What Makes a Good IDP Review?
A Parent Guide to Your Rights, the Process, and What Must Happen in Wales
IDP reviews are the engine of the Welsh ALN system.
Done well, they help children progress, ensure needs are understood, and support parents and professionals to work together openly and honestly.
Done poorly, reviews become rushed, tokenistic, and leave children without the support they are legally entitled to.
This article explains:
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what the ALN Code and ALN Act require
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what must happen in a review
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the role of the ALNCo, NHS therapists, school nurses and the LA
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how children’s voices must be gathered
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the importance of collaborative, creative problem-solving
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red flags to look out for
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what to do when things break down
1. Legal Duties Under the ALN Act and Code
A) Parents can request a review at ANY time
ALN Code 25.21 gives parents an unrestricted right to request an IDP review.
The school or LA must carry out the review unless it is “unnecessary”.
B) Reviews must be person-centred
The process must adapt to the child, & not the other way around.
C) Reviews must check whether ALP is being delivered
Additional Learning Provision (ALP) means:
The extra support a child needs to learn, which is additional to or different from what is normally available to all pupils.
This includes:
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educational provision
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health-related provision
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social-care-related provision that affects learning
The review must examine whether ALP is:
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being delivered
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effective
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still needed
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needing to be changed or increased
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beyond the school’s capacity (which triggers LA takeover: ALN Code 23.67)
D) Reviews must be multi-agency when needed
Health and social care must contribute when their input affects learning.
2. What MUST Happen in an IDP Review (Checklist)
✔ full discussion of needs (educational, medical, sensory, social care)
✔ updated child voice
✔ parent views
✔ full review of all ALP
✔ review and rewriting of outcomes
✔ SMART outcomes
✔ review of new evidence
✔ assessment of whether the school can still maintain the plan
✔ written record including disagreements
3. The Roles of the ALNCo, NHS Therapists and School Nurses
This is often where the quality of an IDP review is won or lost.
⭐ A) The ALNCo – Coordinator and Quality Safeguard
The ALNCo:
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coordinates the IDP process
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gathers evidence
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ensures person-centred practice
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checks delivery of ALP
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writes and updates outcomes
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liaises with therapists and social care
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escalates to the LA when needed (ALN Code 23.67)
A strong ALNCo is open, honest and collaborative.
An overstretched ALNCo may struggle, usually due to system pressures, not unwillingness.
⭐ B) NHS Therapists (SALT, OT, Physio, CAMHS etc.)
Under ALN Act s.20 and ALN Code 21.6, NHS therapists must provide advice when schools or LAs request it.
They must provide:
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assessment findings
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therapy programmes
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sensory plans
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positioning/feeding/handling plans
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communication advice
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risk assessments
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medical or mental health guidance
They do not have to offer direct therapy unless the LA formally delegates health ALP under s.18–19 ALN Act.
But they must offer written advice.
⭐ C) School Nurses – The Most Underrated IDP Contributors
School nurses bring essential expertise that is often overlooked:
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continence
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feeding/choking
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chronic illness and fatigue
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mental health
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trauma-informed care
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emergency plans
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equipment and risk advice
As part of “health bodies,” they fall under the same duty to provide advice (ALN Act s.20; ALN Code 21.6).
They can, and should, contribute to IDPs far more often.
4. The Role of the Local Authority (LA) ALN Officer — Who Leads When?
This is where parents are often confused, because responsibility shifts depending on the situation.
Below is the simple, legally accurate explanation.
⭐ A) When the IDP is school-maintained
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The ALNCo leads.
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The LA ALN Officer is available for advice but is not the plan owner.
⭐ B) When the IDP becomes LA-maintained
This happens when:
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the child has complex needs, or
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ALP cannot be delivered by the school (ALN Code 23.67), or
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the child is EOTAS, or
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the child is EHE, or
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the child is out of school for any reason
In an LA-maintained IDP:
✔ The LA becomes the responsible body
✔ The LA ALN Officer becomes the lead professional
✔ The ALNCo becomes the school link professional, if the child is still on roll
The ALNCo does not disappear unless the child leaves the school roll.
