SEND Parent Carer FAQs
Where can I find information on support for Emotional Health and Wellbeing for my family?
KOOTH is part of the BeeU service in Shropshire, Kooth.com is an online mental health and wellbeing community for young people. Young people across Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin can access Kooth for free from age 11-25. Kooth is available in many regions across the UK and we are a pioneer in digital mental health for young people.
To find out more visit their website Home - Kooth
View Emotional Health and Wellbeing
My child is on a modified timetable, should this happen?
You will need to discuss this with your child/young person’s school or setting if you are unhappy with the amount of hours that your child is accessing. Schools are expected to allow and strongly encourage children and young people to attend. If you have concerns about your child or young person’s access to education please speak to their school in the first instance.
If your child/young person has an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) and you would like any further advice please contact the SEND Team.
Can I apply for an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP)?
What is the process for doing this?
We would advise that you speak to a SEND Officer before submitting the request for an Education Health and Care Plan.
The SEND Officer will be able to share information about support that is available for your child or young person.
More information on Education Health and Care Plans can be found in the section: What is an Education Health and Care Plan?
Take a look at the Inclusive School Forum and Early Years Inclusion Panel pages on the Local Offer for more information on support that is provided for Early Years settings and Schools.
I have just been informed that the Local Authority is carrying out an Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment (EHCNA), what can I expect?
This assessment involves a process of gathering information from the relevant people or agencies, including the views, interests and aspirations of the parents and child or young person.
The needs assessment will help to determine whether we need to make additional provision through an EHC Plan.
An EHCNA will not always lead to an EHC Plan. However, it may help to decide how the education setting can meet the child or young person’s needs without an EHC Plan.
It should not take more than 20 weeks from requesting an assessment to a final EHC Plan being issued, a detailed overview of the timeline is aviable to download.
Download Education Health and Care Needs Assessment Timeline
What is a Moving Forward Meeting?
There are three scenarios within the 20 week timeline where you may be invited to a moving forward meeting.
- At week 6 where the Local Authority has not agreed to an Education Health and Care needs assessment.
- Between week 12 and 16 where the Local Authority has said No to issuing an Education Health and Care plan (after the assessment has occurred).
- Between week 12 and 16 where the Local Authority has agreed to issue an Education Health and Care plan.
You will only need to attend a moving forward meeting on one of these occasions, unless the local authority changes a decision.
If the Local Authority does not agree to an EHC assessment or does not issue an EHC plan following an assessment, the Moving Forward Meeting will be an opportunity for you to discuss the decision with your SEND Officer and your child or young person’s education setting. At this meeting the local authority will work with you to agree actions with your child’s setting, this will be recorded in a Moving Forward Agreement, so that you understand the support that will be put in place.
If the local authority does agree to issue an Education Health and Care plan the Moving Forward Meeting will provide an opportunity for you to co-produce your child or young person’s plan. The meeting will be led by the SEND Officer. It will generally be held at the child’s educational setting or virtually on Microsoft Teams. The professionals who were part of the assessment may be in attendance to provide additional advice and support. There will be opportunities for you to ask questions, clarify anything you are not sure about and help shape what is written in the plan.