How do you know of you need an ehcp?

[Howdoiknowwhattodo]

DD has ASD and is under CAMHs for her anxiety. A big trigger for this is school though she masks this there so they don't see it at all. She is also struggling with school work and not doing well academically.

CAMHs has advised that she needs an EHCP, but school say it isn't needed/wait to see how the assess plan do review goes.

Who do I listen to and how do I tell if DD really needs one. I don't want to fall out with the school but don't want to let my DD down either.

Also bear in mind op, let's say your school ( inspite of her failing accademicly) somehow convince you her needs can be met, what then?
This should have been set up in primary school really and it all should be in place now for her.
It's a line to be held following her progress and keeping teachers etc to that line.

Helping her get what she needs in a chaotic system. Many many teachers have no understanding of any special needs at all , they don't understand dyslexia, anxiety, ADHD you may get 4 teachers who have some sympathy and 4 who don't get it.
That ehcp is your raft to cling onto in an Ocean of ignorance.

Sorry, but I had different experience with my DD. I did initially try and get the school to do the EHCP, but after waiting for SIX YEARS, I went private. So no, emailing God and all his angels didn’t make a bit of a difference.

This makes no sense, you could have applied for an EHCNA yourself. You don’t need a private diagnosis or assessments in order to apply. My point about emailing the Director of Children’s services wasn’t in relation to applying for an EHCNA, it was in relation to schools not complying with EHCPs.

When we switched secondary schools due to a house move, the new school tried to take away her EHCP. I had to go in with the private assessment and raise hell to stop it.

Again, schools can’t remove EHCPs only LAs can cease to maintain, and parents would have the right of appeal if the LA intended to cease the EHCP.


as it was weeks before GCSE exams had no choice but for her DD to take the exams with zero accommodations.

Exam access arrangements can be provided without an EHCP.

I think you are outlining how things are supposed to work, but ime that’s not what happened to myself and at least one other family.

It is the legal position, if LAs &/or schools act unlawfully parents can force them to comply with the law.

@JustKeepBuilding

How do DC without ehcp get access arrangements please.

Our local authority makes Sencos fill out a detailed document before applying for an EHCNA (I am aware this is illegal). Anyway, the document takes a SENCo over one working day to complete. If it’s the same in your local authority then the school’s reluctance to apply for one may be due to workload issues (which is also terrible).

Does your school work with primary care/MHST or have educational mental health practitioners that come in?
You could speak to her pastoral manager about the schools mental health support provision and if they have anyone, they could arrange an assessment to be conducted and if they agree that an EHCP is required, they can provide a professional opinion. In our LA primary care covers SES referrals etc so it all comes at the first level in mental health support.

I have supported many parents through the EHCP process and have met several situations where an EHCNA has been requested by a HCP. Some pass it off to parents or schools but not all. However, I wasn’t posting about what was done in practice, I was commenting on your assertion that there are 2 ways of applying which isn’t correct.

I wouldn’t say I have had a difficult experience compared to many, but in the process of supporting many other parents I have met many schools who think nothing of acting unlawfully and pedalling unlawful LA policies such as the child won’t get an EHCP if academically able, the school need to have spent 6k or undertaken 2 cycles of assess/plan/do review or any number of other myths. Or schools who do not provide provision detailed, specified and quantified in F. You only have to read threads on MN to see that.

I didn’t say all schools. Whereas you made sweeping generalisations about all CAMHS, Paediatrics and Occupational Therapy.

You can see JCQ’s access arrangement guidance and information here.

they will need evidence of assess, plan do review over a few terms
waiting for them to fall at least 2 years behind

These are myths. The initial threshold the OP needs to focus on for an EHCNA is a) has or may have SEN, and b) may need SEN provision to be made via an EHCP.

Pupils can get EHCPs without 2 cycles of assess/plan/do/review or being 2+ years behind.

If have a good chat with the school and find out how they can support dd. What they can put in place now. Foes she have an idea of what would help her anxiety?

My ds is in caring class for high school. It's smaller class size for kids with sen with form tutor who is super switched on with sen. They have quieter areas to go at break and lunch time. He knows he can go and get a chat with form tutor any time (or a hug) teachers check in to make sure ds has hw written down then we make check lists at home.
Iv also encouraged him to find one or two friends who like quieter times and sit with them to avoid being over stimulated. He also has ear phones to help with noise.

Our DD sounds the same as yours OP.

My personal experience of secondary schools is that they are so overwhelmed that the pupils that aren't violent or presenting as having major problems are ignored and dismissed. If you can find alternative provision then do.

We applied for EHCP ourselves and after fighting the local authority got them to agree to assess they then backed out, one of the reasons was 100% attendance (yes because she rule follows and I have always emphasised how important education is especially when you are behind your peers) . We were going to take them to court but decided rather madly to look at private schools.

I was lucky enough to find her a small non selective private school a 50 minute bus ride away.

The classes are small everything is very calm and when she has had issues I ring or email and it's usually sorted straight away.

She actually has a chance now whereas before she was heading for failure and a breakdown.

I will move heaven and earth to pay for it having seen the difference it's made to her. I'm so angry that children like ours seems to be forgotten about.

