scanned pdf document as minor amendments may need to be made by the ASN Officer.

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Step 4 – to take place by end of week 10The CSP Management Group will meet and will consider the request made based on the CSP review reports produced by the Appropriate Agencies.

a) If a request to discontinue the CSP is agreed by the Group the decision is sent to the Support Coordinator, the parents/carers and the young person if appropriate using the following letters:

CSPReview(a) is sent to the Support Coordinator. The reasons given by the CSP Management Group for the discontinuance will be outlined in this letter. The Support Coordinator will also be given instructions on the destruction of the CSP (for more information on the destruction of CSPs please see section 14). It is the responsibility of the Support Coordinator to inform all appropriate agencies of this decision, and to instruct the agencies to destroy all copies held (using letter CSPReview(3)).

CSPReview(b) is sent to the parent/carers. The letter will outline what will happen to all copies of the Co-ordinated Support Plan as well as their rights to appeal this decision.

CSPReview(c) is sent to the young person. This letter is similar to the one sent to the parents/carers however it is only sent if the ASN Officer has been notified that the young person has the capacity of understanding. This is done on the request form. If this decision is taken, no further action is needed and the support needs of the child/young person will continue to be met through the Staged Intervention process.

Please note that these actions will also be taken if the CSP Management Group disagrees with a request to prepare a CSP and instead determines that the criteria are not met. b) If the CSP Management Group agrees with the Support Coordinator and the Team around the Child that the criteria for a CSP are met, the Group will consider the child/young person’s profile and the proposed educational objectives outlined in the draft CSP. If the CSP is wholly accepted, move straight to step 8, otherwise, continue to step 5

c) If no decision could be made by the CSP Management Group due to lack of information or missing reports, the ASN Officer will write to the parents/carers using letter CSPReview(h) The ASN Officer will work with the Support Coordinator to ensure that the correct information is sought and submitted for the next CSP Management Group meeting.

Step 5 - to take place in weeks 10 to 12If the CSP Management Group suggests any alterations to the draft CSP submitted, this will be communicated to the Support Coordinator by email. Any suggested changes to AHP educational objectives will be fed back to the AHP working with the child or young person by the health representative on the Group for their consideration and amended where appropriate. This is also true of objectives suggested by Social Work. The Group may also decide that it would be appropriate for a member of the group to support the Support Coordinator in finalising the CSP. In the meantime the ASN Officer will write to the parents/carers to tell them that another CSP has been agreed and that the Support Coordinator is finalising it, using letter CSPReview(d) .

Step 6 -- to take place in weeks 10 to 12The Support Coordinator should make the necessary alterations to the CSP. They must share the final version of the CSP with the appropriate agencies and the parents/carers and seek their approval before it is re-submitted to the ASN Officer. Again, if the Support Coordinator is finding it difficult to obtain approval from parents/carers, before the deadline for final submission, then the attempts should be noted on the CSP.

For further guidance on what should be included in the Plan please refer to section 4, and the Code of Practice.

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Steps 7&8 – to take place by end of week 12The final draft version of the CSP should be sent electronically to the ASN Officer and CSP Admin Support who will add the appropriate dates and submit for signing to the Service Manager, Inclusion. Please note the start date of the CSP is the date it is signed by the Service Manager.

Step 9 – to take place by end of week 12Copies of the signed CSP will be sent by the ASN Officer along with the following letters:

CSPReview(e) to the Support Coordinator. This letter contains information regarding future review dates, what to do if a request for an early review is made and an instruction to send a copy of the plan to the appropriate agencies (using letter CSPReview(4)).

CSPReview(f) to the parents/carers. This letter also contains information regarding future review dates but also the procedures and right to appeal should the parents/carers be unhappy with the plan in any way.

CSPReview(g) to the young person. This letter is similar to the one sent to the parents/carers however it is only sent if the ASN Officer has been notified that the young person has the capacity of understanding. This is done when the original request form to consider a CSP is sent.

