What recourse do I have for school refusing to give “vulnerable child” place to DC with ASD (but no EHCP)

[Fr0thandBubble]

DS1 has autism and is struggling to access online learning. He struggles with concentration and executive functioning and finds it very hard/impossible to work independently at home. Both DH and I have full time jobs and have very limited time to sit with him and help him.

We have therefore asked his school for a place as a “vulnerable child”, on the basis that he is having difficulty engaging with remote education (one of the stated grounds). They have said no as they already have 18 key worker children and children with EHCPs in his year who have places in school (my DS does not have an EHCP but does have an official diagnosis of autism and is registered with the local authority’s children centre and CAMHS). 18 is a lot less than his usual class size of 30.

I’ve just had a huge row with his SENCO and made it clear that I consider that they are failing their legal obligation to educate him but what the hell can I actually do to make them give him a place? I know this isn’t an AIBU but posting for traffic - if anyone has any advice it would be very much appreciated.

I've been a little bit sharp in my reply, I think. DD2 (13) is accessing a keyworker/vulnerable place at Secondary school. I'm not sure which category they fitted her in to in the end. She has ASD and got very distressed with online learning last year. DH is a keyworker, but I am at home. I emailed the school and said that DD2 didn't cope with home learning in the last lockdown (complete meltdown with anxiety), so could she access a place. The school has 1300 pupils, so I expect there is slightly more wiggle room. She said there are about 50 children in the school currently.

DD3 (11) in NT, doesn't struggle, so she's at home.

DD1 (15) goes to special school and we'll have to do our best at home because they are only offering a handful of face to face places.

Ideally, it would be great if children who aren't going to get the attention they need at home, could go to school. But they have to prioritise and your DS is safe at home, albeit not getting the learning support that would be ideal.

It is just guidance, the school are under no legal obligation.

@Fr0thandBubble

The children who are in are being taught by teachers face to face. I think in the first lockdown it was more of a childcare arrangement but this time around they are getting proper teaching. I really want DS to access this.

Really not the case in all schools. I was at our hub today. Older children were sat on laptops with headsets doing the same work as the kids at home I their classes. Younger children were playing and colouring. 2 of the younger ones are SEND and one practically non verbal. He sat with his sister or played.

It's only day 2 so they may get better helpjng them 'learn'

please do not think that sending kids into hubs means they get better learning and teacher time this is false!

My daughter was hub and home learning last time half and half each week. She got behind at school!! I was doing more with her at home.

It's not normal school and if your kids don't adapt to change well or need more one-one learning DO NOT SEND THEM TO A HUB!!

I am a SENCo and it fills me with dread when I hear parents say they "had a huge row with the SENCo". We are human and are doing our best within strict guidlines. I am trying to keep my LSAs safe and support pupils with EHCPs. I must have had 20 unpleasant, accusational emails since Saturday from parents who want their children in school. I'm so demoralised. Please be nice to the SENCo, we are doing our best in very difficult circumstances.

Yes, identified as vulnerable by education providers not by parents! TBH you are taking the piss. You won’t prioritise your child but you want the school to!

Ignore all the "do your bit", "he's not vulnerable" and try SEND Action (on FB and Twitter).

Yes, identified as vulnerable by education providers not by parents! TBH you are taking the piss. You won’t prioritise your child but you want the school to!

This

@Fr0thandBubble I saw a thread on here last week where the poster said in lockdown 1 their dc's school wouldn't give them a place (ASD like your dc) so they contacted their MP, who eventually managed to secure a place for them. It may be worth a try for you? Apologies if someone else has already suggested this, I've read most, but not all of the thread!

@SionnachRua

Absolutely this.Plus as the OP stated herself in the guidance it states it is at “the providers discretion”.

I think we're talking to the wall tbqh. But I absolutely agree with you about OP marking her card with the school. Where I work, any shouting at the staff = instant hang up and no further direct contact with that teacher is allowed.

Yes same at our school. Any parent “having a huge row” with any staff member would not be tolerated.

