Question: There seems no way we can meet the deadline for the special educational needs and disability reforms in the Children and Families Act by this September. What do we do?
Peter Lewis: If you cannot do it all then prioritise. Break it down into manageable tasks and assign a lead to each one. Some like education, health and care plans are "mission critical". Personal Budgets (as Direct Payments) must happen, but won't be universal by September in most local authorities.
Other key areas include the local offer, communication and engagement - especially work with parents and carers - and joint commissioning. All of these will draw on what you have been doing for some time - so it is not necessarily a desperate situation. You do need plans to show the way forward and each lead will be able to produce one.
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
