EHCP DRAFT

[envy4]

Any advice would be great right now! So we finally got our sons EHCP draft after fighting for a year! But not so sure if it's a good one. What should a good EHCP draft contain?

[RippleEffects]

A good portrait of your child, their current needs and core objectives, the support they need to meet those objectives in detail not wishy washy language. So full time 1-1 including break time and start/end of day handover support or support for activity x. We also have a placement box on our to list the allocated school type and the specialist provision named on it.

[10brokengreenbottles]

Provision must be specific and quantified, otherwise it's not worth the paper it's written on.

Things like SALT should be in section F, not G as some LAs will try.

IPSEA and SOSSEN have lots of useful advice on their websites, and both have advice lines too. SOSSEN also check drafts.

[envy4]

Section F is literally copy and paste from
The OT AND SALT reports that's all! The first sections are copy and paste from the other assessment reports. Is that how it should be? Section F does say top up funding on every page. Not sure what that means also!

[RippleEffects]

Something else to consider, more of a parenting one than LEA issue, depending on the age and ability of your child this may or may not be relevant but consider they may be sitting in a meeting with you in a few years time essentially reading whats been written about them.

My DS is now 16, he's autistic and in a special autism provision and this is something I've faced.

Its quite hard to run through and be very specific about your child's challenges, to go through it with them is a whole extra layer of complex. DS has attended his EHCP reviews the last few years. InInitially for a short while, but for the last one he stayed the majority if the session. His pen portrait has a whole section about the wonderful bits about him 'things teachers admire, 'things mum admires'. Its really valuable for us to be able to say you're a whole person. Many brilliant bits and some challenges. By having the brilliant bits written down it helps reinforce he isn't his disabilities, they are a part of him and the EHCP helps us to help him the areas for support are not what defines him.

[BubblesBuddy]

Not all DC require 1:1 support. This simply isn’t the case. It should specify what DCs needs are and say how they are to be met. There will be additional funding but this must be spent on DC and not lost within the school budget.

How dCs needs are to be met is critical. The EP can be the lead in this but other specialists too. Are there a full set of reports that you were expecting and detailed, quantified, help outlined? If not, don’t agree the draft and ask for specific details of the help DC is to receive.

[Bluewater1]

Placement won't be included on the draft, that is on the final.
Agree 1:1 not necessary for all children.
Needs and provision in detail should be included. Copy and paste is fine if it accurately sums up your child's needs

[RippleEffects]

I put the comment about 1-1, I realise it doesn't read in the way I intended. What I was trying to say is needs and level of support and when the support is needed should be specified. 1-1 is another term that means different things to different people. For my DS going into school, break and lunch could be the most challenging times but his support (pre statement and EHCP on the old school action plus) was lesson based only.

I've seen some where the wording is vague but parents are happy that they interpret it says what they want, until they realise that they're not getting what they feel their child needs and the EHCP is actually vague.

[envy4]

My sons EHCP draft is very lesson based too. So number of hours OT AND SLT are needed. Etc .. he got band D4 funding what does that mean? How much tip up funding do you usually get?

[Underhiseye2]

Funding shouldn't be in there. Should have paragraphs like

"child will have 1 hour direct slt per week with a qualified speech therpist"

"Child will have an slt programme devised by a qualified speech therapist, delivered daily for 20-30 minutes by a LSA. The programme will be reviewed and adapted termly. The LSA will have 30 mins per term with the slt to discuss this."

How old is child and what needs do they have

[envy4]

He's 4 and has ASD and severe sensory difficulties. No funding was put in a separate page. On the page we sign to agree to the draft it says we have given him X amount of funding and what Banding it falls in. Does anyone else have this? how much is a good amount to be awarded?

[drspouse]

The funding is completely irrelevant. It should say what he NEEDS.
Who is going to provide it. Will it be a TA, a, SALT, the class teacher?
What qualifications will they need, will they need specific training (e.g. the OT suggested that our DS has sensory provision by the TA but they will be trained by an OT and an OT will review)
How often will it be provided (daily, weekly)
How long for (half an hour, all break time, all of the numeracy sessions)
More info here

www.ipsea.org.uk/what-should-be-in-the-sections-relating-to-education-sections-b-and-f

[Soontobe60]

@Underhiseye2
As a Senco for many years I've never seen an EHCP like that.

It should have outcomes which are the long term targets for the pupil to aim for by the end of a Key Stage. Initially I would break those down into annual targets, which are reviewed annually against the outcomes. New annual targets would be then set at the annual review if relevant.

