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Direct payments and personal budgets

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Dear Hertfordshire County Council,

Under the Freedom of Information Act:

1.Please provide a copy of your policy regarding the trialling of SEN Direct Payments and personal budgets.

2.Please confirm whether all parents/carers issued with a new or amended statement since January 2012 have been informed about their right to apply for a Direct Payment for SEN provision under the Special Educational Needs (Direct Payments) (Pilot Scheme) Order 2012. How has this information been provided? Please provide a copy of any standard leaflet or letter issued together with confirmation of the date of issue.

3.Please confirm the number of parents/carers who are receiving SEN Direct Payments and what those Direct Payments relate to.

4.Please confirm whether any of these SEN Direct Payments could be provided outside the Pathfinder project, e.g. payments under Part 6 of a statement for transport.

5.Please provide a copy of your policy for considering requests for direct payments for SEN provision. If you do not have a policy, please confirm whether there are any limits placed on direct payments applications, e.g. they will not be provided if the LA has a block contract or there is a financial limit. Please confirm whether these criteria are communicated to parents and provide a copy of that document .

6.Please confirm your arrangements for reviewing appeals against a refusal of a request for SEN Direct Payments. Please provide a copy of any policy and any leaflet/letter issued to parents explaining this.

7.Please confirm what information is provided to parents/carers about the trialling of personal budgets. Please provide a copy of any leaflet or letter issued.

8.Please confirm how many parents/carers are receiving a personal budget within the auspices of the Pathfinder project?

9.Please confirm how parents/carers in receipt of SEN Direct Payments/ personal budgets obtained the information to make an application. For example, were they:

(a) sent the information with a new or amended statement
(b) recruited as part of a specific pilot
(c) neither (a )or (b), the family approached the LA having heard about SEN Direct Payments/personal budgets from other sources

10.Please provide a copy of your local offer.

Yours faithfully,

Measure Up!

Herts Direct,

Dear Enquirer

Your message has been received by Hertfordshire County Council
and will be dealt with as soon as possible. Our customer service
standard is to reply to you within ten working days. When we
contact you we will give you a reference number so you can track
your enquiry in case any followup is required.

Please note that if your enquiry is urgent and relates to:
• safeguarding or concerns for an adult - please call us on 0300
123 4042
• child protection or social care concerns for a child - please
call us on 0300 123 4043

Regards

HertsDirect

****Disclaimer****

The information in this message should be regarded as confidential and is
intended for the addressee only unless explicitly stated. If you have
received this message in error it must be deleted and the sender notified.
The views expressed in this message are personal and not necessarily those
of Hertfordshire County Council unless explicitly stated. Please be aware
that emails sent to or received from Hertfordshire County Council may be
intercepted and read by the council. Interception will only occur to
ensure compliance with council policies or procedures or regulatory
obligations, to prevent or deter crime, or for the purposes of essential
maintenance or support of the email system.

Herts Direct,

3 Attachments

Dear Enquirer,

Thank you for your email. Your message has been sent to the relevant
department and will be dealt with as soon as possible. Should you need to
make contact with us again on this matter, please quote reference number:
 16604
       
Kind regards

Adele at HertsDirect
                                Hertfordshire County Council
Access information and online services and follow Hertfordshire County
Council on Twitter and Facebook:
[1]herts-county-council logo  [2]twitter icon  [3]facebook icon

show quoted sections

Herts Direct,

Dear Enquirer

Your message has been received by Hertfordshire County Council
and will be dealt with as soon as possible. Our customer service
standard is to reply to you within ten working days. When we
contact you we will give you a reference number so you can track
your enquiry in case any followup is required.

Please note that if your enquiry is urgent and relates to:
• safeguarding or concerns for an adult - please call us on 0300
123 4042
• child protection or social care concerns for a child - please
call us on 0300 123 4043

Regards

HertsDirect

****Disclaimer****

The information in this message should be regarded as confidential and is
intended for the addressee only unless explicitly stated. If you have
received this message in error it must be deleted and the sender notified.
The views expressed in this message are personal and not necessarily those
of Hertfordshire County Council unless explicitly stated. Please be aware
that emails sent to or received from Hertfordshire County Council may be
intercepted and read by the council. Interception will only occur to
ensure compliance with council policies or procedures or regulatory
obligations, to prevent or deter crime, or for the purposes of essential
maintenance or support of the email system.

Information Governance, Hertfordshire County Council

3 Attachments

Dear Sir or Madam,

 

Reference number:   FOI/CSF/07/13/5852

 

Thank you for your correspondence received by us on the 8th July 2013
requesting the following information:

 

Under the Freedom of Information Act:

1.Please provide a copy of your policy regarding the trialling of SEN
Direct Payments and personal budgets.

