To not know what the hell is going on or what to do next!!

[WhatAChuffinMess]

Been trying to find DS an education provision for 2 and a half years. Nowhere wants him!

Hes a young adult with SEN (ASD and mild LD). Didn’t get any qualifications at mainstream school and couldn’t finish course at mainstream college as mental health got quite bad (anxiety and self harming). College failure was more to do with that specific college than anything else as students from his mainstream secondary school who’d bullied him also went there.

I’ve been trying to find him another college since June 2021 as he is clear he wants to continue in education and get some qualifications. He has an EHC Plan so can stay in education until age 25 which is necessary as he’s behind peers his own age due to his disability and he had no proper support in his mandatory school years at all.

Every college we have approached have said they are not suitable so won’t take him. Approached over 30 now! Either due to his MH needs (anxiety which has got better as he’s had Art therapy, no meds!), his ability being too low or too high, or he apparently won’t fit in with student cohort.

I just don’t get it! He is not violent, aggressive, no police or social services involvement, no MH crisis warranting inpatient care.

Why is every college saying they can’t take him?

His academic levels have actually reduced 2 levels over the last 2 years due to having no education provision!

Even colleges that can be ordered to admit him, aren’t.

What is going on and how can state funded colleges which are not selective and are specialist SEN placements just refuse to admit him?

It’s not like we’re trying to get him a University place without the necessary qualifications!

I am tearing my hair out here after another 3 said they wouldn’t take him today!

I'm not in the UK so this might not be an option there but here we have fully online colleges. As in, you can get your degree and take classes all virtually without a physical campus/location. Is that an option?

This sounds very hard - and a scandal.

Have you asked for advice on the SEN board?

Is there any specific provision in course that he is interested in? A friends young adult of similar age and with similar sounding issues has thrived on specifically targeted horticulture courses in the London area.

Can he do online college?

You need to be talking to the education authority who wrote his EHCP. It’s their job to find him a place.

I’m sorry to say that FE colleges are very much judged (by Ofsted) on their attendance, retention and achievement rates and they have a tiny tiny amount of money and very few staff to support students with SEN.

You need a higher authority to compel them to take him.

IPSEA are a really useful organisation to support parents and young people in your situation.

Sorry for my ignorance, but do you HAVE to tell the college? Can you just enrol him and see how he gets on? Or does he need 1:1 support worker or something provided for him?

Tell me about it, OP! I have two young adult sons (22 and 24) both have EHCPs, at least there has not been a formal review to 'close' them, neither has had any help or support to stay in or access education since their first college placements broke down when they were 16.

In both cases, the LA failed to even inform the colleges of my sons' needs and in both cases, support or funding for support (which is often the crux of the matter) was not made available in time to save the placement.

To be honest, after wearing myself out trying to fight the system, I am encouraging my eldest to join courses provided by his local university for people with MH needs. The courses have a strongly therapeutic aim, but can show my son that he can enjoy learning, and I am encouraging my youngest to follow his special interest via online courses such as FutureLearn. Online courses, however, do not offer him the interaction he so desperately needs.

I was going to state that EHCPs often are not worth the paper they are written on, but I know that for many people, they are vital documents to ensure support.

Have you got a local SENDIASS? Approach them. It's the LA statutory duty to place him in provision. If the college can't or won't secure this provision then the Local Authority must do so by naming a provider - this then means legally he has to have a place. I used to work in Children's SEND teams for the LA, if the lA don't fulfil their stat duty you can take them to tribunal. I wouldn't recommend putting yourself through that process if you don't have to but...you might have to. I started working in SEND in 2009 with Aiming Higher for Disabled Children and it pains me to see how shoddy SEND services are now. It's heartbreaking.

Hadlow College?