Transitions Workshop

Transitions Workshop

CIPFA North West Audit Group

Introduction and Agenda

• Introduction and Background• Education Health and Care Plans• Practitioner Perspective (Trafford MBC)• New Special Education Need Code Provisions• Audit Perspective (Manchester City Council)• Audit Perspective (Warrington Borough Council)• Conclusions and Next Steps

BackgroundWhat do we mean by “Transitions”?:• The transition from school to adulthood for children with SEN or disabilities• The provision of advice and information about what can be done to meet

or reduce the needs they are likely to have• Helping them to achieve the best outcomes in employment, independent

living, health and community participation

Who does this cover?:• Young people who are likely to have care and support needs when they

turn 18

Why is it important now?• Legislation and changes to SEN Code of Practice will place new

responsibilities on local authorities and partners from 1 September 2014

Background

Key Legislation:

Children and Families Act 2014 Part 3: Children and Young People in England with Special Educational Needs or Disabilities• Replaces existing SEN legislation in the Education Act 1996• Brings together separate arrangements for children in schools and young

people in post-16 institutions and training up to the their 25th birthday • Integrated Education, Health and Care Plans to replace Statement of

Special Educational Needs• Duties under the Act inform the new SEND Code of Practice

BackgroundCare Act 2014• if a child, young carer or an adult caring for a child is likely to have needs

when they, or the child they care for, turns 18, the local authority must assess them if it considers there is “significant benefit” to the individual in doing so.

• The child, carer or parent may also request an assessment when the child approaches 18

• The assessment should give information about eligibility, what can be done to meet or reduce their needs and an indication of the support they will get

• Requires local authorities to work to promote the integration of adult care and support with health services

• Single national eligibility criteria for adults

Education, Health and Care Plans

Who will be entitled to request a plan?• Any child or young person who has had a Statement• Any young person with a Learning Difficulty Assessment who remains in

education or training• Eligibility for new plans largely the same as currently for SEN

Statements – extended to include 19-25 year olds• Will cover 0-25

• Focus still on education, but will have increased emphasis on health and social care support

• LA must issue draft plan within 20 weeks of receiving request for assessment

Education, Health and Care Plans

What should they include?• The SEN identified through the EHC needs assessment• The outcomes the child is expected to achieve• The special education provision in place at school• The name of the school• Any health and social care provision needed• The child’s and parents’ / guardians views and aspirations• Details of any SEN and outcomes to be met by Direct

Payments, where relevant

Key AreasPractitioner Perspective

Financial Planning for Transition

• Planning for needs under different legislation• Education ending incurs costs often not thought about• Predictions verses actual costs

Key AreasPractitioner Perspective

Person Centred Planning

• Expectations of individuals and their families• Care Act implications• Different resource allocations• Care co-ordination• Carers needs

New SEND Code Provisions re Transitions

Key messages:• Person-centred planning – aspirations and outcomes, direct

consultation with children and their families• LAs and CCGs – shared vision and strategy derived from EHC

plans and other information, leading to joint commissioning• Develop pathways into employment, independent living,

participation in society and good health• Local Offer must include support in preparing for adulthood• Co-operate with schools, colleges and other post-16 providers


• LA services must co-operate to help C&YP prepare for adulthood, e.g. housing, social care, economic regeneration

• EHC reviews at Yr 9 and after must focus on preparing for adulthood – clear, ambitious outcomes including:– Support for higher education / employment– Support preparing for independent living– Support in maintaining good health– Support in participating in society

• After compulsory school age, young people can make their own representations


• Schools and colleges must co-operate with EHC plan reviews from Yr 9

• High quality study / pathways into employment• Consider five day a week packages• LA must make young people aware, through their Local Offer,

of support available to them in Higher Education and support any DSA application

• LA must pass on EHC plan to the HE institution• Local Offer must identify support and provision for 19-25 year

olds with SEN, regardless of whether they have an EHC plan


• LAs and CCGs must co-operate to ensure alignment of care plans and adult health services

• Must be joint commissioning of services to meet EHC plan outcomes

• LA must carry out an adult care transition assessment where there is significant benefit and the yp is likely to have care / support needs after they turn 18

