FAMILIES are being urged to take up the offer of free independent support to make sense of the Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans that are replacing the statements of education due to reforms in the Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) system.
Core Assets Children’s Services has been commissioned by the Department for Education and the Council for Disabled Children to provide free impartial information and support services on SEND reforms in Worcestershire.
Tracey Mutch, from Core Assets said: “Working in partnership with Worcestershire County Council we have been able to forge excellent links with everyone involved in delivering support services for families through events and joint activities.
“However, there will be many families that are affected and still need support to successfully transfer from a statement of Special Education Needs to an Education, Health and Care plan. We would urge anyone that is struggling with the changes to come to us for free impartial information and support.”
The Children and Families Act 2014 introduced new measures to improve the support available for children with special educational needs and disabilities. Under the act, local authorities have a duty to phase in the introduction of the new Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans to replace the Statement of Special Educational Needs and where appropriate also Learning Difficulty Assessments (LDA).
EHC plans are designed to include education, health and social care needs in one legal document with the child or young person having the opportunity to express their personal interests, goals and aspirations for the future.
For further information on the support services available, visit http://www.coreassets.com/what-we-do/independent-support-service/, email [email protected] or contact the helpline 0800 028 8455
