To think the SEND system is failing children

[SEND2022]

DD in year 3, complex needs, EHCP since reception and 2 full time 1-1s.

First 18 months were horrific, she was never in class, she only did 2 hours a day in school for months. We couldn't find a single specialist that could meet her needs.

Her mainstream have been utterly incredible, the solution when she was in year 1 was if we can't take her to specialist we would bring specialist to her. She has her TAs, her own room, weekly OT and SALT therapists in. She did settle in year 2 and has had a good year, actually in the classroom 75% of the time which is huge. Received a reward for her love of learning because she 100% does LOVE to learn.

Now in year 3 and it is getting too much for her again. I have searched everywhere for a specialist, 90 minutes diameter. I could write an encyclopedia on all the options to the point I advise other local parents of settings available. Not a single one is suitable for DD. Time isn't on our side and it is frankly terrifying.

She isn't a behavioural child, the LA are insistent the only school that can take her is a behavioural school where she will be exposed to violent behaviour, obscene language and potentially over sexualised behaviours. No other girls in her class or the one above or below. She is highly anxious.

Autism schools are unavailable as she is academically capable. Same for learning difficulties schools.

There are no semh schools that focus on the non-behavioural part of SEMH. No primary ASD schools that suit academically capable children.

So my choice is to stick with where she is, where I know she is a huge resource drain. Where, when she is having a good spell it absolutely is brilliant for her but when it's difficult she is in a room on her own to learn, which is devastating for a child who desperately wants to learn with her class. Hitting year 3 and we seem to have hit teasing issues which we've never encountered before. The benefit of her school is they know her, I trust them implicitly and I know they will do their absolute best and I don't need to worry about having to build the same level of understanding in a new school.

AIBU to think the options are grim?

Our local boys grammar school has an ASD unit attached to it and also there is a specialised SEN school for ASD children in the same LA but they have to be academically capable with an EHCP to access. So it is a postcode lottery really sadly.

My son attended an Enhanced Resource attached to an outstanding mainstream secondary. Whilst I can't fault the staff and they were exceptional in the support they offered. I found that it was the worst of both worlds, so they felt separate to the outstanding main part of the school but they didn't get the specialist support because they were still in a mainstream school bound by the confines of the mainstream national curriculum. His school were very helpful in securing a move to an independent specialist which was what he really needed. Dd attended a different independent specialist school but the support at both was incredibly good and of course there were on site SALT OT and other therapies that made a real difference.

There are so many children that don’t fit the right profile for the specialist schools out there.

My child did have behavioural issues (and complex social needs due to autism), but was also very academically able. He needed a ratio of 2:1 when he was in primary school.

We had so many struggles to find the right placement for him and to be blunt, we never really did (he is 18 now and has been through mainstream primary, two
resourced provisions, two specialist boarding schools and a specialist sixth form and none were ever truly able to meet his needs).

There just isn’t the specialist provision out there for many children with complex needs, and what does exist is often inadequate and geared towards shady businesses making profits from local authority money.

I wish I could be more positive about it, but having been through the system with my own child and working at senior level in education myself, it’s a pretty bleak picture.

yanbu.

i am lucky that Ds is academically able to to cope in mainstream with full 1-1 at the moment. However his secondary school is literally the only one, mainstream or specialist, in the area that could come close to meeting his needs. Without the water tight ehcp we have now then he wouldn’t be coping though.

there are so many children either in an unsuitable provision or out of school all together due to lack of provision.

Have school looked at what is causing the distress and done all they can to minimise it already? DS had a lady from SEND in (through school) to observe him before he was diagnosed, she recommended all sorts. None of it was done but it sounds like your dd's school is really good so might be worthwhile.

It's hard to know what might be best without knowing the ins and outs, but if possible I'd stick with her current school and try to work out what's causing the self harm and bolting and see if things can be put in place to prevent it escalating to that point. Transitions are hard for kids with ASD and unless you were sure a school was going to be really great for her I'd stick with what you know.

DS was suggested a work station - I guess like you might get in an office where it's almost like your own little cubicle - but it would mean she would still be in the room with everyone else. I don't know if that would help or would be possible to put in place.

Im not "stupid" but i think im a bit slow and i feel like ive been swindled by dds school

Shes autistic, 5 yrs old possibly adhd and not doing well in mainstream
Teachers there dont understand autism and blame her behaviours on being naughty

She cant sit still for example
All they do is complain about her behaviour everyday

She doest even have a 1to1/TA to herself despite having ehcp, the TA is for the whole class and they dont even have a sensory room

They are encouraging me to put dd in a special school but im on the fence about it

@Sirzy that is similar to DS3. He is thriving in a supportive secondary MS but only because of an excellent EHCP.

