When we’ll offer you a Way Forward Meeting
If you request an Education, Health and Care (EHC) needs assessment, and the decision is not to proceed with one, you will receive a phone call and a letter to explain the decision.
At this point, Essex County Council (ECC) will offer you a Way Forward Meeting.
You can choose if you want the meeting. Attending a meeting does not impact your right to go to mediation or appeal the decision.
The purpose of a Way Forward Meeting
The aims of the meeting are to:
- understand the decision and why the panel made the decision
- plan the next steps and support for the child and young person, without an EHCP
This meeting cannot change the decision. If new information is available after this meeting, you can make a further request for an EHC needs assessment.
Who can attend a Way Forward Meeting
The meeting can include:
- parents, carers and family
- the child or young person
- someone from the educational setting
- a facilitator from ECC SEND teams
You can bring an advocate to help you if you want to. Find out more about advocacy.
Who facilitates the meeting depends on the circumstances. For example, it may be a member of the team already involved with planning support for the child or young person.
What happens at a Way Forward Meeting
Meetings are usually:
- between 30 and 60 minutes long
- an online video call, but may be in person.
The facilitator will:
- remind attendees of the decision and make sure everyone understands it
- ask people in the meeting for any information that was not in the original request for an assessment
- make suggestions about where to find new or missing information
The facilitator will ask the group to think about:
- how the child’s needs can be understood and provided for in their setting
- if there is anyone else who might need to be involved in next steps
After the meeting
The facilitator will share a summary of the meeting and actions. This is called a Record of Involvement and will be stored on the child or young person’s record.