Transition for Learners with Education, Health
and Care Plans

Transition for Learners with Education, Health and Care Plans

The purpose of an EHC Plan is to make special educational provision to meet the needs of the child or young person, to secure the best possible outcomes and to prepare them for adulthood as they get older. Education Health and Care Plans clearly detail in section I the type and name of the setting which the child will attend. Where schools are named in a learners EHCP they have a duty to admit the learner onto the school roll.

Whenever a change of setting (for any reason) is to be requested for a learner with an EHCP, this must be done through the EHC plan Review Process. For those learners who are due to transition as part of a phase transfer there are statutory timescales within which decisions must be made and communicated.

Hull City Council and the Hull Learning Partnership have worked closely together to create a clear transition process that supports all learners at important transition points in their education. The transition offer is split into both a core offer for all pupils and a specialist, often bespoke, offer for other pupils who may find the move harder than others and need more time to transition gradually. For those learners with an EHCP it is envisaged that an enhanced offer is likely to be required but this must be underpinned by the legal steps required by the SEND and that should be specific to the individuals identified areas of SEN.

For children and young people with an EHCP, who are due to move into or between schools they must have their EHC plan reviewed and amended (with the name of the new/receiving school) by 15th February. This February deadline for transfer reviews means that there is sufficient time for schools to plan and commission necessary support and provision ready for the start of the new academic year in the forthcoming September.

For those young people moving on from a secondary school to a post 16 setting or an apprenticeship, their EHC plan must be reviewed and amended, (naming the receiving education setting) by 31st March of the calendar year in which they are due to transfer.  In some cases the young people may not achieve the educational settings entry requirements for their chosen course, or they may change their mind about what they wish to do.  In these cases, their EHC plans will need to be reviewed again, to ensure that any new arrangements are in place as soon as is practicable.

For those children and young people who are due to start school or are in their final year in a school setting (e.g. preparing to move onto their next phase of education), the EHC review of their EHC plan must be complete and the documentation submitted to the Local Authority no later than the deadline dates given in the table below:

In some cases this will mean holding the EHC review at a time when the review would not ordinarily have been held. These reviews should be marked as an “Additional Review” and the annual review should take place as normal in line with the anniversary of the last annual review. 

For some children and young people, their EHC annual review will fall during the summer term), where all discussions, review and necessary amendments should have been identified and finalised.  In these cases the local authority (LA) will not need to propose further amendments, as appropriate discussions should take place in the previous year, summer term EHC review meeting.  In these cases the LA can proceed immediately with consulting schools and other educational settings with an EHC plan that is already up-to-date, in order to secure an educational placement for the forthcoming September.

To clarify the following tables details when learners with EHCPs will require an additional interim review to support phase transfer:

Any transition for a learner with an EHCP will be informed by the individuals needs as identified in their EHCP and health care plan (if appropriate). Therefore this transition will be bespoke to each individual, with a programme developed through close liaison between the current and receiving setting. It is important to note that transition for learners with EHCPs may take significantly longer than other learners and should be planned over a length of time and at a pace determined by the learners needs. Due to this, transition for learners with EHCPs should start as soon as possible; this is likely to be before the transition of other learners and may need to continue longer into the learner’s placement in their new setting than is the case for other learners.

Each individual’s transition will be underpinned by:

• Clear understanding of the individuals needs as identified within the EHCP and through discussion with others

• Effective communication between parents/carers, children/young people, current setting, specialist setting, local authority SEND Team and support agencies

• Opportunities to promote the building of relationships

• A focus on learners feeling safe and secure

• Identifying connections between current and future settings

• Timely information sharing

• Clear planning and preparation

Possible ideas to support the individual’s transition may include:

Coffee and Cake Event –A school drop in event for Parents/carers and their children to meet for games, activities and informal discussions over a drink and snack with the student support team available to answer questions and engage with learners.

My Profile Meeting – A ‘getting to know you’ meeting between parents/carers, learners and identified member of school staff to produce a one page profile to allow important information related to the learner to be shared with wider staff.

‘Out of Hours’ visit – A visit for parents/carers, and learner to walk the school site guided by a staff member out of the hours of main school day when the site is quiet

‘School Hours’ visit - A visit for parents/carers, and learner to walk the school site guided by a staff member to see lessons in action

‘Hot Spots’ visit – A shortened visit to the school site for learners (accompanied by parents/carer or previous setting staff) to areas of the school of importance to the learner

Create ‘My Photo book’ – A visit in which learners can visit to take photos of key places which can be made into a ‘photo book’ with support from parents or previous setting staff.

‘Famous Faces’ – A visit to the site to meet key characters, including staff (such as senior leaders, first aiders, pastoral team, teachers and assistant teachers) and “buddies”

‘Hear the bells’ – An opportunity to hear the school bell ring. Initially from a quieter location where sound is more muffled and then from a more prominent area where the sound is more intense.

