Draft EHCP (statement transfer) for year 11 child - no SMART targets!

[maggiso]

We have our child's draft EHCP. It was waiting for us (ie several days already lost) when we got back after half term travels. The revue meeting is early next week, and will include a teacher and the LEA person responsible for transitions who presumably wrote the draft.
Our son has LD - mod/severe with ASD and ADHD and at times challenging behaviour. He also has continence issue both day and night, long term medication for constipation and to help with anxiety, impulsivity and behaviour. He gets some LA respite, and has a social worker we have never met ( the ones that did all the assessments have left).
The draft has none of the non educational needs. I have left messages to invite his social worker, and the respite centre manager or key worker ( who ever can attend). I have left messages to get up to date medical reports from the various specialties.
Now the draft - it has basically lifted the educational targets (from when he was 7-8) and added the time frame of by next revue! So he is expected to learn to read, write, count, behave well and have successful interactions with his peers by ?next year!
I obviously need to reword the aims and outcomes to get them more appropriate, but am new to SMART targets, so am struggling. (I also have to write the 'All about me' section which is supposed to be done with your child but he is unlikely to be able to participate.)
For instance one of the aims (in section F) is to develop his social skills and communication. the outcome is listed as 'so he can interact successfully with his peers in class and in the playground by his next revue. Is that SMART enough? Its also complicated by the need to change to a 6th form special needs unit (or an SLD/PLMD school) as here MLDs only go up to year 11 - so there will be no 'playground' but there is a café. (Ds is one of the least academically able in his MLD school so he will need more support than many of his peers, so I imagine who ever wrote the draft had no idea of this.)
I've looked at IPSEAs website but that deals with starting from scratch whilst this will be a transfer - and he has not had any new assessments since year 7 and EdPych not since year 2. There is probably not time to organise any new stuff now.
I think I need to set more specific aims. For instance to recognise information signs such as toilet and Exit, (or maybe set a reading target such as being able to sound out double sylable words - at present he can really only cope with up to 4 letters and then only if its phonetic)understand price labels such as £4.99 and count out money accurately ( he needs a lot of help with this at present)
As you can see I am not at all sure what to write!! Can any one point me in the right direction? Thanks!

[BackforGood]

I would contact the officer at the LA, explain that you are not accepting the EHC Plan, as it is all so out of date, and it is important - particularly as he is coming up to transition to a new setting - that all the information is updated, and all his needs included.
Request that a proper meeting with an Ed Psych (who must have chance to see him beforehand), the respite people, the medical people, and the school, and that everyone is invited gets asked to bring an up to date report with them, so you can start from 'where he is now' and not 'where he is when in Yr2.
In our authority, a lot of parents like to do the 'All About Me' together with the school. That will, of course, depend on your relationship with the school.

[GruntledOne]

There isn't an issue about having time for assessments - they have to do a full reassessment for the purposes of the EHC transfer. Have a look at the guidance - www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/463320/Transition_Dept_advice_sept15.pdf - and also the Transition regulations - www.ipsea.org.uk/file-manager/SENlaw/the-children-and-families-act-transitional-and-saving-provisions-no-2-order-2014.pdf,

So tell them you expect them to carry out the transition process properly in accordance with the regulations, which means they must do a full reassessment, and the EHCP must be based on the up to date reports. If they won't do it, contact SOS SEN.

[maggiso]

Thank you both backforgood and gruntled, and for all the links. I think I will turn up at the meeting and do exactly as you suggest gruntled - demand they do a proper assessment and get up to date advice.! I think the lea are trying to slip through as many transfers as possible without doing that.

[BackforGood]

I would honestly contact them before the meeting, and say that clearly you can't have the meeting yet as they've not done the assessments, invited all the people involved, rather than just turning up.

[maggiso]

I have contacted the LEA who were a bit puzzled but said it must be a planning for EHCP transfer meeting, and to fill in section A ready! Would have been nice to have had a letter to that effect! The draft EHCP came with no note or even a compliments slip. I will still tell them they need to do a proper assessment to include his health and independence planning needs (since he is unlikely to be fully independent in the future.

[vjg13]

My daughter is year 13 at special school and we have her transfer review in the next few weeks. I have just written the section A ready for it. I made it more formal than the examples I have seen and in the third person. Rather than write on the actual form, I have typed it up changed it many times! I have written it aiming for specialist college with respite and ultimately supported living.

There is a good IPSEA guide which summarises the COP about what should be in each section. There should also be local independent supporters to help you and show examples. I just had a meeting with mine and found it helpful. It is hard to find examples for older children online.

[maggiso]

Thank you vjg, it sounds like you are more aware of what is going on. I have contacted a local supporter, who will come with me to the meeting. The COP is so long it's a bit of a shock to have only a week to write all this and get it right. I suspect everyone including the supporters are new to EHCps. I went to all the information evenings about the changes but ireality is a different thing!

[vjg13]

I spent ages trying to find decent information about EHCPs. The person who will be writing my daughter's was very sketchy at my daughter's annual review about which section SALT should be in etc which was terrifying! So I know exactly what you mean.

[maggiso]

Thanks vjg. I have 5 days (less work) to become the expert then!! Terrifying considering how important this is! I had thought there would be expert guidance. It is complicated by being discharged from all the paediatric services due to turning 16 (except CAMHs).