Step 10 - to take place by end of week 12The Support Coordinator sends a copy of the CSP to the Appropriate Agencies name using letter CSPReview(4).

Step 11 – to take place by end of week 12The date of the start of the CSP and the subsequent review dates are logged on the Co-ordinated Support Plan database by the CSP Admin Support and a paper copy of the Plan filed in the Education department. A copy of each letter sent during this process will also be filed along with all reports received.

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Custody, Transfer, Disclosure, Discontinuance, Preservation and Destruction of a Co-ordinated Support Plan

11. Custody of a Coordinated Support Plan

The Clackmannanshire and Stirling Councils Education Service must keep a copy of the CSP in an appropriate place. The Code states that a copy must also be kept at the school in an appropriate place. Please give consideration to the fact that this is a statutory, confidential document and access to it should be limited to the Team around the Child. The Code also provides that the parents/carers and the young person have a copy. It is the responsibility of the ASN Officer to ensure a copy is sent to the school, the parents/carers and if appropriate, the young person. It is the responsibility of the Support Coordinator to ensure copies are sent to the Appropriate Agencies with the permission of the parents/carers.

12. Transfer of a Coordinated Support Plan

When a child/young person moves from one authority to another, the authority that prepared the Plan is responsible for transferring it to the new authority. This should be done within 4 weeks of the move. The ASN Officer in conjunction with the Support Coordinator will undertake this duty. It is then the responsibility of the new authority to inform the parents/carers that they are now responsible for the Plan, the support it outlines and who the new Support Coordinator is.

The new authority are also required to seek and take account of information and advice from the original authority as well as Appropriate Agencies working with the child/young person. This is to ensure that the two authorities are in communication regarding the CSP to ensure a smooth transition and handover.

As a move from one school to another and from one authority to another is regarded as a significant change in the child/young person’s circumstances it will be the responsibility of the new authority to review the Plan as soon possible after the date of transfer.

Advice should be sought from the ASN Officer with regards to children transitioning from nursery to primary and primary to secondary school with a CSP. It is expected that the receiving school will seek and take account of information from the previous school when reviewing the CSP and the review of the CSP should be discussed during enhanced transition meetings. The CSP timescales still must be adhered to and advice should be sought from the ASN Officer. CSPs created and reviewed during planned transitions (i.e. nursery to primary, primary to secondary and post school) should include transition planning.

13. Disclosure of a Co-ordinated Support Plan

The CSP is a confidential document however by its very nature it, or extracts from it, should be shared with the Team around the Child in order that they can provide the support outlined in the plan. It is the responsibility of the Support Coordinator to share the Plan with the appropriate people with the consent of the parents/carers.

However, in certain circumstances the authority may disclose the Plan, or extracts from it without consent. These would include:

To parties the authority deem it is necessary in the interests of the child/young person

To the person who will act as the Support Coordinator if this person is not an authority education officer (this is highly unlikely in Clackmannanshire Council or Stirling Council)

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To members of HM Inspectorate of Education To the Children’s Reporter

In terms of good practice however we shall inform parents/carers of our intention to share the plan or extracts of it. The Support Coordinator should seek advice from the Service Manager, Inclusion before disclosing without consent.

When deciding who should have a copy or extracts of a CSP the authority should have regard not only to the Regulations but to the wider legislative framework that covers data sharing, such as the Data Protection Act 1998.

14. Discontinuance, Preservation and Destruction

Where a Co-ordinated Support Plan is to be discontinued following a review or the authority are no longer responsible for the child/young person’s education, the Plan must be preserved for a period of 5 years from the date of discontinuance and this date must be noted on the Plan and the CSP database.