• This must take place at the right time for the individual• Transition assessment must involve the yp and must include

their outcomes, views and wishes


• Assessments for adult care / support must include:– Current needs– Whether these needs will still exist after they turn 18– What these needs are likely to be, and which are likely to be eligible

needs• LA must provide information and advice about provision and

support for ineligible needs• LAs must continue to provide children’s services until the yp’s

needs as an adult have been identified• LAs must put in place statutory care and support plans for yps

with eligible needs, and must meet these needs


• Any adult with eligible needs will have a care and support plan that must include a personal budget

• LAs must follow the SEN CoP guidance on personal budgets

• Young people with SEN should have the information they need to make the transition to life beyond school / college

• LA must continue to maintain the yp’s EHC plan as long as they remain in education or training, or for as long as they need it

Key Risk Areas – Manchester Perspective

Social Work• Sufficiency of evidence to support actions and decisions

Finance• Personal Budgets• Corporate budget for Transition• Commissioning

Engagement – Customer, Family and Partners• Evidencing involvement• Managing expectations

Possible Audit Approach - ManchesterCasework Compliance• Assessments/reviews, EHC/support plans• Evidence of engagement with customers and families• Evidence of management oversight and challenge

Finance System/Risk Based Reviews • Personal budgets – eligibility verses appropriateness of spend • Commissioning – governance arrangements /approach

Developing System Work• Transformation arrangements – changes to protocols and policies,

integration of Children’s and Adults.• Skills gap – potential gap in the transfer of a child to adult social worker

Audit Issues

Governance issues:• How does the LA ensure it is fulfilling its duty to co-operate?• Is there a Programme Board for this area – what is its scope?• Is there clarity over strategic decision-making?• Do children’s and adult services work together effectively?• Are there identified officers for key issues?• Are there effective links between operational and strategic

objectives

Audit Issues

Commissioning Issues:• Does joint commissioning cover all relevant areas?• Are Parent Carer Forums and other bodies involved in

planning the local offer and commissioning services?• Does the commissioning cover:

– Securing needs assessments and the provision identified in EHCs– Agreeing personal budgets– Advice and information on provision– Processes for dealing with complaints / dispute resolution?

• Is all-age commissioning being considered?

Audit IssuesCommissioning Issues:• Are children and young people and their parents / carers

involved in shaping the local offer ?• Does the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy / JSNA make

reference to Transitional arrangements?– Has there been a proper assessment of needs ?– Do they cover the full range of services / support available?

• Is there a clear link between the JSNA and the Local Offer?• Does the JSNA identify gaps in provision and how they will be

addressed?

Audit IssuesDelivery Issues:• What are the transition plans for changing to EHCs• How are EHCs going to be approved?• Are there SMART objectives tied specifically to outcomes and

meeting c&yp needs? Do these measure the success of joint working?

• Is there a review process to check EHC plans and ensure consistency?

• Is there proper consideration of the needs of looked after children / children in need, care leavers, c&yp educated out of area or at home

Audit IssuesDelivery Issues:• How are children requiring transition plans identified and

recorded?• Is there adequate resourcing to support transition planning?• Is there a programme of training for practitioners, to help

them advise c&yp and make correct decisions?• Have transport and housing issues been properly addressed?• Are children with complex needs prioritised?• Are there effective arrangements in place where c&yp

transfer provision?

Audit Issues

Delivery Issues:• Is provision being reviewed for suitability?• Has consideration been given to delivering personal budgets?• Are there processes in place for converting existing plans into

EHCs?• What effect will changes to SEN funding have on the ability to

deliver?• How are children and young people without an EHC catered

for – will they have access to transitional provision?

Conclusions

• Timescales for implementation• Transition is not a discrete system• Managing expectations is key• Partnership working• Its not just individuals with EHC plans• Budget, budget, budget

Next Steps

• Bite size chunks• Audit approach taken will depend on your local assessment of

risk• Need to consider the level of integration between the

Children’s and Adult’s social work teams.

Documents

Transitions Workshop