@pinheadlarry You need an early review of the EHCP. What does section F say about TA support? If DD needs 1:1 it should be specified and quantified in there, otherwise it is unlikely DD will receive 1:1. Does section F contain SALT and OT support?

pinheadlarry don’t let yourself be pushed into moving her but at the same time it’s worth looking at other provision locally to see if there is somewhere you feel would be better for her.

as that’snotmycar said generally to her 1-1 the plan needs to be very specific. Ds states “25 hour 1-1 from teaching assistant each week in lessons and a high level of support at other times”

And that’s the daft thing if the right support is put in early on then it can prevent a lot of problems down the line

but as with everything too often it’s reactive not proactive

Yes, Im in Manchester area (just outside of) and I viewed one for my year 2 son yesterday and really liked it. There are no places until sept 23. He’s been out of school for nearly a year. This is the first time I’ve felt hopeful that there is something out there. Waiting to hear back if he can be reserved a place. His has ASD/PDA and is academically able but extremely anxious

This is the situation we are in. Your child sounds a lot like mine (in yr 9). We are yet again having to find a new school as his current one can't meet his needs. Do you mind me asking which specialist boarding schools yours went to? We are looking at Wilds Lodge, have a meeting with them this week. I like the look of it but am worried that is a SEMH school rather than am autism school.

The system is absolutely awful.

My eldest went through mainstream primary with a ft 1:1 but the local secondary were very dismissive and basically said they couldn’t do simple things in the ehcp like letting her have a computer. She’s academically able but very anxious and has very poor self esteem. She attends a specialist secondary which takes academically able autistic children but is a quieter environment with reduced subjects - no drama, MFL etc.

Youngest attends a complex needs school. We have no general autism schools locally for those with learning needs so she’s thrown in a variety of disabilities.

Provision is woeful generally. We change speech therapists constantly as they all seem to leave. I’m absolutely dreading post 16 provision for my eldest though her younger sibling can stay at her complex needs school until 19 but god knows what will happen after that as she’s got significant challenges.

I think the Cavendish school near Cambridge is trying to meet this specific need for autistic kids with additional needs but who aren't academically behind ( or not too behind). As far as I know this is the first school of its kind. And it's become very popular.

I agree Sirzy, and the provision required often costs more in the long run than if support had been given sooner.

Caramac Gretton isn’t the only school that caters for academically able autistic pupils, it wasn’t the first either, I think Breckenbrough and Alderwasley Hall opened years before. Like many schools parents either love it or hate it.

Cavendish is the new one in Impington, it's separate from Gretton I believe

Apologies, I remember now, this was recently on another thread. There is a new free school in Cambridge called Cavendish which is confusing as the Trust that runs Gretton is also called the Cavendish Education.

I would stick with what you have. I am a 1-1 TA shared between 3 children in reception. All 3 need a 1-1 at all times yet no funding or money available. 2 TA’s for one child is unheard of in mainstream school. Even our local school for children with profound severe health needs aswell as being diagnosed with ASD only has 8/30 children with 2 TA’s.

Absolutely sirzy and mycar. I'm astonished how much Ds's specialist placement costs. If he had been supported adequately and properly much earlier, things could have been different. Currently Ds is post 18 and will need an EHCP for a fair while yet.
It's feels like local authorities will wait until a crisis to agree support and then so much damage has already been done.

I am a 1-1 TA shared between 3 children in reception.

I do hope none of them have 1:1 specified and quantified in their EHCP, because if they do this would be unlawful. A good EHCP can be fully funded.

They could be on very dodgy ground legally if 1-1 is specified.

Her school are fab, as well as her EHCP she has a detailed response plan. Her biggest issues are the anxiety caused by others not doing as they should be, low level noise, out of the norm school days, not understanding something etc. She has a work station and a seperate room. She's getting fairly good now at knowing if it's a work station she needs or an escape she needs so she has the free option of either. If you were to put her in a silent, empty classroom with silent children and a mountain of work to keep her busy she would be in her element. She needs strict, reliable structure.

Quite a few specialists openly stated they couldn't give her the structure she needs as usually kids need the opposite.

I'm definitely at that point, if it can't definitely give her better there's little point moving her :(

Although we had parents eve tonight and her peers are obviously developing and the gap socially is widening. I worry they will become far less accepting of her.

There's limpsfield grange in Oxted