To think getting any help for my SEN child is nigh on impossible...

[Satanzlilhelpa]

SEN - Dx ODD, adhd. 4 years behind academically - LA offer only mainstream. He's no clue what is going on. I feel like I'm banging my head against a brick wall.

Is he in mainstream school currently?

Does he have an EHCP?

How old is he?

Sorry that you are facing such a battle to get suitable education for your son. Are there any special schools in neighbouring LA areas that might be suitable? I'm assuming your son has an EHCP?

This is why we home ed. Every option offered a challenge, a fight, a battle. We ended up choosing the one which meant least harm to my child which was being caused ineffectual and inappropriate support. You're facing a challenge either way, and while everyone bangs on about home ed being a privilege, being able access appropriate education is also down to luck of birth - and that fits in to the definition of privilege doesn't it?

We make huge sacrifices to do it.

My kid is thriving. Dx includes PDA

Sadly, Yes @Hankunamatata

He has an ehcp. He is 9. @Octavia64

He hasn't had an Ed Psych since 2020 so his needs are not reflected in his EHCP.

I get they don't want to give as much as a paperclip. Seems pointless having the useless EHCP. He's literally in a world of his own.

I think LA would like us to home ed as they can't be a....

The problem as well is that support varies so much around the country.

Are there any local groups near you that could point you in the direction of getting the ECHP updated? Even the local autism support groups would know the names of useful contacts in the LA / charities that help etc if there aren't adhd support groups near you?

There can be such a huge change in needs over that long - it's shocking that it can't be addressed easily ...

And yes - we were told they had no clue how to support my child and I couldn't risk them making them feel more desperate with ineffective and inappropriate interventions so we left because I just didn't have enough energy to fight every battle going. I'm not good enough. So I support my kid and honestly, they're doing so well that I don't regret it. But I do get not everyone can take that option. Equally, we couldn't not take that option iyswim

Have you looked around all the types schools in the area to see of any would be suitable?

Hi OP, what does his school say re annual review of his EHCP?

Annual reviews are legal requirements and they should be taking your views into account

school say they can meet need. No achievement in 4 academic years but you can meet need - how? What are they going to do differently that hasn't worked in 4 years?

@SpudleyLass I got told I could ask for "specialist" in theory only.

Can you afford to get your own ed pysch, sensory occ therapy etc? It sounds like you need a new EHCP and a suitable school named.

YANBU to think getting the support is incredibly difficult and hugely exhausting to fight.

I’m in the same boat. My son is 10 and can’t read or write better than a 6 year old. Has no social skills and also has dyspraxia.
his EHCP has been declined.
We need to apply for secondary schools in September, no way he will cope in a mainstream school but no EHCP means no special school

Yes, I can.

His needs are so complex that mainstream is literally like a day on the moon.

If you think a SS is required and the LA has refused, have you appealed to SENDIST? If not, do you currently have the right of appeal?

Go to the IPSEA website and look for “model letters” then find the one that is about applying for a reassessment. Use that to apply for a full reassessment. It is kind of like starting from scratch but you already have a baseline. The LA must then re do the shit reports you’ll have got in 2020 lockdown year. If they refuse you have the right of appeal. Your EHCP and provision therein is only as good as the reports you have which inform it.

Appeal. There is no other way.

My son is SEN but does ok. There's a boy in his school who has such significant needs that he has a 1 to 1 everywhere he goes. He learns separately with her and she tries to integrate him at playtime but he struggles. He had an EHCP. You need something like this if there are no suitable schools nearby.
It's such a postcode lottery. You have to keep fighting. Appeal is the only way.
If you can afford assessment of need in the learning environment you could pay for that but that would be costly.

@BrumToTheRescue They should have sent me an amended draft after 2 weeks and haven't

I have requested a re-assessment of his needs.

Sorry to say it, but it does sound like appeal is your best recourse.

I don't understand schools who say this.

I know. I've asked and you can appeal without their paperwork.

If you are meaning a draft with the proposed amendments following AR then the LA has 4 weeks from the meeting rather than 2 weeks to inform you if they are going to amend or not and if they are going to amend send the draft at the same time. If the LA hasn’t stuck to this timescale, have you sent IPSEA’s model letter? You won’t be able to appeal to SENDIST without having the right of appeal.

When did you request a reassessment of needs and has the LA agreed to a reassessment?

Yep, early on in this process I said to my DP ‘wow there’s really no support is there?’ It has just felt like parent blaming & everything being turned back on us to facilitate. Our DD is now home ed. We did get an EHCP but we were exhausted by that point & didn’t think we could face trying her in another mainstream school even with support. We also had a very heavy handed social worker that got involved with no understanding of autism whatsoever. The whole process was a nightmare. You’re not alone OP!