Rationale

Young people are referred to Forward2Employment for admission by Medway LA SEN Team and neighbouring Local Authorities. The admissions criteria were initially drawn up in 2019 by Medway LA and the Forward2Employment Team to ensure placement is through appropriate and positive choices which best meet the needs of the young person and the provision ‘s designation.

Declaration

Forward2Employment will have regard for all legislation, including including the SEND Code of Practice (2015), the Equality Act 2010, and the Children and Families Act 2014. These documents can be found at:

The SEN Code of Practice (2015, updated statutory guidance) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/send-code-of-practice-0-to-25

The Equality Act (2010) https://www.gov.uk/guidance/equality-act-2010-guidance

Children and Families Act (2014) https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/6/contents

Admissions Policy Statement

The provision is designated by the DfE as:

Assessment of Young People’s Needs on Entry

An assessment is made of all new young people’s needs by Forward2Employment’s own Admissions Team and is based on:

• Full receipt of previous school information (School Reports/Annual Reviews/Ed. Psych & Medical Reports, OT/SALT reports, etc.).
• Transition visits/interview and/or home visit with parents/carers, where appropriate.
• Full review of all documentation to evidence the suitability of the transfer.
• The level of funding from the referring LA secures continuity of provision.

Eligibility

The young person must have an active Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), as this forms the basis for funding and placement through the Local Authority.

Funding is determined by the Local Authority through the EHCP process.

Forward2Employment delivers a Supported Internship programme designed to prepare young people with SEND for sustained paid employment. As such, the programme is structured to support the development of employability skills, independence, and progression into the workplace.

During the assessment process, consideration will be given to the young person’s aspirations, interests, and long-term outcomes as identified in their EHCP, including their readiness to engage with a programme focused on employability. Support needs and appropriate adjustments will be identified to enable each young person to access the curriculum and work-related opportunities.

No young person will be refused admission solely on the basis of their level of motivation, aspiration, or prior experience. Each referral will be considered individually in line with the SEND Code of Practice and Equality Act 2010.

Consideration of Needs

Each referral to Forward2Employment is considered individually in line with the SEND Code of Practice (2015) and the Equality Act 2010. The provision is designated to meet the needs of young people with moderate learning difficulties and/or autism; however, all placements are assessed on the basis of whether the provision can meet the young person’s needs as set out in their Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), including through reasonable adjustments where appropriate. A placement will only be declined where it is evidenced that the provision cannot meet need, that placement would be incompatible with the efficient education of others, or would represent an inefficient use of resources, in consultation with the Local Authority. The presence of additional or complex needs, including social, emotional and mental health needs or behaviours that may challenge, will not in itself prevent admission.

Equality and Non-Discrimination

Forward2Employment is committed to ensuring that all young people are treated fairly, consistently and with dignity throughout the admissions process and during their time on the programme. Admissions decisions are made in accordance with the Equality Act 2010, the Children and Families Act 2014, and the SEND Code of Practice (2015), without discrimination on the basis of protected characteristics. Reasonable adjustments will be made, where required, to ensure equitable access to the provision. Decisions regarding placement are based solely on whether the provision can meet the young person’s needs as specified in their Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) and the statutory duties placed upon the Local Authority. Forward2Employment actively promotes equality of opportunity, fosters inclusion and seeks to remove barriers to participation and achievement for all learners.

How to apply

Call us to schedule a meeting. One of our staff members will meet with the young person being referred and, ideally, the parents/carers as well, to explain what the programme is about. We want to make sure the programme is right for them and ensure we can meet their needs.

Once the young person has identified our Supported Internship programme as their progression route, the following NEEDS to happen:

Next Steps

The Local Authority must consult Forward2Employment before naming and that we will respond to the Local Authority within 15 days ‘and we will respond within 15 days in line with statutory guidance.

If the young person is still in a school/college provision, they can ask for an annual review and request a change of placement to Forward2Employment.  Alternatively, a young person can email or write a letter to their local SEN (Special Educational Needs) team outlining their wish to attend this programme. The SEN team cannot start a consultation with us for a placement if they have not received this information from the young person. So, it’s vital this happens!

The referral paperwork is then sent to Forward2Employment, which we assess along with information gained from the interview/visit, and if it is felt that the young person is suitable and meets our admissions criteria, we will contact the SEN team to let them know we’ve assessed the young person’s suitability and wish to offer them a place.

The SEN team then starts a consultation with us, which we need to respond to, identifying that we can meet their support needs and can offer them a place. This is an official part of the process in getting us named as providers on the young person’s EHCP.

Placement is confirmed once Forward2Employment is named in Section I of the Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) by the Local Authority.

Once we have confirmed we can offer a placement, we will send out an official offer letter.  If the place is accepted, you will receive a second letter informing you of the details of the transition day that the young person and parents/carers need to attend to get all the essential paperwork completed.

Enrolment day is the last stage of getting signed up for the programme and is essential to attend. If the young person cannot attend, you will need to contact us to arrange another day for them to come and sign all the required sign-up forms, permission slips, bursary applications, free school meals applications, etc.  At the transition day, the Job Coaches will start to complete the vocational profile with the young person.  This helps to determine what type of work they want to do, and this helps us target the employers we approach. The sooner we start this process, the better.

Transfer Dates

Young people will usually be admitted to Forward2Employment at the beginning of an academic year.  On a case-by-case basis, we may be able to arrange a mid-year admission.  Young people who apply for places during the academic year [e.g. if they move to Medway or another adjoining LA from another LA] will be considered according to the admissions criteria

Medway Council’s website: https://www.medway.gov.uk/downloads/download/150/apply_to_move_school

Kent County Council’s website: https://www.kent.gov.uk/education-and-children/schools/school-places/move-to-a-different-school

Appeals Procedure

If consultation has been initiated by your local SEN team, we must respond to them either offering the young person a place, or if we feel we cannot, we need to evidence why we cannot offer a place on the programme. The SEN team then reviews whether they feel we need to accept them onto the programme or not. If the young person was not successful in being accepted onto the Supported Internships programme, you have a right of appeal, and we encourage you to speak to the area officer of your SEN team.

Right of Appeal

Parents/young people can appeal to: First-tier Tribunal (SEND Tribunal) with the LA – https://www.gov.uk/appeal-ehc-plan-decision

Appeals are made against the Local Authority’s decision regarding the contents or placement named in the EHCP.

You can request a copy of the Fortis Trust Complaint policy and procedure if the appeal is not successful and you are not happy with the outcome. A copy of this policy is on our website at: www.forward2employment.co.uk  or the trust website www.fortsitrust.co.uk