EHCP and schools

[dustyphoenix]

Would really appreciate any advice on how to proceed with getting help for my DS.

He is 8 and has SEN - early trauma, severe dyslexia, significant sensory processing dysfunction, currently being assessed for ASD/ADHD (I'm almost certain he has the latter) and dyspraxia. He is wonderful, very intelligent and skilled in so many ways, but also faces significant struggles with everyday life, particularly when it comes to self - regulation, managing emotions and social understanding /relationships.

I'm many ways he is a very mainstream child and his school have been great so far, but as his needs are becoming clearer I'm concerned that the gap between his needs and the mainstream school environment and its demands will become wider and all our efforts will be focused on just helping him cope with mainstream education rather than actually giving him what he really needs to thrive (as he might recieve elsewhere). I want to make sure we are the ones leading this conversation, rather than waiting until he is suspended/expelled/sent to a PRU and he's left in limbo while we try to find him something better.

We are thinking of approaching the school to discuss applying for an EHCP - does anyone have any tips or advice or experience to share?

[10brokengreenbottles]

You can apply for an EHCNA yourself, it doesn't have to come from school.

Have you met with the SENCO? What support are school already providing? If you are thinking of applying for a needs assessment start collecting evidence - does DS have a home/school communication book? Follow up conversations with emails so that you have a written record.

IPSEA and SOS SEN are helpful resources.

[OneInEight]

As the pp says what would be beneficial now is collecting your evidence. You do not get an EHCP via diagnosis alone but rather need in the classroom so what you need to collect is evidence to show how his learning is being adversely affected. The stance that the local authority will take is that there are children with all your ds's difficulties who cope without an EHCP and in mainstream so this is what you have to argue against.

My ds's only have an ASC but were given an EHCP because of behavioural difficulties. By the time we applied both had received multiple fixed term exclusions and ds1 a permanent exclusion which was pretty unarguable evidence that the school was not coping with their existing resources. We also used a home school behaviour book which documented the frequency of less severe incidents, each time they had to be withdrawn from letters, frequencies of school refusal and the widening discrepancy between aptitude and academic progress as they got older. We applied ourselves but school were supportive and gave us as much help as possible in providing the documentary evidence - so my top tip would be keeping on good terms with the school even though it can be difficult when they are constantly complaining to you about behavioural difficulties.

It is also worth making sure you are aware of all the options education wise. The sad fact is that most special schools do not do the academics as well as a mainstream school does. We were exceedingly lucky that we did manage to get ds1 into one of the few that did & he is now virtually unrecognisable from that stressed little boy he was in primary losing his temper at the slightest provocation.

[OneInEight]

should be lessons not letters

[Equanimitas]

You might find SOS SEN's booklets helpful - www.sossen.org/shop/index.php?cPath=22

[dustyphoenix]

Thanks all, this is really helpful. So far everything we've discussed with the school has been verbal (including not being able to include him in trips for behavioural reasons, asking us to come in and be on standby in case of meltdowns, him needing to be carried out of class by three members of staff etc :( ) but I hear the need for this all to be documented formally.

How did anyone go about looking for a school which might be more suitable for him? Where do you start?

[dustyphoenix]

Thanks all, by the way, for replying with your advice

[10brokengreenbottles]

Definitely put things in writing, build your evidence and apply for an EHCP.

When you say "come in and be on standby for meltdowns" are the school asking you to take DS home when he has a meltdown? If so, that is an illegal, informal exclusion.

When the school have refused to allow DS on trips due to his disabilities have they carried out risk assessments, considered what reasonable adjustments would mitigate any risks and still decided allowing him to attend would be too great a risk? If the school have not and have excluded him unlawfully that is disability discrimination.

Why are 3 members of staff carrying him out of the classroom, and not evacuating other pupils if they feel it has reached that stage?

When looking at schools visit/speak to as many as possible, so you can see what will work and what won't. Set out DS' needs and ask what support they can offer, people have an (understandable) tendency to downplay needs, but doing this may lead you to believe a school will be supportive when they are not.

[dustyphoenix]

Thanks all, this has been really helpful. I've ordered the SOS!SEN booklets and they're absolutely brilliant.

If I could presume upon your kindness a while longer...

school have said that they are planning a TAC meeting once our assessment results for ASD/ADHD are back, and two plan-do-review cycles with the EP, and assessing the threshold prior to possibly applying for an EHCP in the summer term.

Currently we have an EP assessment from Y1 which details his SEMH difficulties, sensory processing difficulties, plus a dyslexia diagnosis and cognitive assessment from the EP this year (he's in the 98th-99th centile for logic and verbal comprehension and the 5th-8th centile for working memory and processing speed ), plus an assessment of 'significant sensory dysfunction' from the OT. Plus obviously the evidence that he is massively struggling with sensory regulation at school, they are concerned for his and others safety etc.

Summer term seems a really long way off to me, but is there an argument for delaying the application in order to build a stronger case? Or would it be better for us to ask for an assessment now on the basis of the evidence so far?

[10brokengreenbottles]

The legal threshold for an EHCNA is has or may have SEN, and may require SEN provision via an EHCP.

With the evidence of the EP and OT reports, and school asking you to go in for meltdowns/excluding from trips/using restraint I think you could demonstrate that. So, I would apply and not be put off if the LA reject your request, but appeal if needed. You need evidence though so make sure to get things in writing and start collating his assessments etc.

Why does the school need to wait for the outcome of the ASD/ADHD assessments to hold a TAC and do 2 plan-do-review cycles? Does DS have an IEP?

As well as SOSSEN you may find IPSEA helpful.

[Equanimitas]

A lot of LAs require schools to demonstrate something like two terms of the SEN support cycle, but it isn't a statutory requirement. I suspect that the reality is, however, that in effect the school can demonstrate that it has been doing this anyway - unless it's totally irresponsible, it has almost certainly already put in a lot of support and can demonstrate that it is not working. It's illogical to say that it's only valid after a diagnosis comes through.

You may well find that the LA will refuse an assessment just because some use this as a sort of gatekeeping exercise. If so, don't hesitate to appeal: it's not a difficult process, and the success rate for appeals against refusals to assess is around 90%.

[Ellie56]

Absolutely apply for an EHC Needs assessment yourself. You have loads of evidence to prove he needs one.
If you have to appeal at any stage, or the LA employ delaying tactics, which unfortunately a lot do, it makes sense to start the process ASAP.
Lots of info and advice on the IPSEA site.

[dustyphoenix]

Thanks all, loads of food for thought. I am meeting with the SENCO today and going to share my concerns about the delay, and to let her know that I'm beginning to gather my own evidence. Am also going to make a subject access request so school and I are on the same page and then we'll go from there. We have a good relationship with the school, so it's a case of pushing it along a bit but without leaving them behind!