Memorandum submitted by the Borough of Telford and Wrekin Council

In an exchange between the Chairman of the Committee and the Minister of State for Schools during an Opposition debate on SEN on 30 January this year, the Minister agreed that if the Committee put forward proposals on the practicalities of implementing the separation of assessment from funding then he would reconsider the matter. The Committee has therefore decided to examine this specific issue once again.

A more helpful approach would be the to set down the core SEN provision which all mainstream schools must offer, including more tightly defined disability specifications especially in new buildings.  This would increase the range of provision offered to children with SEN and Disability. 

On the presumption that local authorities would continue to fund special needs provision, the Committee is seeking views on the following issues in particular:

·       How might assessment of special educational needs be undertaken other than by the relevant local authority without the establishment of a new separate agency for the purpose?

The separation of assessment and funding will not achieve the clarity that is sought in SEN.  At present in T&W we have a moderating panel of professionals including EPs, paediatrician, early years, school representatives and education officers to make decisions on Requests for Statutory Assessments, decisions on issuing of statements or notes in lieu and placement or support recommendations.  If these functions were separated it could mean either

1. Creation of another agency whose only responsibility is assessment

2. Devolve assessment to the local EPS

3. Assessment could be devolved to schools

It may be that a variety of pilot schemes could be set up across the country within different LAs to look at models for separating assessment and funding.

·       How might local accountability for assessment be maintained if the local authority does not directly undertake the assessment?

The assessment has to be undertaken by an agency.  The key question is how do we ensure that the body undertaking the assessment is inspected to ensure equity.?  We also need to ensure that decisions are independently moderated across authorities or agencies.

·       What other issues need to be addressed in order to make the separation of assessment and provision effective?

There could be no truly independent method of deciding on provision, it is dependent on local circumstances including the known provision available and the facilities in place in mainstream schools.

All decisions on placement or support must have mind to the efficient use of council resources.  It would be difficult to see how this would work if another agency made this provision.  It might just serve to put another point in the process where parents come into conflict with the Local Authority.

·       What models from other countries could usefully be drawn on to demonstrate how separation of assessment and funding for special educational needs might be achieved?

The only examples from other countries are in social care rather than education.

July 2007