The date of discontinuance is 2 months after the parents/carers and young person, where appropriate, have been notified of the discontinuance. This is because the parents/carers/young person has 2 months from notification to appeal the decision and make a reference to the Tribunal. As described in section 10, the decision to discontinue a CSP following a review lies with the CSP Management Group. The ASN Officer will inform the Support Coordinator, parents/carers and young person, if appropriate, of this decision and will outline the procedure for retention and destruction. It is the responsibility of the Support Coordinator to inform the appropriate agencies using letter CSPReview(3) If we are no longer responsible for the education of the child/young person because:

The child/young person has reached the minimum school leaving age and is leaving school

The child has exceeded the maximum school leaving age and is leaving school The child is leaving the authority as a result of a parental placing request

Again the ASN Officer will inform the Support Coordinator, parent/carers and young person that the CSP will be discontinued (see appendix 9 for letters used).

The ASN Officer will record the date of destruction of the Plan on the CSP database and the plan will be stored in accordance with the authority archives service.

The plan will be destroyed 5 years and 2 months from the date it was discontinued (by either retrieving the Plan from the archive or instructing the archive service to destroy the Plan) and the parents/carers and young person will be notified of the destruction (see appendix 9 for letters to be used). It is noted that it may be difficult to locate the parents/carers and the young person after the lapse of over 5 years. The current address will be recorded on the CSP database and this used for any future correspondence with regards to the CSP.

If the parents/carers disagree with the decision of the CSP Management Group that a CSP should be prepared or continued and this is upheld by a Tribunal then the Plan will be discontinued. It is the responsibility of the ASN Officer to inform the parents/carers that the plan will be discontinued and to ask if they wish the Plan to be preserved for 5 years or whether it should be destroyed using letter CSPother(vi) . The parents/carers have 21 days to respond. If the answer is no or no response is made the Plan will be destroyed. Otherwise it will be preserved for 5 years, and then destroyed.

While a Plan is preserved, the rules for disclosure as described above will be adhered to.

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15. Young People approaching 18th Birthday

The 2009 Act states that a CSP has no legal standing once a young person reaches their 18th Birthday. While the legislation states that a CSP does not have to be in place for a full year, Clackmannanshire and Stirling Councils Education Service will, in general, only consider developing a CSP if it covers at least six months of a school year. A CSP will only be prepared, therefore, if the young person still has at least 6 months of school education left to complete before their 18th birthday. For example:

If the review of the CSP is due to be completed on 18 th April 2013 and the young person is 18 years old on 19th October 2013 then the CSP would only be relevant for 4 and a half months (mid April to the end of term in June and then start of term until their birthday). In this instance a new CSP would not be prepared and the existing one discontinued.

Please note that the summer holidays are not included in the 6 months but mid semester breaks and Christmas breaks are included. The ASN Officer will inform Support Coordinators when this rule is to be used when they send the reminder email for the review process, however it is the Support Coordinators responsibility to inform Appropriate Agencies and parents/carers of the fact at the CSP review meeting.

The CSP review meeting should still take place and the appropriate agencies should still be asked for their reports, as these will be used to inform the IEP targets and the post school transition. Parents/carers should also still be actively involved in the process and their views and input sought. There may be a case in individual circumstances where the Team around the Young Person feels that a CSP should be developed for a shorter period of time. If this is the case, the application can be submitted to the CSP Management Group.

If you have any additional queries please contact the ASN Officer on 01786 233212.

All forms and letters can be found on the Intranet

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Appendix 1 – Timeline to CREATE a Co-ordinated Support Plan

Weeks Step Action Action by Letter/email to be used

Week 1

1

A Staged Intervention/Childcare Review meeting is held. If child is on or is moving to Stage 4, a discussion should take place regarding CSP criteria. If decision made that child may meet 4 criteria required for a CSP subject to approval by the CSP Management Group.

