Question: Where are the key workers, who are talked about
helping parents budget and apportion their direct payments, going to come from?
And, where is the funding to pay for them and their training going to come
from? Has anyone given any definite information about this yet?
IPSEA’s
answer: At the moment we have no idea! No
information has been given yet to expand this idea. We would hope that some of
the Pathfinder pilot projects will be testing this out but at this moment it is
very difficult to get details about what aspects of the proposals are being trialled
and how, or how sustainable and applicable their experiences will be once the
Pathfinder money dries up. We
are aware of parents in one Direct Payments pilot area who are taking their
case to the SEND Tribunal as the LA is refusing to quantify therapies and to
specify the experience and specialism of the LSA support and specialist teacher
(and therefore appropriate pay) to be purchased through the direct payments. If
this provision is clearly specified in Part 3 of their child's statement then
the amount of direct payment will have to be increased to be able to meet the
child's needs. At this moment the amount being offered would not purchase the
time of professionals who had the qualifications and expertise to meet the
child's needs adequately.
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