SEN child situation - I'm not after advice really,, just looking to blow off some steam.
To cut a long story short, my DD who will be 5 later this month, is ASD, has a chromosomal disorder and presents with some challenging behaviours.
Our last LA fought us tooth and nail on stating that she requires a specialist setting on her EHCP, despite the reports and evidence from all professionals involved with her saying that she clearly needs it. Last November, after filing the appeals paperwork, they finally conceded and put the school type down as ''specialist'' - no actual school was named.
We moved LAs in January, in order to be closer to family and because of there being more SEN schools in this county.
To be clear, I wasn't harbouring any illusion that she might then have a SEN place for this coming September - I knew it was likely to be mainstream again but the new LA asked me for the names of a few SEN schools to consult with - and of course, they all responded saying they are full and can't meed need.
So the LA sent out more consultations to quite a lot more SEN schools in the vicinity and the response has been the same.
That consultation period has lasted, basically from January, up until last month whereby the LA advised me they were now looking to consult with mainstream schools as DD will be compulsory school age in a matter of days.
I cried a little down the phone as I know they can't meet needs but I've accepted it on the proviso the EHCP explicitly states its a temporary procurement until a specialist place is found.
So consultations with the 4 nearest schools went out. I managed to arrange visits with two of the schools, the 1st of them being my preference. Both schools affirmed to me that they really can't meet need and during the second visit, an autistic child had managed to get out of his classroom and was running around the playground on his own.
I nixed that school!
Being as the 1st was my preference and the LA also agreed they were the most likely to be able to meet need, the 1st has been named on the EHCP now.
Now the school SENCO has arranged an ''emergency meeting'' with the LA for this Tuesday - a meeting neither our SEND caseworker or her manager seems to be aware of - and will be in contact after the meeting.
The thing is, I know this meeting is pointless as they must admit my daughter now they have been named on the EHCP - I agree that they can't really meet need but when push comes to shove, she needs to be with her peers and I've agreed to keep her to two days rather than the full 5. The school want those to be afternoons only.
This is time being wasted, surely? The SENCO should be arranging whatever transition period she can now arrange in the few days left of term.
I'm at the end of my tether tbh - I haven't worked since May 2022 and even then I was only working part time at the weekends. My DD attending this setting wasn't just for her benefit but also mine tbh - I need a breather and to be able to just put my all into our new appeal application.
But if even the mainstream schools are going to fight us on taking her, I'll have no choice but to continue to stay home and she'll miss out on valuable school time!
I know legally, the school can't refuse her now but the fact they are even trying has upset me more than I thought....it seems we're exactly back where we were a year ago, with no transition in place for the coming September. And the SENCO knows there are no SEN places so whilst she tries to persuade me that she is helping us, I don't think she has considered that she isn't and is only really helping her school.