Team around the Child (TAC)

All agencies working with child parents/carers should be invited to attend all Staged Intervention/Childcare meetings

2a

Support Coordinator requests CSP reports from all appropriate agencies in writing. Reports requested in correct format and within 10 weeks. Meeting is scheduled to prepare CSP approximately 10 weeks from date of letter

Support Coordinator

Newcsp(1) to Agencies

2bSupport Coordinator informs parents/carers (and young person if appropriate), in writing that a CSP is being considered

Support Coordinator Newcsp(2) to Parents/Carers

By week 2 3

Support Coordinator informs ASN Officer that CSP is being considered, which reports have been requested and when they will be received.

Support Coordinator

Newcsp(2) letter cc-ed to ASN Officer

Weeks 10/11

4 TAC meet to consider reports

aIf TAC agrees criteria may be met based on the reports submitted, CSP is drafted at the meeting. Got to step 5

TAC

b

If TAC agrees criteria are not met Support Coordinator sends reports and meeting minute to ASN Officer/ CSP Admin Support

Support Coordinator

Email to ASN Officer/ CSP Admin Support

ASN Officer will formally write to parents/carers and young person if appropriate stating that a CSP will not be issued and their rights of appeal

ASN OfficerNewcsp(a) to Parents/Carers and young person (if appropriate)

5

Support Coordinator sends reports, request form and draft CSP to ASN Officer/ CSP Admin Support for distribution to CSP Management Group.

Support Coordinator

Email to ASN Officer/ CSP Admin Support

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Weeks Step Action Action by Letter/email to be used

Weeks 11-15

6 CSP Management Group meets to consider Request

CSP Management Group

a

If CSP Management Group determine criteria are not met this decision is sent to parent/carers and young person if appropriate with rights to appeal and to Support Coordinator

ASN OfficerNewcsp(b) to Support CoordinatorNewcsp(c) to Parents

Support Coordinator

Newcsp(3) to Appropriate Agencies

b

If criteria are met, draft CSP (profile, factors, educational objectives and views) is quality assured by Group and returned to Support Coordinator with any amendments / alterations suggested. Parents/carers informed CSP is being finalised

ASN Officer Email to Support CoordinatorNewcsp(d) to Parents/Carers

c

Any suggested amendments to educational objectives proposed by AHPs or Social Work will be fed back to that professional by the rep on the Group who will approve the amendment and confirm with the Support Coordinator

TAC / Support Coordinator

dIf no decision can be made due to lack of information or missing reports the Support Coordinator will resubmit to the next meeting

ASN Officer Newcsp(h) to Parents

By week 15 7

Support Coordinator finalises CSP and ensures agreement of parents/carers and young person if appropriate, and all appropriate agencies. Sends CSP back to ASN Officer

Support Coordinator Email to ASN Officer

By week 16

8 ASN Officer adds appropriate dates and CSP signed by Service Manager

ASN Officer/ Service Manager

9 Copy of CSP sent to Support Coordinator and parents. ASN Officer

Newcsp (e) to Support CoordinatorNewcsp (f) to ParentsNewcsp (g) to Young Person (if applicable)

10Support Coordinator sends copy of CSP to appropriate agencies Support

Coordinator Newcsp(4) to Agencies

11New CSP logged on database, dates for review established and paper copy filed

ASN Officer/ CSP Admin Support

24

Appendix 2 – Flowchart to illustrate process to CREATE a coordinated support plan

25

Staged Intervention meeting held. Decision taken by Team around the Child that 4 criteria for a CSP may be met

Newcsp(1)

Newcsp(2)

Support Coordinator requests CSP reports and schedules meeting to consider reports and draft a CSP if applicable and emails ASN Officer

By wk

1

11

15

16

TAC meet to consider CSP reports

Are 4 Criteria for a CSP met?

NO YES

Email

Is CSP accepted?

NOCSP submitted for signing

CSP quality assured

Newcsp(e)

Newcsp(f)

Newcsp(g)

ASN Officer updates CSP database with all relevant information and files CSP with all relevant reports and letters sent during process

Newcsp(a)

CSP is drafted and sent to ASN Officer with request form, reports and meeting minute

ASN Officer informed and sent reports and meeting minute

CSP Management Group meet to consider request and CSP reports

Are 4 Criteria for a CSP met?

