AIBU to worry about the surge in school-suggested ASD diagnoses?

[cremebrulait]

Fellow mums, I'm worried about a trend I've noticed in our schools. It seems some are pushing parents to seek ASD diagnoses to secure funding for support. While I absolutely believe children with autism deserve all the help they can get, I'm concerned about the following:

1. The high rate of suggested ASD diagnoses in some classes (much higher than average)
2. Schools advising parents to get diagnoses to continue enrollment
3. Long NHS waiting times leading to private evaluations

I worry this might lead to:

• Misallocation of resources
• Inappropriate interventions for children
• Overlooking other potential issues
• Psychological impact on misdiagnosed children

Shouldn't there be equality in support for children with other learning or developmental issues too? Like ADHD, emotional and behavioural disorders, sensory impairments, physical disabilities, intellectual disabilities, developmental delays, health conditions, sensory processing disorder, specific learning differences, or twice-exceptional children?

AIBU to think this system is flawed? Has anyone else experienced this? Am I overreacting, or is this a genuine concern? What are your thoughts on how we can ensure all children get the right support without resorting to potentially inaccurate diagnoses?

(I'll post more thoughts on misdiagnosis in comments.)

If it’s a thing, why not start it?

To be clear, I have no issue with anyone getting support. I want people to get more support but not the wrong support. I strongly believe in getting the right diagnosis. I strongly want to know how we can make the system better. Giving kids the wrong diagnosis is wrong. I find it interesting that a lot of people commenting suggests I am offended by a diagnosis. Or suggest I am in denial. I don’t want to share details but while I have relatives who’ve been misdiagnosed with issues in this thread - I was misdiagnosed with a medical issue for decades. It messed up my life in some ways. Once people see a diagnosis they often can’t see any others. It happens in medicine and mental health. There’s so much overlap and comorbidities people become familiar with symptoms and think they know a diagnosis. Its innocent enough. Until children aren’t getting correctly diagnosed and not getting the right treatment.

Not at all. I’m concerned about misdiagnosis. And worried about whether there are better ways to get more kids help. I keep hearing about people being pushed for assessments for specifically ASD. I’ve also learned about how some places appear to have different ways of supporting SEN earlier before supports are in place. Like having people that can go help children for certain subjects when required. I wonder how we can be more innovative. I figured people would share info. I did not expect people to be offended, threatened, accusationsal. My mistake. I’ve helped change a law before, changed funding, street safety around schools. I have a tendency to solve problems or at least try. But as we started school outside the UK I helped a lot of parents navigate SEN outside the UK but it is very different here and I bear/read a lot of conflicting information.

Thanks. I’m just trying to figure out why they’re saying it’s to get funding. I did not make this up. I thought it was based on need but they’re pushing some and others for specific diagnosis. I haven’t heard of any others. Thanks for then info

I think if you had posted asking how assessment/support was done in different areas, you would have got a very different response.

The post you wrote claimed that schools were disingenuously pushing for diagnoses as a way of obtaining funds. That’s what put people’s backs up.

@cremebrulait the funding thing is in the same vein as people saying "parents push for ASD assessments to get benefits". There's certain things that are stated as fact by people who generally know very little about it.

Schools can't push for anything. They might imply, suggest, advise , but they can't diagnose or refer without parents' permission ,support and consent. They can't even state "Jimmy has autism".Once the referral is made all they do is fill in some forms with concerns and how they manifest in the classroom environment. Then that gets sent off (alongside parent questionnaire)and then it is decided if further assessment is needed.

There's a bigger issue with schools refusing to help or saying they don't see any issues and parents fighting tooth and nail to actually get their kid seen by someone,anyone. If there was all this free money being thrown around why would schools say "nope, no thanks"?

There's an even bigger issue with assessments being sent back with "significant level of need" AND "we won't be taking any further action". Or refusals to issue EHCP's and having to go to tribunals and appeals.

Yes the system is fucked , but that's not because Miss Random in Randomville thinks Jimmy might have autism. It's fucked because good provision costs money and LA use any loophole available to them to avoid using that money. Extra funding my arse.