It sounds, from what you say, that the school have put some support in place, because you mention assessing and reviewing. Presumably, that’s to see what difference any support has made. As she’s in Year 7, she will have been in that school for a term, so still fairly new.

It used to irritate me that HCPs would tell me what I should be doing as an educational professional. I didn’t and wouldn’t tell them what treatment they should offer.

There’s no reason why you can’t get things started by applying for a needs assessment yourself. They will need to know what is already in place and whether support is making a positive difference. Since she’s already involved with CAMHS, has there been previous concern and support? CAMHS waiting lists are long these days.

I'd always listen to CAMHS over school. Imo teachers including Sencos have very little knowledge of additional needs.

I fought DD's school for years for one. They kept telling me they could meet her needs but they patently weren't. All other professionals supported me. The Senco eventually resigned under a cloud before she was pushed..

Now she's thriving and I've had an apology. Its simply not good enough. Dont be put off OP

School have to have implemented strategies themselves to support the child which either require a lot of funding (usually to pay a teaching / special needs assistant) or show the child can't access education without them. It's not about whether a child can fulfill their potential or is low academically if school can accommodate these needs. Or it is about their physical well being. School need to amass evidence that the child's needs cannot be met by the normal provision within the school, which means they are likely to have to make major adjustments for that child for some time prior to the assessment taking place (which usually comes out of their budget - even if an EHCP is awarded, the school still have to pay the first £6000 per year (figure might have changed, I'm not sure) from their budget.

Many children are on the ASD spectrum but manage to cope in school well enough. Many children underachieve due to a variety of factors but it is usually only if their attainment falls well below that of the majority that EHCPs are given.

Basically children who get them either have significant learning difficulties, significant behavioural / emotional difficulties or physical conditions that impact significantly impact on their learning (poor sight, physical disability, life threatening conditions etc.)

My background is I successfully did a parent application for an EHCP Needs Assessment and a finalised EHCP was in place by child’s age 3, within 6 months of applying. Caveat with my child has a physical disability, diagnosis, many healthcare professionals involved etc. I recommend reading the SEN Code of Practise (CoP) - don’t be put off by the big document; it’s plain english and broken down well into chapters, so just pick out the bits you need. Then if you still want to pursue a Needs Assessment use the IPSEA guidelines and templates and apply yourself to your LA. You’ll need to be armed with evidence and examples of how your child needs support above and beyond that of their peers/age group.

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/398815/SEND_Code_of_Practice_January_2015.pdf

www.ipsea.org.uk/pages/category/education-health-and-care-plans

My other child, without a disability or EHCP, has access arrangements in school. School SENDCO arranged for a specific cognitive assessment (not EHCPNA) in school after observing our child for a little while. Results of that highlighted needs but they could be met within school resources (and are working very well), so no need for EHCP. I would recommend speaking to your SENDCO as the first step.

Senco here, although primary. I’ve applied for ehcp assessments for a child who has pretty much zero support in school. We all could see she was masking and the EP agreed. She was assessed and it was granted which was positive as she has really needed it in secondary school. Yes my LA also constantly asks us for piles of evidence and reports, but the law remains, I’m not here to prove a child has sen, that is the purpose of the assessment.

I’m not here to prove a child has sen, that is the purpose of the assessment. this is a really REALLY key bit of information to take on board. ALL you are required to do is demonstrate that there is a possibility the child might need an ehcp. The assessment decides if that’s the case.

Many children are on the ASD spectrum but manage to cope in school well enough. Many children underachieve due to a variety of factors but it is usually only if their attainment falls well below that of the majority that EHCPs are given.

That is not true. Ds was granted his first EHCP the summer after he achieved 10 GCSEs, 5 of them were grade 9's. (Admittedly they were lockdown grades and exams not sat, but he is still able). You can still have complex needs, even if you are academically more able.

I didn't say an able child couldn't have complex needs and require an EHCP. I'm just pointing out that merely underachieving isn't in itself a criterion for an EHCP. If the child otherwise manages in school much like the majority of their peers and has no identified learning, emotional or physical needs, they are not likely to get an EHCP.

even if an EHCP is awarded, the school still have to pay the first £6000 per year (figure might have changed, I'm not sure) from their budget.

Legally, no they don’t. It is the LA who are ultimately responsible for ensuring provision detailed, specified and quantified in F is provided. It is possible to get EHCPs fully funded. DS3’s is.

You can apply yourself as a parent if the school won't. Be aware, requests for assessment are often rejected, so be prepared to need mediation and/or appeal, to get an assessment. The whole process can take a very long time, from application, to being issued an EHCP, due to the above.

Exactly, I was fobbed off for six years and gave up and went private for the assessment.

@ZeViteVitchofCwismas

My Dd got a smaller room in her exams and breaks. We also got soecial considerations for anxiety as it flared up during her exams.

She has an assessment now and would be entitled to extra time plus a room to herself.

Ask the school.

You didn’t need to go private for an assessment before applying for an EHCNA. You don’t need any assessments before applying, and could have applied yourself.

I applied for an EHCNA over and over and over again for six years and was fobbed off BEFORE I went private for an assessment. I don’t know what is so hard to understand about this. What do you think I was doing for six years? Not applying for an EHCNA and sitting with my thumbs up my arse?