Lesson Change Over Observation – An opportunity to observe lesson change over from a safe viewing point

Break time Observation – An opportunity to observe break time including on the yard, in the dining hall and/or Social Skills (SS) Base

Lunch time Observation – An opportunity to observe lunch time both on the yard and in the dining hall

Break time snack – An opportunity to visit the dining room at break and experience the routine of buying a snack (can be supported by assistant teachers or a “buddy”)

Lunchtime visit – An opportunity to visit the dining hall and sample the school dinners (often offered in small groups and supported by assistant teachers)

Half day experience – A half day visit to allow learners to experience the morning routine (delivered to a small group and supported by SENCO, pastoral staff and assistant teachers)

New Friends Club – A small after school games and crafts club held in the Social Skills Base to support the development of new friendships. A weekly session for 6 weeks in the Summer Term, supported by Assistant Teachers and buddies.

Transition plans for pupils with EHCPs should be clearly planned and communicated with all involved.

Year 9

From year 9 onwards the Code of Practice (2015) clearly states that all annual reviews should have a focus on preparing for Adulthood.

“Local authorities must ensure that the EHC plan review at Year 9, and every review thereafter, includes a focus on preparing for adulthood. It can be helpful for EHC plan reviews before Year 9 to have this focus too. Planning must be centred around the individual and explore the child or young person’s aspirations and abilities, what they want to be able to do when they leave post-16 education or training and the support they need to achieve their ambition.” (Pg 125, S8.9)

As part of the year 9 Annual Review the young person’s long term aspirations should be reviewed to make sure that the focus is now on their aspirations for their adult life. These should be reflected in any recommendations to amend Section A of the EHCP. In addition the review should begin to focus on preparation for adulthood and other transition matters. The development of life skills should be supported from an early age but preparing for adulthood must be a particular focus from year 9 onwards.

Support to prepare for adulthood should include four key themes:

●      Further or Higher Education and/or Employment

●      Decision making and Independent Living

●      Maintaining Good Health

●      Participation in Society and Friendships

From year 9 onwards annual review meetings should also provide an opportunity to explain the changes in legislation which take place when the child/young person reaches 16. Preparing parents for the fact that under the mental capacity act that from the age of 16 their child will be assumed to have mental capacity and able to make decisions independently about their future provision. Alongside this steps should be taken to prepare the young person to make decisions about their future should they wish to.  Young people and their parents should be given good quality information about the mental capacity act which begins to apply when the young person turns 16. As a minimum, the information should set out the principles of the Act, the assessment of capacity, the best interest decision making process and the deprivation of liberty safeguards (soon to be superseded by the liberty protection safeguards). There is not a widespread understanding of the Act and how it should be used and so the information provided should seek to allay fears as well as clarifying the terms of the act.

When the young person turns 18, responsibility for meeting their health and social care needs will transfer to the relevant adults’ teams. The young person’s health and social care needs should be considered and if it appears that the young person may have health or social care needs which extend into adulthood, referrals should be made to the relevant adult health and social care teams.  Adult social care referrals can be made by Children’s Social Care teams, SENCOs or other colleagues and should be sent to the transitions co-ordinator in the high needs team by contacting:  highneedsteam@hullcc.gov.uk

 Year 10

The Annual Review of the EHCP which is completed in year 10 should begin to focus on the preferred post 16 option / provision. Consideration should also be given at this time to any current transport needs and how these can be supported moving forward.

Adult health and social care teams who are likely to be involved in supporting the young person after they reach adulthood should attend year 10 annual reviews and clarify how they will support the young person. This should have been agreed during the assessment and support planning undertaken during year 9.

Year 11

The Annual Review in year 11 can be used to inform applications to post 16 provision and other processes such as the SEN transport application.

If the young person has health or social care needs which are likely to extend into their adulthood, formal needs assessments and support planning will take place to inform a formal transition plan which will be agreed. The transition plan will cover all aspects of a young person's life including: education, training, personal support, health, wellbeing, leisure, housing, and community inclusion (including relationships). The wishes and best interests of the young person should be central and all those involved must have regard to them. In addition, the young person's needs must be met in the way which is least restrictive of their rights and freedom.

Year 12 and beyond

As per Year 9, the planning for transition to Adult health and social care support (where appropriate) should begin when the young person reaches 14.  If this process has not already begun, it needs to happen with some urgency. In addition, the adult social care transitions co-ordinator should be notified by professionals working with the young person that a delayed transition has occurred by contacting highneedsteam@hullcc.gov.uk

What is an Education, Health and care Plan
More information on the Local Offer website

The Importance of Good Transition
An interesting and informative article about transition