Parents for ChangeWorking Together in Manchester

ConsultationParents for ChangeNovember 25th 2013

Maureen Howell

Aims of the day

• To inform parents about how we are trying to improve the way we work together in Manchester

• To share information about forthcoming changes to legislation .

• To ask for your views on these changes and any other views you may have.

• To give you an opportunity to ask questions.• To plan how we move forward and work together

in the best way for parents and children and young people.

SEN in Manchester: Pupil census Jan 2013

• 19.8% population in Manchester schools have SEN• Manchester Secondary schools 21%• Manchester Primary schools 17.2%• Categories of need:• Primary schools – Moderate Learning Difficulties, Behaviour

Emotional Social Difficulties, Speech Language Communication Needs

• Secondary – Behaviour Emotional Social Difficulties, MLD Moderate Learning Difficulties

• 17.1% pupils have SEN but no statement• 2.7% have a statement

SEN high needs

• Manchester maintains 2258 statements• Primary category of need:

• Severe Learning Difficulties• Autistic Spectrum Disorders• Social Emotional Behaviour Difficulties

• 49% state funded mainstream placements• 49% special school placements– includes 2% pupils in

independent provision• 2% – Pupil Referral Units/Alternative Provisions• 280 resource agreements in mainstream school

Challenges

• Increasing school age population including children with SEN

• School places• Impact on other services

• Overall reductions in Council budgets• National changes

• Changes to schools and education• Welfare reforms• Health reforms• SEN reforms

SEN reforms

• Positives• Already been good

involvement with parents and other services

• More person centred system with child at heart

• 0 to 25 system• Focus on outcomes• Focus on adulthood and

employment• Greater clarity about what is

available

• Challenges• Scaling up EHC plans• Time to convert from one

system to a new system• Young peoples views – 16+• Children with SEN but who

will not have an EHC plan (17.1%)

What is the special educational needs (SEN) Code of Practice

• Code of practice is the guidance issued to particular professionals about how to carry out their functions in practice. In relation to this particular Code of Practice, it sets out how the reforms to the SEN system will look on the ground when it comes to implementing them and sets out what is expected of professionals who work with children and young people with SEN.

Why is it important for you?

• Although the draft SEN code of Practice contains the guidance for professionals working with children and young people with SEN it is just as important to families. It shows you what support you can expect your child to receive and who should make sure it is in place. So it is really important that what is in there reflects the views of families and children and young people.

The Code has 7 main areas

• A family centred system• Working together across education, health and

care• The local offer• Early years, schools, colleges and other

education and training providers• Assessments and education, health and care

plans• Children and young people in specific

circumstances• Resolving disputes

What has changed?

• Parents, children and young people will be more involved in the process and in decision making

• The Draft Code covers children from 0-25

• The current Statement will be replaced by a Education, Health and Care plan..

• LA’s must publish a Local Offer of services.

Involving children, young people and their parents in decisions.

• Parents have a right to be involved in decisions about their childs education, Young people over the age of 16 will also have these rights. For example choosing a college, the young person will have the final decision. (subject to mental capacity Act, 2005)

Question 1

• Do you agree with giving young people decision making responsibility from the age of 16?

Involvement of children, young people and their families

• The Code says that local authorities should look to ensure:

- That parents, children and young people are involved, and consulted with, during the assessment, planning and reviewing processes of an EHCP

- “opportunities to engage children and young people with SEN and their parents in commissioning decisions - to give useful insights into how to improve services, and improve outcomes”

- They make the Local Offer “more responsive to local needs and aspirations by directly involving children and young people with SEN, parents and carers, and service providers in its development and review”

Question 2

• What support do you think you parents might need to be involved in

1.The planning process.

2. Local commissioning decisions eg, how to improve services and improve outcomes.

3. Development and review of the local offer which sets out what services are available for children and young people with SEN.

The proposed new education, health and care plan

• Please have a look at the proposed layout of the new education, health and care plan?

• Laura to talk through

Question 3

• Do you think this is an improvement on the layout of the current statement?

• Yes

• No

• Don’t know

• Why?

Schools and SEN

• SENCO’s will have to be a qualified teacher

• The current categories of school action and school action plus to be replaced by a single category of SEN support.

• Timescale for stautory assessment to be reduced from 28 weeks to 20 weeks.

Question 4

• Do you agree with the proposal to reduce the timescales for statutory assessment?

Yes

No

Why?

Question 5

• What do you think should be in the code of practice and why?

Consultation closes on 9th December 2013.

Opportunity for more in-depth consultation.

3rd December 10.30 – 2.00pm at Westwood Street, Moss Side, M14 4PH.

Contact Laura Upton 01612457304

l.upton@manchester.gov.uk

Parents for change

• Working Together

“Coffee Mornings are not the only way to work with parents”

Why are we changing the way we work with parents?

• Very small numbers of parents involved

• Not always representing the views of all Manchester parents.

• Some parents felt excluded.

• Set out to find out why?

• Research told us that current formal structure didn’t work.

What did we do?

• Parent Partnership offered to support at request of parents for an interim period.

• Replaced the steering group with regular drop in sessions, any parent can come and contribute.

• Set up the register of parents who want to be involved in anything.

• Developed key messages for working together.

What have we done so far

• Have got 14 parents signed up to register of parents available to work with families.

• Used the register for several different consultations, events.

• Education psychologists available at the drop ins.

• Parents have been contributing to key working training for professionals (through the register).

• DLA training for parents and professionals• Training for schools and colleges to improve

reviews

• Through listening to parents we have developed set of skills for professionals working with parents.

• Parents for change have planned this conference today.

What's it in for you?

• Opportunities to influence change for you and your young person.

• Personal development e.g. meeting new people, finding out about different groups.

• Being well informed.• Knowing what's positive and possible• Opportunity to understand how and why

decisions are made.• Opportunity to share your skills and experiences

with others.

What's Next

• Follow up conference March 2014