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.

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