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Assessment of Pre-school and School-age Children

on Tuesday, 04 June 2013. Posted in Menu Items

Ensuring your child has the best start

n.b. New legislation coming into force will make much of the following obsolete but you may still find it useful

For information on Additional Learning Needs please click here

 

Identification and Assessment of Special Educational Needs

Under the 1996 Education Act the Secretary of State has issued a Code of Practice on Special Educational Needs. All schools and Local Authorities (LA)s are required to have regard to this Code when managing their Special Educational provision. From 2000 a Code of Practice was adopted that Local Authorities are legally obliged to follow.

The Code has a four stage approach to assessment. Schools will take the lead in assessing pupils needs during the first two stages and at stages three and four LAs will share the responsibility with them, focusing on statutory assessment leading to a possible Statement of Educational Needs for a child.

A Statement of Special Educational Needs is a formal and legal document setting out a child’s needs and the special help he or she should have. The LA must ensure that the child receives the Special Education provision described in a Statement. The Code recommends that LAs and parents might discuss the identity of a ‘‘named person’’ who in future can give parents independent advice and information at the start of the assessment process and for any subsequent Statement.

Assessment takes place in order to ascertain each child’s individual particular needs and to ensure that they are offered the setting which is right for them, and in which they will be happy.

A statement of Special Educational Needs applies only until a child leaves school - it may not apply in colleges or other further education establishments.

For more information see - Special Educational Needs and Statements

CSIE publish a useful leaflet on special educational needs and the statementing process.
SNAP is there to offer support and advice.
The Independent Parental Special Education Advice (IPSEA) has independent experts who give advice to parents and carers who are uncertain about, or disagree with, the LEA’s view of their child’s Special Educational Needs. They offer a free Representation Service.
The Parents Federation is also an important source of information for parents

Parents who disagree with the LAs decision may appeal to the new Special Educational Needs Tribunal for Wales (SENTW).

The Children Act

The Children Act 1989, as amended by the Children Act 2004, brought together the legislation concerning the care and upbringing of children. One of the central principles of the Act is that the welfare of children is paramount. Another key theme of the Act is that while parents have a number of rights, they also have responsibilities. Under the Children Act, local authorities are expected to provide a range and level of services which are appropriate to provide for the welfare of children in need in their area. Children in need are broadly defined as children whose health and welfare may suffer significantly without support from social services. The Children Act 2004 made provision for the establishment of a Children's Commissioner for Wales; to make provision about services provided to and for children and young people by local authorities.

Child Care Plans

Every child receiving a service from the Local Authority should do so on the basis of an
assessment of need and a child care plan. In the case of children accommodated by or on
behalf of the Local Authority, including children accommodated for short-term respite care,
the Children Act gives quite specific directions for the content of the child care plan. The plan should specify what will be provided to meet a child’s needs and contain sufficient information about a child and the family to ensure that those providing services do so in a way that is sensitive to a particular child’s character and lifestyle.

Every Child Matters

Every Child Matters (ECM) was launched in 2003, partly in response to the death of Victoria Climbié. It is one of the most important policy initiative and development programmes in relation to children and children’s services of the last decade. Every Child Matters covers children and young adults up to the age of 19, or 24 for those with disabilities.

Its main aims are for every child, whatever their background or circumstances, to have the
support they need to:

  • Be healthy
  • Stay safe
  • Enjoy and achieve
  • Make a positive contribution
  • Achieve economic well-being

Each of these themes has a detailed framework attached whose outcomes require multi-agency partnerships working together to achieve. The agencies in partnership may include children’s centres, early years, schools, children’s social work services, primary and secondary health services, playwork, and Child and Adolescent Mental Health services (CAMHS). ECM stresses that all professionals working with children are aware of the contribution that could be made by their own and each others’ service and to plan and deliver their work with children and young people accordingly.

Families First / Cymorth

Cymorth is the Children and Youth Support Fund provided by the Welsh Government. It
aimed to provide a network of targeted support to improve the lives of children and young
people from disadvantaged families. Cymorth funding is administered through Children and Young People’s Partnerships within each Local Authority. Cymorth funding underpins many current services that support families, children and young people. The funding for these projects is coming to an end in March 2013 and some Cymorth funded projects in this guide may cease to exist as a result.

Families First will be introduced, from April 2013 and will replace Cymorth funding. Transitional arrangements have been set up with local authorities for 2012-13 to support the move from Cymorth to Families First.

Families First is an innovation programme that promotes the development by local authority areas of effective multi-agency systems and support, with a clear emphasis on prevention and early intervention for families, particularly those living in poverty

For more information see - Families First

Early Support - Cefnogi Cymru

Early Support is a mechanism for achieving better co-ordinated, family focused services for young disabled children and their families

For more information see - Early Support

The Early Years Forum

The Early Years Forum helps to plan for Special Educational Needs of young children prior to them starting full-time school

For more information see - The Early Years Forum

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Support for Carers in your area

  

Carers - More Information

Carers Hub

Carers Hub

Carers Hub

Throughout Cardiff there are many community Hubs where you can get a wide range of support and advice.

 

There is a Carers' specific Hub in the Vale as well that services carers from both counties

The Carers Trust are based there and you can get a wide range of information and support on issues that affect carers.

For more details look here

 

Financial Support

Financial Support

Carers and Pension

Caring for someone can have a devastating impact on Carers’ longer term pension and Carers need to be aware of their pensions as a result. To be eligible to receive a full basic State Pension, a person must have made a certain amount of National Insurance (NI) contributions towards it throughout their working life. If a person is unable to do this because they are caring for children or for a disabled, ill or frail adult, then the state will credit their contributions. However, this only happens if they claim the right benefits and take the right action.

