To think you only get a specialist school if you have a lot of money to throw

[Satanzlilhelpa]

on education solicitors?

Have you got a special school? If so, how?

My DD got a specialist place for high school, no money changed hands - just a lot of time, evidence gathering, support from primary school and Ed Psych, and knowing the right arguments to make with the right people.

My son did exactly this in later stages of primary. It wasn't learnt behaviour, it was an expression of deep overwhelm and distress.

I'm an Occupational Therapist and sadly lots of parents do have to throw money at it as the type of assessments they need aren't available on the NHS or via education.

I get a lot of emails about reports for EHCP input and tribunals. They're not all rich families though, it's usually families at the end of their tether and who don't know what else to do.

I never thought I'd work privately because I really believe that the right support should be available from the NHS and Education. I do still have an NHS role but I can't offer the support the children actually need which means I know I can't continue to work there.

Education's focus is now not on finding the right placement for the child but keeping them in mainstream. There's a funding issue at the heart of it but there are also a lot of schools who simply don't understand neurodiversity or sensory needs and think it's naughty behavior and that children need a firmer hand or better parenting, not a specialist setting where there needs can be met. So if you're unlucky enough for your children to go to an unsupportive school then you're never going to be able to gather the evidence without private assessments or be supported to know the right arguments to make.

The worst schools aren't necessarily the poorest ones though, they're often the ones who are very academically rather than pastorally focused.

If you are within 2 hours of the NW - do you assess children? Happy to pay.

Actually, I've family in London and the Cotswolds. Anywhere in the British Isles?

That's so sad I'm sorry to read this is due to an accident as a baby. Can you home school?

He deserves peers his own age.

We were offered a special school place for dd2 , when she was 3 , we didn’t have to pay anyone .

Exactly this. Ditto residential placement

No my son has never been in mainstream he has severe autism and learning disabilities completely non verbal and attends a school for children with severe and profound learning disabilities
I do appreciate however that it much harder for children who are academically able but where mainstream isn't really appropriate, to access specialist provision.

Children who have very severe cognitive impairments will get a place in special school either straight away or within a couple of years of starting mainstream. It is more difficult if a child is more academically able than that.

I also don't think a solicitor is essential if you know the law but you may get messed about less if the LA know there is a solicitor in the background.

Not necessarily. As an NHS health professional in paeds I have helped families with appeals.
We aren't allowed to name a specific school for a child, but we can say what a suitable school would look like in terms of accessibility, staffing support etc. And describe their needs.
I haven't known any families lose an appeal with the reports from me/other paeds professionals

Hi OP, I remember your previous thread.

My 5 yo DD is in specialist but we are not wealthy by any stretch of the imagination.

She is non verbal, autistic with underlying genetic disorder

We were fortunate enough to have a really supportive pre school who off their own backs taught us about EHCPs and got our assessment and then EHCP sorted.

LA at the time still insisted on mainstream. I had to lodge for appeal twice but never had to go to tribunal, thankfully.

In short, having really pointy elbows is what swung it for us.

I really hope you get the support you so richly deserve.

A close family member has just got a place in a specialist secondary.
They attend mainstream primary with full time one on one care and there's no way on Earth they'd manage at mainstream secondary.
No fight (although it's been quite last minute) and no money changed hands.

my son is non-verbal at 5.5 with low comprehension, from what I observe, it does seem much more challenging for those children who are verbal but have complex support needs to get specialist places

Wish we had lots of money, but unfortunately not.

We were living in the Channel Islands when DS2 was diagnosed with ASD+severe learning disabilities. Compared to some of the mainland, the system is pretty quick at diagnoses and generous with SEN school places.

DS2 was referred for assessment following his two year check and while undergoing assessment, he was given a place at the SEN school's nursery. He was diagnosed, and we were told at that same meeting with various experts that although we were allowed to insist on trying MS education, they strongly recommended we take the reception place DS2 would be offered at the SEN school.

When we moved to the mainland, we were offered either a MS school or a SEN school, entirely up to us and no "strong recommendations".

We chose the SEN school, obvs.

I can assure you "I hate my life" isn't learnt behaviour.

@NineChickennuggets He's four years behind his peers. He can't write anything other than his short Christian name. He can't right his surname. We have seen no examples of school work in 4 years

Pointy elbows... I've a cattle prod...It's electrifying.

I get you don't feel lucky.

That is not how children express "deep overwhelm and distress" unless they are copying someone

This. It's really not lucky to have a disabled child. There should be more special schools built for DC who need them.

I didn’t pay anything but I did phone the council every single day until I got the place I needed for my child

My son didn't ask to have ADHD, Autism and ODD.

He didn't ask for a faulty airbag to hit him.

He's spent this academic year shoved away in a corner - it isn't a childhood I would wish on any one.

@ yeesh.

I'm wondering if we have the same council...

I know 3 children in special schools (mix of family & friends). All have clear learning disabilities and other needs.
1 has down syndrome and mainstream was never remotely an option. Severe/complex needs.
1 has brain damage. Brief attempt at mainstream with echp & 1 to 1. Was swiftly moved, it was a disaster
1 has an autism diagnosis but likely cause is a genetic mutation & there are other needs as well.

None had lawyers or fights to get special school although identifying the right one seems extremely difficult.