SEND and permission forms

[Tulip]

Evening all
I just want to check about the permission form for outside agency help/support
Do I need to get this from a parent if the child is over 5 and therefore not EYFS?
Thanks in advance

[moggy]

Evening all
I just want to check about the permission form for outside agency help/support
Do I need to get this from a parent if the child is over 5 and therefore not EYFS?
Thanks in advance

Sorry, where have you heard about this permission form? Do you mean sharing info with outside agencies? I cover it on my general permissions form- I say I will share info with outside agencies and other settings as necessary and parents sign.

[Simona]

Evening all
I just want to check about the permission form for outside agency help/support
Do I need to get this from a parent if the child is over 5 and therefore not EYFS?
Thanks in advance

The new SEND expects all providers to work with outside agencies...I am not sure if you require permission because the parents will drive what they want for their children so Health visitors and such like have to do integrated working with settings and prepare the EHC Plan for each child

LAs have not had the time to prepare for this change but you should have received information and training will be following
Look out for what is called the Local Offer...ring your EY team or the Area SEN-CO

Worth reading this document especially p16-18...it is much shorter than the actual Code of Practice and worth printing

https://www.gov.uk/government/upload...-_02Sept14.pdf

There have been articles in NWorld and associations such as PLA have printed a summary for us to understand what we need to do

[Tulip]

I'm looking at the EYFS 2.5 providers must have the consent of parents and/or carers to share information directly with other relevent professionals

[Simona]

I'm looking at the EYFS 2.5 providers must have the consent of parents and/or carers to share information directly with other relevent professionals

For the SEND providers, parents, LAs and other agencies will have to work together so permission will be sought from the start
I would assume LAs will probably produce some paperwork on this
EYFS and SEND will link and I am sure the EYFS will be tweaked to reflect the SEND because it is in the Children and Families Act

Those 2 pages I mentioned are very useful to get the gist of things...did you find any info on your LA's website?

[Tulip]

Thanks Simona. I don't have any children with SEND at present but have produced a policy and wondered about adding this permission to my parents/childrens form. After all they could possibly show a special educational need/disability in my observations or 2 year check. I couldn't imagine going directly to a professional without talking to parents first but don't want to get pulled up by ofsted for not having the permission.
Hope that makes sense

[mama2three]

tulip , don't you have the 'sharing information with other professionals' permission as standard for all children anyway , to share info with other settings etc. You mentioned the 2 yr check , it covers sharing info for the 2yr check with health visitors , so would cover any other professionals with whom you identify a need to refer / communicate...maybe a SLT or similar?

[Simona]

Thanks Simona. I don't have any children with SEND at present but have produced a policy and wondered about adding this permission to my parents/childrens form. After all they could possibly show a special educational need/disability in my observations or 2 year check. I couldn't imagine going directly to a professional without talking to parents first but don't want to get pulled up by ofsted for not having the permission.
Hope that makes sense

It does make sense...continue to have your permission for EYFS to refer children or speak to other professionals ...that is the correct procedures and you need to have parental permission...except for safeguarding concerns

For SEND it is different because LAs, area SEN-CO, Health , Education, Health visitors, speech therapists and parents are to work together and.... with you included... the whole team need to draw up a EHP....
If you look at EYFS 2014 SEN is covered in 1 short paragraph because it was reviewed before SEND had become law...so it refers to the previous Code

So refer to the policy and include a statement that you will work with parents and seek permission to share information....all the other professionals will have to seek that permission too

I am sure LAs will keep us informed once they have had time to get their head around this new law and tell us exactly how procedures will work at local level and have done their own policy to inform us
What can Ofsted do ....I doubt they know themselves...at this stage...how this will work for all of us
Let's keep each other informed ...that would be the best way

[Simona]

Tulip...I have just looked at my LA's website and the info on the 'Local Offer' and what it entails is very comprehensive
It does say it is a draft and it says more info will be posted once they have finalised everything...hope your LA is just as informative

Good luck

[Tulip]

Ok thanks everyone. I think I will be fine with the general permission form for sharing information for now x

[toddlers896]

Morning guys,
I went on a send course last night and they pointed out that we must have consent to share info directly with third parties. I've looked in all my policies and can't see this covered any where.

I will update my permissions and sorry to sound thick but how do I word this.

Also do I need to change my confidentiality policy and how will i word it in their.

Thanks for your help, I found this thread and have read the comments but can't find the info I need. Xx

[mama2three]

part of my permission summary states
I understand that my childminder…
·*********Will make contact with any other settings and /or agencies or professionals involved in my child’s care, so the EYFS can be fully implemented.
. will refer to and seek advice from agencies or professionals as necessary for the continued wellbeing , safety and development of the child.


I am thinking of changing the word 'agencies' - not sure what to though , but I think that going forward we automatically think of childminding agencies - whereas what I mean is more teams such as early help or mash ( our safeguarding hub)

[Simona]

Morning guys,
I went on a send course last night and they pointed out that we must have consent to share info directly with third parties. I've looked in all my policies and can't see this covered any where.

I will update my permissions and sorry to sound thick but how do I word this.

Also do I need to change my confidentiality policy and how will i word it in their.

Thanks for your help, I found this thread and have read the comments but can't find the info I need. Xx

CMs in my LA had a meeting last Monday and SEND was on the agenda...the Area SEN-CO gave us comprehensive information.

We were told that we will be able to refer children ourselves under this new law so permission is vital and parents will be willing to give it for the purpose of seeking to work with those professionals who will get together and form the ECH Plan...cms will be part of that too alongside parents.

Confidentiality will ....of course...be paramount but don't confuse this with the right to refer and work in partnership with other professionals.
Amongst those people one will be name the 'key worker' who will liaise with all.

We were also informed that only 4 LAs...so far...have a full Local Offer in place...all others are under construction but if you have any questions do call your Area SEN_CO and seek advice and ask him/her to share info...this is the law and they must do so
In addition to training there will be info on LAs website to keep us informed

[toddlers896]

Is this ok to put in my permissions
I give tracy permission to share information about my child directly with other relevant professionals if a special educational need is identified

[Simona]

Is this ok to put in my permissions
I give tracy permission to share information about my child directly with other relevant professionals if a special educational need is identified

One of the aims of SEND Act is

''Ensuring local authorities, health and care all work together with the family to support the best possible outcomes for the child or young person.''...this includes cms, parents, child and everyone else who is going to be involved with the child in creating the EHC Plan

Your LA will have specific forms devised to help support children and parents...parents have to initiate the EHC Plan with the child at the centre of the plan
check their website and look at any info to do with their Local Offer and reference to sharing information which you can then put in your SEND policy.
You may want to refer to the Local offer in your policy and add a link if you wish.

If unsure ask your area SENCO for guidance but you should have received information by now....they are there to help all of us.

Good luck

[toddlers896]

One of the aims of SEND Act is

''Ensuring local authorities, health and care all work together with the family to support the best possible outcomes for the child or young person.''...this includes cms, parents, child and everyone else who is going to be involved with the child in creating the EHC Plan

Your LA will have specific forms devised to help support children and parents...parents have to initiate the EHC Plan with the child at the centre of the plan
check their website and look at any info to do with their Local Offer and reference to sharing information which you can then put in your SEND policy.
You may want to refer to the Local offer in your policy and add a link if you wish.

If unsure ask your area SENCO for guidance but you should have received information by now....they are there to help all of us.

Good luck

sorry Simona I think you have gone off track a bit here. I was only asking if this statement was worded ok to add to my list of permissions as apparently we have to have parents permission to share info to third parties. I have no idea where any of the above comes into it

[Simona]

sorry Simona I think you have gone off track a bit here. I was only asking if this statement was worded ok to add to my list of permissions as apparently we have to have parents permission to share info to third parties. I have no idea where any of the above comes into it

My apologies...yes we do need permission for many things...that has been so for a long time
My interpretation is that with the new SEND it is different from what I read and forms seen and info received at our recent meeting....and I quoted from the SEND Act itself....sorry if it confused you.

Your request is ok and parents would consent for you to seek and share info?

[Simona]

Toddler896...sorry to come back on this subject but you have triggered a bit of a question

Will you give your permission form to all parents regardless when they first use your care ...or to those when an additional need is identified?

just a thought ...how will other cms ask for permission on this subject? interesting to find out the different ways we will approach it.

Thank you

[toddlers896]

Toddler896...sorry to come back on this subject but you have triggered a bit of a question

Will you give your permission form to all parents regardless when they first use your care ...or to those when an additional need is identified?

just a thought ...how will other cms ask for permission on this subject? interesting to find out the different ways we will approach it.

Thank you

Hi Simona, I wasn't aware that we had to have permission to share information if an additional need was identified until I did the course the other night so my next step is to update my permissions form to include this and ask all existing parents to sign it so I am prepared if any additional help is needed. All new parents that I sign up will also be asked to sign to say they are happy with this x

I have heard a few people say that this has always been a requirement anyway not just for special education needs so I am a bit confused how I managed to miss this. I am normally on top of everything. I know with safeguarding we can contact other parties without permission if we think a child is at risk and I have this in my child protection policy but other than that I have no other paperwork to state the above.

[pat75]

I just put in my SEND policy that "if I think that a child has a special need I will ask parents permission for help/support from other agencies." You can't do nothing without it. If you think that by withholding it parents neglect their child and help from others is essential to a child wellbeing you can ask confidential support from ss and your local senco officer.