Memorandum submitted by Janet Sparrow, Buckinghamshire County Council

 

Summary:

 

Buckinghamshire County Council does not support the separation of assessment of need from the funding of provision. It is difficult to see who could undertake the assessment, if it was independent of the Local Authority, and how the assessing body would work with those making provision, in view of the ongoing role of assessment in meeting the needs of the child and the need for local accountability.

 

1. Assessments are currently undertaken by professionals who provide independent advice regarding special educational needs

2. There is no evidence to suggest that the current system does not work effectively for the majority of children and young people

3. Assessments must take account of the context within which the child or young person is educated

 

 

1. Relevant professionals within both Local Authorities and Health services currently carry out multi-professional assessments. These professionals already give independent advice regarding the special educational needs of children and young people. Regardless of who employs them, all have independent professional codes of practice which require them to give an independent view of a child's needs. Therefore, it is difficult to envisage what difference a separate body, set up to carry out assessments, would make.

 

2. There is little evidence to suggest that the current system does not, in the majority of cases, work effectively for children and young people with special educational needs. There is potentially considerable danger in changing one system which works reasonably well for another totally untested one.

 

3. The suggestion that an 'independent' assessment could clearly define what a child needs is unrealistic. The level of support a child may require should be determined by the professional carrying out the assessment, taking into account not only the individual needs of the child, but also the context within which the child is educated. There is no evidence to support the view that a certain level of support for a pupil with a certain type of difficulty is the 'ideal' level of support and will produce the greatest level of progress.

 

July 2007