tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80807696472788034072024-03-06T05:20:49.978+00:00Autism Update North YorkshireThe facts and figures about autism in North Yorkshire.
Tweeting as @AUNYorksweb teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14416961820986830423noreply@blogger.comBlogger74125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8080769647278803407.post-64952247999254409592016-07-30T08:01:00.000+01:002016-07-30T10:15:40.953+01:00A 5 point primer on how to subvert your local area inspectionYou want to impress Ofsted and the CQC. You've spent months preparing, but you know your services just aren't up to scratch. What can you do to get through the inspection? Here are some handy hints, in no particular order, from North Yorkshire's recent inspection.
1 Ensure that you minimise the feedback of independent or out of area (OOA) providers when Ofsted comes calling. These OOA providers web teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14416961820986830423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8080769647278803407.post-58329722018647065832016-07-09T19:58:00.003+01:002016-07-09T20:20:39.988+01:00Payments to SEND lawyers July editionFollowing the fallout from the Baker Small affair, North Yorkshire County Council revealed it has started using barristers for legal representation at the SEND Tribunal. So far the Council has used one barrister, Joanne Astbury, from Park Lane Plowmen Chambers in Leeds for a one off fee of £3300. This was last September (2015) while it still had a contract for representation from Baker Small. It web teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14416961820986830423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8080769647278803407.post-88546650036624422272016-06-13T13:29:00.000+01:002016-06-19T13:15:30.740+01:00Payments to SEN Solicitors June updateThe weekend twitter storm regarding controversial solicitors Baker Small prompted me to see if North Yorkshire had made any more payments to them in the past few months. And lo! Two more totalling £11,500 have been made this financial year:
Payments are detailed on the Open Data page of the council's website.
Total to date
05/15 &web teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14416961820986830423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8080769647278803407.post-18307171534733956292016-06-09T01:31:00.001+01:002016-06-09T09:32:46.632+01:00"We are not the ones creating an adversarial system" - a previously unpublished post from 2014Still relevant (and there are 12 reasons, not 11!):
It is gratifying to learn this blog has the ear of The Department. As a result of this post, the DfE requested clarification from North Yorkshire about its intention in April to move everyone to the EHCP process, before legislation was enacted. (It didn't investigate very hard.)
The Council responded by saying, in effect, what it wrote web teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14416961820986830423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8080769647278803407.post-63692609701982355792015-12-09T21:41:00.000+00:002015-12-09T21:41:13.009+00:00The Council's response to The Commission on Freedom of Information
North Yorkshire's response to the Independent Commission on Freedom of Information has been published.
This is the commission by which the government wants to restrict/reduce people's ability to question public authorities using The Freedom of Information Act.
1 The Council would like all internal communications to be exempt from FoI. Without the FoI in its current form, we would never web teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14416961820986830423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8080769647278803407.post-81100873496237785642015-11-23T12:05:00.002+00:002015-11-29T09:30:48.824+00:00North Yorkshire's autism strategy 2015-20 - Ignoring the evidence.North Yorkshire County Council is about to launch its new autism strategy for 2015-20, available here. It has been preparing the strategy for some time, with the usual consultation involving people with autism, families and parents, in conjunction with Health. I read the consultation draft, went to a meeting and put in a written response. I also have a child with autism, so I have some skin web teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14416961820986830423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8080769647278803407.post-7583748725817392542015-05-12T15:13:00.002+01:002015-05-12T15:15:59.499+01:00Payments to SEND solicitorsMarch 2015 saw another substantial payment of £8000 to external SEND solicitors to defend Tribunals against parents.
Payments are detailed on the Open Data page of the council's website.
Total to date
25/03/15 Other Hired and Contract Services £8000.00 (link)
20/10web teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14416961820986830423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8080769647278803407.post-47880956607182314572014-11-28T11:10:00.000+00:002014-11-28T10:27:15.247+00:00Payment to SEN solicitorsNorth Yorkshire's latest payment to solicitors specialising in special educational needs is available on the Open Data page of the council's website.
