Has anyone with a school age child got a private ASD diagnosis ?

[GingerbreadLaTTee]

Can you tell me what the process was after diagnosis ? Was it just accepted and support put in place or did you have to have more assessments before you could access support ?

Support in school should be based on need and not diagnosis anyway.

@Mumzoo5070

Support in school should be based on need and not diagnosis anyway.

This is what we assumed. It’s not worked out like that!!!! All of Year R seemed to be us raising concerns etc and being told ‘she’s fine here’’ and that they hadn’t noticed any of what we had. Etc etc

We eventually got a private assessment and diagnosis but almost feel like it’s being ignored ? Reading between the lines of everything that’s said (and not said - they will never refer to her having asd and use language that to me sounds like they are trying to describe her as NT) I feel like they don’t agree with the diagnosis

Have you thought about applying for a EHCP?

What about support with the child at home?

@Mumzoo5070

Have you thought about applying for a EHCP?

I’m unsure how difficult that process would be with the school not fully on board 🤔

Currently they’ve said they want to now start assessment and observation to see what they think and to have an nhs assessment but that seems pointless to us !

Wondering if moving to an independent school may be better it’s something we are seriously considering

@GingerbreadLaTTee

We got a private diagnosis and the psychiatrist wrote a letter and full report which was sent to the gp and school.
School have then acted on the recommendations and offered him support.

@gingercatsparky

What about support with the child at home?

I’m not sure what is available

We have been doing things ourselves to try to make things easier for her (eg weighted blanket, calming activities when we notice she is becoming overwhelmed and overstimulated) . We have some picture cards too for a visual timetable.

He doesn’t have a EHCP but based on the report from the clinic he has special access arrangements for his exams including movement/ rest breaks and a smaller room.

Yes - you need an Education Health Care Plan.

educationadvocacy.co.uk/what-is-a-ehcp/

This is a good website which describes the process.

[quote Frogsandsheep]@GingerbreadLaTTee

We got a private diagnosis and the psychiatrist wrote a letter and full report which was sent to the gp and school.
School have then acted on the recommendations and offered him support.[/quote]
You see this is what we thought would happen ……i feel like they’ve gone ‘hmmm don’t agree with this’ tossed it aside and decided to plough on not making any changes for dd and saying they need to observe and assess etc but that’s a backwards step surely

@Windinmyhair

Yes - you need an Education Health Care Plan.

educationadvocacy.co.uk/what-is-a-ehcp/

This is a good website which describes the process.

Thanks I will have a look

@GingerbreadLaTTee oh no I’m sorry to hear that
Have they given a reason? Have you spoken to your gp about the diagnosis? Not sure what they can do but they may be able to support you.
How old is your dd?

Did the private diagnosis involve an Educational Psychologist doing an assessment in school? It would be well worth an NHS assessment if this has not been done.

We went to a clinic that had a psychiatrist and a psychologist to try to get as full and accurate report as possible. My biggest fear was school not accepting the report but we used a clinic that I know other families from the same school had used.
An educational psychologist report would help but if she has a diagnosis from a medical professional/ expert then the school surely should accept it.

@Mumzoo5070

Did the private diagnosis involve an Educational Psychologist doing an assessment in school? It would be well worth an NHS assessment if this has not been done.

Is that part of the nhs diagnosis pathway ? We only saw a clinical psychologist The school got sent a report / questions to fill In

We saw a speech therapist and a doctor as well as the psychologist just to add

@GingerbreadLaTTee

Mine didn’t have an assessment in school but school filled in all of the relevant questionnaires.

The problem is that support = money 💰
Which is something most schools are very short of at the moment.
If you applied for an EHCP which parents are able to do themselves the school may then get funding to provide the support.
It's very easy to say schools should provide support based on need not diagnosis....but realistically lots of classes are now taught by 1 teacher to 30 children. It's just not possible to provide every child with the support they need. You also have to consider there may be other children with needs in the class too. It's an impossible situation sometimes.
I'm a teacher currently in this situation and it breaks my heart.

I’ve recently read somewhere that the school should accept a private assessment. Either NICE or NCBI guidelines, I think. I’ll see if I can find it.

@DownWhichOfLate

I’ve recently read somewhere that the school should accept a private assessment. Either NICE or NCBI guidelines, I think. I’ll see if I can find it.

Yes we made sure it was done in line with nice guidelines so assumed it would be ok

Not every child with a diagnosis requires an EHCP the same way that a child without a diagnosis can have one.
What is it you want the school to be doing that you feel they are currently not doing?

www.mindtherapeutic.com/ehcp-private-diagnosis-recognised

This might help.

@PathOfLeastResitance

Not every child with a diagnosis requires an EHCP the same way that a child without a diagnosis can have one. What is it you want the school to be doing that you feel they are currently not doing?

Yes I meant to say this too but if a child doesn't need an ehcp it is assumed they don't need anything that requires additional funding further than the usual in classroom/external agency support.

Once your DC has a diagnosis then they are covered by the Equality Act '10 and the Gov SEND Code of Practice.

It's a long doc and not all sections will apply to you.
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/398815/SEND_Code_of_Practice_January_2015.pdf

School have a statutory requirement to produce an IEP - Individual Educational Plan. Do not let the school tell you otherwise.
This should take the recommendations from the clinical diagnostic report and any other observations eg school / home. This should be reviewed termly - what works / what doesn't.
It should include educational, social and behavioural aspects. The SENCo should produce this.

If the school are pushing back on the diagnosis, ask them why.
You had the assessment and diagnosis from a clinical psych. Unless they are accusing the clinician of fraud, then the diagnosis stands.

Teachers have little SEND training, unless they go on to further qualifications and usually this is for SpLDs (specific learning difficulties). They are in no position to question the ASD diagnosis. That would be a very interesting tribunal.

The diagnosis cannot be removed. A clinical psych will be trained to undertake all parts of the ASD testing, scoring and diagnosis. Ed psych's may have further training but they are not qualified to undertake all parts of all of the tests, scoring or diagnosis for ASD. Just in case the school offer to bring in another clinician.
There are strict rules about how many times a child can be tested / retested during a given period.

Money (or lack of) is not a legal argument for the schools not to provide the accommodations from the clinician's report.. See SEND Code.

Re EHCP - these are usually granted for DC who difficulties are so great the school's budget cannot meet their needs. Not all DC who have a diagnosis need an EHCP. The diagnosis and IEP should be enough.

@GingerbreadLaTTee

Brilliant post by @AuntyFungal

I really hope you get the support your dd is entitled to and I’m sorry school are making a difficult situation more difficult for you.