EHCP and wrap around care

[oohberrydooberry]

We're in the process of applying for an EHCP for my boy who is due to start school next September. He has recently been diagnosed with autism. The local authority have agreed to do an EHC assessment and are gathering information at the moment.

My question is around wrap around care. At the moment DS goes to nursery 2 days a week and to his lovely granny (MIL) for 2 days. I work 4 days a week, DH 5 - both 9-5.

However I'm not sure whether my son will be able to attend wrap around care at school? He currently has funding via an EHA for 1-1 support at nursery as he can't cope without out. I know our EHCP needs to be very specific in terms of the support he gets, but am I right in assuming it will only cover school hours? And that if he can't have 1-1 support at wrap around, then he wouldn't be able to attend? Is this correct?

MIL would love to help with school pick ups, but she lives 40 mins away (near DHs work, he currently DS off there in the morning) so she isn't able to help.

I think we're in a bit of bind. DHs has no flexibility around his working hours, where as I potentially could have - but I can't see my employer agreeing to me reducing my hours and allowing me to work 9:15-2:45 each day in my current role. My salary is fairly good compared to the other part time roles Ive seen advertised locally, so getting a new job would probably see a reasonable drop in income which would be very tricky for us in terms of our financial commitments.

Any suggestions on possible solutions welcome!

Some after school clubs will help with a 1:1 or if in EYFS/KS1 where they have higher ratios he may be able to cope in a group (my DS managed at this age but did not get a diagnosis till older).
Other than that you may find a CM or nanny is more helpful. It's completely rubbish and I have just contributed to another thread - I feel this should be a Mumsnet campaign.

Thank you.
Ok, I will definitely ask re after school clubs/care. I think a CM could also be quite a good solution - although again not sure how it would work for them in terms of the number of children they look after?

Agreed, it is completely rubbish.

My DS went to a CM who just handed him food and let him play on a tablet or watch the TV and he was pretty chilled.

Sadly an EHCP only funds support during school hours, you may not even get a one to one in school unless you get support from the Ed psych and make sure the wording is watertight ( L A use weasel words and hope you know no better)

It gets worse the further through education you go, holidays when you have to find care, secondary when they try to remove support, it goes on forever

Try finding either a kind childminder who can give a more home like after school setting or maybe a part time nanny if possible

Many parents of autistic children end up giving up work sadly as the support and flexibility isn’t there for us and our children need support for much longer often into secondary school years before they gain confidence and skills to be home alone

No childminder will be able to offer you 1-1 care as they will have other children to care for, I would speak to a few local childminders who pick up from the school you hope to go to and see what they say, As a heads up most childminders fill there school spaces within weeks of the LA school offer day.

Thanks all
Yes I've been warned about how sneaky the LAs can be - isn't it utterly crap. I'm going off on a bit of a rant here but I am already just so upset about this whole process - they always seem to want to offer the bare minimum they can get away with. I know funding is stretched, but it's just so sad. None of the mainstream schools welcomed us, they have all tried to put us off, but our Ed Psych has said he definitely wouldn't get funding for a specialist school. Add on top of that a serious lack of sleep, and extended family who constantly try to dismiss DS' needs and diagnosis - it's enough to make you lose your mind. And we're only at the beginning!

My job is my little bit of 'just me' and I will be so sad if I have give that up.

We pay extra for 1:1 care at the after school club at school.