Good SEN provisions

OP, the advice you've had around getting the ehcp right is prob the best first step. Section b should detail all his sen and section f should details provision to meet everyone of those needs in such a way that it can't be misunderstood (specified, quantified and detailed). Sossen and ipsea have great websites.

You need the professionals to put in their reports exactly what he needs and if the slt has said 121 for communication reasons get that in writing and ask for it to be really clear eg x child must have a dedicated ta trained in a,b,c with d,e,f qualifications to aid communication, this will be for y hours per day. The child will require a dedicated 1:1 ta to work directly with him for both structured and unstructured times (including breaks and lunches). The child will require x hours of direct speech therapy per week with a speech therapist trained in a,b,c with d,e,f qualifications. This will be z hours over the academic year. The speech therapist must also produce a report for the annual review and attend the review meeting.

If your son has any sensory needs request that these needs are assessed by an ot trained in sensory processing likewise fine/gross motor skills. It is common for children with autism to have sensory needs, hypermobility and/or dyspraxia as well. The ot will be able to help with daily living skills too (section b and f).

It is established in case law that speech therapy and ot are that vital to education that they are educational provision. Quite often LA's try to put it in health- don't let them as when in b/f and worded correctly tje ehcp can be enforced if provision isn't made.

Have a good read of sossen/ipsea's websites. Get the ehcp right from the get go. Just a word of warning though if you move areas the new la can reassess which could mean having to go through the process again.

If your local maintained schools can't meet his needs, the la can pay for an inde/ non maintained school if they can meet needs. Maybe have a good look at any local schools and see where you feel can meet his needs best (inc inde). You could try to guide the ehcp to point to that school. (Not how it should work but in the real world there is only so many options of schools).

Best of luck

I'm glad he's doing well. I've seen you post a few times on various autism threads.

I think at the moment the most important thing to do is to get a robust EHCP in place that is as watertight as possible and truly reflects your sons current needs. For us, that took 2 years of back and forth with the LA to achieve, managed to do it without getting as far as the actual court hearing, but it did take mediation, independent reports and a lot of to-ing and fro-ing on the working document to reach an agreement.

The other thing you should be doing is reading, researching, learning. Its important you know the process and how it works with the different types of schools. Visit them too. I've visited schools which look perfect on paper but when I've got there they're totally inappropriate for my child, and vice versa. You're about to start a very long and bumpy road, if you are on Facebook I would suggest finding a local group related to EHCPs/SEND as they will also be able to provide support and guidance based on your local authority.

My son was in what sounds like a similar position to yours when we started this process. 2 years ago I wondered if he would ever speak. I had so many sleepless nights and cried so many tears over it all. There wasn't what i felt was a suitable school. He wasn't appropriate for mainstream and the limited special schools weren't able to meet his needs either.
Now, at 5, he speaks in full sentences (incessantly, its like he's making up for lost time!), is excelling at school (mainstream) academically, is making good progress socially too and most importantly he's happy and loves school. The amount he has changed in such a small space of time blows my mind

Independent specialist schools are very expensive.

My DD attends a non section 41 school, the fees are £85k per annum.
The LEA pay all her fees, including a taxi to and from school.
I ended up going to tribunal to get the place.

I have another child in a maintained specialist school, his package costs £45k per annum.

I would ask the SALT to put her recommendations in writing.

The EP is the most important HCP in the EHCNA.

Ipsea are a great charity, lots of good and well written advice.

It isn’t a maintained school but the same rules apply and it is important the OP knows the law surrounding EHCPs because LAs often act unlawfully so I was pointing out the the OP it isn’t an independent school.

I really liked it when I looked around my sons at firwood ,but he's doing OK there .

It doesn't come underc the LEA though and the LEA refused to name it as it was a high cost school ,my son is now at another of the LEA,s special schools that caters for children with severe and profound learning disabilities and autism

Do not move to Kent. Kent County Council are beyond dire in regards to EHCPs and specialist provison. You also want to avoid the counties in Safety Valve agreements with the government as that is another ongoing challenge currently.

