Evaluating the quality of outcomes defined for children with Education Health and Care plans in England: A local picture with global implications. (March 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Castro, Susana; Grande, Catarina; Palikara, Olympia
• Is Part Of: Research in developmental disabilities. Volume 86(2019)
• Page Start: 41
• Page End: 52
• Publication Date: 2019-03
• Subjects: EHC plans -- Education health and social care -- SEND -- Disability -- Special education; Developmental disabilities -- Periodicals; Developmentally disabled -- Research -- United States -- Periodicals; Developmentally disabled children -- Education -- Research -- United States -- Periodicals; Developmental Disabilities -- Periodicals; Disabled -- Periodicals; Mental Retardation -- rehabilitation -- Periodicals; Personnes atteintes de troubles du développement -- Recherche -- États-Unis -- Périodiques; Enfants atteints de troubles du développement -- Éducation -- Recherche -- États-Unis -- Périodiques; Développement, Troubles du -- Recherche -- États-Unis -- Périodiques; 616.858800
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2019.01.003
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0891-4222

Abstract

Highlights: In England, statements of special needs were replaced with education health and care plans (EHC), regulating disability provision for children. EHC plans should be participation-focused and contain high quality outcomes for children. Current outcomes in the EHC plans reveal poor quality across several criteria. Their quality varies by local authority, type of school, type of outcome and the children's type of need. Results raise questions on whether provision for children is complying with national and international recommendations. Abstract: Recently, the Children and Families Act 2014 was introduced in England to regulate provision for children with disabilities. According to this policy, statements of special educational needs were replaced with education, health and care plans, which should include high-quality, holistic and participation-focused outcomes to regulate provision; this change aligns with international recommendations regarding provision for children with disabilities. This study aimed to evaluate the outcomes defined for children with education, health and care plans in England. 236 Education Health and Care plans were included in the analysis, providing 2813 outcomes to be examined, which came from 11 local authorities and 42 schools and belong to 69 girls and 167 boys from 4 to 21 years of age. The outcomes were independently rated by two experienced researchers using a Goal Functionality Scale. Inter-rater agreement was calculated for 10% of the outcomes. Most outcomes were considered not to be functional or high-quality; differences in quality were found between local authorities, types of school, type of outcome, and the children's main need. There are important quality concerns regarding the outcomes that have been designed for children with disabilities in England, which should be addressed through standardised training and guidelines on procedures.