2.Please confirm whether all parents/carers issued with a new or amended
statement since January 2012 have been informed about their right to apply
for a Direct Payment for SEN provision under the Special Educational Needs
(Direct Payments) (Pilot Scheme) Order 2012. How has this information been
provided? Please provide a copy of any standard leaflet or letter issued
together with confirmation of the date of issue.

3.Please confirm the number of parents/carers who are receiving SEN Direct
Payments and what those Direct Payments relate to.

4.Please confirm whether any of these SEN Direct Payments could be
provided outside the Pathfinder project, e.g. payments under Part 6 of a
statement for transport.

5.Please provide a copy of your policy for considering requests for direct
payments for SEN provision. If you do not have a policy, please confirm
whether there are any limits placed on direct payments applications, e.g.
they will not be provided if the LA has a block contract or there is a
financial limit. Please confirm whether these criteria are communicated to
parents and provide a copy of that document .

6.Please confirm your arrangements for reviewing appeals against a refusal
of a request for SEN Direct Payments. Please provide a copy of any policy
and any leaflet/letter issued to parents explaining this.

7.Please confirm what information is provided to parents/carers about the
trialling of personal budgets. Please provide a copy of any leaflet or
letter issued.

8.Please confirm how many parents/carers are receiving a personal budget
within the auspices of the Pathfinder project?

9.Please confirm how parents/carers in receipt of SEN Direct Payments/
personal budgets obtained the information to make an application. For
example, were they:

(a) sent the information with a new or amended statement
(b) recruited as part of a specific pilot
(c) neither (a )or (b), the family approached the LA having heard about
SEN Direct Payments/personal budgets from other sources

10.Please provide a copy of your local offer.

 

 

Your request for information is being considered under the Freedom of
Information Act 2000.  We will respond to your request as quickly as
possible, and by 5th August 2013 at the latest. This replaces any deadline
previously given.

 

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me, quoting
the reference number on this email.

 

 

show quoted sections

Herts Direct,

Dear Enquirer

Your message has been received by Hertfordshire County Council
and will be dealt with as soon as possible. Our customer service
standard is to reply to you within ten working days. When we
contact you we will give you a reference number so you can track
your enquiry in case any followup is required.

Please note that if your enquiry is urgent and relates to:
• safeguarding or concerns for an adult - please call us on 0300
123 4042
• child protection or social care concerns for a child - please
call us on 0300 123 4043

Regards

HertsDirect

****Disclaimer****

The information in this message should be regarded as confidential and is
intended for the addressee only unless explicitly stated. If you have
received this message in error it must be deleted and the sender notified.
The views expressed in this message are personal and not necessarily those
of Hertfordshire County Council unless explicitly stated. Please be aware
that emails sent to or received from Hertfordshire County Council may be
intercepted and read by the council. Interception will only occur to
ensure compliance with council policies or procedures or regulatory
obligations, to prevent or deter crime, or for the purposes of essential
maintenance or support of the email system.

Information Governance, Hertfordshire County Council

3 Attachments

Dear Sir or Madam,

 

Reference number:   FOI/CSF/07/13/5852

                                        

On 8th July 2013 we received the following request for information from
you:

 

Under the Freedom of Information Act:

1.Please provide a copy of your policy regarding the trialling of SEN
Direct Payments and personal budgets.

2.Please confirm whether all parents/carers issued with a new or amended
statement since January 2012 have been informed about their right to apply
for a Direct Payment for SEN provision under the Special Educational Needs
(Direct Payments) (Pilot Scheme) Order 2012. How has this information been
provided? Please provide a copy of any standard leaflet or letter issued
together with confirmation of the date of issue.

3.Please confirm the number of parents/carers who are receiving SEN Direct
Payments and what those Direct Payments relate to.

4.Please confirm whether any of these SEN Direct Payments could be
provided outside the Pathfinder project, e.g. payments under Part 6 of a
statement for transport.

5.Please provide a copy of your policy for considering requests for direct
payments for SEN provision. If you do not have a policy, please confirm
whether there are any limits placed on direct payments applications, e.g.
they will not be provided if the LA has a block contract or there is a
financial limit. Please confirm whether these criteria are communicated to
parents and provide a copy of that document .

6.Please confirm your arrangements for reviewing appeals against a refusal
of a request for SEN Direct Payments. Please provide a copy of any policy
and any leaflet/letter issued to parents explaining this.

7.Please confirm what information is provided to parents/carers about the
trialling of personal budgets. Please provide a copy of any leaflet or
letter issued.

