To ask for some desperate help re my DS EHCP?

[WelcomeToTheHouseofHoes]

The LEA have finally agreed to assess my son after I appealed a refusal to assess.

DS is 10 and has ASD, is selectively mute, anxiety and sensory problems. He is due to move to secondary this September.

Academically he is achieving (expected) and gives his current primary no trouble at all; however, his explosive outbursts at home and his inability to participate in daily life due to his anxiety and mutism is having a huge impact on him (and our whole family - cats included!).

I’m anticipating after the educational psychologist’s assessment , they will refuse to issue a plan.

If anyone can answer the following to help me out , I’d be hugely grateful:

1:) DS is currently on a waiting list for NHS SALT and OT . Will this affect whether he can access these as part of his EHCP? I’m expecting they will say he’s getting NHS support so it doesn’t count towards him needing an EHCP.

2:) What should I expect from the EP? Will they do tests with DS? He is likely to respond by either staring or offering limited verbal answers.

3:) Even if the EP doesn’t find anything ‘wrong’ with DS in terms of learning, he does still meet 3 out of 4 of the ‘areas of need’. Could an EHCP still be issued on that basis?

4:) Can anyone offer any ideas on what I should be asking for in his EHCP?

DS is going to struggle with:

Uniform (it’s already expected that there will be no adjustments to this)

Homework: DS point blank refuses to do this and will not attend homework clubs; I don’t expect the school will allow adjustments to this

Transitions: From home to school and for lessons . I won’t be able to just drop him off and expect him to get himself in to school for a long time yet.

Transport : DS can not get on a bus himself, will be unable to pay and does not like to be out alone. I’m having to change my working hours to accommodate driving him to and from school .

Relationships: He does not talk to anyone he does not know exceptionally well. Including peers and adults .

Communication: He is selectively mute and will offering limited verbal responses when asked a direct question .

Curriculum: He is very literal and will also struggle with literacy, drama and RE.

SEMH: DS is on the waiting list for CAMHS as his anxiety is debilitating

Sorry this is long. The whole process is exasperating.

This is all very helpful . I will definitely request that they contact OT and SALT. Ds is on waiting lists for these services . Will it speed things up if I ask the LEA to contact them as part of the EHCP assessment?

Yes, because during the EHCNA the LA must seek advice from anyone you reasonably request, SALT and OT come under that.

www.accesspotential.net/

@Hankunamatata

Mine have ones for social and emotional BUT they are/were extremely physically volatile in the classroom when not handled correctly so ended up with 1:1 for the saftey of the class.

This was the situation with my DD. She is very bright but highly anxious and demand avoidant. Even with an EHCP and TA she was excluded in year 5 and into SEMH special school. Back in mainstream now with fantastic support. I know lots of SN kids doing better at secondary as the staff are really experienced with so many presentations of ASS/ADHD. I know this is really scary but it may turn out better than you fear.

It sounds like an EHCP would be useful for your DS. Having said that, if it is any reassurance, DD2 (y9) has ASD and had a terrible primary experience (3 schools and home educated due to unmet needs). She has found secondary school much better because each lesson is discrete. She is pretty much mute in lessons, but teachers cope and I can email them if there is a specific issue. She has little accommodations that make things easier (get out of class early pass, etc). It's not perfect, but it's better than primary.

I hope this link works - IPSEA are a good source of info/advice for EHCPs, annual reviews, appeals etc

www.ipsea.org.uk/Pages/Category/get-support

Two things to consider, you say he's achieving at school, they don't have issues with him - this decreases your chance of a ehcp, you need to speak to his school and establish what he can do for him myself there that he doesn't at home. Secondly transition will be hard but he won't be the only one, plenty of children access support at school without a ehcp, used to be called school action plus when Dd was at school.

They do surprise you, you don't think there's anyway that they can cope yet most young people with autism do attend mainstream schools. Dd is at university now. They are used to literal thinkers, don't worry about that btw, we had some very funny moments looking back! Pursuing camhs is probably the more important thing because it was the crippling anxiety that caused the problems (she learned to use the public bus etc easily, it helped we always took it as a family I think), she went on meds at 15.

I agree with @Hankunamatata you need to prove a need, not anticipate what will happen (not sure of current year) and the bus bit I suggest practice practice practice

Any needs assessment carried out now should take in to account the upcoming transition and what DS' needs will be in secondary.

I don’t know if it’s the same everywhere but in our LEA an EHCP is no guarantee of school transport unless specialist provision. Luckily my DD had started cycling as she refuses to get a bus but if the weather is bad or she is feeling emotionally wobbly we need to drive her.