Hello Jessica - my Service now sits in Education and Learning alongside Learning and Improvement colleagues. We have seen significant benefits from this - a far greater understanding from these colleagues about how schools use their delegated resources in relation to inclusion; support when schools off roll or say inappropriate things to parents etc. I now also go to “schools causing concern” meetings. The downside is I see less of my social care colleagues!

Re EHC criteria - I think many of us are having to work harder to evidence need at panels.  I think the important thing to remember is local areas must never have blanket policies, that’s unlawful and needs to be challenged. Each individual case needs to be judged on its own merits.