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Assessment of SEN (SENA)
The Special Educational Needs Assessment and Commissioning Service (SENA) carry out statutory assessment and review of children and young people who have an EHCP from age 0 – 25.
The service is responsible for writing Education Health and Care Plans (EHCP) if a statutory assessment is agreed, and will commission the identified provision to meet identified needs. The service can provide advice and guidance to families as well as educational settings around statutory duties.
SEND assessment pathway Opens new window
Fair Processing Notice
Within Targeted and Specialist Education and Early Help Services, to be able to provide you with the required services and meet any regulatory requirements, information will be collected and shared with the appropriate services. The reasons for sharing information will include:
- Statutory and Regulatory requirements including monitoring and reporting
- Assessment of need and provision of service (e.g. Educational Health and Care Plans (EHCPs).
- Service improvement and planning
- Research including consultations
- Compliance with the law regarding data sharing
Psychology SENA STS fair processing notice Opens new window
Requesting statutory assessment for an Education, Health and Care Plan
To apply for an EHCP, schools should submit a request for statutory assessment cover sheet along with a completed SEND Support Plan. This must include:
- Advice from a relevant service (e.g. educational psychology) which should be no more than 18 months old. See the SENA Information Requirements Grid (above) for the requirements for advice and other information needed to support requests for statutory assessment
- Evidence that the child or young person requires an Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment in line with the SEND Code of Practice
- Evidence of an assess-plan-do-review process
- Information on how the school has made use of the delegated funding and how an EHCP would enable the school to meet the child or young person’s needs
Request for EHCP assessment Opens new window
Annual Review of EHCP
A transition plan should be included with annual reviews from year 9 onwards:
Transition Plan Opens new window
Health professional contribution to annual review Opens new window
Social Care contribution to annual review Opens new window
Social Care advice example Opens new window
Annual Review of an EHCP - template Opens new window
SEND Support Plan
A school may choose to use the below templates to help assess, plan and review a child’s needs. These plans are written by the school to help see the full picture and plan how to help a child. SEND Support plans should be written with input from the child and parent or carer. They do not have a legal status
SEND Support Plan - early years Opens new window
SEND Support Plan - schools and colleges Opens new window
Providing for the needs of children and young people with SEND
The following guidance documents can help a school identify what they can do to meet a child’s needs and when it may be appropriate to ask for an assessment.
Guidance for: Communication & Interaction including Autism Spectrum Disorder Opens new window
Physical, Sensory and Medical Needs Opens new window
Speech, Language and Communication needs Opens new window
Cognition & Learning Opens new window