[envy4]

Yeah OT did that for us too. So we have that from OT and SALT. Also some provisions that need to be put in place that the Ed psych had put in her report. Section F is the longest in his report. He he didn't have a reception place as we were refused all schools. He was still attending his previous nursery up until December where the LA called us randomly and gave us a school. We thought it would be better than nothing so accepted. The first thing SENCO asked was about funding, hence the reason i thought it was important . She wanted to know how much he was given. I asked her to look over the draft for me, she still hasn't got back to me. We're thinking of putting a new school on the final EHCP. Is that allowed? Can he change?

[envy4]

Is outcomes section E?

It has one sentence which says "the long term aspirations for learning, good health, relationships and independence to prepare for adulthood" 'see section F"

That's literally the outcomes! Not sure if that's what you meant.

[Underhiseye2]

@soontobe60 my son's ehcp is written like this. You can't have seen many quality ehcps!

OP the funding is a red herring. Are the needs listed in B complete and comprehensive?

Are the provisions in F specific and quantified. Are they going to make a difference?

Yes you need good outcomes too. But no well worded outcome is going to as useful as some actual provision

"Child will have a dedicated 1-1 LSA for 32.5 hours per week. The LSA will be trained in all of child's needs. They will have no less than x years work experience of working with children with ASD."

If the reports feeding into the ehcp are woolly then so will be the ehcp. Ask the la to go back to their report writers to have the reports improved. They will pretend they dont know what you're talking about but really, both they and the report writers do.

Unfortunately sencos are not always trained in the code of practice and are more regularly trained by LAs in the LAs own rules and guidance. Which contributes to poor quality ehcps.

[RippleEffects]

With my DS's EHCP's we've always set 1 year measurable objectives.

So at 4 his objectives might have been to enter school in an appropriate manner, eat his lunch at a table of his peers, mark make/ write and identify his name, use appropriate adaptations to assist him with the school environment.

Then there would be a resource and plan of action sentences for each of these.

Initial handover to TA who will supervise coat on peg, sitting at desk. Use of storyboarding by TA to help the learning curve and understanding of behaviours.

Mark making might have daily activities for 20 min supervised muscle strength building by TA action plan and training by OT

Sometimes tasks are longer term and on going but its kind of your what you/ school think are priorities to work on. By using measurable when you have your annual review you can request further funding if these aren't being adequately met.

Regarding funding in my area we use task based information in EHCP's but I was chatting to a very interesting lady from out of area at a NAS session and she told me that in her area you could apply to get the money allocated direct and manage the fund yourself paying for the OT and other therapists etc rather than school dictating. Sounded very progressive but I have had a great relationship with DS's last 2 schools so it's not been necessary. There were three schools before that, it's taken time to learn the system and get things right.

[FecktheBoss]

Just pmk for later

[Lougle]

Is your DS heading for mainstream or special school? SS EHCPs tend to be a bit more woolly because much of the provision is already provided within the curriculum and differentiation is their bread and butter. Mainstream EHCPs need to be pinned down tightly so there is no 'interpretation'.

[Soontobe60]

Unfortunately sencos are not always trained in the code of practice and are more regularly trained by LAs in the LAs own rules and guidance. Which contributes to poor quality ehcps.

You're being very rude. The CoP is the bible to all the Sencos I know! Yes, we have to apply the rules set by our LA, we don't write the EHCPs, the LA does.

OP, the provision map we produce gives the detail of who, what, how long, cost etc that @Underhiseye2 is talking about. The PV is a dynamic document; it is amended as needs arise or outcomes are met. the EHCP is reviewed annually and the PV outcomes feed into that review.

[Underhiseye2]

The ones I know may have been trained in it at some point in the past, but it certainly is not their go to standard. They simply coordinate the provision given in the ehcp rather than contribute to its creation. Therefore OP advised to go back to the LA and report writers.

OP I wouldn't rely on a provision map. Then the school is determining how much provision (eg direct slt and direct OT) your child is receiving. You need the ehcp to be transferable. I would contact ipsea or sos:sen for further assistance at this stage.

[drspouse]

I read that section E to DH and he laughed.

My LEA don't seem to know what the SENCOP says and the HT (also the SENCO) has clearly never read it but at least DS outcomes were somewhat more broken down than that.
So every difficulty and strength he has should be in Section B and each of those should have an outcome.

[Ellie56]

OP I responded to your other post in SEN.