Introduction
Families in Somerset with a child who has an Education, Health and Care plan can ask for a personal budget. This budget helps the child or their family see how much money is being used to pay for extra support, and a direct payment gives them more choice and control over how it is spent.
Requesting a personal budget
Parent carers in Somerset whose child has an Education, Health and Care plan, or young people, can ask for a personal budget. This helps families understand how much money is used to support their child and can give them more choice in how it is spent.
You can ask for a personal budget:
- during the Education, Health and Care needs assessment, or
- during the Annual Review of the Education, Health and Care plan
The request must be supported by the headteacher or college principle (or equivalent position).
Using a personal budget
The personal budget can be delivered by:
- Direct Payments – parents or the young person get some of the money and use it to buy some of the support or services themselves.
- Third Party Arrangements – an individual or organisation (like Enham Trust) gets the money and buys the support for the family.
- Notional Budget – Somerset Council, the education setting or health service keeps the money and arranges the support.
- A mix of these options – Families can use more than one type.
Using direct payments
An agreement will set out:
- Value of direct payments being used
- How the payments may be spent (the goods and services to be used on)
- Dates payments will be made and frequency
If you get Direct Payments or use a third party, you must keep records to show how the money is spent. Funds need to be used in an appropriate way towards an outcome within the Education, Health and Care plan.
The Enham Trust will carry out financial reviews of how the direct payments are being used. This checks if the young person or parent carer is having any problems managing their direct payments. This happens quarterly at first and then annually if things are going well.
The impact of the direct payment will be reviewed through the Annual Review of the EHC plan.
More information
You can find more information in the Policy and Process below. Please note it is currently under review.