Young persons
459.Paragraph 6(1) substitutes a new section 9 in the 2004 Act. Its purpose is to enable the Commissioner to exercise his or her functions in relation to young persons in England who are aged 18 or over for whom an EHC plan is maintained by a local authority (as to which, see Part 3 of the Act); who are aged 18 or over and under 25 and to whom services have been provided by a local authority under any of sections 23C to 24D (which relates to certain children and young people defined in section 8A) of the Children Act 1989.
460.New section 9(3) makes provision in respect of the Commissioner’s functions in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. In this case, a child includes a young person who is aged 18 or over and under 25 who has a learning disability (as defined); or who has been looked after by a local authority in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland at any time after the age of 16.
461.Paragraph 6(2) is intended to preserve the effect of section 9 as it applied before substitution under this Act.