Really enjoy reading the AMA threads so thought I would offer my own. I work for an LA as an EP and completed my training within the last 3 years. AMA.
AMA
Sockpile · 01/05/2022 10:37
@greyinganddecaying LAs must take into account private reports - you may have to appeal your EHCP before they do but it will be worth it as you will end up with a plan which actually meets needs.
Whatwouldscullydo · 01/05/2022 10:40
Thank you summer
She does have a fair amount of intervention. She gets taken out of class to do spellings or handwriting practice. The usual tools such as nessy etc.
Shes pretty good at computer stuff but too much time on screens also affects her behaviour and we Hve to be careful to because if her eyesight which is slowly getting worse. Not dangerously worse but she does need quite strong glasses.
The conclusion now is that "her brain just isn't wired that way" in regards to her memory and spelling. At the moment she's getting extra support but I think that's just to help with the Sats.
I've known fir years somethings not quite right she took a long time to get the hang of phonics. Took 2 attempts to pass the test. She was under SALT at 3/4 but hever seemed ti grasp the whole shape coding thing.
Her maths is OK. She's good at things like coding and computer games and lego. Has been cursed with my wonky feet and coordination the poor bugger 🤣
There's not much more the school can do for her that they aren't already doing. But September is going to be interesting.
Oblomov22 · 01/05/2022 10:04
I'm finding this very hard to read. You must know how badly many / most parents of sn children are treated. What a painful fight it is. The anger.
I don't remember the old thread. But there is a conflict of interest. I've read literally 100's and 100's of threads on mn over the last 20 years, parents fighting to get what their child needs.
If you really wrote true reports and the children got expensive services, you would presumably be bought into line by senior management soon enough, because there just isn't the funding.
The system thus can't work. So let's not pretend otherwise.
summerEP · 01/05/2022 11:05
It sounds like you have had a really hard fight and I can understand that you and many others must be very disillusioned with the ehc process. It must feel like a fight and that can be very emotive. I wouldn't do this job if I felt I wasn't able to positively affect things for children and families. Even if money or funding was no barrier I would hesitate to suggest lots of adult support or time out of the classroom unless absolutely necessary (a bit like over medicating) because I am always thinking about sense of belonging, social functioning and moving towards adulthood and independnece. It's definitely a fine balance and one which involves lots of different perspectives and narratives about a situation. I think where home school and the advice givers can work collaboratively it works so much better as a joint understanding can be developed.
Oblomov22 · 01/05/2022 10:04
I'm finding this very hard to read. You must know how badly many / most parents of sn children are treated. What a painful fight it is. The anger.
I don't remember the old thread. But there is a conflict of interest. I've read literally 100's and 100's of threads on mn over the last 20 years, parents fighting to get what their child needs.
If you really wrote true reports and the children got expensive services, you would presumably be bought into line by senior management soon enough, because there just isn't the funding.
The system thus can't work. So let's not pretend otherwise.
DrRuthGalloway · 01/05/2022 08:44
Ah OP. Another ed psych did this a few years ago. It lasted a day or so and had to be deleted because (justifiably) angry parents were attacking the OP for what had happened to their children. It's the only AMA I ever saw removed.
Lougle · 01/05/2022 11:09
@DrRuthGalloway I think you're exactly right. It's been such a battle to get DD2 assessed for ASD - first raised concerns at the age of 3 and finally diagnosed at 11.
School found she has a working memory on the 1st percentile and they've just added 'Lougle's girl has a lower working memory' to her SEN plan. That's it.
She's now completely fallen apart, again (3rd time in her school life that she's got to the point that she just can't do it) and we are struggling to get any answers.
She struggles so much with her learning and I know her ASD will be responsible for much of that but if they won't do anything to help her learn then she's going to end up with no GCSEs at all. She's an intelligent child.
summerEP · 01/05/2022 09:49
There may have been a reason the EP didn't visit the setting but I would normally do so to speak to the senior and young person. We don't do dyslexia assessments, we don't diagnose dyslexia but may look into literacy difficulties if needed. Our role is to ensure the provision or interventions are appropriate for the child and often we can get a good sense of that without standardised assessments (sometimes they are needed though if the school doesn't have a lot of info)
TeenPlusCat · 01/05/2022 08:40
Is it usual when doing an assessment for an EHCP (17yo) to
a) not visit the educational setting
b) not look into things like dyslexia
(You can probably tell I wasn't very happy...)
JustAQuickOne0 · 01/05/2022 11:29
And why you feel you shouldn’t diagnose dyslexia if it is apparent in the assessment?
Dyslexia is not apparent from one assessment. It requires a period of looking at response to intervention over time plus a range of cognitive and other assessments.
The ECHNA process therefore cannot be used as a proxy for dyslexia assessment. However, an EP may suggest in the report that dyslexia could be explored further, but this will require additional time.
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DrRuthGalloway · 01/05/2022 08:50
We weren't prioritised for early vaccines.
One or two LAs may have done this as a misread of the advice but it was certainly not most. I had a colleague who works with the virtual school who got one at the same time as special school teachers. The rest of us waited for our age priority, assuming no personal special circumstances.
Shinyandnew1 · 01/05/2022 08:46
Did you think it was unfair that EPs were prioritised for early vaccines but still told to continue with remote consultations rather than visit children in schools in person. In contrast with teachers who were all working in schools and not prioritised for vaccines?
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