Will parental preference for an educational setting always be named in the plan?
Somerset families, whose child has an EHC plan, have a right to request a personal budget. The personal budget allows the young person or their family to understand the value of funding used for delivering their additional support.
The personal budget can be requested either during the statutory assessment process or during the annual review process, and requests must be supported by the headteacher, principle or person in the equivalent position.
The personal budget can be delivered by:
- Direct Payments – where the young person or their parents receive some of the funding, where appropriate, as cash to contract, buy and manage services themselves.
- Third Party Arrangements – where an individual or organisation receives some of the funding, where appropriate, as cash to contract, buy and manage services on behalf of the young person or their parents. In Somerset, the Enham Trust can support you with this.
- Notional Budget – the local authority, school or college, or Clinical Commissioning Group holds the funds and commissions the support specified in the plan.
- A combination of these three things.
The young person or their family must keep records of spending as evidence for how the Direct Payment or third-party arrangement has been spent.
You can find more information in the Policy and Process for Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Personal Budgets and Direct Payments.