Collaborative IEP Process

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Collaborative IEP Process

• Jane Baines
• Development Officer Support for Learners
• (Secondary and Special Schools)

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What is an IEP?

• An IEP is a written plan outlining the steps to
  be taken to enable a child/young person with
  additional educational support needs to achieve
  specified targets.
• An IEP provides the planning framework which
  underpins the teaching and learning process by
  which a childs additional educational support
  needs can be addressed.
• The nature and scale of IEPs will vary with the
  needs of the individual.
• Some IEPs will be short while others will be more
  extensive documents.

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An IEP

• is developed collaboratively by parents/carers,
  professionals and the school, and by the
  child/young person if they have the capacity to
  participate
• contains the targets to be achieved by the
  child/young person
• enables staff to plan for progression
• allows staff to monitor the effectiveness of
  teaching and learning
• allows parents/carers, professionals and the
  school staff to work together to foster the child
  or young persons educational and personal
  development, and
• provides senior management with a tool for
  monitoring, reviewing, and evaluating the
  effectiveness of provision for additional
  educational support needs.

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Which pupils should have an IEP?

• IEPs are required for those pupils whose needs
  cannot be met by normal classroom
  differentiation.
• So a pupil might require an IEP in one school or
  class, because individual differentiation is
  required, but not require an IEP in a school or
  class where many other pupils also have similar
  needs.

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What an IEP is

• a dynamic response to individual needs
• rooted within the planning for all the children
  in the group/class
• a programme which provides opportunities for a
  balanced range of experiences
• inclusive in context
• positive in tone
• a collaborative process

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What an IEP is not

• a separate programme of disjointed targets
• undertaken by the pupil in isolation
• negative in tone, concentrating on the childs
  weaknesses
• separate planning in isolation

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Developing an IEP for an individual pupil

• The process of developing the IEP is not just
  about writing
• a document. It offers opportunities
• to help school staff, parents, carers, and
  professionals to develop increased knowledge and
  understanding of how the pupil functions in all
  contexts
• for parents, carers, and professionals to work
  together to achieve shared agreed aims and
  targets on behalf of the pupil
• for parents, carers, and professionals to develop
  their understanding of how the school is working
  with their child
• for the members of the school team to identify
  and own their responsibilities to the pupil

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Key partners

• The key partners who must be involved in
  compiling the IEP for an individual pupil are
  school staff and the pupils parents/carers.
• Advice should be sought from others who know the
  pupil, for example a speech and language
  therapist, occupational therapist or
  physiotherapist, social worker, community
  paediatrician or educational psychologist.
• Wherever possible the child or young person
  should also be involved in identifying and
  agreeing the targets, and in implementing,
  monitoring and reviewing the programme.

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Compilation

• Whenever possible, an IEP should be compiled
  during a meeting with parents and professionals,
  and perhaps the pupil. In other situations the
  IEP may be drafted by the school with input from
  professionals and then discussed with parents,
  carers, and the pupil. A solution focused meeting
  will ensure priorities are addressed.
• Where a pupil is likely to have significant
  lifelong needs it is imperative to view the IEP
  as a planning document which coordinates action
  inside and outside the school to develop the
  pupils social life and independence skills.
• Review meetings should be also collaborative and
  solution focused.