Personal budget for EHCP - what are the advantages?

[kaurigold]

because I’m not seeing them!

I’ve found an alternative provision which looks suitable for DD who has EOTAS on her EHCP. Last academic year the LA directly funded a different AP, a home tutor, and SALT. She also had psychological support in Section F which was provided by CAMHS. DD has now been discharged from CAMHS as she turned 18 last year.

I visited the possible AP on Monday and they recommended i
asked for a PB. They said that way the LA were more likely to agree the AP as it’s unregistered. However, the LA funded the last AP which was also unregistered.

From what I understand about PBs you still have to get all the different elements of provision approved. The friend I spoke to said you had to state how the provision you were asking for met the EHCP objectives and set out how much they cost. Then pay the providers yourself with the budget. This seems like more hassle to me.

So what are the advantages?!

Thanks

[Headfirstintothewild]

Then pay the providers yourself with the budget.

I think you mean direct payment rather than personal budget?

A personal budget is the overall notional budget necessary to deliver the provision. A direct payment is one way the PB can be delivered. The PB can be funded in different ways:
-Direct payments whereby you are given monies to organise provision yourself.
-LA or school controlled funds where they commission support directly.
-Third party arrangements where a third party is given the funds to manage on your behalf.
-A mixture of 2 or 3 of the above.

The advantage of a direct payment is more control, but, yes, the SEP still needs to be in F otherwise you are highly unlikely to get funding in any form.

[kaurigold]

Thanks Head- yes I did mean the option of having direct payments.

So one of the options is having the PB funds delivered by LA where they commission support directly. How is this different than what DD has at the moment? She doesn’t have a PB so the LA commission support. Is a PB only really necessary if you want to have at least an element of direct payment or a third party managing some of the funds?

[Headfirstintothewild]

PBs aren’t just for those who have provison via direct payments or a third party. Some with EOTAS have a PB but have all provision commissioned directly by the LA. I am surprised DD doesn’t have a PB in some form.

[kaurigold]

Thanks again. I will ask my LA about a PB. Goodness knows how much my LA know about EOTAS or PBs though. DD’s caseworker (a new one to us and caseworker no. 4 in a period of 8 months) expressed surprised that DD had professionals providing support 😕