SEND - Local offer

For most young people who have Special Educational Needs and/or a Disability (SEND), their education and training will be delivered in a mainstream setting. This is because their outcomes will be met most effectively if they have the opportunity to succeed surrounded by their family, community and friends. 

Important Note: The LA is required to take into account funding considerations when making ISP educational placement decisions and they can refuse if a placement is:

• Unsuitable to a young person’s age, ability, aptitude or SEN
• Incompatible with the efficient education of other young people with whom they would be educated
• The placement would be incompatible with the efficient use of resources (Code of Practice 2015)

The LA will not be able to confirm funding and commissioning decisions until the full costs and affordability of an educational placement has been considered, in line with the whole budget available. The total costs of the placement may include additional social care and health costs that may be needed.

To secure an education programme, and to make sure that funds are being used efficiently, joint working between agencies, building partnerships and increasing community capacity to secure appropriate funding may take place.

The LA will communicate with other agencies and service areas to request any funding to cover health and care costs associated with the placement. However the LA cannot guarantee that such funding will be provided.

In the event that a local package of provision and support cannot be identified then a decision will be sought from the relevant LA panel which will consider cases in time to meet the 31st March deadline.

If a decision to fund a day placement is made the LA will need to be satisfied that all the criteria are met:

• There is no suitable mainstream provision or package that can meet the young person’s reasonable education or training needs.
• There is evidence that the young person has medical or care needs that cannot be addressed by local providers and that would prevent young person from accessing suitable education or training.
• The ISP is appropriate to the young person’s needs
• The programme proposed for the young person, includes progression pathways and clear outcomes and destinations in line with the young person’s preparation for adulthood.

Requests for residential programmes must evidence the assessment of the student’s reasonable education or training needs and demonstrate that an essential element can only be provided in a residential settings and that other provision or packages will be unable to meet their needs.

Evidence must be provided to support placements being up to date (within the last 12 months) and appropriate to the requests being made. Evidence will need to demonstrate that the match between the aspirations of the student, their identified reasonable education and training needs and the learning programme is only available through an ISP. Sourced of the evidence will include:

• EHC Plan
• Careers Action Plan
• Relevant and up to date reports from the Multi-Agency Team around the student and concluded they cannot put in place or source a suitable package of provision and support to meet the student’s educational and training needs.
• A report from the ISP detailing how the provider can meet the young person’s reasonable assessed education and training needs set out in the EHC Plan.
• The Preference Form – that has signed consent of the young person to share information, as appropriate. 

Other information may be required dependant on the young person individual circumstances and requirements.

The LA will take into account the wishes of the young person and their parents/carers, but it does not have a legal duty to fund a preferred placement in an ISP if it is satisfied that it can secure adequate provision locally. The LA will seek a view from a mainstream college or provider where an ISP preference has been made, based on the preferences that have been made. If no preference has been given the LA will seek a view from a local provider who it feels would be able to meet the young person’s needs. A personalised package of provision and support within a local setting may be developed to support the young person needs and aspirations.

If the young person and their Parents/Carers are not satisfied with the decision, they have the right to appeal against the decision and should follow the appeals process in Section 12.

How long will the young person’s placement at an ISP continue for? 

Continuing placements for existing young people will be made on the basis of their Annual Reviews documenting their progress. The review will be undertaken by the ISP in partnership with the LA and will look at the progress that the young person has made. All reports have to be with the LA by the end of July so that the LA can meet their deadline of 31 March. The LA will look to meet the needs if the young person by developing a personalised provision package and support in a local setting on a year by year basis.

How long will the programme last for a Young Person?

The total length of a programme for an individual young person may last over a year, however the funding for the placement will be considered on a yearly basis (one academic year) and its continuation will be defined by the ongoing progress, attendance and positive outcomes that are shown in the Annual Review Reports that are submitted by the ISP no later than the end of July. Costs will be reviewed on an annual basis.

An expectation is that the young person completes their programme within the time initially agreed and any requests to extend the placement original end date will be granted only in exceptional circumstances. For example: where a young person has not been able to complete their learning outcomes because of unexpected medical reasons.

Can a Placement be changed ‘In Year’?

Following identification of a change in support needs, requests to change a student’s level of funding in-year (that is, at any time other than through the end of the first term review for new placements and the summer term review process for all students) are likely only to be considered in exceptional circumstances and evidenced by up to date reports. These changes must be agreed by the Local Authority through an annual review before amendments are put in place.
 

Derwen College

Derwen College is based in Gobowen, near Oswestry for day and residential students and has satellites for day students in Telford, Walford near Shrewsbury and Craven Arms.

Individualised learning includes a comprehensive Personal Development and Independence programme. Students are supported to begin learning to care for themselves, shop, cook, develop road safety skills, extend their abilities in inter-personal relationships and take their place in society.

Derwen College main site, Gobowen, Near Oswestry - https://www.derwen.ac.uk/

Derwen @ Telford - https://www.derwen.ac.uk/learning/satellite-sites/telford/

Derwen @ Walford near Shrewsbury - https://www.derwen.ac.uk/learning/satellite-sites/walford/

Derwen @ Craven Arms, south Shropshire - https://www.derwen.ac.uk/learning/satellite-sites/craven-arms/

Online prospectus: https://www.paperturn-view.com/?pid=ODY86924&v=2.18

To find out more and to view previous open days visit our website: https://www.derwen.ac.uk/about-derwen/open-day/