Total to date
20/10/14 Other Hired and Contract Services £3500.00 (link)
15/4/14 SEN Legal Advice- Other web teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14416961820986830423noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8080769647278803407.post-37818958001787874182014-08-14T14:36:00.001+01:002014-08-14T14:36:35.714+01:00North Yorkshire's Local Offer - a description of what SEN services are availableThe council must have its Local Offer published by 1 September. There has been a draft available for some months here. It should set out what services the council 'expects to be available' - not just those provided by the council , but by independent and private providers, within the county and close by. Many areas of the Offer are still missing data.
It has recently added a description of its web teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14416961820986830423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8080769647278803407.post-61116252736994521602014-06-18T10:30:00.000+01:002014-06-18T10:30:13.277+01:00Updated quarterly performance dataFrom a report to the Children's Trust board, dated 11 June, available here.
Includes total number of statements, new statements, number of high needs statements, sum allocated to schools for low and high needs, sum allocated to schools for high needs, percentage of statements issued within 26 weeks.
web teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14416961820986830423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8080769647278803407.post-425101243073769392014-05-07T11:23:00.001+01:002014-05-26T08:13:08.954+01:00Council announces potentially unlawful move to EHC PlansThe Children and Families Act is not anticipated to come into force until September. Part of the legislative underpinnings, the SEN Code of Practice, which gives guidance to local authorities, schools and families, has not yet been finalised. Until Royal Assent is given, local authorities must comply with the current law.
As a pathfinder North Yorkshire has been trialling EHC Plans for some timeweb teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14416961820986830423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8080769647278803407.post-51850112575992016312014-05-06T10:01:00.000+01:002014-05-06T10:23:48.647+01:00Foremost School closure consultation repsonses"..they have let down and betrayed some of the most vulnerable young men in North Yorkshire" - staff member at Foremost School.
The Council has published the consultation responses regarding the closure of Foremost School (scroll to Appendix 6). There will be no investigation into the millions spent. Document is here.
web teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14416961820986830423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8080769647278803407.post-68420703246978009842014-05-04T10:37:00.002+01:002014-05-04T10:37:57.385+01:00Council pays more money to education solicitorsJust published on North Yorkshire's Open Data page is the council spending for March. It includes two payments of £3500 to Baker Small Solicitors, with whom the Council has a contract to provide educational advice.
Total to date
20/3/14 Other Hired and Contract Services £ 3500.00 (link)
20/3/14 Other Hired and Contract Services £ 3500.00&web teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14416961820986830423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8080769647278803407.post-92173274941598779952014-04-28T13:55:00.001+01:002014-04-28T13:55:47.139+01:00North Yorkshire's Autism Self Assessment 2013Public Health England required every local authority to undertake a self-assessment to assess progress of the 2010 Adult Autism Strategy. Information on the project can be found here (including initial findings) and North Yorkshire's self assessment (completed November 2013) can be found here.web teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14416961820986830423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8080769647278803407.post-32968899927189162152014-02-25T10:41:00.000+00:002014-02-25T10:41:08.897+00:00NYCC SEN Performance reportIncludes data on previous years / trends and also latest data (either 2012 or 2013):
Total number of statements: 1670
Number of new statements: 208
Total sum allocated to mainstream schools to support high and low needs statements: £18M
Assessments by disabled children's service (initial/core/timeliness)
SEN/Non-SEN attainment gap: 55% at Level 4 KS2 English and Maths
SEN/Non-SEN attainment web teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14416961820986830423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8080769647278803407.post-46526864500229378642014-02-18T11:55:00.000+00:002014-02-18T20:59:05.013+00:00Ofsted v National Autistic SocietyThere's certainly a lot of information in the NAS audit report (2012, last post) and we'll be sifting through it for some time. The usefulness in having an autism specific audit is indeed great, and amongst other things it allows us to compare the NAS's views of specialist provision with those of Ofsted.
Hookstone Chase Enhanced Mainstream School, Harrogate
The audit comments on the need web teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14416961820986830423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8080769647278803407.post-7378676629065132592014-02-18T10:27:00.002+00:002014-02-18T21:01:09.266+00:00It takes two, babyFollowing not one, but two interventions by the Information Commissioner's Office, North Yorkshire has finally released the audit of its autism services by the National Autistic Society's Accreditation Service from 2012.
