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SEN consultation

12 December 2013

PACEY has published its response to a Government consultation on new Special Educational Needs (SEN) regulations, which are part of the Children and Families Bill. These new regulations introduce several changes to how local authorities and education, health and care workers deliver their SEN support to children and their families, including: 

  • A requirement to engage children with SEN and their parents in the decision making around the support local authorities give to early years professionals
  • The replacement of special needs statements with Education, Health and Care plans
  • Proposals to integrate the existing EYFS 2-year-old progress check with the health check currently carried out as part of the Healthy Child Programme.

In our response to the consultation, PACEY welcomed many of these changes, as well as the overall emphasis on coordination between local authorities, health & care bodies and early years professionals in designing and delivering the support to children with SEN and their families. However, PACEY is keen to ensure that the experience and insight of early years professionals are represented in the new regulations, so we recommend that the Government:

  • Sets out clear requirements for local authorities to engage with all types of early years professionals, and PACEY, in developing their SEN ‘local offer’, and support professionals in their delivery of that offer
  • Ensures that Ofsted criteria reflect the new guidance, so that early years professionals are recognised when they are delivering high quality care to a child with SEN or require additional support
  • Works with key stakeholders (including PACEY) to develop SEN guidance, training and assessment so early years professionals are prepared and supported to deliver the new requirements

Share your views

PACEY is planning to host several working groups in the new year and, in partnership with key organisations will seek to develop guidance, training and support for those early years professionals who care for a child or children with SEN.

If you have any comments about the new guidelines or would like to share your concerns or experiences of caring for a child or children with SEN, please e-mail info@pacey.org.uk