Pathfinder authorities

[appropriatelytrained]

OK, so our dreaded and loathsome LA are on the list of pathfinder LAs, trialling personal budgets.

Any idea what this means in practice and when these 'trials' start?

As far as I know my LA has set up a few different work streams, eg single assessment plan, personal budgets, local offer, support for parents and carers, with more streams to be set up in time. They are in the process of recruiting members including parent reps. After several postponements I will hopefully be meeting someone soon to find out more about being a parent rep

Also as far as I know, in my LA, the trials have not started yet as they are still to discuss what's what, but it is intended that the new system will run alongside the old for a while.

There is a new post at 11 Kings Bench Walk education blog about direct payments / personal budgets for pathfinder authorities here.

Thank you, that is very helpful indeed!

Thanks for the link discodad. This bit is interesting

Whilst it is only a pilot scheme, it applies to a fairly large number of local authorities and those pilot authorities are required to follow the scheme for all people with SEN statements or learning difficulty assessments. This means that there is no discretion for the pilot local authorities to test out the proposals with a small sample of potential beneficiaries for example.

Yet in my LA only certain schools have been selected, am I missing something or is this indeed not the above being fulfilled. Only parents of children attending the selected schools can request to even be considered for direct payments according to parent partnership.

In theory, it would seem so. There are, of course, get out clauses (LA must agree which goods/services will be provided, head must consent, compatible with efficient use of resources etc).

According to the legislation,here

Direct Payments

532A Persons with special educational needs or subject to learning difficulty assessment

(1) A local authority in England may make a payment (a ?direct payment?) for the purpose of securing the provision of any goods and services mentioned in subsection (2) to a person (?the beneficiary?)?

(a) for whom the authority maintain a statement of special educational needs under section 324, or

(b) who is subject to learning difficulty assessment by the authority.

This power is subject to subsection (3).

(2) The goods and services referred to in subsection (1) are?

(a) where the beneficiary is within subsection (1)(a), special educational provision specified in the statement of special educational needs;

(b) where the beneficiary is within subsection (1)(b) and the authority have arranged for an assessment to be conducted under section 139A of the Learning and Skills Act 2000, provision identified in the assessment as required to meet the beneficiary?s educational and training needs;

(c) transport or anything else that may be the subject of arrangements under section 508B(1), 508F(1) or 509AA(7)(b) that apply in relation to the beneficiary.

(3) A direct payment may be made only in accordance with a pilot scheme made under section 532B.