To EHCP or not EHCP? That is the question

[gemsynermal]

Hello,
The school are keen to issue my just turned four year old DD with an EHPC. I’m surprised and need your guidance as to whether she needs one.
For reference she is currently undergoing ASD assessments due to her struggles with communication.
Her main struggles are:
Ignoring anyone that doesn’t say anything of interest to her. This includes teachers. And so whilst she has no behavioural issues (she follows instructions, and other children) and doesn’t have temper tantrums or meltdowns etc, she will not answer any questions and refuses to look at them. As a result they have marked her as fitting a 16-24 month profile.
She also has some communication difficulties with other children when she meets them. She wants to talks to them, but she acts very immaturely. For example, she will show them her toy, name the toy, but not know what else to say or not be interested if they engage in conversation with her. She is happy just to run around with them.
She was diagnosed with a speech delay at aged 2, when she failed to put two words together, however she has come a long way and can now speak in sentences, but sometimes struggles to get the words out (I assume a processing issue). I believe she still has a receptive language delay, which is in part the reason for ignoring, however I am finding that she is also responding more as her understanding increases.
She is on the waiting list for asd assessment, however her paediatrician isn’t convinced she meets the criteria. This is because she has no obvious sensory issues, is affectionate, loves playing with and is caring towards her little sister, is keen to socialise with others on her terms, and has an excellent imagination (eg folds up her duvet to pretend it’s the castle from Frozen, or will use birthday cards to slide across the floor and pretend they are ice skates etc).
Her only issues are communication related, and I feel that these are ever improving. In addition to this, there is a documented history of speech delays on both sides of the family. Notably, her dad underwent speech therapy until the age of five and needed support to socialise with class mates. However, by the age of seven he was captain of the school’s sports teams, popular and intelligent and therefore I wonder if she is following in his development pattern and simply needs more time.
The school are keen to start the EHCP process, which I am not against because I acknowledge that she needs support. However, I was of the understanding that this was for children with severe needs. Academically she is fine, for example she can count to 30 (not just by rote) knows all her phonics, shapes, colours, and is beginning to draw well although does have some fine motor issues. To me she is still so young to put her in a box until she is 18. Should I let the school continue with the process?
Thank you

[noblegiraffe]

They are like gold dust. If she gets one, it’ll be because she really needs it. Lots are rejected.

If the school think it’s worth trying, I’d let them. It’s not a label, it’s a source of support and funding.

[gemsynermal]

Thanks noblegiraffe, I am so new to this process. I have no idea what to do for the best. The school have been brilliant thus far so I'm trusting in them to do what is best.

[openupmyeagereyes]

To me she is still so young to put her in a box until she is 18

Getting an EHCP will not put her in a box until she is 18. It is reviewed annually and at the point it is no longer needed it won’t be renewed.

The school obviously think she needs additional support so on that basis I would go ahead with it. There’s no guarantee you’ll get it anyway.

[danni0509]

What do they do to help her now? It’s not just straight forward in applying for an ehcp and being successful they really need to show the support she already has, they need to assess, plan, do & review.

Have you attended any sen meetings with the school before?

[danni0509]

Sorry missed off, is she on the sen register?

Unless she already has had lots of support ie small group work, 1-1 etc and it’s not working or she is only making limited progress I’m surprised they are already going for ehcp.

The LA will want school to have evidence of all of this first x

[gemsynermal]

Thanks Danni,

DD was granted one to one support two weeks before national lock down and so the school haven't really done anything so far. They are going to put her in a group for children who need extra support with communication, but this isn't due to start for a couple of weeks.

And so the evidence they have is the school report from the previous year, a ed psychology report based on the school report because the ed psychologist was unable to meet her due to lock down, and previous speech and language reports which culminated in her sign off as she was deemed to have age appropriate speech and understanding.

[gemsynermal]

She is not on the SEN register.

[10brokengreenbottles]

If the school are supportive of an application, they clearly think an EHCP is needed. Parents often have to fight for one.

I would be surprised if a child undergoing an ASD assessment, who was already receiving 1:1 support, had had an EP assessment and who the school want to apply for an EHCP for wasn't on the SEN register.

As Open posted, if further down the line an EHCP isn't needed the LA will cease to maintain it.

[EasilyDeleted]

Do it! Many families have to fight for years for one. It can be ended if it is no longer needed at any time but the last thing you want is to say no now, realise later it is needed and find you've got an expensive and stressful 18month slog through the system to get it.

[Clarinsmum]

I echo other posters, if the school is pushing it, it is needed. My DS has been diagnosed with ASD aged 8. He has social skill issues much like you have described and these have got worse as he has got older. Let her get the help she needs now. We delayed getting a diagnosis as we didn’t want to ‘label’ our child and because we were ashamed and embarrassed. Our DS had no developmental delays at all and is academically strong, this doesn’t mean he doesn’t have ASD. We were in denial for a long time and it hasn’t helped.

[corlan]

If the school are supportive of an application, they clearly think an EHCP is needed. Parents often have to fight for one.
This is so true.
An EHCP is not just for children with severe needs, but the school believes they will need to give extra support to your DD to help her reach her potential. Getting an EHCP will give them extra funding to pay for this support. For the rest of your daughter's time in education, the school will have to prove what they are doing to meet your daughter's special needs.
It's worth it's weight in gold. If you can get an EHCP for your DD - get it!

[Borka]

Definitely do it!
I could probably have got an EHCP for my DS when he was 4 if I'd known I was able to apply myself, because his needs were very obvious. His needs now are no less, but are less obvious, so when I applied last year (when he was 10) he was turned down.

[Pobblebonk]

@danni0509

Sorry missed off, is she on the sen register?

Unless she already has had lots of support ie small group work, 1-1 etc and it’s not working or she is only making limited progress I’m surprised they are already going for ehcp.

The LA will want school to have evidence of all of this first x

The LA may want it, but it doesn't mean that they are entitled to make it a precondition. At this stage, the only criteria they are entitled to take into account are whether OP's child has or may have SEN, and whether she may need support via an EHCP. For some children that is obvious from an early stage and there is no point ploughing through a load of interventions that everyone knows are going to prove inadequate.

[mumsthewurd]

Hello - my DD didn't get her ASD dx and EHCP until she was 9. The damage done being un-accommodated in mainstream primary school was immense. She was bright, bubbly, imaginative, quirky as heck and wonderful. She had an absolutely horrible breakdown because she was masking for years and the toll on her mental health was astronomic. I wish I could go back and get her diagnosed earlier and get the support she needed earlier. I hate labels. But mainstream school is so rigid these days and so many children become casualties with help and support. x

[mumsthewurd]

*without help and support

[LJBW]

I have a 9 year old whose just been diagnosed with ASD. Is an EHCP worth going for? Is it beneficial in private education as well as state education? Not sure where we will end up after 11+ next year and need to weigh up the options. I'm worried private schools won't accept her.

[PickAChew]

Probably best to start your own thread. Private schools can and do help but may charge extra for the extra support needed. If the level support needed is sufficient to warrant a Ehcp, then it would need to cover costs.