To be worried about my dd's education

[BelleMarionette]

She started in reception, only for schools to close shortly afterwards with the first lockdown. She went to key worker provision, but it was just childcare. I had no time to home school as I was working crazy hours on the covid wards, and also emotionally and physically drained (and traumatised too). Same again for second lockdown.

She then had nearly a whole year of supply teachers, which changed daily or weekly. She did not learn at all in this time.

She has struggled massively with school, and been diagnosed with autism. I have applied for an EHCP but the council has refused to assess. Now she is missing lots more school this year too due to strikes.

School initially denied she was behind academically, but then acknowledged she was, but said that all the children were.

She just feels like one of many of a lost generation. Sadly I can't afford private school, and won't ever be able without a career change.

Aibu to think children are being failed currently?

Sounds like the school are trying..1:1 without a ehcp.

Can you afford a private tutor?

Well hopefully the tourism and investment generated by the coronation will be channeled into education and healthcare.

With a couple of billion people tuning in to watch and world leaders flying in, I expect it will produce some revenue.

What a complete load of bollocks!

So why didn't people step up before it got to this? They didn't care before that is why. This isn't a new crisis in school. Maybe if people supported the issue a few years ago we might not be here today. We reap what we sow sadly.

@BelleMarionette I’ve just got an EHCP for DS who is awaiting an ASD diagnosis. I’m surprised your DD didn’t get one if she has an ASD diagnosis. Really surprised. There is a charity called SOS!SEN who can advise you here. Also - my local authority has an advice agency that run along side them - so any queries, they’ve offered excellent advice. I’ve had to do a lot of emailing, chasing and taking matters into my own hands. A mix of SLT reports, developmental paediatrics - but in each area I’ve initiated the reports/chased for appointments.

Educationally, I do think I’ve got to give DS support at home where I can. His needs are pretty specific - and I think whereas school is helping with his social development, maybe not do much with learning specific skills. At home, I’m finding that he is drawn to electronic toys - so he’s pretty much learnt his letter sounds/numbers from repeating/mimicking these toys.

I also can’t recommend Reading Eggs and Maths Seeds highly enough. You have to subscribe, or you can do a trial. It’s an app - and we do about 10 mins each day. He loves it. We do it together - I do some to show, and now he’s gradually taking over and doing more.

@PortUmber EHCPs are based on needs, not diagnosis. Not all pupils with an ASD diagnosis has or need an EHCP.

Be careful with SENDIASS, some are good but too many repeat the LA’s unlawful policies.

The trouble is in our area the la won’t award top up funding if an ehcp is applied for, if awarded it’s only on the basis that you don’t apply for an ehcp. Yes this can be challenged but it takes time and by the time it’s challenged the ehcp tribunal has prob come round anyway

As you say, having a blanket policy stating this isn’t lawful.

Initially you come off as quite defeatist. For instance if my child was in a similar scenario I'd be plugging the gaps at reception myself so listening to reading, practicing phonics, handwriting practice. As parents you really can't be passive and expect school to do it all (maybe previously parents could but times have changed). Then you've gone into more detail and definitely are trying to get the help your dd needs at school. I do think you need to arrange some provision for her at home though. Either you find the time to help or you ask a family member or look into getting a tutor. Maybe being in a more relaxed setting with short bursts would help her get a better grasp of the basics? Again just suggestions, obviously you know your dd better than I do and would know if these suggestions just wouldn't work for her.

sThe trouble is most of the stuff our la do isn’t lawful, taking an average of 40 weeks to finalise ehcps isn’t lawful, never finalising amended ehcps after review isn’t lawful, not abiding by tribunal orders after parents win at tribunal isn’t lawful to name but a few. Parents are challenging by judicial review, taking to ombudsman etc but it all takes time.

I didn’t say it didn’t take time, but personally I think parents should be supported to challenge such policies rather than accepting and excusing LAs acting unlawfully. Sometimes emailing the Director of Children’s Services threatening JR works. If not a pre-action letter often does, which doesn’t take anywhere near as long as waiting for a refusal to issue/content/placement appeal. Very few get to an actual hearing.