8.Please confirm how many parents/carers are receiving a personal budget
within the auspices of the Pathfinder project?

9.Please confirm how parents/carers in receipt of SEN Direct Payments/
personal budgets obtained the information to make an application. For
example, were they:

(a) sent the information with a new or amended statement
(b) recruited as part of a specific pilot
(c) neither (a )or (b), the family approached the LA having heard about
SEN Direct Payments/personal budgets from other sources

10.Please provide a copy of your local offer.

 

Your request for information has been considered under the Freedom of
Information Act 2000. I can confirm that Hertfordshire County Council does
hold the information you have requested, and can respond as follows:

1.Please provide a copy of your policy regarding the trialling of SEN
Direct Payments and personal budgets.

 

·         As a Pathfinder, we are working with families, schools and
partners to develop a sustainable personal budgets process which will then
inform policy development.  We are also developing our commissioning
approach to be more joined-up with Clinical Commissioning Groups,
recognising that services may need to be commissioned differently in the
future.

2.Please confirm whether all parents/carers issued with a new or amended
statement since January 2012 have been informed about their right to apply
for a Direct Payment for SEN provision under the Special Educational Needs
(Direct Payments) (Pilot Scheme) Order 2012. How has this information been
provided? Please provide a copy of any standard leaflet or letter issued
together with confirmation of the date of issue. 

 

·         All families who agree to be part of Pathfinder have been given
the choice to have a personal budget, including a direct payment where
appropriate.

3.Please confirm the number of parents/carers who are receiving SEN Direct
Payments and what those Direct Payments relate to.

 

·         We are currently in the process of agreeing a personal budget
with up to 13 pathfinder families who have expressed an interest in having
one, some of whom may like a direct payment as part of their budget.  In
addition, there is a pilot underway, to offer families a mileage rate as
an alternative to directly providing transport to school where a child
with SEN meets the criteria

 

 

4.Please confirm whether any of these SEN Direct Payments could be
provided outside the Pathfinder project, e.g. payments under Part 6 of a
statement for transport. 

 

·         See response to question 3.

 

5.Please provide a copy of your policy for considering requests for direct
payments for SEN provision. If you do not have a policy, please confirm
whether there are any limits placed on direct payments applications, e.g.
they will not be provided if the LA has a block contract or there is a
financial limit. Please confirm whether these criteria are communicated to
parents and provide a copy of that document .

 

·         The county council has developed a toolkit which is shared with
parents as part of the engagement around personal budgets.  This assists
the family in understanding the different components to a personal budget
for example notional budget and direct payments, and items which are
outside of a personal budget for example the school place.  The toolkit
explains that:

 

Special schools are funded for a number of places, as commissioned by the
Local Authority. Each special school or unit place is funded at £10,000
per place. Some specialist places also attract additional funding which
varies according to the type of school or unit the child attends.

 

Information on this additional funding can be found at:

 

[1]http://www.thegrid.org.uk/learning/sen/g...

 

 

Mainstream schools. Most of the funding for Children and Young People with
SEN goes straight to schools in delegated budgets. There is a formula that
determines how much each school should get. There is some funding that is
provided for schools to work with individual pupils. Schools can apply for
this funding through a process called 'Exceptional Needs Funding'. 

 

More information can be found at:

 

[2]http://www.thegrid.org.uk/learning/sen/g...

 

 

Further Education Colleges are funded for a number of places, based on
logged numbers, by the Education Funding Agency. Each learner with high
needs will attract £10,000 (core funding and additional learner needs). 
Learners with needs above £10,000 will also attract additional 'top up'
funding.

 

More information about High Needs Funding for Further Education Colleges
can be found at:

 

[3]http://www.education.gov.uk/

 

As part of Pathfinder activity, we are developing our approach,
recognising that the issue of commissioning block contracts and what
arrangements will look like in the future.

 

6.Please confirm your arrangements for reviewing appeals against a refusal
of a request for SEN Direct Payments. Please provide a copy of any policy
and any leaflet/letter issued to parents explaining this. 

 

·         This is being considered as part of the trialling process.

7.Please confirm what information is provided to parents/carers about the
trialling of personal budgets. Please provide a copy of any leaflet or
letter issued. 

 

·         See response to question, 2 and leaflet attached.

8.Please confirm how many parents/carers are receiving a personal budget
within the auspices of the Pathfinder project? 

