Local Authority Duties for Children and Young People with SEND
The phrase ‘Local Authorities must’ appears 188 times in the SEN Code of Practice: The broad duties for the Local Authority (or Islington Council) , summarised here, are to:
- Ensure that children, their parents and young people are involved in discussions and decisions about their individual support and about local provision
- Ensure that children, young people and parents are provided with the information, advice and support necessary to enable them to participate in discussions and decisions about their support
- Consult children with SEND, their parents and young people with SEND in reviewing education and social care provision and in preparing and reviewing the Local Offer
- Prepare and publish a Local Offer
- Carry out their functions with a view to identifying all the children and young people in their area who have or may have SEND
- Keep their education and training provision and social care provision for children and young people with SEND under review
- Make sure that services work together where this promotes children and young people’s wellbeing or improves the quality of special educational provision
Work with partners to assess local needs - Have arrangements in place to jointly plan and commission education, health and social care services jointly for children and young people with SEND
- Carry out EHC needs assessment and follow the statutory steps to issue and deliver EHCP when considered necessary
- Review EHC plans annually, including reviewing the child’s support
- Consider request for personal budgets where a child or young person has an EHCP
- Ensure the availability of independent mediation services.