This month, the Children and Families Act officially came into force. It contains significant measures aimed at children and young people aged 0 to 25 with SEND and has the potential to significantly improve their lives. Section 19 sets out its principles:
Children, young people and parents should be put at the centre of decision-making.
Children, young people and parents should be properly supported to participate.
There should be a focus on achieving the best possible outcomes.
The biggest change for schools is that there is a new SEND Code of Practice to which all state-funded schools must have regard. This includes academies and free schools. The definition of SEND is extended to include young people up to the age of 25 and includes “learning difficulties” and “disabilities”, so the Act also brings post-16 institutions into the new SEND legal framework.
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