The Annual Review

The Annual Review

Every conversation starts with the child. Children, young people and their families are at the centre of all that we do.

Annual Reviews are an opportunity for everyone to gather together to actively monitor children and young people’s progress towards their outcomes and longer term aspirations.

Reviews must be carried out in partnership with the child or young person and their parent carers, taking account of their views, wishes and feelings.

Annual Reviews are part of the statutory process. Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCP) must be reviewed by the Local Authority every 12 months as a minimum. For children aged 0 to 5, Local Authority's should consider reviewing every 3 to 6 months to ensure provision remains appropriate (9.78 COP). For looked after children the annual review should, if possible and appropriate, coincide with one of the reviews in their care plan and in particular the Personal Education Plan (PEP) element of the Care Plan.

Reviews are an opportunity for everyone to gather together with the child or young person and parent carers participating as fully as possible.

Families also have a right to ask for support in attending meetings if they wish, this could be from family members, advocates, SENDIASS.

The Special Educational Needs Designated Officer (SENDO) will try to attend if asked to do so and will make every effort to attend reviews where the young person is due to move phase. Settings should also consider whether it will be helpful to invite a social care or health representative/and or other professionals requested to attend by the family. Representatives of post-16 organisations should be invited to the review, particularly where the young person has expressed a desire to attend a particular institution.

If a young person attends more than one setting, all parties should contribute to the review meeting.

Reviews should normally be held by the school or setting attended by the child or young person. There may be exceptional circumstances where the review meeting is held by the Local Authority in a different location. If a young person attends more than one setting, the SENDO will liaise with the setting to determine who will be the lead for the review.

The purpose of the Review is to check that the provision and strategies remain suitable and appropriate to meet the needs of the child or young person to ensure the development of the child or young person and to help him or her achieve the best possible outcomes.