To just let you know (re, SEN funding)

[theqentity]

That TA in the class that does 1-1 with the child that had additional needs is not funded by the school, but the LA, and a parent had to probably go to tribunal in order to get that level of support for their child.

What they are NOT doing is taking away from the school funding and the education of others. They are not there to support other children, although many do despite it not being in their job description.

Sorry, just the pass gag What's App group has really depressed me today.

Which is disgraceful! We have 260 children and 13 holding EHCPs, with 2 more currently undergoing the process- in a mainstream primary setting, over double the average for a state funded mainstream primary school.The majority of SENDcos work hard to negotiate the system they have to deal with to get the support the children need- that's why they do the job because otherwise it's a pretty thankless one! There will always be the odd one- and the odd school- that doesn't but that doesn't mean we write off the ones that try!

I think most sencos do care.

However I think they are too quick to assume that the crap spouted by local authorities is right.

The fact they can do the roll for 3 years without completing the mandatory training means often it will be an untrained person in the roll who is learning on the job and so believes what they are told by their employer.

Our LA SENCOs training is delivered by LA so obviously LA feed them policy because giving them the law and statutory process would mean more assessments better EHCPs and more funding. So it's not in their best interests to have SENCOs that are clued up.

It isn't 'different for every LA'

Every LA should be following the same law and if they aren't you can take them to SENDIST to force them to. I have done this. I did it with a newborn baby and a 3yo out of nursery because they 'couldn't keep him safe'. I did it while moving house, battling severe PND and with no support from anyone.

It took me a year. I spent every evening online, reading and making notes on precious cases. I consulted with every agency I could. The process broke me, but I won. And I would do it over and over again if I had to, to ensure my child's happiness.

It shouldn't be like that for anyone. I'm just saying it can be done.

*previous cases

I am not an expert in the field so not getting onto a debate but do feel compelled to stick up for Sendco's, many of whom take on the responsibility with very little extra pay. I'm not saying there are not a few that don't do their job properly but the vast majority really care. They are often given an afternoon a week to do the job on top of being a full time class teacher. And if they receive training to do things a certain way, why would they immediately question it. The system is clearly not fit for purpose but the attitude to people doing the job on here is awful, they are generally doing what they have been trained to do, with very little time to do it.

Goodness me, let's stop the senco hate. This site rears its ugly head again. @Theqentity but @Soontobe60 never said you can't appeal. Of course every LA should be following the law but you and everyone else knows that's not the case. Its easy to say, appeal the request but you have to get the parents on board who half the time are petrified once they hear the word court. Im sure this senco is probably glad they don't have to deal with you. I would only hope to find a senco that cares this much. A budget deficit is not a reflection of how well someone is doing their job. A couple of posts from someone on a forum is also definitely not one.

@Sirzy The reality is, it IS different for every LA and it is entirely possible to be a senco in multiple LAs. I work in a school where on one side of the school the address is one borough, the other a different one. We get kids from both. You're EHCP is based on where the child's address is for council tax. We have an even amount of kids from 2 boroughs and some from a third. It is vastly vastly different asking for a needs assessment from all 3. I'm not saying that's right, I'm saying that's the reality.
In addition, so many primaries are stretched financially and often share one senco between two schools, who yes, could be in two different LAs.

The horrible reality is once parents get to the ehcp stage, they have often had a very difficult time accessing help for their child and it is easy to look for the person to blame. Please, let's not jump down sencos throats. There are some brilliant ones and some useless ones, as with all jobs.
And really, if you want to complain about funding, complain about the school business managers. That's their job and the senco is at the mercy of them when it comes to asking for extra money that has yet to arrive from the LA.

I have a great relationship with my sons SENCO, she’s a full time SENCO, I know she really cares, she does know her stuff and also knows her limits and when to get in other professionals. She is pushing so hard for my son.

But @Meadowbreeze schools really shouldn't confirm that they can make the provision in the EHCP without first costing the provision and ensuring the funding attached is sufficient. It's not doing parents or children any favours.
Trouble is LAs write EHCPs that are so woolly that costing is pretty much impossible and provision is unenforceable. Schools and parents are so worn down by the process that they see an EHCP however woolly as the end goal and accept LAs meagre offerings in relief. I'd like to see schools pointing parents in the direction of IPSEA or SOSSEN and getting the EHCP checked before agreeing.
I'd like schools to know the value of provision how my daughter's school did who wanted and received £8k to cover the costs of transition on top of the fees.
LAs are shafting schools and parents and while parents and schools bicker LAs are getting away with lack of provision and lack of funding so it suits their cause.

parents are so worn down by the process that they see an EHCP however woolly as the end goal and accept LAs meagre offerings in relief

That's exactly what we did. Ds's EHCP was full of opportunities for, access to etc. It was completely unenforceable.

LAs may set their own rules but that doesn’t change the fact that wherever you are in England the actual law on what should be happening is the same.

The problem is so many are too quick to believe the lies the LA spout to put people off applying.

@hiredandsqueak I am very aware. I have volunteered at that charity in the past and understand the difficulties parents and schools face.

All I am saying is, a thread like this is no place to slate Senco's or undermine someone's job just because they've posted a couple of messages on a forum.

You are entirely correct that far too often parents and schools are bickering so much the whole point is lost. Messages like the ones on this thread, slating Senco's is just feeding this idea. It is not helpful to managing a relationship, especially when a lot of parents who are currently going through the system and are frustrated, will read these. In addition, a lot of Senco's are completely lost and fed up. Instead of bashing them and giving unsolicited advice, it is better to encourage and educate.

