| 2.1 |
All jointly funded placements of children will be referred to the Access to Resources (SEN) Panel for approval - see Section 3, Access to Resources Panel |
| 2.2 |
When the SEN team become aware of a child whose educational needs cannot be met within a local school, they will check with the Children's Social Care Teams as to whether the family is known to them. |
| 2.3 |
Where the family is known or the SEN Team have significant concerns about the ability of an educational provision to meet the child's educational needs, they will convene a multi agency meeting. |
| 2.4 |
Similarly where a Children's Social Care Team has significant concerns about a child with a Statement of SEN that may result in a recommendation for a jointly funded provision, they will convene a multi agency meeting. |
| 2.5 |
The purpose of a multi agency meeting is to ensure that all options have been explored to support the child in the current school and home before a recommendation is made to the Access to Resources (SEN) Panel for a jointly funded resource. |
| 2.6 |
If there are significant health issues the child must also be referred to the PCT for a continuing care assessment. |
| 3.1 |
The Access to Resources (SEN) Panel will be the decision maker for all children who have a statement of special educational needs and require jointly funded provision to meet their education and/or care needs. (This will include both looked after children and those where there have been Special Educational Needs Tribunal decisions). |
| 3.2 |
The Access to Resources (SEN) Panel will consider all SEN placements on a monthly basis. |
| 3.3 |
The Access to Resources (SEN) Panel Administrator will circulate annually dates for these monthly meetings. |
| 3.4 |
The monthly Access to Resources (SEN) Panel membership will include:
- The Head of Safeguarding (Chair)
- Manager of the Placement Service
- Service Manager for the relevant social care team
- Service Manager for Children with Additional Needs
- Head of SEN Team
- Finance and Data Officer
- Manager of LACE Team
|
| 3.5 |
The Finance and Data Officer will record information about referrals and outcomes in a statistical format to be agreed by the Panel. |
| 3.6 |
To avoid delay in emergency situation the Chair of the Panel can agree to the temporary funding of a potential jointly funded provision. These cases will be referred to the next available Panel. |
| 3.7 |
Written details of children to be referred to the Panel will be sent to the Panel Administrator at least a week in advance. |
| 3.8 |
The Panel will make a decision as to the funding of the identified provision and the budget allocation (Schools and/or Social care) and may recommend further action. |
| 3.9 |
A written record of the decision will be available from the Panel Administrator within 7 days of the Panel meeting. |
| 4.1 |
The SEN team will pay the education costs of the placement including provision costs e.g. 1 to 1. |
| 4.2 |
Where education costs are not broken down by the provider, the following splits will be applied:
- 52 week placements - 25% / 75% - SEN / Children's Social Care
- 38 week placements - 50 / 50
|
| 4.3 |
Educationally related transport costs to the placement will be shared equally between SEN and Children's Social Care budgets. |
| 4.4 |
The placement and funding arrangements will be reviewed at the Access to Resources Panel 6 months from the date of placement. Where there is potential disruption to the placement the case will need to be referred to the Panel earlier. |
| 4.5 |
The PCT may agree to part-fund a residential placement following the continuing care protocol. In these cases, the Panel will be made aware of the contribution from the PCT and this will be taken into consideration prior to applying the above formula. |