Schools get money for each pupil, based on pupil numbers. A funding formula is used to calculate each school's funding. This funding includes:
a basic entitlement which they receive for all pupils (and which is higher for secondary schools than for primary schools),
money allocated for additional needs based on a number of factors such as the number of children who receive free school meals, those who have English as an additional language, those who were not doing as well as others in English and Maths, and the proportion of children who move into the school part way through the year.
money allocated according to other school-led factors (such as size and location).
The money schools receive this way is the main source of funding for teacher and teaching support costs and is also expected to cover the cost of the SENCo. Schools will also use this money to pay for most of the support for their children with SEND.

Schools have an identified amount of funding for SEN (sometimes known as the 'notional SEN budget'). The notional SEN budget is intended to be a guide for a school’s spending decisions when it comes to providing for its pupils with SEND. It is not a separate amount of money given to schools specifically for SEND - it is an identified amount from the school's overall budget. The way schools spend this money will differ from setting to setting, based on the specific needs of their pupils and the way that setting is organised.
Government guidance is that schools should provide up to £6,000 worth of SEND provision for a pupil with SEND from their budget.
the amount of HNF a school receives is worked out according to a child or young person's EHCP.
The level of need described in your child or young person's EHCP is used to help identify the amount of top-up funding required, in order for the school or early years setting to be able to deliver the specified provision in the EHCP. A school will not receive additional top-up funding for all of its children with an EHCP. For example, if the level in your child's EHCP is 'universal' or 'universal plus', the school will be expected to cover the costs of support from their existing budget. The idea is that the highest levels of top-up funding are provided to schools to support children with the highest levels of needs.

Re IQ test - agree it is outdated but it was still used ed psychs back then and is still part of the 11plus system approach.

Re:” It sounds as if the school saw concerning behaviours at school that you didn't see at home, or that you didn't see as concerning. So they were right to refer and seek an explanation even if it ultimately came to nothing and your son sailed through the rest of his education without incident.”

I must not have made it clear enough. The school was the problem. A state school would never behave as they did. They were not right to refer him as the paediatrician pointed out to me.

Your concern is touching, op. But please don’t worry. None of what you’ve posted is even slightly accurate or founded in reality, so you can rest easy tonight.

I'm not sure how else to phrase that.

You have some family members that have been told they are "gifted". You have been recommended your child be assessed for additional needs, but are adamant that despite having autistic traits, he can't be autistic.
Is this because you are scared of a potential autism diagnosis? And you'd prefer your child's difficulties were instead down to being "gifted" like other family members?

The diagnosis criteria was altered and broadened less than ten years ago. That's why there's more awareness and many more kids and adults seeking and receiving diagnoses now.

It the same as when left-handedness stopped being punished. There was a sudden, strong increase in left-handedness, that eventually plateaued, as people stopped having to hide it.

So yeah, compared to previously there's a huge increase and some people may have swung a bit far into overawareneas, but there is good reason for it.
I'm 51 and just got my diagnosis after both of my kids got diagnosed in their early 20s. All 3 of us had breakdowns in our mid teens and are unable to work.
I'd prefer a child receive a diagnosis and accommodations than not, bc those supports are not going to be harmful to someone who's NT, but mean the world to someone ND.

I think you are a journalist hoping to whip up a daily m story.

You quite clearly have no idea of the actual realities. This is the most ridiculous and far fetched post I have ever come across.

What you are saying is the complete opposite of most peoples' experience that I know.

As others have said ... most people wouldn't put themselves through this drawn out/ awful process unless things were desperately wrong.

There is no funding for a child with an ASD / ADHD diagnosis anyway.

But my biggest point is - there is no way on earth that schools push for this. They are drowning in admin and lack of resources in the first place and are (in my experience) very reluctant to push / recommend these things unless there is something very obviously wrong.

My DD (ASD/ADHD) missed 2 years of secondary school due anxiety and depression that stemmed from being autistic. The school was getting funding for a pupil that wasn't there.

When she went back in, I was told that her case wasn't severe enough for an EHCP to be granted. So I applied myself (and the school had to provide the information but were reluctant) and it was granted.

There is no way the vast majority of schools are pushing for this. Quite the opposite.

I have no idea where you are getting your 'information' from but it's definitely not the case.

@cremebrulait
Do you understand that schools dont get “additional needs” funding based on or because of a diagnosis?
Every child in a class could have a diagnosis and there would be no extra money.

Do you understand that certainly in the UK, pursuing a possible diagnosis for ASD certainly does not mean you will get one?

Why are you not far more concerned about the cause of the generational rise in cases of ASD (over and above any rise due to increased recognition or awareness)?

All schools get element 2 funding as as well, it’s not based on the number of children with ehcps. It’s a pot of money to be used for children with lower level Sen needs and a school also has to fund the first £6000 of ehcp costs from element 2. It’s not ring fenced so if they don’t spend it on Sen they can spend it on anything else they want to

have had people tell me it is a thing to get a diagnosis for funding.

What funding? Schools don’t get any additional funding if a child gets a diagnosis, of anything! So what do you mean?

The idea that schools are even remotely properly funded especially when it comes to children with SEN is laughable.
Sorry this post is total nonsense.
Also, schools are woeful at recognising ND- especially in girls and the vast majority of the time it is parents pushing for diagnosis not schools because teachers are not adequately trained to recognise it. Again, for to lack of training due to no funding.
A child does not need a diagnosis to get support and funding is in a pot that is nowhere near enough to cover the huge number of additional needs.
The "trend" you are suggesting does not exist and your post is full of dangerous information. Please accept that you have got this very wrong - many teachers are telling you just that.
As a parent of two ND children- one of whom has an EHCP as well as a teacher- I can tell you that you are categorically wrong.

EHCPs can be fullly funded by the LA but LAs won’t do this unless forced to. Schools do not have to fund the first £6k. This has nothing to do with diagnosis though.

@lemonmeringueno3 belatedly responding to your q a few pages back. The (mis) diagnosis was made by the nhs psychiatrist. The point I was making was that he based it in part on a report made by a SALT. The psychiatrist did not meet with our ds until the final 5 minutes of the session when the handed over the piece of paper with the diagnosis on it and a few pamphlets.

Exactly what I got when my DD was diagnosed with autism. Two years of jumping through hoops and four years of dealing with her huge meltdowns before she was diagnosed.
But yeah I expect OP is right and she's not really autistic it's just I was bored and decided to pursue a diagnosis for something she doesn't have.
I'm going through the same thing again with DS but I expect OP will think he's not really autistic either.
DD got zero extra funding or support at school because of her diagnosis. Hopefully DS will because he needs an EHCP which is also a nightmare to secure.
Just incase I wasn't clear YABU.

That funding is not given based on having an ASD diagnosis. I think you've just got a bit confused.

Giving kids the wrong diagnosis is wrong.

If you believe that medical professions are giving an incorrect diagnosis, then that’s something to take up with them.

Your post is blaming schools, who can’t give a diagnosis anyway.

i can see you're operating under how your school works, and some misconceptions.

For my son (asd/adhd, had 25 hrs 1:1 at primary and attended specialist autistic school at secondary) the school had funding at primary that covered 10 hours 1:1 if need was identified. To get any more they had to apply for EHCP, and specify and justify WHY the funding provided didn't cover, and even then, ehcp only covered 16hrs, we had to evidence why 25hrs 1:1 was required. Diagnosis wasn't required.

We pushed for diagnoses for our own needs as it protected him in terms of protections under the Equalities Act, and was also required, ultimately, for him to be considered for the school he attended at secondary that needed both an EHCP and a Diagnosis of ASD to be considered.

None of this was handed to him on a plate, his school actually fought me tooth and nail against referring him for diagnosis until he was aged 7 and it became more than clear 'something' was going on.. something i'd known about since nursery (we have genetic autism/adhd in the family). Every adjustment, every intervention, every single bit of support i had to go toe to toe with his Teachers, SENCo and Headmaster over. I actually sat with the LA SEN team and wrote his EHCP alongside them to ensure the adjustments i had fought for were put in there to protect them under law.

These things aren't down to the school to dish out, they're for the parents to insist on, so if there are kids in your school with ADHD and other learning difficulties not getting help/adjustments, its because sometimes the parents are taking no for an answer. I threw the legal book at my sons primary to the point i was that parent... im stil doing it now he's nearly 18.

Here’s a fun new game for everyone, troll or unwitting spreader of misinformation from chat gpt. I’m guessing the latter… “fellow mums”… 😂

Think you're right