Mitigating EHCNA Backlogs, Reducing Tribunal Risk and Informing Element 3 Decisions.
Statutory Evidence • Cost Effective
The Need for Targeted, Defensible Evidence
Local Authorities currently face pressure from high needs funding volatility and increasing EHCNA backlogs. My specialist service is a strategic intervention designed to provide independant, clear, defensible statutory evidence early in the process. The goal is to inform your EHCNA decisions and safeguard LA resources.
The core question answered: Are the child’s needs ‘additional to or different from’ the provision that can reasonably be provided through the school’s delegated notional SEN budget (Element 2)?
LA Benefit: Risk Mitigation and Financial ROI
£350
Immediate Cost Reduction
This fixed, low fee prevents the need to commission **full statutory assessments (typically £1,000+)** when early profiling data is sufficient. This is a crucial strategic step that protects LA resources.
REDUCE
Tribunal Risk & Due Diligence
The report provides transparent, specialist-level evidence early on. This ensures due diligence and mitigates parental appeals driven by a lack of specific, current assessment data.
CLARITY
Element 3 (£6K) Evidence
Clear profiling helps the LA accurately determine if the complexity requires Element 3 (High Needs) funding, or if the report justifies meeting needs through robust Element 2 (SEN Support).
The Specialist Service: What is Assessed?
Assessment Focus (2-Hour F2F)
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Literacy: Reading, writing, comprehension, and phonological skills.
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Numeracy: Calculation, number facts, and mathematical reasoning.
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Cognitive Processing: Memory (visual/auditory), aural/verbal skills, and processing speed.
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Includes: Pre-assessment review of school/family questionnaires and current/old diagnostic reports (4.5 hours total specialist time).
Expertise & Professional Requirements
Jo Packard, Specialist in Primary SEND & Strategic Intervention
Status: Independent Specialist Consultant
Teaching Foundation: Primary QTS (BA Hons B.Ed, Since 1994), SpLD QTS SInce 2016
Specialism: Primary Curriculum | OCR L5 Dip (SpLD)
Compliance: PATOSS Associate | Enhanced DBS | Fully Insured (Public Liability & PI)
Reports are structured as teacher-friendly working documents to ensure immediate, effective provision planning, regardless of funding outcome.