How we make decisions
The decisions we make about the support our children and young people receive is central to our vision and can have a profound effect on their outcomes. We have been working over recent months to develop our decision-making processes and ensure our children and young people receive the right support, at the right time and in the right place.
We have worked with schools and families to co-produce a new Terms of Reference for our decision making panels. To ensure the best decisions can be made for our children and young people, we have created three decision making panels with distinct roles and membership: Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment (EHCNA) Panel, Area Education, Health and Care Plan Panel, and County Independent Panel.
Educational, Health and Care Needs Assessment (EHCNA) Panel
Panel Scope
- To consider all new requests for EHC needs assessment, and to decide whether to carry out an EHCNA, informed by the Code of Practice and the Suffolk EHC needs assessment guidance document.
- To consider requests for re-assessment.
- To ratify decisions made at Tribunal and any extraordinary decisions made outside of panel (as per Scheme of Delegation) and record outcomes in agenda in relation to placement
Panel Membership
- Family Services Operational Manager * (Chair)
- Family Services Area Managers (Vice Chair rota)
- Senior Educational Psychologist
- Head of Service from Specialist Education Service teams
- School and setting representatives
- Designated Lead from Social Care/Early Help
- Designated Health Representative
- Suffolk County Council Early Years team representative
This panel will be held weekly.
SEND Decision Making Panel Booking Form
We are pleased to share that a booking platform for the SEND Decision Making panels is now live. Panels will take place weekly, and we would like to invite two schools to attend per panel.
The panel frequency is detailed as below:
- Education, Health & Care Needs Assessment panel occurs every Tuesday 10:00- 13:00
- South Area EHC Plan panel takes place every Monday 11:00-13:30.
- North Area EHC Plan panel takes place every Tuesday 13:30-16:00.
- West Area EHC Plan panel takes place every Wednesday 09:30-12:00
- County Independent Placement panel takes place fortnightly every Wednesday 1:00- 5:00 (this may become more frequent)
These decision-making panels have allowed us to further develop our decision-making processes. Your attendance will not be to discuss referrals specific to your school. This opportunity is open to all school settings, and we look forward to seeing as many of you as possible.
Area Education Health and Care Plan Panel
Panel Scope
To consider:
- whether to issue a new EHCP;
- the content and resourcing of proposed new EHCPs;
- significant changes following annual reviews (defined at changes of 2 or more High Needs Funding bands, or a change of placement type)
- the content of EHCPs adopted from local areas if there is not a straightforward equivalent within Suffolk to the provision in the EHCP.
- To sign off EHCP Health (Section G) element
- if Independent Placement should be considered
- proposed placements in relation to tribunal resolution
To ratify decisions made at Tribunal and any extraordinary decisions made outside of panel (as per Scheme of Delegation) and record outcomes in agenda in relation to placement.
Panel Membership
- Area Family Services Managers * (Chair/Vice Chair)
- Senior Educational Psychologist
- Head of Service from Specialist Education Service teams
- School and setting representatives
- Designated Lead from Social Care
- Designated Health Representative
- Suffolk County Council Early Years team representative
This panel will be held weekly.
County Independent Panel
Panel Scope
To consider:
- any request for a personal budget, and/or bespoke package of education
- an independent and/or out of County education placement and associated funding
- proposed placements in relation to tribunal resolution
To ratify decisions made at Tribunal and any extraordinary decisions made outside of panel (as per Scheme of Delegation) and record outcomes in agenda in relation to placement.
Panel Membership:
- Head of SEND Services* (Chair)
- Headteacher of SES* (Vice chair)
- Principal Educational Psychologist
- School and setting representatives
- Designated Social Care Officer
- Designated Clinical Officer Health Representative
This panel will be held fortnightly.