For more information visit:

www.carersuk.org/Information/Caringforyourpension


For advice and information on all aspects of caring contact:

Carers UK’s Adviceline on:
freephone 0808 808 7777 (Wednesdays and Thursdays 10am-12pm and 2pm - 4pm) or
Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Other financial support

Looking after Someone, a complete guide to carers’ rights and benefits, is available from:

Carers UK Tel: 020 7378 4999

Carers UK’s helpline - speak to an advisor for a full benefits check by ringing the

Helpline on 0808 808 7777

Age Cymru has a huge amount of information on financial support for older people.

Call their free helpline on 08000 223444 or visit
www.ageuk.org.uk/cymru/money-matters

The Pensions Advisory Service is an independent non-profit organisation that provides free information, advice and guidance on the whole spectrum of pensions, including state, company, personal and stakeholder schemes.

Call 0845 601 2923 or
visit www.pensionsadvisoryservice.org.uk

Directgov is an excellent online source of information on benefits and pensions

www.direct.gov.uk/pensions

Carers Direct also provides information on carers’ pensions and other aspects of caring:

www.nhs.uk/CarersDirect

Contact a Family Specialist Benefit Adviser

Tel: 0808 808 3555

Insight app - a great way to stay in touch and active

Insight app - a great way to stay in touch and active

The Innovate Trust has developed an easy to use app for you to download for free,

It allows families to keep in touch and their loved ones to participate in a wide range of activities and workshops

Legislation

Legislation

Disabled Persons (Services Consultation & Representation) Act 1986 section 8

This requires that, during an assessment of a disabled person, the ability of carers who provide substantial amount of care on a regular basis is taken into account.

Carers (Recognition and Services) Act 1995

This Act requires the social services authority (if so requested) to carry out a separate assessment of the carer (a “Carers’s assessment”) at the same time as it assesses the person for whom the care is provided.

The act applies both to adult and young carers regardless of the age of the person for whom they provide care.

It defines the carer as an individual who provides or intends to provide a substantial amount of care on a regular basis. For the purposes of the
Act the term carer includes people who may or may not be a relative, and who may or may not be living with the person for whom they are caring. The Act excludes volunteers who provide care as part of their work for voluntary organisations and anyone who is providing care by virtue of a contract of employment or any other contract. This would include anyone who is providing personal assistance for payment, either in cash or in kind.

Carers and Disabled Children Act 2000

This Act gives carers a ‘right’ to a carer’s assessment if they are aged over 16 years old and are providing or intending to provide regular and substantial care for someone aged over 18 years. Carers are entitled to an assessment even when the person they care for refuses to have an assessment or having had an assessment refuses to accept services.

It also includes the right for parents of children with disabilities to request an assessment

It provides the power to provide services for carers in their own right, following an assessment of their needs as well as the power to charge for those services.

The act introduced Direct Payments (i.e. cash instead of care) to parent carers, carers for their own services and young disabled people aged 16 and 17 years.

The Carers (Equal Opportunities) Act 2004

This places a duty on social care to inform carers of their right to request a carer’s assessment. It also gives the provision for a local authority to
ask another statutory authority or body (such as housing, health, education and other local authorities) to assist in planning the provision of services to carers or to provide services that may enhance the carer’s ability to provide care. The other authority must give the request due consideration.

In relation to work, training education and leisure the Act amends both the Carers (Recognition and Services) Act 1995 and the Carers and Disabled Children Act 2000 by ensuring that carer’s assessments must include consideration of whether carers work, or wish to work, and are undertaking or wish to undertake, education, training or any leisure activity.

Work and Families Act 2006

The Work and Families legislation came in 2006, and allows carers of adults the same right to request flexible working as carers of children. Employers do not have to agree to the request, but must make a good business case if refused.

The Children and Young Persons Act 2008

This requires local authorities to make adequate arrangements for short break provision for Disabled Children. In addition the Welsh Assembly Government has a range of powers to inspect, regulate and issue statutory guidance in respect of local authority services under the Local Authority Social Services Act 1970, the Care Standards Act 2000 and the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Act 2003. It also has powers to direct the NHS under the National Health Services (Wales) Act 2006.

Carers Strategies (Wales) Measure

In January 2012 the Carers Strategies (Wales) Measure 2010 came into force. This legislation places a duty on the Local Health Boards to lead on preparing and implementing a carer’s information and consultation strategy. For Cardiff and the Vale the lead health Board is the University Health Board (UHB) who working in partnership with several stakeholders including, Vale Council, Cardiff Council, Vale Council for Voluntary Services (VCVS), Cardiff’s
Third Sector Council (C3SC), Third Sector representatives, Carers representatives and additional UHB services have began this work. At current a working group made up of the above have helped the UHB produce a draft outline of the strategy and what will be included.

Strategies will:

  • set out how information and guidance will be provided to carers, that will assist them in carrying out their caring role effectively; and
  • set out how carers will be consulted and involved in decisions affecting them and those they care for.

LHBs are designated as the ‘lead authority’ in the Regulations. They will be required to lead the work to develop and implement the Strategies, working in partnership with Social Services.

‘Carers and their rights: the law relating to carers’, published by Carers UK by Professor Luke Clements.
www.carersuk.org/professionals/order-publications

This fifth edition includes updates based on a number of statutory and case law developments since the last edition, implementation of the Carers (Equal Opportunities) Act 2004 and the Work and Families Act 2006, the impact of the Equality Act 2010 and coincides with the first tangible impacts of the Carers Strategies (Wales) Measure 2010.

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