Provision for Augmentative and Alternative Communication

SEND Education Service coordinates and funds equipment provision and training for children with complex needs and associated communication access • to meet the legal and statutory requirements as documented in their EHCPs • adhering to the SEND Code of Practice 2014 The Augmentative & Alternative Communication outreach provision provided by CENMAC enables LBH to meet the statutory requirements of children with complex communication needs, as identified in Section F on the EHCP. The Council needs to engage specialist providers for assessment and equipment to comply with statutory responsibilities and fulfil operational demands.

This is particularly relevant for positions required to undertake assessments as part of the Education, Health, and Care (EHC) needs assessments, in line with the Children and Families Act (2014) The contract sought is to fulfil statutory responsibilities the Council already has and delivers, addressing challenges relating to having insufficient staffing capacity to do so. It therefore does has no potential to have any negative impacts, and agreement to seek a contract of this nature will benefit children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities.