EHCPs -what are your LA doing?

[lougle]

I went to the Hampshire Parent and Carers Network meeting for the first time today. They're involved in some really good work to influence legislation/implementation of legislation.

At that meeting, they said that in Hampshire any Statutory Assessments that are carried out, where the parent has agreed to trial the EHCP, which end in a decision to issue an EHCP, result in both a Statement and an EHCP, so that if a patent wants to appeal, they can do so straight away.

Does anyone have details of how their LA are managing the transition?

Not a clue. They sent out a SEN newsletter, a few months ago, but that didn't say anything other than, very briefly, what the changes were and that they were going to be working with some pathfinder LAs. Nothing concrete, at all.

I saw something the other day re the local offer asking parents to let them know what services we knew about so they could be it in the directory for the local offer. Apart from that very quiet here

They are piloting them here (I suspect everywhere by now, we weren't part of the initial pathway). Like you, if parents agree to trial an EH&CP then the Statement application runs alongside it.
Someone asked the question at a meeting last week about what will happen to those who already have a statement and we were told it's not finalised yet - originally 'within 2 yrs' had been bandied about, but the thinking this week was it's more likely to be 'as children reach transition reviews' as there is no way our authority could convert all the Statements into EH&CPs in a 2 yr period.
Key problem here at the moment is, as soon as you mention that Social Care have to be involved, then so many families refuse to stay involved.

Mine is panicking !! Was in a meeting on Friday where it was said the lots of things still hadnt been decided !!

Who knows what will happen in September!

That's great Lougle. I'm not in a pathfinder, but my ex is, and I know their priorities will be to keep as much money in the LA and on LA staff as possible and they will be concentrating on how to justify that in the new plans.

However, my current LA is probably relatively forward though not a pathfinder. They are TRYING (but failing) legitimate parent consultations. They are just too frightened, confused and defensive to be able to do it properly.

But don't get me started on their transport department.........

March right?

hmmm, well the pathfinder finishes in March, but the Champions will continue until next March.

I haven't actually heard anything about how they differ from statements in practice? I know the principles are on tripartite involvement, but I haven't seen/heard any evidence that it's actually happening??

My LA is a pathfinder and I've been going to their meetings when I've been able.

My ds was given his statement in July 2013 (a long haul because we HE - this was the first statement my LA has ever issued for a HE child) and it's currently being converted to EHC. I don't recall being offered a parallel assessment for both but I do remember being told that once the statement was agreed I could apply immediately for it to be converted, which I've done.

Tbh I don't see a lot of information coming directly from the LA, and as I said above I have been to their meetings so should be on mailing lists for updates. However I'm linked with the parent forum which is advising families of developments, so I get a lot if information that way.

As far as education goes it seems to be making decent progress. They are open to discussion about concerns as they arise so even if they aren't getting it right just yet they seem to know where the problem areas are. The Parent Forum has regular meetings with the pilot management team so we have a mechanism for addressing concerns, plus I've also emailed the lead professional about a couple of HE issues and he's responded directly. Communication doesn't seem too bad overall.

One of the biggest concerns is the failure to engage in the process by Health. They are firmly following their old processes and it looks like there will be a huge shock when single plans come into use in September 14.