@Punxsutawney it's deliberate on LAs part because if it's woolly and unenforceable then they won't be held accountable and it won't cost them. Four years ago our parents group met with the director of services who admitted that the EHCPs they issued were not of a quality to be enforceable and promised change. Nothing has changed parents come to our group with EHCPs that are copy and pasted sometimes with the wrong name or sex. Outcomes are generic regardless of needs and abilities. It's a disgrace and they blame overwork. If they spent their time meeting their statutory duty rather than doing everything in their power to avoid it and then answering multiple complaints as a result their workload would be far manageable. My adult son and daughter worked for our LA they reminisce about what a doddle it was compared to their roles now in the independent sector where workloads are bigger expectations higher and accountability as standard.

Yes completely deliberate. Our LA have now admitted that Ds's plan was a pile of crap.

Unfortunately for them their unlawfulness and complete lack of support for Ds is going to cost them far more than it should of to support him. As they now have (hopefully) agreed that he needs the independent specialist college that is our parental preference. If they had done their job properly in the first place it may not be costing them as much now. Although Ds is still out of education, so I won't trust anyone until he is getting what he needs.

Our LA SEND team failed their Ofsted last summer. The report was published the same day as we were told their SEND panel had refused a specialist placement for Ds. When I complained and queried the SEND panel's decision. I was told that there are no minutes taken, no list of attendees. They make it so difficult for parents to get any information.

Our LA lose 99% of Tribunals I think they have won four in the last four years so 99% of the work they do for Tribunal is pointless not to mention expensive as they fund barristers against unrepresented parents. The reason they lose is they issue EHCPs that are unlawful and don't meet need. As a result of their apparent huge workload they outsource or used to anyway writing of EHCPs to another LA. This should be a positive right? But no they outsourced at extra cost to an LA heavily criticised by Ofsted at inspection for the quality of their EHCP writers. You couldn't make it up!

Our "panel" is one person who holds the budget strings. There is no panel no discussion no representation he says yes or no based solely on the finances. He invariably says no because he knows that the five or six month wait whilst parents go to Tribunal (they often concede at the deadline having made minimal effort to build a case) is five or six months savings.

It's bonkers that there isn't a centralised system to assess children and then an ehcp issued and the local council has to just fund what is assigned. It would save so much money in admin and so much confusion and stress all round.

We're moving counties soon and I'm going to have to deal with Buckingham which is new to me. I just hope they accept DS's ehcp without any bother

I agree with you it's a ridiculous system where the people who assess needs are also the ones responsible for funding. What incentive is there to do rigorous assessments and write lawful EHCPs if by not doing so you can hold on to more of the budget?

Gosh this thread is eye opening, I have another question if I may, thank you to those who answered my previous one. When DS was diagnosed, the paediatrician at the time said that he would probably need an EHCP in place to help with the transition to secondary, even though current primary arrangements working well. When I raised this with SENCO she flatly said that EHCP is not designed for that and we shouldn't apply. Who is right? Or is it not that cut and dried, in which case what do I need to look at? Again apologies for hijacking your original thread OP with my own questions.

There is a lot of confusion regarding Sen budgets. My schools senco explained it as each school has a Sen budget which equates to approx £6k a year per child on Sen register, this can differ as population/area/deprivation can affect it but roughly this is what it is. The school can choose how to spend this budget, it could go on one to one for a specific child, so a Sen child may get full 6k of support, or it could be used more generally for example to fund a lunchtime Sen club or purchase resources for Sen children but also not non Sen children could access these clubs ot resources if they need to. If a child has a ehcp this will set out support needed and la will top up the funding for this. So if a child requires 25 hours of support a week and this costs 12k la will give 6k extra towards this. Also ehcp may say reduced ratios rather than 1:1 it might be 1:3 so the Ta will work with 3 children including the sen child not just the sen child. This explanation seems to back up what I've read online but other people say differently and it may vary from area to area.

@ElvenDreamer

Gosh this thread is eye opening, I have another question if I may, thank you to those who answered my previous one. When DS was diagnosed, the paediatrician at the time said that he would probably need an EHCP in place to help with the transition to secondary, even though current primary arrangements working well. When I raised this with SENCO she flatly said that EHCP is not designed for that and we shouldn't apply. Who is right? Or is it not that cut and dried, in which case what do I need to look at? Again apologies for hijacking your original thread OP with my own questions.

This is exactly why we've got the ehcp for DS. he's in year 5 and I was really stressing about him trying to organise himself in a secondary setting. Ignore the bollocks you're being told and start pushing.

@ElvenDreamer

Gosh this thread is eye opening, I have another question if I may, thank you to those who answered my previous one. When DS was diagnosed, the paediatrician at the time said that he would probably need an EHCP in place to help with the transition to secondary, even though current primary arrangements working well. When I raised this with SENCO she flatly said that EHCP is not designed for that and we shouldn't apply. Who is right? Or is it not that cut and dried, in which case what do I need to look at? Again apologies for hijacking your original thread OP with my own questions.

If your child has needs that require support beyond basic Sen support ie 1:1 for more than about 12 hours a week (approx 6k per year) then definitely apply for ehcp. I think what paediatrician would have meant was whilst some schools will go above and beyond to ensure child's needs are met not all will and they don't have to so better to have a legal document stating child's needs and support required. Also it's often the case that Sen children struggle more in mainstream the older they get as expectation increases. My sons school has always met his need even if it cost more than he was entitled to but still applied for ehcp as his next school may not do that. It's always better to have legal documentation than good faith.