PEP-Guidance-Procedureshow-To-Write-A-Good-Post-16-PEP Updated 130116

HOW TO… WRITE A GOOD Post 16 PERSONAL EDUCATION PLAN (PEP)

Which document to use?

There are 3 Personal Education Plan (PEP) documents: Early Years PEP For children in Early Years provision up until the end of Reception Year Full PEP/Review Year 1 to Year 11 Post 16 PEP Year 12 to Year 13

From July 2014 it is now a statutory requirement that young people in post 16 Education, Employment or Training require a PEP up to age 18

 Please use the Post 16 PEP document  If this is the first Post 16 PEP you will also need a copy of the last completed PEP in Year 11  Please also cross reference with pages 8 & 9 of the Pathway Plan

The basics

 It’s a Social Worker’s responsibility to organise PEP meetings and to ensure the completed PEP is saved to the young person’s file.

 Full PEPs must be written within 20 days of coming into Care then reviewed after 3 months, then:

 PEPs must be reviewed at least every 6 months and should inform the Pathway Plan

 Good practice would be for a social worker to attend a Post 16 PEP early in the Autumn and Summer term of Year 12 and the Spring term of Year 13.

Prior to the PEP Meeting

The Social Worker contacts the provider to arrange a date for the PEP/Review Meeting asking for the name of the Designated Link member of staff for Looked After Child and their email address for correspondence.

The Social Worker should then invite relevant personnel to the meeting (including an invitation to the relevant Careers Advisor/college mentor/Social Care Personal adviser as appropriate).

The Social Worker should launch a Post 16 PEP and save onto the young person’s file.

The Social Worker should complete the details on the cover page of the PEP document and the legal status/medical information. HOW TO… WRITE A GOOD Post 16 PERSONAL EDUCATION PLAN (PEP)

The part completed PEP should be sent to the child’s school by the Social Worker with the standard covering letter. This can be found on the Virtual School’s website:

http://education.staffordshire.gov.uk/Pupil-Support/SEN-and-Vulnerable-Children/Children- in-Care/Children-in-Care.aspx

PEP documents to be sent at least 7 days before planned meeting.

Prior to the meeting, relevant personnel should gather all the required information ready for discussion.

The meeting After introductions, a brief discussion should take place as to who will chair the meeting, who will act as scribe to fill in the PEP (it’s hard for one person to do both) and to agree the length of the meeting. The Post 16 provider setting should “lead” the discussion on all GREEN Sections.

The Social Worker should ask if there are any significant barriers to progress and if there is a need for an additional funding to help the young person achieve the targets that are set. If this is the case the Designated link person for Looked after Children in the provision should contact Staffordshire Virtual School for Looked After Children to discuss further.

Before closing the meeting, a PEP Review date must be set. The frequency of meetings within the legal framework should be linked to the issues discussed. Developmental difficulties highlighted by the health visitor or difficulties highlighted by the early years setting should trigger more frequent PEP Reviews.

The written ‘draft’ PEP should be reviewed and signed as agreed at the end of the meeting. The Social Worker will have the PEP typed, placed on the Young Person’s file and distributed to relevant parties.

Please ensure that the young person’s Personal adviser receives a copy of the PEP. Good practice points

 The Social Worker should ensure that all relevant people are informed when a PEP meeting is cancelled.  A new Social Work case holder should always establish the date of any planned PEP/ Review Meeting and inform relevant personnel if it needs changing.  The attendance of a young person at a PEP meeting is not compulsory, though their involvement should be included. Those people who know the young person well are best placed to make that decision, taking into account the young person’s wishes and feelings. HOW TO… WRITE A GOOD Post 16 PERSONAL EDUCATION PLAN (PEP)  PEPs must be formally reviewed at three months, six months and then six monthly intervals. Issues within the PEP will determine the frequency of meetings within this legal timescale.

 When a young person in care moves provision, the Social Worker should send the new provider a copy of the current PEP.  If the young person is NEET please ensure that the Youth contract has been implemented.  Please confirm within the PEP discussion if the young person has applied for/received a post 16-19 Bursary and if so how this has been spent.  Discuss within the PEP meeting if a move to Higher Education post 18 is likely in order to start timely planning.  The Virtual School has a PEP monitoring system in place. Make sure targets are SMART. Ask yourself, are they Specific enough? Measurable? Achievable and Realistic for the individual child and is there a timeframe within which to complete them?  PEP documents, guidelines, standard covering letter etc. can all be found on the Virtual School’s website: http://education.staffordshire.gov.uk/Pupil-Support/SEN-and-Vulnerable- Children/Children-in-Care/Children-in-Care.aspx