Ensuring an independent future for young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND): a critical examination of the impact of education, health and care plans in England

ABSTRACT This article examines the implications of the new education, health and care (EHC) planning process for career professionals in England. The new process comes in the wake of a succession of legislation relating to young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in England. There is much to recommend the new process as it represents a shift to a more holistic and person-centred approach. However, there are four main criticisms which can be made of the new process: (1) the policy has an excessive focus on paid work as an outcome which is unrealistic (for some young people); (2) the resourcing in local authorities is too limited to successfully operationalise the policy; (3) there is a lack of clarity about the professional base delivering EHC planning (especially in relation to the career elements); and (4) the policy is too narrowly targeted. While the new legislation offers some major opportunities, realising these will be difficult. In this paper, questions are raised about the resources required to deliver these services; the responsibilities relevant to such services; and the role and scope of these services in supporting the transitions of vulnerable young people into learning and work in an environment where universal careers provision has been substantially diminished.

[1]  Leah Burch.  Governmentality of adulthood: a critical discourse analysis of the 2014 Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice , 2018 .

[2]  Vicky Hopwood,et al.  Mapping user experiences of the education, health and care process: a qualitative study , 2016 .

[3]  T. Hooley,et al.  The economic benefits of career guidance , 2015 .

[4]  A. Black,et al.  The placement of secondary school students with Statements of special educational needs in the more diversified system of English secondary schooling , 2015 .

[5]  T. Hooley.  Career guidance and inspiration in schools , 2015 .

[6]  P. Richardson.  Chapter 4. How will accountability work in the new SEND legislative system , 2015 .

[7]  B. Norwich,et al.  The new special educational needs (SEN) legislation in England and implications for services for children and young people with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties , 2014 .

[8]  E. Corrigan.  Person centred planning ‘in action’: exploring the use of person centred planning in supporting young people's transition and re-integration to mainstream education , 2014 .

[9]  Jane Williams,et al.  Did we aim high enough? Will legislation lead to better results for disabled children? , 2014 .

[10]  T. Hooley,et al.  A career postcode lottery? Local authority provision of youth and career support following the 2011 Education Act , 2014 .

[11]  Sonali Nag.  Special Educational Needs, Social Cognitive Environments, and Preparing for the World of Work , 2014 .

[12]  H. McConachie,et al.  Study protocol: longitudinal study of the transition of young people with complex health needs from child to adult health services , 2013, BMC Public Health.

[13]  Alan Roulstone,et al.  Social policy and transitions to training and work for disabled young people in the United Kingdom: neo-liberalism for better and for worse? , 2013 .

[14]  J. Fullana,et al.  Beyond school inclusion: secondary school and preparing for labour market inclusion for young people with disabilities in Spain , 2012 .

[15]  L. Powers,et al.  Voices of youth in foster care and special education regarding their educational experiences and transition to adulthood , 2012 .

[16]  E. Fuentes-Afflick,et al.  Parent and Youth Priorities During the Transition to Adulthood for Youth With Special Health Care Needs and Developmental Disability , 2012, ANS. Advances in nursing science.

[17]  Marlis Buchmann.  School-to-Work Transitions , 2011 .

[18]  M. Okoye.  Valuing Employment Now: real jobs for people with learning disabilities , 2010 .

[19]  Audrey A. Trainor,et al.  Availability of and Access to Career Development Activities for Transition-Age Youth With Disabilities , 2010 .

[20]  W. Beamish,et al.  Transitions from school for young adults with intellectual disability: Parental perspectives on “life as an adjustment” , 2009, Journal of intellectual & developmental disability.

[21]  Brian Lamb,et al.  Lamb Inquiry : special educational needs and parental confidence : report to the Secretary of State on the Lamb Inquiry review of SEN and disability information , 2009 .

[22]  R. Davie.  The Education Act 1993 , 2007 .

[23]  Colin Barnes,et al.  Disability, work, and welfare , 2005 .

[24]  Law,et al.  Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001 , 2002 .

[25]  M. Mclaughlin,et al.  The Costs of Inclusion. , 1994 .

[26]  M. Wilson.  The Education Act of 1981. , 1986, Midwife, health visitor & community nurse.

[27]  Mary Warnock,et al.  Special educational needs : report of the Committee of Enquiry into the Education of Handicapped Children and Young People , 1978 .