- Ensure adequate time for planning, organising and completing relevant paperwork following the Annual Review. Invite all relevant professionals who have had recent involvement (last 12 months); it may be helpful to think ahead about these arrangements at the start of the year (e.g. during planning meetings with outside agencies).
- Ensure the communication needs and accessibility of information (e.g. written text) has been considered for all participants. Ensure an interpreter is provided if required (using a professional service rather than a family member or family friend) and consider the use of visuals or other alternative communication methods where appropriate.
- Ensure all attendees are able to contribute to relevant parts of the review. At the start of the meeting it can be helpful to clarify that it is a group process and all attendees are bringing their own skills and expertise to draw upon in the meeting. Using visual methods (e.g. Talking Mats) as described in ‘Gathering and responding to children’s views above can help make the process collaborative.
- It can be helpful to spend time with children or parents ahead of the Annual Review to explain the process and ensure that all reports and information have been shared in a way that is accessible. If there have been any particular difficulties or issues, it is important that parents/carers are made aware of these concerns outside of and in advance of the Annual Review, and for this information to not be shared for the first time within the context of a multi-agency meeting.
- Have relevant paperwork and reports from the last 12 months available, this can help to clarify a timeline of events if necessary (e.g. appointments attended) and plans for future involvement (e.g. if a re-referral is required after a missed appointment).
- Celebrate positives and successes e.g. sharing examples of the child's learning or extra-curricular achievements.
- Ensure attendees are familiar with the outcomes and objectives and how the setting has worked with the child and their family to make progress towards outcomes.
- The Annual Review is the opportunity to revisit, refine and revise the outcomes and provision within the EHCP to ensure it is effective in supporting the child to meet their potential. This should include a detailed discussion about how the provision detailed in the plan has been implemented and the impact it has had in meeting the outcomes and objectives. If something is not working or no progress has been made, it is important to explore the reasons why (e.g. are there barriers to provision being successfully implemented? Is a different approach or type of support needed?) Having these discussions during a multi-agency meeting leads to a collaborative approach to planning provision that draws on the expertise within the room so as to improve the support plan for the coming year.
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