If a child is identified as struggling with their school work, and it is determined that this is being caused by a child’s underlying SEND it may be necessary for a school to intervene to provide additional support for that child. This support should be provided through a process known as ‘Additional SEN Support’. This is designed to help remove any barriers the child has to learning and put in place provision that will enable that child to benefit fully from their education.
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Additional SEND support
Education, Health and Care plans (EHC plans)
If a child fails to make progress at the Additional SEN Support stage, a request can be made to the Local Authority, by either the parents or the child’s school, for them to carry out an Education, Health and Care needs assessment. The purpose of an EHC plan is:
- to make special educational provision to meet the SEN of the child or young person
- to secure the best possible outcomes for them across education, health and social care
- to prepare them for adulthood, as they grow older.
An EHC plan is legally binding – the support detailed in the plan must be provided. If a child or young person being educated out of area has an EHC plan, the home local authority must ensure that the special educational provision set out in the plan is being made.
These Plans can be in place for children or young people between birth and the age of 25. Young people aged 18-25 with an EHC plan will continue to have their needs reviewed annually to ensure the right level of support is provided across education, health and social care.
For more information on EHC plan, you can read section 9 of the SEND Code of Practice, here.
Power to Continue to Children’s Social Care Services to those aged 18 to 25
Where a local authority has been providing children’s social care services to a young person under the age of 18, and they have an EHC plan in place, local authorities can continue to provide these services on the same basis after the age of 18. The local authority retains discretion over how long it chooses to provide these services, so long as an EHC plan remains in place. Where the young person no longer has an EHC plan, the local authority no longer has the power to extend the provision of these services to young people over 18.