YES

NO

CSP returned to Support Coordinator with recommendations. AHP and Social Work Reps liaise with TAC to approve changes

YES

CSP resubmitted to ASN Officer

Newcsp(3)

Newcsp(4)

Newcsp(b)

Newcsp(c)

cc-ed to ASN Officer

Newcsp(d)

Request is resubmitted to next meeting with correct paperwork

unsure

Newcsp(h)

Appendix 3

List of letters from ASN Officer/CSP Management Group to CREATE a new Coordinated Support Plan

Letter To whom? Nature of letter/email

Newcsp(a) Parents/CarersThis letter is sent if the Team around the Child does not agree that the 4 criteria for a CSP are met after consideration of the CSP reports. The ASN Officer sends this letter in order to outline rights of appeal.

Newcsp(b) Support Coordinator

This letter is sent if the CSP Management Group does not agree with the request to Prepare a CSP and does not agree that the 4 criteria for a CSP are met. It instructs the Support Coordinator to inform the Appropriate Agencies that a CSP will not be issued

Newcsp(c) Parents/CarersThis letter is sent if the CSP Management Group does not agree with the request to Prepare a CSP and do not agree that the 4 criteria for a CSP are met. It informs the parents/carers of their rights to appeal this decision.

Newcsp(d) Parents/Carers

This letter is sent if the CSP Management Group agrees with the request to Prepare a CSP. It informs the parents/carers that the CSP is being finalised by the Support Coordinator and when they should expect a final, signed copy

Newcsp(e) Support Coordinator

This letter is sent with a signed copy of the final CSP. It also outlines the process for future reviews and instructs the Support Coordinator to send copies to the appropriate agencies

Newcsp(f) Parents/Carers

This letter is sent with a signed copy of the final CSP. It also outlines the process for future reviews but also the parent/carers’ rights to appeal if they are unhappy with the CSP. It also contains the acknowledgement proforma

Newcsp(g) Young PersonThis letter is similar to the letter sent to parents/carers but is only sent if the Support Coordinator has indicated that the young person has the capacity of understanding on the original request form

Newcsp(h) Parent/CarerThis letter is sent when no decision could be made on the request by the CSP Management Group due to lack of information. It indicates that that the request will be brought back to a future meeting

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Appendix 4

List of letters sent by Support Coordinator during process to CREATE a new coordinated support plan for first time (available to download from the Intranet)

Name of Letter To whom? Nature of letter

Newcsp(1) Appropriate Agency

Formal request for CSP report to be prepared and sent within 10 weeks following decision at Staged Intervention meeting to consider a CSP. Meeting to prepare CSP also scheduled

Newcsp(2) Parent/Carers

Formal acknowledgement of start of CSP process. This is the beginning of the 16-week process. Explains/reiterates that a CSP was discussed at the Staged Intervention meeting and that CSP reports have been requested.

Newcsp(3) Appropriate Agency

Explains CSP Management Group did not agree 4 criteria for a CSP were met and CSP will not be issued.

Newcsp(4) Appropriate Agency Letter enclosing signed CSP and information on review process

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Appendix 5 – Timeline to REVIEW a Co-ordinated Support Plan

Weeks Step Action Action by Letter/ email

Minus 4 weeks

1 Reminder sent to Support Coordinator that CSP review process should begin.

ASN Officer/ CSP Admin Support

Email to Support Coordinator

2

CSP review reports requested from appropriate agencies and CSP Review meeting scheduled with Team around the Child (TAC) for no later than 10 weeks time. (This can be a joint Care Review/Staged Intervention meeting if CSP timescales are adhered to).

