Dear Northamptonshire 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!

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!