Home ed and EP

[DollyKoo]

I'm not sure if I'm missing something, but dd has been referred to an EP following an autism (hf) diagnosis. Dd though, age 4, is home educated.

I really understand how she learns, plus I'm a teacher (or was).

I'm not sure what dd will get out of it if she's not at school.

Local services are none existent, referrals just never happen and assessments are poor. I end up depressed after them. One wrote 'xxxx will need significant support. She was observed spinning, made no eye contact and was frightened of touch. Her behaviour is repeatative and she shows no imagination."

This really isn't dd, the woman was just so bad with her she sent her to a place Ive never seen. Dd can talk age approximately and is just quirky in speech. I'm at the point of disengaging before I tell them where to stick a parenting course

[DollyKoo]

Has anyone had an EP assessment without school

[Megatherium]

The local authority has a duty to ensure that her needs are identified and met, so I'm not sure that disengaging is really an option.

[DollyKoo]

Do they outside school? Not being funny, no EHC plan in place so I thought my sole responsibility?

[Megatherium]

Yes, they have responsibility for all children in their area. They also have a responsibility to keep an eye on home education programmes for children with SEN.

[Ineedmorepatience]

Megatherium that is only true if a child has an EHCP/statement.

DollyKoo if you are already on the radar you might as well see them as Zzzzz says it might come in handy latter on. I doubt they will offer anything useful or practically helpful and then you can just carry on doing what you are doing if you choose to.

Good luck

[DollyKoo]

Round here the social comm clinic refers under 5s to the EP post diagnosis, I didn't object but since have wondered. Without the school expectations are needs are far lower.

We basically get referrals left right and centre but often nothing really happens due to home ed.

The epilepsy clinic originally referred her to the social comm clinic (she hated the doctor and span in circles, licked and hid under chairs and never once acknowledged them unless touched which causes her to scream- not hugely surprising...) it's the same team that run both so the assessment was a brief formality. She also had early muscle stiffness and delay so we'd had on and off CDC involvement from 5 months.

[DollyKoo]

Patience- that's what I thought. We'd just have the normal EHE contact (we're known to them through older siblings).

I guess I'm filtering the stuff lately, it's suddenly gone a bit mad. Camhs, feeding support, salt, EP, home visits... superficially it sounds. Good but in practice it seems to be useless fluff. That kind of empower yourself/ read stuff that's online together/ waffle. Camhs was basically a sounding board about feelings with no actual response- and we are a happy family anyway

[Megatherium]

Megatherium that is only true if a child has an EHCP/statement.

Not so. Section 22 Children and Families Act 2014:

A local authority in England must exercise its functions with a view to securing that it identifies—
(a) all the children and young people in its area who have or may have special educational needs, and
(b) all the children and young people in its area who have a disability.

Section 24:

A local authority in England is responsible for a child or young person if he or she is in the authority’s area and has been—
(a) identified by the authority as someone who has or may have special educational needs, or
(b) brought to the authority’s attention by any person as someone who has or may have special educational needs.

[DollyKoo]

Responsible for the provision of services/ access. E.g. Schools that can provide, a local offer, respite, dedicated teams, parent support

Not acting as if they have parental rights themselevs and the enforcement of care they choose as fit. E.g. I can choose, within reason, my daughters care or attendence. I have chosen for example, in balance, that forcing her use of hearing aids is not the best route for her with other needs taken into account vs the loss. No one is actually going to enforce the aids prescribed are worn, and in fact we work together on that choice. At the time we considered not going for an autism assessment due to poor staff quality and the difference in her presentation. They stated they could offer, but it was our choice. This is when they thought she was very severe

[Ineedmorepatience]

Megatherium The rules for home ed are qute clear in that there is very little requirement for LA involvement.

Do you home ed or have links with the home ed community?

edyourself.org

[Ineedmorepatience]

LA's are completely bogged down trying to cope with the kids with SEND in schools, they barely meet their statutory function in this respect! The ones around me are rubbing their hands in glee when parents of kids with SEND remove them from school to home ed them! Even kids with statements and plans!

[Megatherium]

Ineed, I was talking about the LA's responsibility for SEN, which remains the same whether the child is home educated or not. There is nothing in the Children and Families Act or elsewhere exempting them from that duty. Whatever the position in your area, it appears that OP's LA is following this up and, as I said, it isn't really an option for the OP to say No thanks.

[DollyKoo]

Even a parent in school could refuse an EP consent, bar it actually leading to safeguarding concerns

[Megatherium]

Certainly, but ultimately it could lead to safeguarding action, and unfortunately LAs tend to go down that route rather more readily with home educated children anyway.

[DollyKoo]

REadiy, but rarely without any other cause. Dd has seen in the past year professionals from multiple clinics, therapists, had home visits... all praising her development and what we offer.
I really can't see me filtering out bits we don't need leading to safeguarding. Plus the EHE team know us and what we do

[Ineedmorepatience]

My personal feeling with the EP would be to let them come, explain that you are home educating and that you will engage with the elective home ed team when you are required to eg sometime in the term after your childs 5th birthday. Be welcoming and open and smile and nod lots. Then enjoy your home ed journey

[Oliversmumsarmy]

Megatherium whilst it might say in son rule or regulation the rality is if your child does not goto school you cannot get them referred for a diagnosis for dyslexia for example. The referral must come from your child's teacher as a parent you cannot refer your child or that is what it is like here

[Ineedmorepatience]

Actually DollyKoo if you really dont want to engage with the EP you could ring his/her office and say as you are home educating and have lots of involvement with medical teams anyway you dont rewlly want to waste their time because you know how busy they are. They might say no we still want to come in which case fine let them but something tells me they will pat themselves on the back for getting another child off theitr case load and go about their dsy without giving you or you Dd another thought!

[Ineedmorepatience]

Sorry about the typos

[Megatherium]

Oliversmumsarmy, in this situation the LA does want an EP to see OP's child. So what is the relevance of difficulties in getting a referral to see an EP in other areas?

I'd agree with Ineed's suggestion, it's definitely worth a shot.

[FrayedHem]

When DS1 was dx with ASD at 3, the paediatrician did a notification to education to the LA SEN department, which was the standard procedure in my area for a preschooler with potential SEN. The EP did a home visit and a preschool visit and it was useful for additional funding and getting statemented. That was the last time DS1 saw an EP and he is now 11.

I can't imagine the EP Service would mind you declining an appointment. I couldn't get them to assess DS1 for his EHCP transfer despite it being a requirement, so if your area is struggling to fulfill statutory assessments, I can't imagine they would try and insist. Being able to contact them directly may be a challenge though!

[FrayedHem]

I would add it did lead to a referral to the Specialist Teaching team who have been brilliant. I think it was the EP who triggered that referral.

[DollyKoo]

THAnk you frayed, that's helpful

[FrayedHem]

As assessments go, it was comprehensive and a fair reflection of DS1. The EP Service really doesn't have the resources to keep involved IME. I had some very questionable visits with outside agencies but have whittled it down over time when it became clear there was no real purpose to their involvement.

If you don't want them to visit that is absolutely fine. But! None of us know what the future holds and a "previously seen by Ed Psych" tick may be of use in the future. Can be tricky to get one when you need it IYKWIM.