I'm sorry but you're being ridiculously entitled. He does not fall into the vulnerable category, you are not a key worker and there are two of you at home. The school are under no obligation to take him and you felt it was appropriate to have a "huge row" with the SENCO. How about someone comes to your work and abuses you for not doing something that isn't part of your job?

Every school is different and an EHCP doesn’t guarantee a place - not in dc’s school anyway. Both mine have ehcps but they were not seen as a priority. I have requested they go a couple days a week as neither get much work done at home amongst other reasons. Not sure if they have a place yet. They aren’t a priority as not deemed overly vulnerable.

There’s children’s at dc’s school that don’t have official diagnoses or an EHCP and have been given a place. It seems that the schools decide.

There needs to be clearer guidance on what he considered vulnerable and schools need to be all following the same rules.

I would be persistent. If they don’t offer him a place just be honest and tell them that you struggle with home learning and you cannot promise work will be done. During the last lockdown DS got barely anything done and I always told his teacher and the senco that from the start. Cannot expect miracles from them!

Expect miracles from the children doing work at home I mean. DS hates doing work at home.

My daughters speical needs nursery has closed we do not have ehcp as in process but my friends child does and he was self harming in last lockdoen due to massive routine changes hes 3 and non verbal no understanding etc, they r still closed

@gettingalife

I am a SENCo and it fills me with dread when I hear parents say they "had a huge row with the SENCo". We are human and are doing our best within strict guidlines. I am trying to keep my LSAs safe and support pupils with EHCPs. I must have had 20 unpleasant, accusational emails since Saturday from parents who want their children in school. I'm so demoralised. Please be nice to the SENCo, we are doing our best in very difficult circumstances.

You all do amazing jobs. I work closely with our SENCo and it’s a hard job without parents yelling at you. It’s a shame too as a angry parent can often spoil things themselves for the child by being too difficult to engage with effectively. Carry on the good work - you are appreciated by many of us.

Op, as a parent to a severely non verbal autistic child I feel your pain but he simply doesn’t qualify.
School currently isn’t what he’s used to, strange routine, different teachers and class mates may upset him more than you realise plus the fact that he is genuinely safer at home.

Agree with @specialcase. You and dh will have to homeschool after work or weekends like thousands of others. That's a huge class size for a keyworker/ vulnerable group!

What about all the school staff having to leave their own kids home struggling to access the online work, risk catching the virus and taking it home just to babysit your kid so you can work in peace? The more people sending kids in, the more school staff needed to be in.

Look on the bright side op, the less kids the schools let in now the sooner cases should come down and the quicker all kids can get back to school which is the main aim. Oh, and leave the SENCO alone, believe me that poor woman/man has not made the rules and you shouting at them will achieve nothing but kicking them when they are already down.

Sorry but YABU.

Your son isn’t missing out on ‘teaching’ it’s emergency provisions so critical workers can keep the country going during this pandemic.

I agree with PP, you sound very entitled, I’m sure lots of parents WFH feel their child doesn’t benefit from virtual learning, SEN or not, and would like their child in school but they recognise it’s not about them right now.

Depends on the school and staff levels.

I would ask to go on the reserve list in case others drop out or they gain capacity. There may be limited days he can attend too.

If you’ve got to the point of having an actual row with the senco at school, then you probably just need to accept that they don’t feel your child qualifies for a place and get on with it. There should be more teacher visibility this time and a lot of schools are offering better provision this time than they did last time, so you might find it’s not so bad.

I think people are giving you a tough time op. Whilst don’t agree with arguing with the senco (I can’t relate, I have a really good relationship with the senco here). I can totally understand your frustration. Home schooling reluctant children with sen is bleddy hard!

As I said above though. All schools need to be more consistent. They all seem to have different rules.

@gonkytonk thank you. That's very much appreciated. All SENCos I know work tirelessly for the pupils. It's not a job you can do half heartedly. You sound like a lovely parent. It's all about working together.

@Fr0thandBubble
They really don't get any special teacher learning at school
Sometimes it is less than from homeschool

I saw it in our hub today playing and colouring

Don't send him if he doesn't adapt well to change either

It’s all far from ideal. Schools do need to prioritise as best as they can who is in to keep numbers to a safe level.

Can you ask for some daily input via team or similar instead?