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SEND and AP Change Programme

A person standing up and pointing to an image of the SEND and AP Change Programme to eight people who are sat down. The SEND and AP Change Programme image consists of two adults and two children close together.

Introduction

This page shares information about the DfE SEND and AP Programme. It also explains how we are involved in East Sussex.

We will be sharing regular updates throughout the programme. We will let you know how you can get involved at various stages. This web page will reflect all updates.

Please note:

You can also read the DfE/REACh guide to the change programme. The guide is for parents, carers and families:

SEND and Alternative Provision (AP) Programme Overview

The government published the SEND and AP Improvement Plan in March 2023. This was following the outcome of the SEND Review in 2022. The aim of the plan was to create a more inclusive society for children and young people with SEND, and those who use AP.

You can visit the Government website to find out more:

The Aim of the Programme

The aim of the programme is to:

How East Sussex is Involved

The DfE has created nine regional Change Programme Partners (CPPs). The CPPs will deliver the Change Programme over the next 18 to 24 months. We are part of the South East partnership. This means we are working closely with:

We have been asked to test some of the proposed reforms to the SEND system through the Change Programme.

The Proposed Reforms

We will trial the reforms which the Government believes will have the most impact on the lives of our children, young people, and families in East Sussex. The DfE expect us to test the following reforms:

Local SEND and AP Partnerships

SEND and AP Partnerships are a group of local organisations and partners. They have responsibility for overseeing the Change Programme and Local Area Inclusion Plan (LAIP). They will work together to support and drive positive change in the SEND and AP system.

Local Area Inclusion Plans (LAIPs)

Local Area Inclusion Plans will set out how the needs of children and young people in East Sussex will be met. It will support with planning services to meet these needs and see if there are any gaps in provision. Education, health and care will work together to improve the experiences and outcomes of children and young people.

SEND and AP Dashboard

The dashboard is fully accessible and will be online to the public. Parents, carers and families have access to the information and can view local and national SEND and AP data. We will use the data to track children and young people’s experiences and recommend areas for development.

Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCP)

The new EHCP will look the same for children, young people and their families wherever they live. The aim is to improve the quality of plans and the experience of getting one. We will be testing the new template with a limited group of children, young people and families.

Multi-Agency Panels (MAPs)

MAPs will support with the quality and consistency of decision-making. There will be representatives from education, health and care. It will help parent carers and education settings understand decisions that are made about EHCPs.

Strengthened Mediation

Strengthened mediation does not change the legal rights of parents to challenge. It will improve:

Advisory Tailored Lists (ATLs)

ATLs are tailored to the child’s individual needs. They will support families to express a preference when naming a school during the EHCP process.

Alternative Provision (AP) Service and Support Teams

AP provides support for children and young people when mainstream education is not working for them. The focus is on early intervention and specialist support. This aims to help children and young people to stay in school and move onto post 16 settings.

Has the Law Changed?

The existing law has not changed. Children, young people’s and families rights remain the same throughout the Change Programme.

What This Means for Families

We want to fully involve children, young people and families in the Change Programme. We will be testing some different ways of working. We will work with you to gather your feedback and experiences. We will share these with the DfE.

How to Provide Feedback

It is important that we learn what is working and what isn’t. To help with this, you may be asked for your feedback. This will be collected independent of East Sussex County Council. We have asked our East Sussex Parent Carer Forum (ESPCF) to support us with this.

Visit the ESPCF website to find out more.

SEND and AP Newsletter

The SEND and AP newsletter includes news and updates about the programme. We aim to create a newsletter each term.

Glossary of East Sussex SEND Terms

We explain some of the terms used on this website on our page, Glossary of East Sussex SEND Terms.

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