School denying diagnosed SEN. Where to turn?

[CanYouSeeWhatISee]

DS10 (11 in August and moving to high school in September) has recently been diagnosed with Autism. His 3 year old sibling also has an autism diagnosis but his is much more pronounced.

DS10’s school have repeatedly told me they don’t believe he is autistic and they would never support the diagnosis because he is sociable; their responses throughout the assessment support their view that he is not autistic.

DS is a lovely boy and he is very well behaved but his sensory needs are impacting our whole family and this was the reason for the referral for assessment.

He is constantly on the move whether it’s running , jumping, spinning , shrieking, hitting, crashing in to things etc . It makes doing any very small task exhausting. The whole experience every day is exhausting. He can sometimes be calm if he has a sensory toy in hand but he still shrieks and is unpredictable. He also does dangerous things in order to get some sensory feedback.

The constant movement and noise also upsets his little brother who can not stand it so it adds to the battles.

DS10 was assessed by an educational psychologist who could see how anxious he is in school and explained to his teachers that he is trying hard to mask his need to seek feedback.

DS10 was then referred for a sensory assessment and both myself and his school were sent forms. I’ve received a copy of the forms in the post yesterday and unsurprisingly the school’s responses are opposite to mine and DH’s. DS10 has now been discharged with no further action needed.

We are frustrated to say the least. I understand school can only write what they see in the classroom but I feel they think I’m lying or exaggerating.

WIBU to ask for DS10 to be seen again?

You need to apply for an EHC Needs Assessment. He meets the legal threshold for this.

The assessment should result in reports that identify his needs and make recommendations for how they should be met. The independent report you commissioned should be given equal weight.

If the LA declines the request for an assessment, appeal to the SEND Tribunal. It's free to lodge an appeal and the overwhelming majority of parents who appeal this are successful.

Autism does not need a psychiatrist to diagnose, that's ADHD

The panorama doc was about adhd.

Autism requires a multi disciplinary team to diagnose and is a life long diagnosis. The threshold is very different in children (and much pricier than an adhd diagnosis)

Sorry, paediatric ADHD does not need a psychiatrist either. Got confused with adult adhd.

Lots of people saw the recent Panorama programme. Some private diagnoses aren't worth the paper they are written on.

That's why some schools and GPs don't accept them.

Anyone who believes that a clinician has been influenced to provide a diagnosis without sufficient evidence should report them to the HCPC. This is not an adequate excuse to reject private diagnoses routinely.

Can I just confirm that he has a formal sen diagnosis? Your title and op contradict each other.

He was diagnosed by the NHS as a full assessment (the educational psychologist was brought in later); they were slightly perplexed by school’s responses as they could see DS has sensory needs (albeit these were ‘muted’ during the assessment). The NHS assessment also agreed that DS tries hard to comply and not move.

The class teacher also submitted a school report explaining DS needs to try harder to focus and settle down but has told the assessor verbally that they have zero concerns. It makes me feel they think I’m fibbing (to what end I don’t know!).

I recently asked for DS to have a break from the classroom for five minutes with some of the other children who get breaks as he was finding some things overwhelming (he doesn’t show it at school but cries at home about it) and school said no he doesn’t need it.

I don’t think they have read the educational psychologist report never mind implemented any of it.

This an EP can not diagnosis him

go private if you can

https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/topics/diagnosis/professionals-involved/autistic-adults

This would suggest not. Psychologists can obviously be part of the MDT but psychiatrists give the diagnosis itself.

That's what was CAMHS policy anyway.

@Willyoujustbequiet it's illegal not to accept a qualified private assessment!

Don't get me started on that useless Panorama episode. That was not a robustly made documentary, just very flimsy journalism that can not be taken seriously.

A private diagnosis obtained according to NICE guidelines legally has to be accepted by authorities/school/CAMHS etc.

Just wanted to clarify for the many incorrect statements on this thread.

Apply for an EHC needs assessment. You can state he needs one as school refuse to accept the diagnosis and out recommended ep,support in place. I also suggest you have a browse of the Ipsea website.

You can always tell who the school staff are on these posts by the 'they don't qualify for an EHC needs assessment' and 'schools don't have to accept private diagnosis' nonsense.

That link is for autistic adults.

CAMHS may have their own criteria but the legally accepted diagnositic criteria is to follow the NICE guidelines. Not what camhs say.

Thank you 🙏

So it it isnt the school are not denying the diagnosis just that they don't have concerns about his behaviour in the classroom? Is that correct? The teacher can only write what they see.

What are you hoping for the outcome to be since they are moving to high school in September?

That’s for adults, not children. Psychiatrists aren’t always involved with children or adolescent assessments, including in the NHS where in some areas assessments are undertaken by paediatricians and not via CAMHS.

In my LA, its a MDT panel that determines am ASD diagnosis. One aspect would be an EP report, but there would be other reports / observations / assessments carried out by school, Speech therapists, OTs / paediatrician etc. A child psychiatrist sits on the panel. reports from the EP may say the child shows traits of ASD, but doesn’t give an actual diagnosis.

I applied for an EHCP for him when he was in Year 4 as DS3 has one in place so I know the process. DS10 school Sendco was not on board. The assessment was refused and I won at appeal but never went on to get an EHCP as his school could meet his “mild” needs.

I can not explain what is like on a daily basis; he is not naughty but he is exhausting. As I am typing this, he is in another room jumping as hard as he can on the floor, spinning and jumping and diving on to cushions. It all sounds like typical young boy play but it is the excess of it which is not normal. He still needs a lot of support with daily care because he can’t get anything finished without being distracted looking for feedback.

Panorama was shocking indeed but there were real individuals and companies involved carrying out unethical assessments, misdiagnosing people and prescribing dangerous drugs that were not warranted.

It was an absolute disgrace tbh and revealed a very unpalatable side of the private medical sector. My surgery does not accept private diagnoses for ADHD medication for this very reason.

Its a scandal that NHS waits are so long that desperate people feel they are forced to turn to a private diagnosis when some unscrupulous people simply prey on the vulnerable.

It may be different for adults, but DD was diagnosed with ADHD by a psychologist at the CMHT. I went with her, to give my recollections about her school reports and teachers’ comments, as well as her childhood at home.

Did you appeal the refusal to issue? Request another EHCNA and appeal if the LA refusal to issue.

Do you have an indoor mini trampoline &/or indoor sensory swing?

To confirm it was an MDT assessment with the NHS which resulted in an autism diagnosis.

No it was my DC.

Yes paediatricians can ( although not in my area) but no psychologists cant give a diagnosis alone.

It’s very strange how schools and LAs say they can’t accept private reports, because parents pay to tell the professionals what to say. My LA has produced a report on DD, that is a load of garbage; and they say they can’t change it, because it was produced by an independent professional!

I did not appeal as I felt defeated at this point. The reports from the psychologist whilst recognising some difficulties, was not very good. Also, school told them that they would never apply for an EHCP for DS as he manages fine with minimal support .