Support Coordinator

CSPReview(1) to AgenciesCSPReview(2) to Parents/Carers

By week 6

3Meeting held to review last CSP. Decision made as to whether all 4 criteria still met and if level of support required by each appropriate agency has changed

Team around the Child (TAC)

a

If the levels of support have reduced significantly and/or any of the other criteria are no longer met - request to discontinue CSP sent to ASN Officer with:

CSP review reports and Minute of meeting as evidence

OR

TAC Email to ASN Officer/ CSP Admin Support

b

If levels of support have not changed or have changed very little and the other criteria are still met, the Team around the Child prepare a draft CSP at that meeting and submit to ASN Officer with:

Request form CSP review reports Minute of meeting as evidence

TAC Email to ASN Officer/ CSP Admin Support

By week 10

4 CSP Management Group meets to consider request

CSP Management Group

a

If Group agrees to discontinue CSP based on CSP reports or disagrees with request to prepare a CSP all parties are informed of decision to discontinue. Parents are informed of rights of appeal.No need for further actionOR

ASN Officer

CSPReview(a) to Support CoordinatorCSPReview(b) to ParentsCSPReview(c) to Young Person

Support Coordinator CSPReview(3) to Agencies

b

If criteria are met, draft CSP (profile, factors, educational objectives and views) is quality assured by CSP Management Group. If CSP wholly accepted, go to step 8

CSP Management Group

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Weeks Step Action Action by Letter/ email

cIf no decision can be made due to lack of information or missing reports the Support Coordinator will resubmit to the next meeting (back to step 4)

ASN Officer CSPReview(h) to Parents

Weeks 10-12

5

If required, draft CSP is returned to Support Coordinator with recommended alterations or amendments. A member of the CSP Management Group may be asked to assist the Support Coordinator with finalising the CSP. Parents/Carers informed CSP is being finalised

ASN OfficerEmail to Support CoordinatorCSPReview(d) to Parents/ Carers

a

Any suggested amendments to educational objectives proposed by AHPs or Social Work will be fed back to that professional by the rep on the Group who will approve the amendment and confirm with the Support Coordinator

TAC / Support Coordinator

6Support Coordinator makes any necessary amendments and ensures CSP is shared with parents if any changes are made.

Support Coordinator

Email/calls to appropriate agencies and parents

7 Draft CSP is returned electronically to ASN Officer

Support Coordinator Email to ASN Officer

By week 12

8 ASN Officer adds appropriate dates and CSP is signed by Service Manager

ASN Officer / Service Manager

9 Copy of CSP sent to Support Coordinator and parents. ASN Officer

CSPReview(e) to Support CoordinatorCSPReview(f) to Parents/ CarersCSPReview(g) to Young Person (if applicable)

10 Support Coordinator sends copy of CSP to appropriate agencies

Support Coordinator CSPReview(4) to Agencies

11New CSP details logged on database, dates for review established. Paper copy filed with all associated letters and reports

CSP Admin Support

29

Appendix 6 – Flowchart to illustrate the process of REVIEWING a coordinated support plan

30

Reminder sent to Support Coordinator that CSP review process should begin in 4 weeks

Support Coordinator requests CSP Review reports, schedules meeting to consider reports and to draft CSP if applicable

By wk-4

1

4

5

8

12

TATC meet to consider reports and review the CSP

Are 4 criteria for a CSP still

met?YesNo

CSP Management Group meets to consider request

Are 4 criteria for a CSP still

met?

NoAgree to discontinue CSP

CSPReview(1)

Support Coordinator sends request form, CSP reports, meeting minute and draft CSP (if applicable) to ASN Officer

CSPReview(a)

CSPReview(c)

CSPReview(b)

CSPReview(3)

Draft CSP is quality assured

Is CSP accepted?