I actually feel the same right now. My son is in year 4. He has not had one teacher for the whole of any school year. His first teacher went off on maternity leave. Second year teacher took early retirement and then we had a year of Covid disruptions. His teacher in year 3 resigned to go abroad and his teacher in year 4 went on maternity leave!

part of our schools problem is that they only tend to recruit newly qualified teachers. (Probably because financially they’re cheaper. They don’t seem to offer the permanency!) Saying that mature staff have also left which is why we’ve ended up with NQT’s and I guess that’s why they’re striking!

A few years this used to work, I used ipseas letter about not finalising ehcp after review as I needed the ehcp to be able to appeal and I got the ehcp finalised. The trouble is now that with ehcp after review for example in order to actually get an amended ehcp you have to threaten judicial review so la have got to the point where they are overwhelmed with these letters and they are common place so don’t always take notice, same with pre action letter threatening judicial review. Complaints process is now so overwhelmed thst all complaints are going over timeline and complaints manager has been known to tell parents that he won’t hear back from Sen department so to refer to ombudsman. It’s a complete shit show.

It still sometimes works now, and is always worth a try. I do this day in, day out, supporting hundreds of parents on MN and IRL, very few get to an actual hearing. As you can see from this SOSSEN page for the vast majority threatening and then pursuing JR it doesn’t take anywhere near as long as a refusal to issue/BFI appeal. You can also seek an interim order.

Agree definitely worth a try but just have low expectations of what will work, I’m ok at the minute as mine is in specialist, we’ve not had updated ehcp after review for three years but in the grand scheme of things it doesn’t matter as school is good so I’ve not threatened any action. I support other parents also

If you support other parents then you will know pursuing JR doesn’t have to take as long as a refusal to issue/BFI appeal.

Can you not see the biggest impact to your child's education was the year she spent with regularly changing supply teachers? That may have been even worse for a child with ASD than an NT child.

If the strikes don't work, this situation will get more and more common. You have to look at the long game here- your child is only in KS1, there is an awful lot of education they have to still get through, and things will likely get worse if there is not a significant improvement in teacher pay and conditions.

There is a shortage of primary teachers being recruited, and secondary may seem a long way off, but the situation in secondary is in crisis.

Moving to another school may not help. Unless you can opt out by homeschooling or going private, this is the state of education in this country. Personally, I'd be doing everything I can to support teacher strikes for the long term, because if they don't work, things will only get worse.

@FloatingBean

Yes, I agree. But as the OP stated struggling massively with school - plus ASD diagnosis, I would have thought sufficient evidence there for EHCP.

DS’s EHCP has taken about 7 months. The key issue being a lack of EP’s. I emailed the EP lead in my area to complain and I think this, along with a formal complaint to the LA helped get the EP appointment - although if I queue jumped here, that’s clearly not right or fair.

I do think ‘taking matters into own hands’ is the key issue here. Both with supporting education gaps and pushing to secure an EHCP. I’m not saying that’s right, but I think that’s the solution with an under resourced system.

@BelleMarionette you said you'd go private but can't afford it; have you considered looking into bursaries? If you have a private school with decent SEN provision (lots aren't great with SEN) then it's worth talking with them about their bursary process.

It looks like majority yanbu so you’re not alone

I don’t know op it sounds tough. I feel for dc in all this

I agree. I think the OP should request an EHCNA herself. I was responding to your surprise OP’s DD had a diagnosis but no EHCP. When EHCPs aren’t based on diagnosis and not all with a diagnosis have an EHCP.

An EHCP assessment has been requested, but the council has denied this. I will appeal, but this takes a long time.

Apologies, I didn’t read back when replying to that poster. My reply to the pp was more about it not necessarily being surprising DD didn’t have an EHCP ‘just’ because she had a diagnosis.