Commentary on Sections of the Act

Part 2 – Additional Learning Needs

Chapter 2 – Individual Development Plans.
Ceasing to maintain plans
Section 31 - Ceasing to maintain individual development plans

89.Section 31 sets out the circumstances in which a governing body’s or local authority’s particular duty to prepare or maintain an IDP ceases. These circumstances cover where:

90.Before deciding to cease to maintain an IDP because it believes the child or young person no longer has ALN or, in the case of a young person, that it is no longer necessary to maintain it, the governing body or local authority must notify the child, child’s parent, young person and in the case of a looked after child, the independent reviewing officer, of the proposed decision. It must also notify the same persons when it has made its decision (together with reasons). A governing body of a maintained school must also inform those persons of their right to request a local authority reconsideration of the decision under section 32.

91.Section 35 deals with situations where a duty to maintain an IDP is transferred to another body (see also the regulation power about transfers in section 37). Section 562 of the 1996 Act and section 44 deal with the effect on duties in the Act (including duties to maintain an IDP) where a child or young person becomes subject to a detention order. See sections 84 and 85 in respect of the requirements to notify a child.