51ÊÓƵ

The Year 9 Review

Planning for adulthood begins formally at the Year 9 annual review, but steps should be put in place earlier to ensure that the transition to adulthood is smooth. Best practice indicates that we need to be getting children ready for adulthood from their very earliest years. When your child reaches Year 9, your Local Authority must support them in making plans for their future. This is a legal duty found in regulation 20(6) and regulation 21(6) of The SEN and Disability Regulations 2014 (The SEND Regulations 2014). It is important that your young person’s views are included and considered in the preparation for adulthood process. There should be clear consideration of the four pillars of preparation for adulthood: work and education; independent living; friends, relationships and community; remaining healthy. It is important to find out what makes a good PfA outcome for your child. It should be linked to their key aspirations and priorities to live a healthy and successful life.

Person-centred planning and student voice

It is best practice for your young person’s voice to be heard loudly throughout the transition process, and this is achieved through person-centred planning. Where possible, young people should attend or contribute to their own annual reviews. This can be in person but can also be reflected in student voice documentation. Student voice can take many forms and depends on your child or young person’s ability to contribute. Sometimes, it may be necessary for their wants and needs to be interpreted by people who know them very well, including the team around the child.

Parental contribution to PfA

As a parent, your voice is equally important. It may seem difficult to know how best to support your child or young person as they approach adulthood. At 51ÊÓƵ School, we invite you to come in and talk to teams ahead on the annual review. This is known as the ‘Parent Visit’. We ask you to think about which goals and aspirations are relevant and important to your young person, and from Year 9, the focus is on the transition from school into the wider world.

The annual review cycle

A child or young person’s EHCP must be reviewed annually, by law. It is important that you, the Local Authority and other agencies meet regularly to make sure that your child is prepared for adulthood and that their identified needs are being met through an appropriate setting and provision. Your child/young person’s contribution is also important and all conversations at annual review should be based on their best interests. At 51ÊÓƵ School, our approach to supporting you and your person through the annual review cycle is as follows:

• Staff support students to express their views about their future
• Parental views are sought regularly through parental consultations and prior to annual review through the parental contribution form
• Team meets to check most recent plan
• Parents are invited to parent visit to discuss young person’s future. Where appropriate, the young person can join this discussion. Possible outcomes are discussed and proposed in advance of annual review
• Annual review takes place and changes are made to plan where appropriate
• The Local Authority sends the proposed plan to parents and other contributors. Any further amendments are made
• The final plan is sent to parents and school
• Parents agree to the plan, or may decide to appeal any decisions made by the Local Authority.

An EHCP is a legal document in the UK that is issued and maintained by the Local Authority (LA). The agreed outcomes belong to the child and, at 51ÊÓƵ School, are supported by transdisciplinary teams. They work holistically to ensure your child/young person can gain the knowledge and practise the skills they need to move successfully into adulthood.

Post 16 and Post 19 Pathways

Every child’s pathway is different and depends on:

• Aspirations
• Ability
• Your Local Authority

We will support you and your child/young person in making the best decisions for the future through consultation, the annual review process and access to Careers advice. 51ÊÓƵ School uses North Tyneside’s Connexions. This timeline shows how the transition process works.

• Y9 review – statutory conversations about Preparation for Adulthood begin
• Y12/13 – more discussions about future pathways. Visits to colleges and other destinations within your Local Authority. See the Local Offer information. From Year 13 or 14
• September onwards – applications for colleges begin
• October onwards –if a specialist provision is considered the most appropriate pathway, conversations begin with Local Authorities. Colleges review applications and decide whether they can meet need. If so, they will make an offer.
• October to March – Local Authority Post 16 funding panel considers college/placement offers
• March 31st – Local Authority must confirm placement for following September.
• Summer term –Transition visits start to take place.

What to do if your Local Authority does not support your choice

An EHCP is an education-led Education, Health & Care Plan. It continues while the young person is receiving education or training. Once the education/training objectives have been achieved the Local Authority (LA) will seek to cease the plan. Should the young person still need support this will be provided by Health and/or Social Care. It will convert to a Health and/or Social Care Plan. This means that your young person may access alternative or different pathways, such as a day service, support via commissioned services or Direct Payment (Personal Budget), overnight respite and NHS therapy. As a parent, you have the right to state your preference for next steps and you should make this clear through conversations with your school setting and through your parental contribution to the annual review meeting. However, the Local Authority may disagree and offer an alternative or seek to cease the plan. You have the right to appeal this decision. In order to do this, you should have as much information as possible and this may include finding out about other settings, in order to make an informed decision about your child’s future.