A young person or child’s parents have the right to request a Personal Budget connected to their Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). It can be requested when an EHCP needs assessment has been completed and Achieving for Children (SEND Team) have confirmed that it will prepare an EHCP. It can also be requested during a statutory review of an existing EHCP.
What is a Personal Budget?
A Personal Budget is an amount of money identified by the local authority to deliver the provision set out in an EHCP where the parent or young person is involved in securing that provision. The funds can be held directly by the parent or young person or may be held and managed on their behalf by the local authority, school, college or other organisation or individual and used to pay for the support specified in the EHCP.
There are three different funding streams for personal budgets and direct payments for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities:
| Education | If a child or young person is assessed to require specific provision for their Education, this will be detailed in an EHCP. The Educational element is funded through Achieving for Children SEND Team on behalf of the Local Authority (Royal Borough of Kingston and London Borough of Richmond). |
| Healthcare | If a child or young person is assessed to require specific provision for health care, this will be detailed in a Continuing Healthcare Assessment. The Health care element is funded through the South West London Clinical Commissioning Group on behalf of the National Health Service |
| Social care | If a child or young person is assessed to require specific provision for social care support. The Social care element is funded through Achieving for Children, Disabled Children’s Team Social Care on behalf of the Local Authority (Royal Borough of Kingston and London Borough of Richmond). These payments are called Direct Payments and have the same principle as the personal budget payments. |
Kingston Centre for Independent Living (KCIL) provides the SEND Support Service for Kingston and Richmond. The service can support families or young people with each of these elements in line with both national and local guidance for personal budgets as well as evidence-based case studies of good practice from professional experience and national charities. KCIL have brokers available to support families to broker their budget and develop a support plan. They will also support with implementation and employment support.
If you have any further questions you can contact the SEND Team (opens a new window) or the Personal Budget Broker below.
Helen Green
SEND Support Broker
Kingston Centre for Independent Living
Tel: 020 8481 1441
Email: helen.green@kcil.org.uk