 

·         We are currently in the process of agreeing a personal budget
with up to 13 pathfinder families who have expressed an interest in having
one

9.Please confirm how parents/carers in receipt of SEN Direct Payments/
personal budgets obtained the information to make an application. For
example, were they: 

(a) sent the information with a new or amended statement
(b) recruited as part of a specific pilot
(c) neither (a )or (b), the family approached the LA having heard about
SEN Direct Payments/personal budgets from other sources

 

·         The answer is b)The families currently testing personal budgets
have been, and continue to be recruited as part of the Pathfinder pilot.

 

10.Please provide a copy of your local offer.

 

·         The first phase of the Local Offer may be found via the
following link:

 

[4]http://www.hertsdirect.org/services/heal...

 

Development in the near future will include the provision of further
information and a more sophisticated search facility.

 

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me, quoting
the reference above. To find out more about Freedom of Information, please
visit [5]www.hertsdirect.org/foi

 

If you are unhappy with the way the County Council has handled your
request for information you may request an internal review of the request.
This will be carried out by a member of the County Council Legal Services
Team, who has had no prior involvement with the request. Requests for an
internal review should be sent to the Information Governance Unit at the
address above.

 

If you are unhappy with the outcome of the internal review you are
entitled to ask the Information Commissioner to investigate your
complaint. You should write to: FOI/EIR Complaints Resolution, Information
Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9
5AF.

 

show quoted sections

Information Governance, Hertfordshire County Council

4 Attachments

Dear Sir or Madam,

 

Please now find the attachment referred to below. Apologies for any
inconvenience.

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Information Access Team

Hertfordshire County Council

Telephone: 01992 555848 (25848) 

Email: [1][email address]

The Information Access Team supports Hertfordshire County Council's
Freedom of Information and Environmental Information Regulations activity.

Hertfordshire - County of Opportunity

Follow us online:

[2]herts-county-council logo  [3]twitter icon  [4]facebook icon

 

 

 

From: Carrie Harwood On Behalf Of Information Governance
Sent: 05 August 2013 15:01
To: [FOI #167826 email]
Subject: Request for Information: FOI/CSF/07/13/5852

 

Dear Sir or Madam,

 

Reference number:   FOI/CSF/07/13/5852

                                        

On 8th July 2013 we received the following request for information from
you:

 

Under the Freedom of Information Act:

1.Please provide a copy of your policy regarding the trialling of SEN
Direct Payments and personal budgets.

2.Please confirm whether all parents/carers issued with a new or amended
statement since January 2012 have been informed about their right to apply
for a Direct Payment for SEN provision under the Special Educational Needs
(Direct Payments) (Pilot Scheme) Order 2012. How has this information been
provided? Please provide a copy of any standard leaflet or letter issued
together with confirmation of the date of issue.

3.Please confirm the number of parents/carers who are receiving SEN Direct
Payments and what those Direct Payments relate to.

4.Please confirm whether any of these SEN Direct Payments could be
provided outside the Pathfinder project, e.g. payments under Part 6 of a
statement for transport.

5.Please provide a copy of your policy for considering requests for direct
payments for SEN provision. If you do not have a policy, please confirm
whether there are any limits placed on direct payments applications, e.g.
they will not be provided if the LA has a block contract or there is a
financial limit. Please confirm whether these criteria are communicated to
parents and provide a copy of that document .

6.Please confirm your arrangements for reviewing appeals against a refusal
of a request for SEN Direct Payments. Please provide a copy of any policy
and any leaflet/letter issued to parents explaining this.

7.Please confirm what information is provided to parents/carers about the
trialling of personal budgets. Please provide a copy of any leaflet or
letter issued.

8.Please confirm how many parents/carers are receiving a personal budget
within the auspices of the Pathfinder project?

9.Please confirm how parents/carers in receipt of SEN Direct Payments/
personal budgets obtained the information to make an application. For
example, were they:

(a) sent the information with a new or amended statement
(b) recruited as part of a specific pilot
(c) neither (a )or (b), the family approached the LA having heard about
SEN Direct Payments/personal budgets from other sources

10.Please provide a copy of your local offer.

 

Your request for information has been considered under the Freedom of
Information Act 2000. I can confirm that Hertfordshire County Council does
hold the information you have requested, and can respond as follows:

1.Please provide a copy of your policy regarding the trialling of SEN
Direct Payments and personal budgets.

 

·         As a Pathfinder, we are working with families, schools and
partners to develop a sustainable personal budgets process which will then
inform policy development.  We are also developing our commissioning
approach to be more joined-up with Clinical Commissioning Groups,
recognising that services may need to be commissioned differently in the
future.

2.Please confirm whether all parents/carers issued with a new or amended
statement since January 2012 have been informed about their right to apply
for a Direct Payment for SEN provision under the Special Educational Needs
(Direct Payments) (Pilot Scheme) Order 2012. How has this information been
provided? Please provide a copy of any standard leaflet or letter issued
together with confirmation of the date of issue. 

