Only a very few children (around 3-4%) need an Education Health Care Plan to meet their special educational needs. Most children will have their needs met via a SEND support plan, an IEP, the Graduated Approach or through Quality First teaching in the mainstream classroom.
https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/schools-and-education/special-educational-needs/
If your child is on SEND support or has no additional help in school, the school can still support you in your child’s preparation for adulthood journey. Some elements of the curriculum especially PHSE will contribute to this, and schools also have extra-curricular activities such as day and residential trips to broaden their life experience.
But much of what your child needs to know to navigate the adult world will come from watching you and by doing things with you.
For the few children that have an EHCP, preparing for adulthood may be a part of the provision and the statutory conversation should be had at the Year 9 annual review.
The Year 9 EHCP Annual Review
While the Code of Practice emphasises Preparing for Adulthood from the earliest years, there are very important, specific statutory requirements that must be covered at the year 9 review.
Planning & Outcomes
- There must be a focus on Preparing for Adulthood
- The discussions must centre on the young person
- The young person’s aspirations and what they want to achieve must be explored
- The revised EHC plan must include outcomes that are ambitious, stretching and will prepare the young person for adulthood
- Outcomes should be ambitious and show how they will enable young people to make progress towards their aspirations
- Young people should have the support they need to fully participate in this planning and decision making
Support
- The year 9 review should also identify:
- the support the young person needs to achieve their aspirations
- what will need to be in their study programme from age 16 so that they can prepare for adult life
- how the young person wants their support to be delivered and the support they need to make more decisions for themselves
Some young people will need support from an independent skilled supporter to ensure their views are acknowledged and valued. They may need support in expressing their views about:
- Education
- The future they want in adult life
- How they prepare for adult life
- Health
- Where they live
- Their relationships
- Their finances
- Participation in the community
- How they will achieve greater autonomy and independence
What Does This Mean In Practice?
In order to fulfil the statutory requirements outlined above, it is essential that the year 9 review meeting is person-centred. A very successful approach is for the facilitator to use the following questions to guide a collective conversation which everyone can contribute to:
- What do people like and admire about this young person?
- Who are the important people in your life?
- What is important to you – now and in the future?
- What is important for you – now and in the future?
- What is working well?
- And not so well in your life at the moment?
- What support and help do you need?
Who Is Going to Do What & By When?
This conversation will result in information that will lead to developing outcomes that will take the young person towards their aspirations for life and identify the support they need.
The Council for Disabled Children have recently published a new suite of person-centred planning tools to support planning with children, young people and their families. Each of these tools is aimed at finding out what is important to and for the person and what support they need to achieve their outcomes and move towards their aspirations.
https://councilfordisabledchildren.org.uk/
EHC plans can stay in place until your young adult is 25. This will only happen if they are in education or the training outcomes in their plan which have not yet been achieved. There isn’t an automatic right to have an EHC plan until a young person is 25.
Education and training after leaving school
You can find out about colleges in your area and what they offer through Cornwall’s SEND Local Offer. You can also visit college websites and go to their open days. Colleges are happy to talk to students and parents about the courses they offer and the support they can give. The information in your young person’s school plan or EHC plan will help with these discussions. It’s a good idea to ask about work experience opportunities too. Apprenticeships, traineeships and supported internships may also be available.
Post 19 higher education and/or employment
Some students with special educational needs will go on to study at university. EHC plans end when a young person goes on to higher education such as a degree course, but the information that’s in them can still help universities to support their needs. Your young person will need to think about how they’re going to prepare for work, where they will work or where their future income will come from.