This is a quick guide for families who are interested in finding out more about Personal Budgets as part of an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHC Plan). Personal Budgets are one way that families can have more choice and control about the services they receive. Personal Budgets can have a number of different elements, which can include:

• Social Care/short breaks
• Health 
• Education

This information focuses on Personal Budgets for the education element of EHC Plans but you can find out more about social care and health Personal Budgets or direct payments through the following:

Social Care Direct Payments Social Care Direct Payments are available to children with severe or profound disabilities following an assessment by the Children with Disabilities Team. If you would like to find out more contact Children with Disabilities Duty on 01908 253617 between 9.30am and 1.00pm.

Personal Health Budgets Personal Health Budgets (PHBs) are currently available for children and young people eligible for continuing care packages. These are children who need a high level of care and support to keep them safe and as healthy as possible. Children and young people eligible for continuing care are offered the option of a PHB during the assessment and review process. MK Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is expanding its PHB offer, further details can be found at: www.miltonkeynesccg.nhs.uk/personal-health-budgets

How do personal budgets work? When the Local Authority agrees that an EHC Plan is required, a planning meeting takes place between the family and the key people involved with the child. The purpose is to agree what support / provision will be put in place to ensure that the agreed outcomes can be achieved and what level or resource will be needed to enable this.

At the planning meeting you may want to discuss if a Personal Budget might be used to achieve the outcomes or you might want some further time to think about it. Your Assessment Officer will be happy to talk to you about any questions you have. We are committed to working with you to ensure the best possible outcomes for the child/young person and delivering these, wherever possible, in ways that you want.

Once the draft plan, or proposed amended plan following an Annual Review, is sent to you this is the time when you can make your formal request for a Personal Budget. Your Assessment Officer will then discuss this with you and explain the next steps. If the Personal Budget is agreed, we will talk to you about the best options for managing this.

What can be bought with a personal budget? Any funding agreed must be detailed in the final EHC Plan and must be related to an identified educational outcome.

Examples include: 

• Activity to be delivered in the educational setting, with the agreement of the Head Teacher or Principal
• Equipment - Something bought specifically for an individual child/young person, e.g. funding to support a work experience placement
• Activities or staffing for a group of children/young people

Is there anything a Personal Budget can’t be used for? 

Anything that is not identified on the child/young person’s EHC Plan

• Health or social care provision that will not achieve the educational outcomes on the child/young person's Education, Health and Care Plan 
• School Fees 
• Approaches that do not have a widely accepted evidence base. If we are agreeing funding, we need to have good reason to think it will enable the agreed outcomes.