Can a child with ASD school refusal still qualify for an EHCP?

[atAlosswithASD]

Does mainstream school just not suit some dc?

dd is 6 and in year 1. Diagnosis of ASD. Not severe enough for EHCP as no issues with learning whatsoever in fact she’s making accelerated progress. Needs are severe enough to impact daily life though.

She refuses school all the time. She’s tall
for her age and big and very strong. If I dress her she rips her clothes off I can’t physically restrain and carry her as I’m very petite (5 ft) and small framed she is too strong already for me. After these meltdowns she sleeps and then we try to repeat the process over and over. If DP tries to carry her he’s stronger but she hurts herself in the process and we don’t want that.

I guess what I’m asking is are the needs above enough to get an EHCP? I keep getting told it’s only if they can’t access the curriculum?

I would try for an EHCP. She can't access the curriculum if she cannot go to school.

It is quite common for parents to be told that a dc “doesn’t qualify” for an EHCP,

your situation with an autistic dc who is academically bright but unable to cope socially is very very common and yes an EHCP can be granted to dc not in school.

many dc in your child’s situation eventually go to special school.

getting an EHCP is a lot of paperwork for the school and some schools are much more experienced with the process than others.

It sounds to me like DD is exhibiting social and emotional mental health needs. I have heard the SEND tribunals takes these seriously, even if LAs don’t? Friends have filmed their DC school refusing, and submitted it as evidence to the tribunal. (They won)

I suggest you do the same, and keep a diary of the school refusing. When did you get the letter, refusing the EHC plan needs assessment for your LA?

If the LA hasn’t done an EHCNA, how do they know what if anything is impacting on learning? For instance, one or more of a number of specific learning difficulties, such as poor attention, language problems or information processing (to name but a few), any of which can make it difficult for the child to take in any information at the speed, at which it’s being delivered in a mainstream classroom. These hidden problems can cause children to disengage with school, resulting in school refusal and meltdowns at home.

You may find this page from the national autistic society useful.

https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/education/attendance-problems

they also have a helpline and in person parent duppptt groups.

Yes absolutely she should have an EHCP. My ds is academically bright but has had trouble accessing learning due to his autism.
He’s just taken his A levels after a long and winding journey in which the EHCP was extremely useful. You may need to fight to get it.

If a child needs small class sizes because of their attention, sensory, or social needs, they usually meet the criteria for an EHCP.

Your daughter sounds very similar to mine. She's also in Year 1, academically able, but struggled with school refusal from preschool because a large state classroom was overwhelming. Her EHCP now funds a place at a small private school with just seven children in the class, plus one-to-one SALT and one-to-one OT. The EHCP means she now in an educational setting where she’s able to thrive.

Thankyou

Yes. My daughter has ASD and EBSA (updated term for school refusal btw as school refusal implies it’s purely a choice for the young person)

DD last attended school in Y9 (recently left as in Y11) she had no learning needs but did have ASD and mental health problems. She has an EHCP.

Suggest move this thread to the SEND forum where you will get advice from ladies who know their onions.

In short, yes, she should be entitled to EHCP.

You should work with an educational psychologist first to try and get to the bottom of what is triggering your daughter so much she doesn’t want to go to school. You will likely be surprised. An EHCP can then compell a school to make adjustments so that those things which trigger her are solved for.

You sound like you need to do a lot more research (not on mumsnet where you will get as much bad advice as good) on both ASD and EHCPs.

Just because a child with ASD is verbal and academic doesn’t mean they don’t have all sorts of processing issues. Things we found out over the years about my son (who is also bright and chatty)

• Classroom was too noisy
• He hated breaktimes as didn’t know how to join in games
• Needed instructions visually for tasks
• School uniform scratched him
• So he always took the scratchy jumper off so was cold 9 months of the year
• He was thirsty a lot of the time
• Hungry basically all the time as the canteen grossed him out so he never ate

^^ these things and more combined led to school avoidance. And he never told us them we had to work them out like detectives one problem at a time.

We requested an EP assessment a year ago. The school say they have limited slots only for children not making any progress? Is this not correct ?

Well, if she’s not going to school she won’t be making progress. My ds has outstanding mathematical ability but he fell behind on the basics because he wasn’t able to access lessons. As his brilliant sixth form teacher put it, if he hasn’t done the work he’s as clueless as the rest of us.
I wonder if the problem is the school regard your dd not attending school as a choice she is making rather than a consequence of her special needs.

The school will have limited EP slots.

it’s up to the school how they choose who gets them.

in your situation going for an EHCP is the sensible thing to do.

you can apply for assessment for an EHCP yourself it doesn’t have to be school who apply.

There’s a (brief) guide to applying as a parent here:

https://www.sense.org.uk/information-and-advice/life-stages/childhood-and-school/send/ehcps/getting-an-ehcp/

national autistic society will also be able to advise.

(this is very common, many autistic kids cope with reception and then struggle with year 1)

You can get an EHCP for the needs you describe. Academically able DC can still have EHCPs. There is far more than academics to be considered. Ignore anyone who is telling you DD won’t get or doesn’t need an EHCP. You can, and should, request an EHCNA yourself now. On their website, IPSEA has a model letter you can use. You don’t need to wait for an EP assessment first.

With the current pressure on EP time, you are unlikely to get an EP assessment via the school or LA outwith the EHCP process unless there are significant academic difficulties &/or significant behavioural difficulties.

In the meantime, if DD cannot attend school full-time, the LA has a duty to ensure she still receives a suitable full-time education. This provision should be provided once it becomes clear 15 days will be missed. The days don’t need to have already been missed or be consecutive. And provision should begin by the sixth day of absence.

What support is the school providing? What have they already tried? If your area still has them, have they asked the specialist teaching service for advice?

My son is home educated as he just doesn't fit in mainstream school and has ASD. I asked the contact I got for home ed about an ehcp and she sent me a link for who to go to in our area, the assessment was carried out and he now has an ehcp so its entirely possible 😊

My DD (older - was 15 at the time) got an EHCP for this reason,”. She’d missed nearly a year of school. The content (apart from reasonable adjustments) was focused mainly on how she could be supported to catch up rather than anything else and what that extra support looked like. That said it was never needed as she simply didn’t return to school! They then used the EHCP funding for private tutors to come to the house in the lead up to GCSEs.

Don't wait for the school to apply. Don’t listen to them if they tell you she won’t get one as I was . Lots of schools are completely overwhelmed and don’t want the hassle.

Start your own application (the link posted up thread is useful) and find your LEAs support team.. it’s under your ‘local offer - and called IPSEA or Ipsis from memory) mine were super helpful as I found the process so overwhelming and didn’t know where to start. Put as much medical evidence in as you can. The school will have to do their part, meet the deadline for providing the information and you have more control over time lines.
Getting an EHCP now could be really valuable as your DD and her needs change over the years.

Good luck. I know what a stressful situation this is.

Well, she can’t access the curriculum if she’s not in school. She may be meeting or exceeding expectations, but that just shows that she is able, since she’s not in school regularly. It’s not simply a question of lack of academic progress, although that is one criterion for requesting an EHCNA.