The Children and Families Bill became law on 13th March 2014 and makes changes to the way in which support is provided to children and young people with Special Educational Needs. The Department for Education (2012) declares that the aim is ‘to give good support to children and young people with SEN, and their families. Children and young people with SEN can find it harder to learn than other people their age. They can need extra help. This support could go right up to when they are 25 if they need longer to finish their education. This means simpler ways of assessing what children and young people need. It means getting health and social care services to work together better. It means giving children and young people themselves, as well as their parents, more choices about the help they get.’ Wired Putting You First (2013 p2) As indicated by The Children and Families Act (2013) Provisions for SEN students must now include: Creating a new duty which will require local authorities and health bodies to work together when arranging provision for children and young people with SEN. Set out the requirements relating to the provision and implementation of EHCPs. Requires local authorities to prepare a personal budget for children or young people with an EHCP if asked to do so by the child’s parent or the young person. Places a requirement on local authorities to publish a “local offer” of services they expect to be available for children and young people with SEN. The Council for Disabled Children (2014) looks at this as a new approach to SEN and disability and the Next Steps document signal the Government’s intention to require local authorities to set out a local offer. ‘The purpose of the local offer is to enable parents and young people to see more clearly what services are available in their area and how to access them. The offer will include provision from birth to 25, across education, health and social care and should be developed in conjunction with children and young people, parents and carers, and local services, including schools, colleges, health and social care agencies’. The Council for Disabled Children (2014 p5)>