Information

6:55. Circular 93/05 (B19/93 in Wales) from the Further Education Funding Council contains advice on the Council's arrangements for funding placements for students with learning difficulties and disabilities.  It is the FEFC's responsibility in such circumstances to ensure that an assessment is made when such young people enter further education; in practice the LEA conducts the assessment on the FEFC's behalf in many cases.  Circular 93/05 states that the assessment should be based upon:

? the availability to young people and their advocates of a full range of information from the LEA about post-16 education and training choices, to inform placement decisions as indicated in the Parent's Charter

? the involvement of young people, their parents and their advocates in the assessment process, and

? the advice, wherever possible, of a range of professionals to ensure expert guidance, including for example careers officers, educational psychologists and other specialists who have knowledge of the individuals needs.

Transfer to the further education sector

6:56. LEAs should ensure that where a young person has a statement of special educational needs, a copy of the statement together with a copy of the most recent annual review (together with any advice or information appended to it including the Transition Plan) should be passed to the social services department and the college or other provision that the young person will be attending.  Where a decision might ht need to be taken by the FEFC about the placement of a student in a specialist college outside the FE sector, a copy of the Transition Plan should be sent to the FEFC.  LEAs should seek the agreement of students and parents to the transfer of information (including statements) from school to the further education sector, but should explain the importance of such information and the desirability of the transfer.

6:57. Where students or their families consider that the information contained in the statement or annual review presents a negative picture or is inaccurate in some way, the LEA should consider how the review process can be made more positive and participative at the time of transition so that the conclusions of the last annual review are seen as an action plan for future development.  The LEA should consider including in the review report information such as Records of Achievement which present the student in a positive light and provide information about his or her wider interests and abilities.  The LEA should seek the consent of parents and students prior to the final annual review for the transfer of the review report and any Records of Achievement to the FEFC.

6:58. Schools should foster links with local further education colleges.  This will help in the decision-making process and in the eventual transition itself, easing the move for both young person and staff at the further education college.  Link provision with colleges can be of particular benefit to a young person with special educational needs by providing opportunities for integration, extending the curriculum and offering an induction into the adult environment of further education.