The document is not an accreditation report but an audit of the ASCOSS (outreach) service, the Enhanced Mainstream Schools and special schools. It was commissioned in order to web teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14416961820986830423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8080769647278803407.post-78164363744573184382014-02-13T17:09:00.000+00:002014-02-13T17:09:13.748+00:00Full Council meeting 19 February 2014: news round up from meeting reports
Quarterly Report to The Council - Appendices Booklet
Priorities for 2014/15
The Council will work to improve educational outcomes and narrow the gap for vulnerable groups of children (p8) and begin reviews of SEN and Behaviour (p130):
Children with special educational needs and review of short breaks
"In September 2014,web teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14416961820986830423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8080769647278803407.post-44800948445761449882014-01-26T08:54:00.003+00:002014-01-26T09:07:05.201+00:00Council told to disclose audit of children's autism servicesNorth Yorkshire County Council has been told by the Information Commissioner's Office that it must disclose an audit of its autism services for children. The ICO said this would prevent potential discrimination against autistic children.
NYCC asked the National Autistic Society's Autism Accreditation team to audit its service in 2012 as part of a strategic review. The Harrogate and District web teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14416961820986830423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8080769647278803407.post-18146985816193983562014-01-07T09:24:00.000+00:002014-01-07T09:24:03.863+00:00Invitations to trial EHC PlansHere are the two letters North Yorkshire are currently sending parents to recruit for the pathfinder programme for Education Health and Care Plans:
Those going through statutory assessment here (pdf)
Those going through annual review here (pdf)
Our advice is to stick to the current legally enforceable statutory assessment and statementing process. For an in depth view of the erosion of web teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14416961820986830423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8080769647278803407.post-16311947804867088002013-12-16T09:51:00.003+00:002013-12-16T20:08:13.169+00:00North Yorkshire to Implement SEN reforms before legislation is passedIn an email that came flying our way via the local parent forum, North Yorkshire has announced it will implement the SEN reforms this coming spring (2014), well before the Government anticipates getting the legislation onto the books (around September 2014) and well before the Code of Practice and law have been agreed.
North Yorkshire is a pathfinder authority meaning it has been trialling web teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14416961820986830423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8080769647278803407.post-23656284385513793192013-12-14T22:13:00.002+00:002013-12-23T18:35:54.474+00:00A roundup of responses to the draft SEN Code of Practice, Regs and Transitional ArrangementsIPSEA
Afaisic (Word)
Special Educational Consortium (Word, statement)
Every Disabled Child Matters (statement)
Inclusion Now (p8-9,12-13 comments)
Association of School and College Leaders
NatSpec: Association of National Specialist Colleges
Hackney Independent Forum for Parents/Carers of Children with Disabilities
Disability Rights UK (Word)
National Deaf Children's Society
SENSE
West web teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14416961820986830423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8080769647278803407.post-68446850225912595002013-11-08T12:12:00.000+00:002013-11-08T16:27:06.522+00:00And?Prior to Council meetings, the Council publishes supporting documents, including statements from various portfolio holders. Councillor Arthur Baker, Portfolio Holder for Schools has made a statement in preparation for the next meeting on 13 November, 2013. The fourth paragraph on page two (pupil performance) ends with the sentence:
The progress and achievement of Free School Meals
pupils web teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14416961820986830423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8080769647278803407.post-83039111243676472732013-11-06T08:05:00.004+00:002013-11-06T08:05:46.796+00:00Performance of local authority SEN services - annual report 2012-13The Children's Trust Board met in October, and considered the annual performance of the local authority for children SEN. Results can be found on page 28 of the report (included in the Children and Young People's Plan 2011-14 Progress Review) here.web teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14416961820986830423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8080769647278803407.post-78088957613452923192013-09-24T10:15:00.000+01:002013-09-24T10:15:06.907+01:00Council pays more money to SEN solicitorsAn additional £7000 in August, according to figures released yesterday.
Total spent to date £32850 ex VAT. See this post for a breakdown of payments to date.web teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14416961820986830423noreply@blogger.com0