Transition to Post-school Education

Welsh Government developments

• UN Convention on the Rights of the Child

• Inclusive education

• High quality broad & balanced education

• Able to make good progress towards potential

• Holistic individual assessments & planning

• Early identification & intervention

• LAC needs recognised

• Ethnic & cultural needs recognised

Key Rights and Principles

•A more inclusive education system.

•Improved outcomes & well-being.

•Improved participation of learners.

•Increased trust & confidence of parents.

•Greater consistency of outcomes.

•Better partnerships between agencies

•Better partnership with parents/carers.

•More efficient use of resources

Intended Outcomes of Reform

• Improving consistency & quality

•Modernising systems

Strategic Priorities

• Severe & complex needs

•Less complex needs

•Individual Development Plans

•Support and disagreement resolution

•Early intervention

•Transition to adulthood

New More Flexible Systems

• Holistic view of learner’s needs• Multi-agency assessment, planning and provision• Team around child & key working• Early Support• Individual development plan• Improved transition to adulthood• Birth to 25

Severe and Complex Needs

• Flexible school-based system• Less bureaucracy• Individual development plan• Improved quality assurance• Team around the child / family / school where needed.

Less Complex Needs

• Single plan for child / young person • Common format• Person centred planning• Involvement of learner & parents• Key-working where needed• Flexible processes & IT system

Individual Development Plans

• Strong emphasis on information, advice, advocacy & mediation.• Parent support networks• School & LA disagreement resolution procedures• Open & flexible process & tight timescales• Last resort to ALN tribunal

Parent Support, Advocacy & Complaints

• Securing the right provision

• ALN quality assurance system: - Tracking pupils - Monitoring funding - Assessing quality

• Inclusive Schools Profile

Quality Assurance

• Training for leaders & managers

• Self-evaluation audit materials

• Mandatory ALNCo training

• ALN to be part of induction and early professional development

Leadership and Management

Immediate Priorities

• Consortium planning

• Building multi-agency consensus

• Multi-agency assessment & planning

• Team around the child, family and school

• Early Support

• Quality Assurance System

Pilot Schemes

• Quality Assurance: Flintshire

Caerphilly• Complex needs: Carmarthenshire

Torfaen• Non-complex: Pembrokeshire

Bridgend

Torfaen• ALNCo: Cardiff & Newport

Other Reform Developments

• Early Support

• Transition Key-worker pilots

• Behaviour & attendance pilots

• Post-16 Funding Review

• Right of Appeal for the child pilot

• Unlocking the potential of special schools

Process of Reform

• Continuing to build a consensus with all stakeholders

• On-going evaluation

• Review of powers

• Formal consultation 2012

• Legislation – target 2013

• Phased implementation

•FE colleges offer a wide range of courses and get extra funding to help them make their provision accessible to learners with ALN.

•Occasionally, learners educational needs can’t be met at their local college and in these cases WG may pay for a place at a specialist college.

• WG also funds SEN 6th form provision

Post-16 ALN: The Welsh Government’s Funding Role

To work with everyone involved to find ways of improving the structures and processes that contribute to the transition process.

• Transition Key Working

• Post-16 Additional Learning Needs Task and Finish Group

• Post-16 Additional Learning Needs Development & Implementation Group

Post-16 ALN: The Welsh Government’s Policy Role

Transition and Transition Key Workers

• Leaving school is an important step towards adulthood, and can be daunting.

• Having a real person to help guide you through the process has proved invaluable.

• Working with CCNUK, we have developed a Transition Key Working Framework.

• We are currently match funding Transition Key Workers right across Wales to support young people with ALN and their families make a successful transition from school.

Established in March 2010 by the Minister for Education & Skills to consider and make recommendations relating to the funding of post-16 provision for young people with ALN.

Representatives included:SNAP CymruFE collegesSpecial and mainstream schoolsLocal authoritiesSocial ServicesHealth BoardsCareers Walesand others…

Post-16 Additional Learning Needs Task and Finish Group

Among its findings the Task and Finish group identified: • Inconsistent experiences of transition• Current separation of funding and management decisions is complex and unsustainable• Poor planning leaves young people and providers unprepared• Lack of collaboration between local agencies restricts local choice and limits opportunities to achieve value for money• Opportunities for better use and re-use of community equipment.

Main Findings

The Group reported in November 2010 and made 15 recommendations

Recommendations are aimed at achieving:

• Greater consistency of approach; • Consortium collaboration; • Improved planning to ensure more local choices so young people don’t have to move away from home to access FE;

• More attention to value for money.

Report and Recommendations

Post-16 ALN Task and Finish Group Recommendations

• Joint protocol between transition partners

• Legislative change involving: - introduction of the IDP - transferring funding responsibility to LAs for funding placements at specialist colleges - transferring responsibility for Learning & Skills assessments (S140) - retaining Careers Wales role in writing reports - transferring funding and responsibility for funding all post-16 SEN in schools

• Earlier transition planning

• Development by LAs of a consortium approach to contracting

Recommendations continued…

• Closer working between LAs to analyse increased incidence of SEN

• Guidance on consortium working and planning/commissioning of ALN provision

• Development by FE colleges, special schools and specialist colleges provision on a ‘hub and spoke’ basis, sharing expertise

• S140 assessment to include learner aspirations

• An alternative means of funding additional learning support on mainstream FE courses

• Engagement by LAs with existing Community Equipment Scheme partnerships

Established to identify ways of taking forward the Post-16 ALN Task and Finish Group recommendations.

Legislative programme in place to take forward those Task and Finish Group recommendations which require changes in the law.

Post-16 ALN Development and Implementation Group