@OutDia where are you in the EHCP process? Is the LA sticking to the timescales? Has the SALT commited to paper DS will need 1:1 or only said it verbally?

Birtenshaw school in Bolton isn’t an independent school. It is a non-maintained special school (NMSS) therefore the rules about naming it in section I of an EHCP are the same as a maintained school.

@x2boys we live in a nearby town and had to go to tribunal to get a place there.

I'm a Bolton resident

Yes I went to have a look around I wanted my child to go there but unfortunately it's private. So the LEA wouldn't agree to fund ,ww also have 4 other special schools that are LEA and very good

There is a school on Bolton called Birtenshaw. It has won many awards. Most children have 1:1, some 2:1- they have recently taken some children who don't require 1:1 at all times. They have on site ot and slt, small class sizes and their own transport (ta's will collect and return kids if the child requires it). The school is set up for children with complex autism. I think there is one near Liverpool too. If the child is more classical/ severe then this is the best provision imo.

Right now, your focus should be on ensuring DS has an EHCP that accurately reflects his needs and the support he requires. If you have a primary school that will meet DS’s needs, I would stay put for now. Schools change, shut down, open, so it is too early to look for secondary provision now. And it is impossible to suggest schools without knowing more about DS’s presentation.

You should also be aware if you move LA with an EHCP the new LA will review the EHCP and potentially amend, reassess or even cease to maintain. You would have the right of appeal, but it is something you need to be aware of before moving.

The Op would also have to prove it’s the only school that can meet her child's needs.

Not quite. In your to get a wholly independent school named in an EHCP, the parents need to show the LA’s proposed school(s) can’t meet needs &/or that it isn’t unreasonable public expenditure. For section 41 independents, the rules are the same as they are for maintained and academy schools.

Also, it may not feel like it now, but (assuming your child is young), what he needs now isn't necessarily what he needs in 2/4/6 years time.

https://www.autism.org.uk/our-schools?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwtZK1BhDuARIsAAy2VzvA-_y4UUMGywbyFkkO8dfpbB7qgtYKemhU6anYylNH-9zf2vTtTWkaAkoAEALw_wcB#map

Look on local.authority site at their offer (they call it the local offer). It should detail the different types of schools available mainstream/specialist/integrated resource.

It will help give you an idea what is available.
But things will change in the years before they commence secondary stage of school- some schools will improve, some won't, new ones may appear.

Work on getting an EHCP (you cannot access specialist without it).

In Hampshire there are certainly secondary schools with autistic units within mainstream. My friends daughters have thrived at them. But it really depends on your child's needs which could change hugely as they mature.

Getting private provision isn't easy either as Many LEA,s are reluctant to spend the ££££,s it costs for a place
The Op would also have to prove its the only school that can meet her child's needs.

I would be looking at LEA provisions rather than individual school ,s I'm in Bolton and my LEA has two special needs primary schools, and two special needs high schools, one of the primary and secondary schools cater for children with moderate to severe learning disabilities and and or autism ,and the other ,s cater for children with severe to profound learning disabilities, and or autism
We also have several autism hubs both primary and secondary for children who don't have learning disabilities alongside autism ,but need more support then mainstream

Who has said he needs 1:1?
Does he have an ehcp or has the process been started?
How old is he?

My son started school last year. He's at our local primary school with a 1:1 TA and doing very well.

I don't say this to be discouraging but my own experience (son is 5) of getting a specialist setting was it was incredibly challenging. My son has very high support needs and we still had a battle with the local authority and they wouldn't agree with our school of choice and tried to push another which we hated. We have got a place within our local authority but it hasn't been easy.

I really hope you have a better time.

Just to add with the Island Project the school is independent but no fees. There’s also a school in Haverfordwest (niece now works here) but forgotten the name