The ALN Act, implemented in September 2021, means children and young people are gradually being moved from the old SEN system to the new ALN system. RCT has taken on new duties relating to young people with ALN in Post-16 education and training.
Most young people with ALN will be able to progress from school to a programme of study at their local further education college (FEI). For some young people with complex ALN, a FEI may be unable to meet their needs, and their additional learning provision will be identified as a specialist further education college. The ALN legislation refers to specialist further education colleges as independent specialist post-16 institutions (ISPIs).
Previously, Welsh Government has been responsible for making decisions about post-16 provision for young people aged 16-25 who require a specialist placement. This responsibility has transferred to local authorities (LAs), who are best placed to make these decisions and means that RCT LA will work in collaboration with a range of partners to develop and strengthen post-16 specialist ALN provision.
RCTs Post-16 ALN Forum is a multi-agency group that make decisions about young people with ALN in RCT, including placements at ISPIs for young people in the ALN system. (Welsh Government will continue to secure and fund specialist post-16 placements for those young people who have not yet been moved to the ALN system). A Guide to Post-16 ALN Forum explains more about RCT’s decision making process.
Schools and Careers Wales will continue to support young people and their family to explore options and identify progression routes.
To find out more about post-16 provision, please click on the links below. You can also contact: A&IService@rctcbc.gov.uk
The table below shows when young people are expected to move to the ALN system:
