Report - London Borough of Hillingdon

BEHAVIOUR SUPPORT PLAN 2004-5 ITEM 7
SUMMARY
Contact Officer: Christine Sullivan
Telephone: 01895 256524
Section 527A of the Education Act, 1996 places a duty on LEAs to prepare a statement
setting out the arrangements for the education of children with behavioural difficulties, to be
known as a Behaviour Support Plan. The first plan was produced for 1 April 1999 to be
reviewed with a revised plan published by 1 April 2001. Thereafter it was intended that the
plans be of 3 year duration.
The government’s revised intention is for there to be one overarching education plan to
replace the Education Development Plan, Inclusion SEN Strategy and Behaviour Support
Plan to be known as the Single Education Plan (SEP). This will be phased in with all
authorities by 2007. Hillingdon is currently in the tranche to complete by 2006 but in the
interests of efficiency of planning has received agreement from the DfES to produce an early
SEP by January 2005.
Hence the Behaviour Support Plan, originally intended to be a 3 year plan will be for one
year only, from 2004-5. It has been written to dovetail with the Community Plan, EDP
activities, the Inclusion/ SEN Strategy Action Plan and the Child & Adolescent Mental Heath
Strategy Action Plan.
The DfES Improving Behaviour and Attendance Department has agreed that the plan be
simplified to meet local needs and recognises it is a transition plan. Nonetheless it has
requested that the Plan be submitted to the department by March 31 st 2004.
The Draft Behaviour Support Plan 2004-5 is attached at Appendix 1. The Plan has been
produced by a sub group of the Behaviour Forum, a multi-agency group whose terms of
reference include monitoring and reviewing the Behaviour Support Plan and providing a
mechanism for sharing and for coordinating planning relating to pupil behaviour across
relevant strategic groups. The Forum is well attended by Education (officers and
headteachers), Health, Social Services, Police and the Voluntary sector. Councillor Elaine
Webb is a regular attendee. The draft plan has also been sent to all schools and governing
bodies for comment.
This Plan attempts to find a coherent way forward relating to provision for children with
behaviour, emotional and social difficulties in a time of significant change and varied
initiatives promoted by the DfES. Such developments include the Key Stage 3 Strategy
Behaviour and Attendance Strand, the Primary Strategy Behaviour and Attendance pilot and
the roll out of the Behaviour Improvement Programme (BIP) to the Hillingdon Excellence
Cluster. In addition, the Green paper ‘Every Child Matters’ will result in national and local
changes in children’s services which will affect the implementation of this plan and future
planning for the SEP.
Key priorities in the Plan are to:
1. Review behaviour provision in Hillingdon.
2. Implement DfES strategies relating to behaviour and attendance.
PART I – MEMBERS & PUBLIC (INCLUDING THE PRESS)
Cabinet Reports - 4 th March 2003 Page 133