Direct payments and personal budgets

The request was partially successful.

Dear Manchester City 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!

Manchester City Council

Dear Sir/Madam

Thank you for your request for information received by the Council on 8
July 2013.

Guidance issued by the Information Commissioner’s Office sets out the
requirements for a request to be valid and says that a request must ‘state
the name of the applicant and an address for correspondence’ (Section 8(1)
of the Freedom of Information Act).

http://www.ico.org.uk/~/media/documents/...

In order for your request to comply with this requirement, I would be
grateful if you could provide your full name.

When we receive your name, we will deal with your request as outlined in
the Council’s Code of Practice on handling requests for information.

Yours faithfully

Information Compliance Unit
Democratic Services
PO Box 532
Town Hall
Albert Square
Manchester
M60 2LA

Email: [Manchester City Council request email]
Website: www.manchester.gov.uk




Measure Up! To
<request-167831-9198c9bb@whatdothe FOI requests at Manchester City Council
yknow.com> <[Manchester City Council request email]>
cc
06/07/2013 11:57
Subject
Freedom of Information request - Direct payments and personal
budgets

Dear Manchester City 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!

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

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Dear Manchester City Council,

Dear Sir/Madam,

We are a voluntary organisation and entitled to request information in our own name.

You will note the guidance from the ICO website which confirms:

Remember that a request can be made in the name of an organisation, or by one person on behalf of another, such as a solicitor on behalf of a client;

Please proceed with our request.

Yours faithfully,

Measure Up!

Manchester City Council

Dear Measure Up!

Re: Request for Information - Reference No: CHS/99HFL4

Thank you for your request for information which was received by Manchester
City Council on 11 July 2013.

Please note that it may take up to 20 working days (approximately 4 weeks)
for the Council to consider your request and to provide a formal response.

If this timescale needs to be extended to consider an exemption you will be
notified and kept informed.

If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Yours sincerely

Catherine Spencer
Information Compliance Unit
Democratic Services
PO Box 532
Town Hall
Albert Square
Manchester
M60 2LA

Email: [Manchester City Council request email]
Website: www.manchester.gov.uk

Please consider the environment before printing this email




Measure Up! To
<request-167831-9198c9bb@whatdothe [Manchester City Council request email]
yknow.com> cc

10/07/2013 18:45 Subject
Re: Freedom of Information request - Direct payments and
personal budgets

Dear Manchester City Council,

Dear Sir/Madam,

We are a voluntary organisation and entitled to request information in our
own name.

You will note the guidance from the ICO website which confirms:

Remember that a request can be made in the name of an organisation, or by
one person on behalf of another, such as a solicitor on behalf of a client;

Please proceed with our request.

Yours faithfully,

Measure Up!

show quoted sections

Manchester City Council

Dear Measure Up!

Re: Request for Information - SEN direct payments and personal budgets -
Reference Number: CHS/99HFL4

Thank you for your request for information, which was received by
Manchester City Council on 11 July 2013 and has been considered under the
provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

You asked:

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.

In response to your request, I have summarised the information as follows.
|---+------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 1.| This is in development. The Direct Payments pilot scheme order will lapse in 2014, and we are awaiting the |
| | Children and Families Bill becoming law before we finalise our policy. |
|---+------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| | |
|---+------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 2.| Manchester has so far been trialling with 14-25 year olds. Information about Direct Payments is discussed with |
| | young people and families by their plan coordinator/support officer and also by Parent partnership staff. |
|---+------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| | |
|---+------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 3.| One; for a teaching assistant, speech and language therapy and ASD support. |
|---+------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| | |
|---+------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 4.| Yes |
|---+------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| | |
|---+------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 5.| Requests would be discussed individually with young people/families and consideration given to whether the |
| | child/young person's needs can be met though existing services. |
|---+------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| | |
|---+------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 6.| This is in development - please see our reponse to point 1. |
|---+------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| | |
|---+------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 7.| Information is provided through discussion and is also available through the local offer. |
|---+------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| | |
|---+------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 8.| Nine young people have personal budgets for education. |
|---+------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| | |
|---+------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 9.| One parent approached the local authority. Other young people/parents chose education personal budgets after |
| | discussions with staff. |
|---+------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| | |
|---+------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 10| Our local officer is available on our website: |
| .| http://manchester.fsd.org.uk/kb5/manches... |
|---+------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

Please note if you are not satisfied with this response you may ask for an
internal review. If you wish to complain you should contact the
Information Governance Unit via [Manchester City Council request email] or
Town Hall, Room 401, Manchester, M60 2LA.

If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you have
the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision.

The Information Commissioner can be contacted at:

Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF .

Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future
communications.

Yours sincerely

Karen Jarmany
Senior Strategic Lead Quality Assurance
Directorate for Children and Commissioning
Floor 4, Town Hall Extension
Manchester City Council
PO Box 532
Town Hall
Manchester
M60 2LA

Tel: 234 1899
Fax: 0161 276 7629
cs[Manchester City Council request email]
www.manchester.gov.uk

show quoted sections