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Milton Keynes SEND Reform Implementation 9th June 2014

Caroline Marriott: Head of Delivery SEN & Disability & Graham Read, Project Manager SEND Reforms

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Children and Families Act 2014

Key Principles within the ACT

• The views, wishes and feelings of the child or young person and their parents must be sought and heard

• Children, young people and their parents must be enabled to participate as fully as possible in decisions

• High aspirations for all children and young people with SEN

Children and Families ACT: 2014

Key elements within the code:

• Provision for children and young people aged 0-25

• The Local Offer

• Education, health and social care plans ( EHC)

• Personal budgets

• Children in specific circumstances

• Resolving disputes

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Milton Keynes SEN Reform Project

• Milton Keynes Council Corporate Project - Project Board established Autumn 2013

• Refreshed project plan

• Working groups:

- Local Offer - Personal Budgets- EHC plans (now including transition to adulthood)- Health Working Group

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Local Offer Working Group

• Workshops with stakeholders to gather information

• Networking with SE7 pathfinders - good practice examples

• Continued development of our interactive website

• Coordinating with school websites - integrating the local offer

• Building in feedback for on-going development of the Local Offer

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EHC Plans Working Group

• Research with other LAs

• SEN information day February 2014 (180 attendees)

• Produced draft EHC plan & draft process / time-line

• Current work includes paperwork and processes for referral and annual reviews

• Sub-group looking at transition to adulthood

• Current work on conversion strategy and EHC Plan criteria

Personal Budgets Working Group

•Building on Milton Keynes existing – children’s direct payments scheme– short break voucher scheme– personal budgets for continuing care in health

•Scoping initial priorities and possibilities for personal budgets

•Drawing on national expertise of “In-Control”

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Peer Challenge: April 2014

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3 SEND experts led by a DCS, spent 2 days looking at MK SEND Reform implementation:•Acknowledged our strong partnership working, commitment and ‘can do’ approach•Confirmed the areas we identified for further development and provided some ideas to take these forward•Recommended a renewed focus on communication, including agreeing key messages with partners•Advised greater attention to work force development•Highlighted our need to articulate how we ensure effective work with families from across our diverse communities

DfE Visit: May 2014

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The DfE are visiting 40 LAs to monitor/support implementationAfter meeting partners in Milton Keynes they:•Acknowledged our increased pace of reform implementation•Recognised our strong partnership working, including with parents and joint children’s commissioning•Suggested we pilot EHC plans before September•Endorsed our plans to increase our focus on training & the participation of children and young people •Offered support from pilot LAs and individual “experts”

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Current Priorities and Challenges

• Ensure that “reform” delivers:– improved experiences – improved outcomes

for disabled children, families and carers

• Multi-agency training for core professionals

• Participation work with children and young people

• An opportunity to reconfigure our resources and achieve wider change

Key Question

What are the changes that you think would be most beneficial to you and your child?

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