SEND Reforms

The Children and Families Act 2014 – SEND Reforms

This is a wide ranging piece of legislation designed to give greater protection to vulnerable children and young people. Key elements of the Act are changes to the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) system, which came into effect on1 September 2014 and included a new legal duty on schools to better support children with medical conditions. Schools are expected to involve parents and young people in identifying needs and planning support. The Act extends the SEN system from birth to 25, and gives children, young people and their parents greater choice and control in decisions, ensuring needs are properly met.

What are the aims of the SEND reforms?

S upporting 0-25 year olds with additional needs and disabilities with new and simpler systems

E mpowering parents and carers by more consultation, better information and the option of personal budgets

N urturing children and young people to reach their full potential by providing more choices and commissioning the right services

D eveloping new ways of working such as the single education, health and care plan (EHC plan).

The Council for Disabled Children have produced a user-friendly factsheet to help families understand what the reforms mean and how they should work to improve the provision for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities:

Fact Sheet - SEND - The Reforms.pdf

Other organisations and resources that provide guidance and support for parents:

• Mencap have produced a range of free resources to help parents and carers find out more about the Government's changes to how children with a learning disability are supported within the Special Educational Needs system.
• Specialneedsjungle.com have produced parent-led information, resources and informed opinion about children and young people 0-25
• The Councilfordisabledchildren.org.uk also provides advice support and information for parents, schools and young people.

• Sen.se is a collaborative partnership between all of the special schools and specialist provision with in Somerset.