No

CSPReview(e)

CSPReview(g)

CSPReview(f)

Yes

CSP returned to Support Coordinator with recommendations. AHP and Social Work Reps liaise with TATC to approve changes

CSPReview(4)

ASN Officer updates CSP database with all relevant information and files CSP with reports and letters sent during process

Email

CSPReview(2)

Agencies prepare reports and submit to Support Coordinator

Team prepares request form and drafts new CSP

Team prepares request form to discontinue CSP

Yes

CSP resubmitted to ASN Officer

CSPReview(d)

Request is resubmitted to next meeting with correct paperwork

unsure

CSPReview(h)

Appendix 7

List of letters from ASN Officer/CSP Management Group to REVIEW a Coordinated Support Plan

No. of Letter To whom? Nature of letter

Email Support Coordinator

Reminder of CSP review timescales (4 weeks prior to review to be started)

CSPReview(a) Support Coordinator

Decision of CSP Management Group is that CSP should be discontinued following review. Information on retention and destruction of CSP

CSPReview(b) Parent/CarerDecision of CSP Management Group is that CSP should be discontinued following review. Information on retention and destruction of CSP and rights to appeal

CSPReview(c) Young Person

Decision of CSP Management Group is that CSP should be discontinued following review. Information on retention and destruction of CSP and rights of appeal. This letter will only be sent if agreed that young person has capacity of understanding.

CSPReview(d) Parents/Carers

This letter is sent if the CSP Management Group agrees with the request to Prepare a CSP. It informs the parents/carers that the CSP is being finalised by the Support Coordinator and when they should expect a final, signed copy

CSPReview(e) Support Coordinator

This letter is sent with a signed copy of the final CSP. It also outlines the process for future reviews and instructs the Support Coordinator to send copies to the appropriate agencies

CSPReview(f) Parent/Carer

This letter is sent with a signed copy of the final CSP. It also outlines the process for future reviews but also the parent/carers’ rights to appeal if they are unhappy with the CSP. It also contains the acknowledgement proforma

CSPReview(g) Young PersonThis letter is similar to the letter sent to parents/carers but is only sent if the Support Coordinator has indicated that the young person has the capacity of understanding on the original request form

CSPReview(h) Parent/CarerThis letter is sent when no decision could be made on the request by the CSP Management Group due to lack of information. It indicates that that the request will be brought back to a future meeting

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Appendix 8

List of letters sent by Support Coordinator during process of REVIEWING a coordinated support plan (available to download from the Intranet)

No. of Letter To whom? Nature of letter

CSPReview(1) Appropriate Agency

Invitation to CSP review meeting and requesting CSP review reports to be prepared and sent prior to meeting

CSPReview(2) Parent/Carer Invitation to CSP review meeting explaining purpose of meeting and who may attend

CSPReview(3) Appropriate Agency

Explaining decision of CSP Management Group that CSP should be discontinued. Instruction to destroy all copies of CSP.

CSPReview(4) Appropriate Agency Letter enclosing signed CSP and information on review process.

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Appendix 9 - list of letters from ASN Officer/CSP Management Group to discontinue a coordinated support plan when child / young person leaves school or the decision is made by ASNTS

Number of Letter To whom? Nature of letter

CSPother(i) Support Coordinator

Young Person is leaving /has left school therefore CSP is being discontinued. Information on retention and destruction of CSP

CSPother(ii) Parent/Carer Young Person is leaving /has left school therefore CSP is being discontinued Information on retention and destruction of CSP

CSPother(iii) Young Person

Young Person is leaving /has left school therefore CSP is being discontinued Information on retention and destruction of CSP. This letter will only be sent if it is agreed the young person has ability to understand

CSPother(iv) Parent/Carer Discontinued CSP destroyed after 5yrs 2 months

CSPother(v) Young Person Discontinued CSP destroyed after 5yrs 2 months. This letter will only be sent if it is agreed the Young Person has ability to understand

CSPother(vi) Parent/CarerIf CSP is discontinued following decision of ASN Tribunal, letter asks for response within 21 days as to whether CSP should be destroyed or stored for 5 year period

CSPother(vii) Young Person

If CSP is discontinued following decision of ASN Tribunal, letter asks for response within 21 days as to whether CSP should be destroyed or stored for 5 year period. This letter will only be sent if it is agreed the young person has ability to understand

