SENDIASS supported a young person to get back into post-16 education due to a breakdown in the young person’s chosen course, which meant the YP was out of education, training, or employment.

The Young person’s father contacted SENDIASS via the 24-hour answerphone service (helpline) YP is 16 years old, and has a diagnosis of autism and dyspraxia, YP has an Education Health Care plan. Father supported YP when applying for colleges and during her interview she made college aware that she had a disability and an Education Health Care plan. She enrolled on a Level 2 Diploma course.

YP went from having 32.5 hours of SEND support including: a reader; a scribe; extra time and rest breaks in high school, to no support in college.

4 weeks into the course YP was told that her dexterity" was not "good enough" and told to enrol on another course which was full. This meant that YP was not in education, training, or employment. Concerns were raised by father that YP mental health had declined she was at risk of self-harm, she had stopped getting up in the mornings and was staying in her PJ’s all day. Due to not going out to college she also stopped seeing her friends and was becoming isolated.

Father advised to check YP EHC Plan to see if it had been updated since the review/transition meeting earlier in the year and if the college was named in section I.

Advised to contact the LA and request urgent meeting to discuss that YP is not in Education, Employment or Training / NEET,

To contact the Colleges SEN team to share concerns and worries and to invite them to the meeting.

There is a law in the United Kingdom that requires young people to continue in education, employment, or training until the age of 18.

This law was introduced in September 2013 to improve the career and life prospects for young people.

The local authority has broad duties to encourage, enable and assist young people, between the ages of 16-18, to participate in education, employment, or training.



There are various options available to young people to ensure participation, including studying full-time at school, college or with a training provider, full-time employment or volunteering combined with part-time study or training, and enrolling in an apprenticeship, traineeship or supported internship.

• The aim of the meeting was for Father and YP to share their concerns, experiences.

• For college to have a clear understanding of YP needs.

• Look at course options and for YP to be in education/training.

• Plan what SEN support and reasonable adjustments were needed to enable YP to attend college.



• To enrol on a course that YP will enjoy and help her future goas and aspirations.
  

Father came back into the SENDIASS inbox to say that he has been unable to contact the LA, he was under the local hospital and due to having a serious health condition which required surgery within the next few weeks and did not know where to turn. SENDIASS opened this as a case to support Father and YP, to arrange a meeting, prepare for the meeting and to look at options and for YP to be back in education/training.

• SENDIASS reached out with Parental consent and contacted the College SENCO and the LA. A date for the review meeting was set for two weeks’ time.

• SENDIASS consulted with college about courses that would be available for YP to attend, this enabled the YP to investigate the course contents before deciding at the review meeting.

• Father contacted SENDIASS with the course the YP was interested in enrolling.

• SENDIASS contacted the college to let them know the course the YP was interested in enrolling on to



• College invited the tutor from the chosen course to the meeting so we only needed the one meeting and questions could be answered and addressed there and then, with no need for a further meeting
  

The meeting was positive, YP voice was listened to, college Tutor for the YP chosen course was able to answer any questions/query’s that were raised. SEN needs were discussed with family and SENCO, and a plan was put in place for YP to enrol on a Childcare and Maths GCSE course and how she will be supported in lessons.

YP was invited into college the following week to discuss the course in more detail and to decide if she wanted to catch up on missed work and go for a diploma or start the next module and go for a BTEC qualification.

Not all parents are aware of the transition processes for children and YP with SEN needs and that EHCP reviews have timescales, important dates for transition meetings.



Calling an early review meeting with college has meant that the YP is back in education, College is aware of YP individual needs, EHC Plan has been shared so that the YP can have the appropriate support in place to help her succeed in her chosen carer.

If this were not resolved the YP would be out of education/employment or training, mental health will have continued to decline. YP will not have a positive view of education and would not be able to make and plan for future goals and aspirations. We know that the longer a YP is out of education the harder it is to get them back in and very often they will disengage.

YP attended the meeting in person with the course tutor, SEN Lead, father and SENDIASS.

YP enrolled on a new course.

YP is back in full time education and enjoying the course.

Reasonable adjustments like time scales have been put in place. Catch-up sessions were planned on a day that a tutor would be available to support if YP needed. Reader and scriber were also present in all lessons if needed.

College are now aware of YP needs and will check on her regularly to see how the course and her mental health is doing.

College have requested a copy of the YP EHC Plan and will now have yearly review meeting.

SENDIASS reached out to father and YP to check how YP was doing, to be told that she is really enjoying the course and attending college on her allocated days. Father also now has a contact at college who he can contact directly if he or YP has any worries or concerns.

Continue to offer information sessions at schools and placements for parents.

To Continue to complete sessions with other agencies/professionals, we have recently completed a session for the Early help hubs.

Continue to keep the SENDIASS website up to date and add any new relevant information.

To continue to create pod casts with transcripts to enable to be shared and be more accessible.

To look at setting up a SENDIASS social media platform.

The SENDIASS website for Parent/carers, YP’s and professionals and has lots of relevant information with Links, Podcasts, factsheets.

There are various ways Parent/carers can gain information and knowledge. SENDIASS Information is shared verbally though volunteer parent groups Manchester Parent Carer forum, Manchester parent Champions, SPACE group and the Local Offer.

SENDIASS also attends local drop-ins in North, Central and South Manchester

SENDIASS is contactable on the 24-hour answerphone call back service, email and via contact though the website.

You may wish also to read our factsheet number 17 “SEN support in further education.”

Listen to our SENDIASS Podcasts

You may wish to read the following:

Fact sheet 17 - SEN support in further education

Complete our website contact form: