AIBU to think we’ll get an EHCP?

[Abawaba123]

Two kids. Both autistic. Before applying, will these levels of need qualify for an EHCP?

Child A (9 years old, going into year 5)

• about a year behind
• interventions out of school: weekly speech therapy, weekly play therapy for anxiety, regular occupational and sensory therapy
• Interventions in school: weekly social skills group, weekly small group support for English and maths, allowed to wear modified uniform, allowed fidget toys, a wobble chair, and sensory breaks. Must sit at front of class to have regular prompting/support to stay focused. Cannot write legibly, uses laptop.
• attendance around 90percent, plus misses some lessons most weeks - school refusal due to anxiety
• Cannot take part in swimming/football so just watches
• Generally anxious/angry a lot of the time
• cannot be alone in a room (anxiety), including the toilets (nb needs no help toileting but needs somebody just outside the door)

Child B (7, going into year 3)

• About one year behind
• Interventions out of school: weekly speech therapy, regular occupational therapy.
• Interventions in school: Weekly 1 to 1 support for English, weekly social skills group
• Needs 1 to 1 support for swimming
• Needs prompting/guidance to eat
• Needs a visual timetable, needs extra support (like a TA going with him) for changes/trips to new places
• Often needs support navigating friendships
• Inappropriate social behaviour - eg approaches strangers (adults and kids) and strokes their faces
• Generally comes across as much younger; people usually guess he’s 5ish.

YABU - these kids can be supported in mainstream with the school’s normal resources
YANBU - these kids will qualify for EHCPs

Obviously if you think the answer is different for each kid then please say so!

Have school advised? Ehcps are quite hard to come by at the moment.
I'm wondering whether you think they need one but school disagree? You could do a parental request for an assessment

@Cantfindanavailablename - the school senco says she thinks they’ll qualify, but didn’t sound very confident so I’m left unsure! We’re getting conflicting advice from lots of people.

Plus for the best chance of getting it we’ve been told to pay for EP reports, SALT reports etc, so it’s a big outlay if it turns out their needs aren’t deemed high enough.

There is enough evidence to apply for a needs assessment.

Do you feel the support they have isn't enough?

They are refusing almost all EHCPs at the moment so you have to keep on pushing. Take mediation/appeal, whatever is necessar,y but you have to demonstrate that they need more than the current support.

Good luck.

Are they getting everything they need right now, or is there evidence that they need more than they have?

You won’t have to pay for these reports. The first stage to get approved is for them to agree to a needs assessment - all assessments/reports will be done at this stage. To get the needs assessment get all the info you can - EP from the school.

I would suggest looking at IPSEA guidance and some of Susnhine Support's resources

Your children very clearly meet the threshold for an EHCNA (needs assessment possibly leading to an EHCP)

Legally the council must consider

1. whether the child or young person has or may have special educational needs (SEN); and
2. whether they may need special educational provision to be made through an EHC plan

If the answer is YES the council MUST assess.

Based on what you've shared (which I realise is a small snapshot) I would say these EHCPs would be knocked back in my LA. Without a shadow of doubt. I have children literally unable to cope in a mainstream setting - biting, kicking, using objects as weapons - whose applications have been knocked back.
We have robust evidence, Ed psych reports and reports from other professionals (behaviour support, special school outreach, etc) and clearly evidenced cycles of Assess, Plan, Do, Review... but no.
Mind you, this LA is complete dogshit. Yours may be marginally more efficient.

@Frowningprovidence I’m happy with the support, but I want to ensure they stay with this level, and the eldest one only has two more years in primary. Given how long everything takes thought we should get started!

@Littlemissnikib really? We’ve been told by lots of people that we need to get those reports so that’s helpful if actually the council pays for those.

@distinctpossibility - thank you, I’ll look at those resources.

Don't pay for specialist reports for a needs assessment request! The whole point is that the council will do the assessment.

If they get turned down, appeal and they will likely decide they'll assess, even if you need mediation to get there.

@FknOmniShambles thank you, my impression is all applications are rejected at the moment, so it’s really a question of whether the tribunal/mediation would say we need EHCPs. And yes essentially my boys are functioning, they’re trying to be cooperative and both like to follow rules. So I can see their needs are nowhere near as high as a lot of kids. Obviously I just want the best possible outcome for them.

@Techno56 thank you, that makes sense

I don’t think so varying levels of anxiety is so common nowadays I think EHCPs for autistic kids are for the ones that run off or hit out that kind of thing or who can’t speak and advocate for themselves

Look at IPSEA. The threshold for assessment is low

If a local authority (LA) is requested to carry out an EHC needs assessment by a parent, young person, school or college, it must consider:

• whether the child or young person has or may have special educational needs (SEN); and
• whether they may need special educational provision to be made through an EHC plan.

If the answer to both of these questions is yes, the LA must carry out an EHC needs assessment.

you will hit brick walls though but you have to push through them and appeal.

You have to think ahead and just because some of those needs are being met by the school now they may not in the future.

Request EHCNAs, DC meet the threshold (posted by @distinctpossibility upthread) for that. Ignore anyone who tells you otherwise. Appeal if the LA refuse to assess or refuse to issue. You don’t need to seek independent assessments before making the request. Save that in case you have to appeal further down the line.

Child A’s anxiety could be worked on and managed but child B might get one if you explain their needs better but I’m not sure. Can they read facial expressions/intentions is there any reason they can’t be by themselves for safety reasons not just anxiety. Like do they have self harming behaviours, do they meltdown, are they a risk to themselves or others that sort of thing

Completely understand, OP! The fact people have to go to mediation to get the support they need makes me so angry and upset because children who have articulate, organised parents will inevitably stand more of a chance than those who don't understand the system or willing to fight, etc. Very very wrong.
I have been teaching for twenty years and sickened at the way children are being let down at the moment. My budget is fucked and I've just had to recruit a 1:1 for a child who without it will face Permanent Exclusion. And that child's ECHNA application was refused. Sorry for the rant, I really hope you have more success!

No they aren’t. EHCP’s are for any child with or without a diagnosis if they need extra support needs that an EHCP could help with.

EHCPs for autistic DC are not only limited to those who abscond, are violent or non-verbal.

@ByLoudSeal - they’re not dangerous really - if they’re having meltdowns then Child A may punch his legs/bang his head against the back of his chair, Child B hits me and his dad but never hits at school. They’ve never actually injured themselves or others.

With Child A’s anxiety he will get progressively more worked up and upset if he’s made to be in a room alone and then his behaviour will be worse the rest of the day. But it’s not a safety issue, no. He has been having play therapy for about a year and it’s improving a little.

Absolutely no payment involved. I have two children on EHCPs. The LA send their own EP and SALT to do an assessment.

@FknOmniShambles that is insane. I actually spoke recently to a mum of a totally non-verbal, non potty-trained 4 year old, she thinks he has the understanding of a 2 year old, and they were turned down for an EHCP. So I guess he’s off to mainstream reception in September, which is ludicrous as he obviously can’t cope.

@Littlemissnikib thank you! That does incline me more towards at least getting the needs assessment and then seeing what the expert reports say.

I think if the budget for these things are so limited, children with more severe needs should get the funding for these EHCPs, rather than children with less support needs. Then we need to solve the root problem so that more funding can be given to children with less support needs. What is this “threshold”?