 

·         All families who agree to be part of Pathfinder have been given
the choice to have a personal budget, including a direct payment where
appropriate.

3.Please confirm the number of parents/carers who are receiving SEN Direct
Payments and what those Direct Payments relate to.

 

·         We are currently in the process of agreeing a personal budget
with up to 13 pathfinder families who have expressed an interest in having
one, some of whom may like a direct payment as part of their budget.  In
addition, there is a pilot underway, to offer families a mileage rate as
an alternative to directly providing transport to school where a child
with SEN meets the criteria

 

 

4.Please confirm whether any of these SEN Direct Payments could be
provided outside the Pathfinder project, e.g. payments under Part 6 of a
statement for transport. 

 

·         See response to question 3.

 

5.Please provide a copy of your policy for considering requests for direct
payments for SEN provision. If you do not have a policy, please confirm
whether there are any limits placed on direct payments applications, e.g.
they will not be provided if the LA has a block contract or there is a
financial limit. Please confirm whether these criteria are communicated to
parents and provide a copy of that document .

 

·         The county council has developed a toolkit which is shared with
parents as part of the engagement around personal budgets.  This assists
the family in understanding the different components to a personal budget
for example notional budget and direct payments, and items which are
outside of a personal budget for example the school place.  The toolkit
explains that:

 

Special schools are funded for a number of places, as commissioned by the
Local Authority. Each special school or unit place is funded at £10,000
per place. Some specialist places also attract additional funding which
varies according to the type of school or unit the child attends.

 

Information on this additional funding can be found at:

 

[5]http://www.thegrid.org.uk/learning/sen/g...

 

 

Mainstream schools. Most of the funding for Children and Young People with
SEN goes straight to schools in delegated budgets. There is a formula that
determines how much each school should get. There is some funding that is
provided for schools to work with individual pupils. Schools can apply for
this funding through a process called 'Exceptional Needs Funding'. 

 

More information can be found at:

 

[6]http://www.thegrid.org.uk/learning/sen/g...

 

 

Further Education Colleges are funded for a number of places, based on
logged numbers, by the Education Funding Agency. Each learner with high
needs will attract £10,000 (core funding and additional learner needs). 
Learners with needs above £10,000 will also attract additional 'top up'
funding.

 

More information about High Needs Funding for Further Education Colleges
can be found at:

 

[7]http://www.education.gov.uk/

 

As part of Pathfinder activity, we are developing our approach,
recognising that the issue of commissioning block contracts and what
arrangements will look like in the future.

 

6.Please confirm your arrangements for reviewing appeals against a refusal
of a request for SEN Direct Payments. Please provide a copy of any policy
and any leaflet/letter issued to parents explaining this. 

 

·         This is being considered as part of the trialling process.

7.Please confirm what information is provided to parents/carers about the
trialling of personal budgets. Please provide a copy of any leaflet or
letter issued. 

 

·         See response to question, 2 and leaflet attached.

8.Please confirm how many parents/carers are receiving a personal budget
within the auspices of the Pathfinder project? 

 

·         We are currently in the process of agreeing a personal budget
with up to 13 pathfinder families who have expressed an interest in having
one

9.Please confirm how parents/carers in receipt of SEN Direct Payments/
personal budgets obtained the information to make an application. For
example, were they: 

(a) sent the information with a new or amended statement
(b) recruited as part of a specific pilot
(c) neither (a )or (b), the family approached the LA having heard about
SEN Direct Payments/personal budgets from other sources

 

·         The answer is b)The families currently testing personal budgets
have been, and continue to be recruited as part of the Pathfinder pilot.

 

10.Please provide a copy of your local offer.

 

·         The first phase of the Local Offer may be found via the
following link:

 

[8]http://www.hertsdirect.org/services/heal...

 

Development in the near future will include the provision of further
information and a more sophisticated search facility.

 

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me, quoting
the reference above. To find out more about Freedom of Information, please
visit [9]www.hertsdirect.org/foi

 

If you are unhappy with the way the County Council has handled your
request for information you may request an internal review of the request.
This will be carried out by a member of the County Council Legal Services
Team, who has had no prior involvement with the request. Requests for an
internal review should be sent to the Information Governance Unit at the
address above.

 

If you are unhappy with the outcome of the internal review you are
entitled to ask the Information Commissioner to investigate your
complaint. You should write to: FOI/EIR Complaints Resolution, Information
Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9
5AF.

 

show quoted sections

We don't know whether the most recent response to this request contains information or not – if you are Measure Up! please sign in and let everyone know.