To think you only get a specialist school if you have a lot of money to throw

If the LA is in breach of the timescales following the AR, have you sent IPSEA’s model letter to the LA?

I think one of the problems here is also that there are so few places in these schools due to funding cuts etc that if your child isn’t obviously the most in need they simply don’t have the places and there’s not a lot that can be done about it. My child is about to start a school where they admit the 7-9 most medically/developmentally complex kids in the borough. If you’re ranked at no.10 then there simply isn’t a place. As a PP said, I don’t consider us lucky that my child qualified easily, but I also really feel for the no.10 most complex child who may be medically safer but in a worse learning position.

I used an education solicitor to support me through multiple tribunals for a place at a specialist residential school. I was a single mum on a low income, using up all my savings and putting the rest on credit cards (5 figure amount). I didn't have lots of money to throw at it. But I was desperate/determined and it was the only way DS would get an education. We had to pay for multiple specialist reports, had to get assessments redone because they become out of date when we had to do another appeal, and pay for a barrister on top of legal costs. He got 9 years of education there, with individual therapies and taxi and escort, so it was worth it for me.

I'd say at least 70% of parents at that school used a solicitor or advocate (who doesn't have legal qualifications but does costs money). A few parents didn't but their dc had more severe/multiple needs, had social services involved, or had gone through more failed placements which meant the residential school was the only option left. It depends a lot on the school, this was a.very expensive one (over £100k per year) so LAs fight hard against placements there.

What are your qualifications such that they override the opinion of consultant clinicians at a national treatment centre (ie the tier above CAMHS) who did multi disciplinary assessment of my son and said that that was exactly what was going on?

Or are you just a shit stirrer.

My Dc will finally be going to a SS. No money exchanged. We had years wasted in a terrible mainstream primary. Failed very badly so I did my research early for secondary school (started in year 5) and we applied for an independent SS. Couldn’t believe it when they wanted and accepted DC and LA agreed. Later informed many mainstream secondary schools couldn’t meet DC needs so this is most likely why. I do however know of one set of parents in DC class that have money and paid solicitors to get their DC into a different independent SS after LA refused so I guess It can work.

I know 3 children in special schools (mix of family & friends). All have clear learning disabilities and other needs.
1 has down syndrome and mainstream was never remotely an option. Severe/complex needs.
1 has brain damage. Brief attempt at mainstream with echp & 1 to 1. Was swiftly moved, it was a disaster
1 has an autism diagnosis but likely cause is a genetic mutation & there are other needs as well.

None had lawyers or fights to get special school although identifying the right one seems extremely difficult.

I didn’t pay anything but I did phone the council every single day until I got the place I needed for my child

This. It's really not lucky to have a disabled child. There should be more special schools built for DC who need them.

That is not how children express "deep overwhelm and distress" unless they are copying someone

Wish we had lots of money, but unfortunately not.

We were living in the Channel Islands when DS2 was diagnosed with ASD+severe learning disabilities. Compared to some of the mainland, the system is pretty quick at diagnoses and generous with SEN school places.

DS2 was referred for assessment following his two year check and while undergoing assessment, he was given a place at the SEN school's nursery. He was diagnosed, and we were told at that same meeting with various experts that although we were allowed to insist on trying MS education, they strongly recommended we take the reception place DS2 would be offered at the SEN school.

When we moved to the mainland, we were offered either a MS school or a SEN school, entirely up to us and no "strong recommendations".

We chose the SEN school, obvs.

my son is non-verbal at 5.5 with low comprehension, from what I observe, it does seem much more challenging for those children who are verbal but have complex support needs to get specialist places

A close family member has just got a place in a specialist secondary.
They attend mainstream primary with full time one on one care and there's no way on Earth they'd manage at mainstream secondary.
No fight (although it's been quite last minute) and no money changed hands.

Hi OP, I remember your previous thread.

My 5 yo DD is in specialist but we are not wealthy by any stretch of the imagination.

She is non verbal, autistic with underlying genetic disorder

We were fortunate enough to have a really supportive pre school who off their own backs taught us about EHCPs and got our assessment and then EHCP sorted.

LA at the time still insisted on mainstream. I had to lodge for appeal twice but never had to go to tribunal, thankfully.

In short, having really pointy elbows is what swung it for us.

I really hope you get the support you so richly deserve.

Not necessarily. As an NHS health professional in paeds I have helped families with appeals.
We aren't allowed to name a specific school for a child, but we can say what a suitable school would look like in terms of accessibility, staffing support etc. And describe their needs.
I haven't known any families lose an appeal with the reports from me/other paeds professionals

I also don't think a solicitor is essential if you know the law but you may get messed about less if the LA know there is a solicitor in the background.

Children who have very severe cognitive impairments will get a place in special school either straight away or within a couple of years of starting mainstream. It is more difficult if a child is more academically able than that.

No my son has never been in mainstream he has severe autism and learning disabilities completely non verbal and attends a school for children with severe and profound learning disabilities
I do appreciate however that it much harder for children who are academically able but where mainstream isn't really appropriate, to access specialist provision.

Exactly this. Ditto residential placement

We were offered a special school place for dd2 , when she was 3 , we didn’t have to pay anyone .

That's so sad I'm sorry to read this is due to an accident as a baby. Can you home school?