CDC welcomes the announcement of
20 pathfinder projects covering 31 local areas. We are
pleased that these will test out the ideas in the
SEN and disability Green Paper. The focus of many of the
projects is on developing a single assessment and an Education,
Health and Care Plan for children and young people who would
currently have a statutory assessment and statement.
The current statutory framework stays in place while these ideas
are being tested out so there is a clear expectation that the ideas
being tested will have to work better than the current
arrangements.
The pathfinders are required to reflect collaborative working
between education, care and health agencies who need to work
closely with parents and carers and children and young people
themselves in testing out the proposals. We particularly welcome
the specific commitment to looking at the role of the voluntary and
community sector organisations as part of the process and would
encourage all our membership to take an active part in
developments. The Government has made it clear that parental
confidence will be a key test of the success of the new
arrangements and CDC welcomes the evaluation that will run
alongside the pathfinder activity.