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Appendix 10 – Time Limit Exceptions

Extracted from 2005 Regulations and Code of Practice:

An Education Authority need not comply with the time limit if it is impractical to do so because–

(a) the education authority has sought advice or information from a school where the child or young person is or has been in attendance during a period beginning 1 week before any date on which that school was closed for a continuous period of not less than 4 weeks from that date and ending on the date on which it re-opens;

(b) the child's parent, or the young person, has indicated to the education authority that the parent or young person wishes to provide advice or information to the education authority after the expiry of the time limit and the education authority has agreed to consider such advice or information before establishing whether a plan is or would be required or is still required;

(c) the child's parent or the young person has made an assessment request under section 8 of the Act and the process of assessment or examination in pursuance of that request cannot take place or the results of that process are not available before the expiry of the time limit;

(d) the education authority has sought advice or information from an appropriate agency or other person under section 12(2)(a) of the Act and the appropriate agency or other person has not provided the advice or information before the expiry of the time limit;

(e) the education authority has requested help from an appropriate agency under section 23(1) of the Act and the appropriate agency has not responded before the expiry of the period of the time limit;

(f) exceptional personal circumstances affect the child or the child's parent or the young person during the period of the time limit;

(g) the child or the child's parent or the young person is absent from the area of the education authority for a continuous period of not less than 4 weeks during the period of the time limit;

(h) the child or the young person fails to keep an appointment for an assessment or examination during the period of the time limit; or

(i) in exceptional cases, after receiving advice or information or views under section 12 of the Act from an appropriate agency or other person, or the child or the child's parent or the young person or a response from an appropriate agency under section 23 of the Act, it is necessary for the education authority to seek further advice or information or views and that further advice or information or views cannot be obtained before the expiry of the time limit.

Please note that should any of the above situations occur, the Education Authority still only has a maximum of 8 additional weeks to complete the process of reviewing and/or preparing a Co-ordinated Support Plan.

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Appendix 11 – Appropriate agency request period exceptions

Extracted from 2005 Regulations and Code of Practice:

(1) An appropriate agency need not meet the time limit under regulation 2 if it complies with paragraph (2) below and meeting that time limit would be impractical because–

(a) before the expiry of that time limit a process of assessment or examination of the child or young person who is the subject of the request–(i) cannot take place; or(ii) the results of that process are not available;

(b) the child or young person failed to keep an appointment for an assessment or examination before the expiry of that time limit;

(c) it was necessary for that agency to ask for relevant advice or information from another appropriate agency or any other person and such advice or information has not been provided before the expiry of the time limit in response to such an inquiry made before that expiry.

(2) The appropriate agency must, when it becomes aware that the time limit under regulation 2 cannot be met, inform the education authority which made the request of–

(a)the reason why the time limit cannot be complied with; and

(b)a new date by which the help requested will be provided.

(3) The date established under paragraph (2)(b) above must not exceed the time limit referred to in regulation 2 by longer than is reasonably necessary in the circumstances and in any event must be not later than 16 weeks starting on the date when the request was made by the authority.

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Appendix 12 – reviewing coordinated support plans and time limit exceptions

The code (5.72) indicates that there are exceptions to complying with the 12 week timescale following the expiry date of the CSP.

It refers to the Regulation 7 (The Additional Support for Learning (Co-ordinated Support Plan)(Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2005, which can be accessed at http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ssi/2005/518/contents/made) which states that an exception applies to the time limit if a child has been in attendance during a period beginning one week before any date on which the school was closed for a continuous period of not less than four weeks, for example the long summer holidays (Reg 7(1)).

In this event the local authority should set a date by which a copy of the plan must be forwarded to the parents or young person concerned, and inform them why the time limit cannot be met (Reg 7 (2)).

The date by which a copy of the plan should be forwarded must not exceed 20 weeks from the expiry date (Reg 7(3)).

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