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Introduction
Around one in eight of all children and young people in England have special educational needs. For most of them, their schools, colleges, health and social care services provide good quality support. This helps make sure that the young person can benefit from education and help them prepare for life once they leave the education system.
For a small number, however, the path is not always so smooth, and problems can arise about the best ways to help the young person. It is essential that when this happens, problems are dealt with as quickly as possible. The aim of this booklet is to describe how you, as a young person aged 16 or above, can do this. This guide will show you where you can get more information and support if you need it.
Who this guide is for
This guide is intended for young people who are between 16 and 25 years and who have a special educational need or a disability.
Most young people will be receiving SEN Support in school or college, but some will have an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan. Some young people may need further support to access this guide and local Information, Advice and Support Services (IASS) will be able to help.
It is important to understand the difference between SEN Support and an EHC plan. If you are receiving SEN Support, it is expected that your school or college will take responsibility for assessing your needs. This includes putting in place the right help so you can achieve your best. This is the situation that most young people with a special educational need will find themselves in.
A smaller number will have, or may need, an EHC plan. If that includes you, it is likely that your needs require more special support than a school or college would normally be expected to make. Sometimes this will involve health services or social care services also helping. An EHC plan says what support a young person who has special educational needs must get and is made by the local authority where you live. You should also have input into it. It says exactly what sort of help you will be given.
As a young person between 16 and 25 years, you do not have to go through the processes of this guide alone, you can get a parent, carer, or advocate to support you and do this for you. An advocate is someone who can help you and your parents to say what you want if you find it difficult to do so. For example, you can contact your local Information, Advice and Support Service (IASS) who can help find you someone to help put forward your views or attend meetings with you before and during a complaints process.
Types of problem
There are times when you may disagree with decisions that have been made about your needs and about how to help you. This might include situations such as:
- The help that my school or college is giving me is not enough, or is not right, for my special educational needs or my disability.
- The local authority has made a decision about the help they think I should have and I don't agree with them.
- I have complained a few times about decisions made by my school or college and I’m still unhappy.
- I’ve complained about the decisions made by health or social care services and I’m still unhappy.
- My local authority is taking too long to help me.
- I am not getting the help that was set out in my EHC plan.
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