Decision-making panels for SEND

The SEND team has various panels that meet to make decisions about children and young people's educational journeys. 

Sharing views

Parents, carers, children, and young people can share their views in the following ways:

• During a needs assessment for an Educational Health Care Plan (EHCP)
• As part of the annual review process for an EHCP
• By contacting the Special Education Needs Officer (SENO) or EHCP Casework Team at any time

Multi-Agency Panel (MAP)

This panel consists of three functions related to the EHCNA/EHCP process stages. It meets weekly all year round to consider:

• Educational Health Care Needs Assessment requests
• If special educational provision is required in accordance with an EHCP following an assessment
• Recommendations on the resource attached to the EHCP, including whether another provision may be necessary
• Requests for a change of placement type for children and young people with EHCPs following an Annual Review
• Requests for reassessment for children and young people with EHCPs
• Requests for children and young people with EHCPs to be educated out of their chronological year group (offsetting)

Attendees include:

• Lead Officers, Senior EHCP Casework Officers
• Educational Psychology Service representatives
• SEN Support Service (SENSS) representatives
• Early Years Special Educational Needs representative
• Health representatives
• Social Care representatives
• Headteachers and SENDCo from schools
• Representatives from post-16 settings

Outcomes

An EHCP Casework Officer will contact you by phone within 5 working days of the meeting, followed by an email to communicate the outcomes.

Countywide Admissions Panel (CAP)

This panel meets fortnightly all year round to consider:

• Applications for admission to Local Authority (LA) in county special schools
• Applications for admission to Resource Bases
• If independent non-maintained special schools (INMSS) should be consulted with

Attendees include:

• Lead Officers and Senior EHCP Casework Officers
• Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Brokerage Team

Outcomes

An EHCP Casework Officer will contact you by phone within 5 working days of the meeting, followed by an email to communicate the outcomes.

Complex Cases Panel (CCP)

This panel meets fortnightly all year round to consider:

• Requests for placements or provision not considered by the SEND Brokerage process
• Requests for personal budgets
• Proposals for education otherwise than at school (EOTAS) and continuation of previously agreed EOTAS packages
• Requests for elective home education (EHE) for children and young people in specialist settings, following scrutiny by Health and Social Care

Attendees include:

• SEND Operations Manager
• Lead Officers
• Senior EHCP Casework Officers

Outcomes

An EHCP Casework Officer will contact you by phone within 5 working days of the meeting, followed by an email to communicate the outcomes.

Joint and Tripartite Panel (JTP)

This panel meets weekly all year round to consider:

• Requests for placement for children and young people which may need to be funded jointly between Education and Social Care, or between Education, Social Care, and Health

Attendees include:

• Senior managers from Education
• Senior Managers from Social Care
• Senior Managers from Health
• Managers from brokerage and finance
• Individual Social Care/Casework Officers

Outcomes

A nominated allocated professional will contact parent or carer within 5 days of the meeting to communicate the outcomes.

Disagreement resolution

Early resolution of disagreements is best for everyone and can help avoid stress and expense. If you do not agree about decisions or provisions, it may be helpful to have independent, impartial help. Disagreement resolution arrangements cover a range of disagreements. SENDIASS can provide impartial support for parents when dealing with schools or the Local Authority.