Agenda item

Ms M Jarrett, Service Manager, Children with Disabilities, presented a report to support the implementation over the next year of a Children and Young People’s Resource Allocation System (RAS) to promote financial transparency and to deliver person-centred outcomes for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

The Children and Families Act (2014) and subsequent Special Educational Need and Disabilities (SEND) Code of Practice makes it mandatory for Local Authorities to have a Personal Budgets policy and to consider, upon request from parents, any instance where a Personal Budget could contribute in part or full towards a young person’s Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).

Children’s Disability Services has worked with the leading national personalisation charity ‘In-Control’ to develop a RAS which will enable, in the first instance, social workers and disability family support workers to develop an outcome-based, person-centred plan which is costed to match the level of need of the young person. A RAS therefore creates equity of provision and an understanding of the resource required to deliver social care.

Discussion ensued on the report with the following issues raised/clarified:-

-       The scheme offers clarity and rationale for decisions made about resource allocation for disabled children.

-       As part of the implementation of the RAS, each personal budget would be reviewed initially on a three monthly, six monthly and then, annual cycle to ensure that the package is delivered according to plan. Staffing was sufficient to undertake these assessments. Should a child’s circumstances change, a swift re-assessment could be undertaken as required.

-       What happens if families don’t have access to bank accounts – exploring pre-payment cards and other mechanisms to support families, including giving administration of the direct payment to a third party agency who would manage it on the parent’s behalf

-       Work was underway with the transition teams in Adult Services to ensure that transition was as ‘seamless’ as possible.

-       Would RAS apply to care-leaver? Depending on their assessed needs, care leavers would be entitled to a full package of support.

-       Direct payment are not part of household income and can be recovered if used for other purposes or if child/young person’s circumstances change

-       How would over-payments be addressed? These would be dealt with promptly and sensitively.

-       Appeals process – the Council’s complaints process was the route to progress complaints.

-       Feedback from parents forum – the Parents/Carers Fora gave helpful feedback including examples from other authorities; suggestions about how to work with vulnerable families, how to measure outcomes etc. These suggestions have been included in the Personal Budget Policy (attached as Appendix 1)

-       How was the voice of child reflected in this work? Direct feedback from children and young has been limited. Some work had taken place but further work was planned particularly with young people approaching transition but recognised that this was an area for development

-       Are there any issues emerging from other local authorities who are implementing this scheme.

-       Adult Services have own RAS system and lessons have been applied from adults to ensure that the implementation is smooth. There is close liaison but have Adults have a different system for resources allocation. Have also consulted with Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) as they have adopted a similar outcome based support plan.

The Chair thanked Ms Jarrett for her thorough and comprehensive report.

Resolved:- 

(1)  That the Cabinet be advised that the recommendations be supported.

(2.)      That further work be undertaken to ensure that the ‘voice of the child’ is captured in the ongoing monitoring of the implementation of the RAS.