So what IS going on with statements/funding? How exactly is it all changing?

[Catsdontcare]

Because tbh I can't get my head around it. DS has just had his statement finalised but the SENCO keeps ominously mentioning all the changes regarding funding come april.

Is it varying from county to county?

How are people who are trying to get statements being affected?

The intention is that all children who need Statements will be moved over to a 'Single Plan'. Official link here

The idea is that the 'Plan' will combine education, health and social care into one assessment, with one single budget, which will be controlled by the parents.

In theory, a parent could decide to commission 1 hour OT per week from their budget, 1 hour Physio, etc.

However, what hasn't been ironed out is how that can practically be used. For example, imagine a class with 4 statemented children, whose parents have all decided that they'd like OT between 2 and 3 on a Tuesday. Suddenly, you'd have 4 extra adults in a class, etc.

There seems to be no compulsion on Health and Social Care to take responsibility, either, so it seems that it will be very much like a Statement by another name.

School Action is going, I think.

Yes, it will vary from area to area, called the 'local offer'.

Thanks for the link. Is this in the near future? I was given the impression that statements would no longer come with funding and that schools would be given a block of funding as it were to use as they see fit? With a maximum of 15 hours per child? If they need more they will need to apply for top up?

So confused!

So is SA+ going as well? Must try to grab SENCO for a chat.....

Will this include DLA then? Is the idea to scrap it and do individual budgets like adult's pip?

I'm a bit sceptical and head in the sand to be honest.

I just don't see how it will work in practice.

Here we go -
school funding is changing in March. The new funding formulas will basically ensure that nationally most funding is delegated to schools. Schools will be expected to have a good idea of expenses relating to proviosion and will have to fund the first 10,000 of sen provision (about 4k core funding, and up to 6k from the sen budget) per child before applying for top up funding from the la.

local offer - the la will have to publish details of the services it expects to have available to children and young people with send in their area (or that they may access out of area). this is designed to make things transparent, and to let parents know about thresholds, eligibility etc. it will be information, with no need for a plan (new fangled statement) to access this.

statements will be replaced with an education, health and care plan. rights of appeal around education will remain broadly the same, altho for some appeals, mediation may be compulsory first.

DLA - not asnything to do with this. staying the same for under 16s. changing to personal independent payments for over 16s next year.

Thank you notactuallyme that sounds like what I had heard only much clearer!

Statements have never come with funding. They are supposed to come with specified PROVISION to meet specified NEED. If the WI is able to deliver that for free then that is fine and legal.

Just to mention - the system in Wales is not changing yet. After consultation the plans are on hold for now.