The LA:
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writes and updates the IDP
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gathers evidence
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coordinates multi-agency input
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ensures ALP is secured
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leads all reviews
The ALNCo:
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provides school observations and evidence
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supports day-to-day delivery of ALP (if still on roll)
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attends meetings
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ensures school provision aligns with the IDP
⭐ C) EOTAS Children
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If still on roll → ALNCo contributes
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If off roll → ALNCo has no role
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LA ALN Officer is the lead in both cases
⭐ D) EHE Children
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The IDP must always be LA-maintained
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The ALNCo has no role
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The parent becomes the education representative
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The LA ALN Officer leads and coordinates all ALP
⭐ E) Quick Summary Table
| Situation | Maintains IDP | ALNCo Role | LA Officer Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| School-based IDP | School | Lead | Advisory |
| LA IDP (complex needs) | LA | School link | Lead |
| EOTAS (on roll) | LA | Contribute | Lead |
| EOTAS (off roll) | LA | None | Lead |
| EHE | LA | None | Lead |
| Awaiting placement | LA | Contribute | Lead |
5. The Best IDP Reviews Are Collaborative, Creative, and Transparent
A high-quality review is not a tick-box exercise.
It should feel like a team problem-solving meeting, centred on the child.
The best reviews are:
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honest about what is and isn’t working
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transparent about limitations
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open to new strategies
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creative in problem-solving
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collaborative
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child-centred
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flexible
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solution-focused
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guided by the question:
“What can we try next to help this child progress?”
This is where the ALNCo, the LA ALN Officer, nurses, therapists, teachers, parents and the child should all contribute equally.
6. Supporting Your Child’s Voice — Legally and Practically
Child voice must be gathered in whatever format suits them, not the adults.
This may include:
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drawings
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videos
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audio recordings
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written notes
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parent scribing
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a trusted adult gathering views privately
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pre-meeting activities for anxious or PDA-profile children
Attendance is optional.
Participation is required, creatively and accessibly.
7. Red Flags of a Poor or Unlawful Review
🚩 “We only do annual reviews.”
🚩 “Health hasn’t replied, so it can’t go in the IDP.”
🚩 Review under 20 minutes.
🚩 No discussion of ALP delivery.
🚩 Outcomes never change.
🚩 No child voice captured.
🚩 School refuses escalation.
🚩 Parent disagreement not recorded.
Any of these = not legally compliant.
8. What To Do If the Review Is Flawed
✔ Email corrections immediately
✔ Request a new review (ALN Code 25.21)
✔ Ask for escalation to the LA
✔ Request missing specialist input
✔ Submit your own written statement
✔ Document unmet ALP
✔ Ask for suitable methods for child voice
✔ Use dispute resolution if needed
9. Parent Scripts
Refusing a review:
“I am requesting a review under ALN Code 25.21. Please confirm the date.”
Child voice missing:
“Could we gather my child’s views using drawings/video/AAC before the next meeting?”
ALP not delivered:
“Can we record what ALP isn’t happening so the IDP can be updated?”
Medical needs dismissed:
“ALN Code 23.55–23.63 requires health-related needs to be included. Can we add this?”
10. Summary
A good IDP review is:
✔ person-centred
✔ creative
✔ collaborative
✔ honest
✔ multi-agency
✔ SMART-focused
✔ transparent
✔ flexible
✔ solution-oriented
A poor review is:
✘ rushed
✘ vague
✘ adult-led
✘ tick-box
✘ defensive
✘ non-transparent
Strong reviews help children progress.
Weak reviews leave them stuck.
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This article provides general information about the ALN Act and ALN Code in Wales.
It is not legal advice. For individual cases, families may wish to seek independent specialist advice if needed.
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