WSCC Special Education Needs Assessment Team (SENAT) (EHCP)

About

We are responsible for children with Special Educational Needs who have an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP), are requesting one, or who are going through the process of an Education Health and Care Needs Assessment (EHCNA). Find out more information about SEN Assessment Team (SENAT) and its processes.

To contact all SENAT teams:

If you live in Chichester, Bognor Regis, Midhurst, Petworth, Worthing, Steyning, Littlehampton, Angmering, Worthing, Shoreham, Portslade or Hove, contact Team SOUTH:
Email: SENAT.South@westsussex.gov.uk.
Tel: 033 022 23120

If you live in Crawley, Horsham, Burgess Hill, Cuckfield, East Grinstead or Haywards Heath, contact Team NORTH:
Email: SENAT.North@westsussex.gov.uk.
Tel: 033 022 22722

There have been organisational changes in SENAT. These changes will support the service in meeting its statutory requirements, achieving parity with the current national standard in the delivery of SEND services, enhancing outcomes for children and young people.

These are the SENAT teams:

What we do

• EHC Needs Assessment Team

  This team is responsible for the requests and referrals process for all ages until the assessment is allocated to the appropriate team: EHCNA; Preparation for Adulthood (PfA); Education Other Than at School (EOTAS); or Elective Home Education (EHE). Further information on these teams can be found below.

  This team is also responsible for coordinating the EHC needs assessment process up to and including finalising an EHCP for children and young people up to the end of year 9.

• Review and Monitoring Team

  This team is responsible for reviewing and monitoring functions for children and young people with an EHCP up to the end of year 9, including the age-phased transfer process and moves into West Sussex. The team has been split into three areas, instead of four:

  • South 1 and South 2 have merged to become South-East
  • West has become South-West (and includes Littlehampton)
  • Mid and North have merged to become North.

• Key Stage 4 and Post-16 Support

  Preparation for Adulthood Team

  This team is responsible for the EHCNA and reviewing and monitoring functions for young people in years 10 and 11 attending mainstream schools and independent non-maintained special schools (INMSS), and post-16 attending sixth form and specialist colleges (not further education colleges).

  College Team

  This team is responsible for EHCNAs and reviewing and monitoring functions, including arranging and chairing the annual review for young people post-16 attending further education colleges.

• Service Wide Teams

  Operational Team

  This team consists of Special needs officers (SNOs) who support the requests and referrals process in relation to the EHCNA panel. The Officers hold Inclusion Planning meetings with parents, carers and schools following a refusal to assess. The team also has Advisory Teachers who provide practical support, advice and guidance to mainstream schools to enable effective inclusion of learners with EHCPs.

  Tribunal and Dispute Resolution Team

  This team is responsible for oversight and work relating to complaints, including Local Government Ombudsman (LGO) and Judicial Review (JR) mediation requests and appeals to the First Tier SEND Tribunal Service, in liaison with Operational Lead and Team Managers.

  Education Other Than at School (EOTAS) and Elective Home Education (EHE) Team

  This team is responsible for Education, Health and Care Needs Assessments and reviewing and monitoring functions (including age phase transfers) for children and young people in receipt of EOTAS and EHE.

Age range

0-25

Wheelchair accessible

Yes

Free to use

Yes