Special Educational Needs (SEN) Service

The Special Educational Needs (SEN) Service undertakes the Education Health and Care (EHC) needs assessment for children and young people between the ages of 0 - 25 years. It arranges the provision required to meet the needs identified on an EHC plan and is involved in organising the appropriate annual reviews of a child’s progress. The annual review is the statutory process of looking at the needs and provision specified in an EHC Plan, and deciding whether these need to change.

Every child with an EHCP must have an annual review. The first review of the EHC plan must be held within 12 months of the EHC plan being finalised. Subsequent reviews must be held within 12 months of the previous review.

The SEND team is made up of Case Officer and Senior Case Officers. Case Officers tend to be the main point of contact, however you can also contact the allocated Senior Case Officer depending on the nature of your query.

The Case Officers undertake the administrative duties to ensure that the assessment and reviews take place in a timely fashion and within statutory timescales.

The Senior Case Officer is responsible for managing the assessment itself. This means that they will liaise with parents, young people and professionals, conduct the coproduction or planning meeting and draw up the plan. They will also be involved in the EHCP Annual Review process which needs to be completed every year and which may result in EHCPs being amended.

For further details of the SEN Service and how to apply for an EHC needs assessment visit our website.