Parent and carer guide to the new code published

[Guest]

The parent and carer guide to the new code of practice has been published today, I've attached a copy. At 59 pages I don't know how user friendly it is, I haven't read it yet. I suppose it has to meet the needs of parents/carers of 0 - 25 year olds so there's a lot to include. I wonder if they'll be publishing hard copies or just "presume" all parents/carers have internet access.

Special_educational_needs_and_disabilites_guide_for_parents_and_carers.pdf

[Cait]

Thank you. That will take a bit of digesting!

[Mouseketeer]

Thank you ....I'm definitely not printing that off

[Guest]

More for the little grey cells to digest, thank you will read it and save don't think I will print it already counting the cost of all the new documents x

[Cait]

I may just upload it to the website as it is

[Cait]

Interestingly, that says that the Local Offer is a Local Authority thing too, not a setting specific document ..........

[sunnyday]

Thank you (I think ) :1b

[louby loo]

Interestingly, that says that the Local Offer is a Local Authority thing too, not a setting specific document ..........

We have to submit our Local Offer to our LA.- a simple basic one will suffice, then we need to do our own for the setting and its up to us what we put about us on the FIS (although good practice means need to put something there)

[Guest]

Louby loo, The Local Offer is definitely the responsibility of the Local Authority but they are meant to consult with all providers so perhaps this is what they mean by "consulting!" I don't know what they're asking you to write but I'd be very wary of being too specific. As an Area SENCO, I found time and again that it wasn't about staff qualifications, purpose built buildings, training or resources, successful inclusion came down to one thing - attitude - and persistence from the parent, setting and national charities when funding was needed!

 

If you were a parent of a child with SEND, what would you want to know about a setting? I would want to know:

• that the knowledge I had about my child would be valued by staff
• that the setting would be honest with me about their ability to meet my child's needs and feel comfortable to ask me questions
• they would let me and my child spend some time in the setting
• with my permission they would contact other involved professionals for advice and if appropriate, arrange a meeting so we all had an opportunity to ask questions and discuss the best way forward
• that if, after all efforts to make reasonable adjustments they could not meet my child's needs, they would tell me why and signpost me to someone who could help me decide what to do next

I think there are going to be interesting times ahead this term and indeed next year as legal test cases are brought by parents whose Local Authorities aren't fulfilling their duties. If parents have any queries or you're struggling with funding, IPSEA are a great charity who can provide advice:

http://www.ipsea.org.uk/

I've also just found these useful handouts which are produced by a firm of solicitors. It's obviously an attempt to get some business but there's some good information here:

http://www.ipsea.org.uk/

Remember that there's no expectation to get everything done this term, at the bottom of page 5 of the attached transition document which came out at the end of August, it says:

1.11 Early years settings and schools are expected to have adopted the new SEN support approach set out in the ‘SEND Code of Practice: 0 to 25 years’ by spring 2015 for children and young people who do not have statements of SEN and to have applied it to all children and young people by September 2015 at the latest.

Transition_to_the_new_0_to_25_special_educational_needs_and_disability_system_statutory_guidance_for_local_authorities.pdf