To think this is diabolical?

[ChaosAndToast]

I have a child whose 4 and they are starting school in September - they have a rare genetic disorder, autism, GDD (currently mentality has been scored between 12-15m) hypermobility and low muscle tone.

He can't walk but is mobile, he walks around on his knees or crawls. Refuses to use walking aids as becomes very distress. He is limited verbal, he can communicate his basic needs (want drink), he isn't potty trained and doesn't understand when he needs to be or knows he needs to be, he has social and emotional needs - he still struggles every morning going to nursery and keeps away from everyone and everything, no awareness of danger - you get the picture.

He has an EHCP.

The local authority have decided he's absolutely fine to attend a mainstream school, one we visited and well, they had a lot of stairs and the headteacher made it very clear he wouldn't be able to support my child in any capacity.

I know it's a money thing and everyone's struggling but it's so shit. I have no idea how my child is going to cope.

Going through exactly the same thing OP, our dd has been allocated the local mainstream that we didn’t even name as a choice as it is utterly unsuitable. The head’s refusal of my daughter’s consultation to attend there is one of the most concise, vehement refusals I’ve ever read and yet someone in the final decision making panel thought ‘ah yes, this is the place for dd’ it’s absolutely ridiculous, I’ve had to laugh as I’ll just cry and not stop!

The kicker is, the school we want for dd actually said YES! ‘We look forward to welcoming dd to our school and her attendance at transition beginning in the summer term’ So we are absolutely mindblown as to why she cannot have the place we want, applied for and successfully achieved.

Have spoken to several charities (Sendias etc) who are all as baffled as we are. Currently awaiting mediation and then appeal if unsuccessful.

I’m tired of fighting 😔of course we will as we always have but boy, we’re tired.

Op what did the EP report say? 1:1 support reads like mainstream provision unless it's says he needs 1:1 in addition to a specialist/ small group provision.

Yes sorry it says 1:1 and small group provision.

As well as like a curriculum suited to his interests and needs, help with communication and mobility and help with personal care, social and emotional etc

Sorry I don't want to be too specific but trying to give correct info.

Which country or area do you live in? We can probably help with more resources or places to go

Go to the press, shout long and loud. Make sure you’re known to everyone, locally and nationally. The squeaky wheel gets the oil and all that… It’s an absolute joke, but then our LEA won’t give an EHCP to a child with non-functioning limbs, who is blind and partially deaf. Absolute shambles.

Appeal, do you have a Sen school in mind? You need to advocate for your child, use sendias, . Good luck don't back down.

I appreciate you don’t want to post too much information, but is the wording detailed, specified and quantified? For example, is small group defined? And small group provision (that is defined) isn’t the same as small class sizes (that are defined). Small group provision can (often it depends on the specific wording) be delivered in MS, whereas, when written correctly along with the other provision, small class sizes wouldn’t be able to be. So the wording needs to be looked at carefully. You should really consider appealing B&F as well as I.

I don't know if anyone will know but rather than starting a new thread I thought I'd ask..

The school named actually had a consultation sent to them and they replied saying they absolutely cannot meet DS needs yet the council have named them - is that unlawful?

I'm trying to research it but it's a lot of information.

Unless the school is wholly independent, it can be named even if it objects. This happens all the time (sometimes this is beneficial for parents and sometimes it is not). Your route to remedy it is via appealing, especially because it sounds like B&F need improving too.

The school can, in theory, try to challenge the decision if they so wish. However, this doesn’t happen in the vast majority of cases - not least because most of the time, despite objecting, schools know they don’t have case, legally.

@StrivingForSleep

I got chatgbt to pull out the information without being too outing, this is what it says;

Diagnosed with global developmental delay, a rare genetic condition (16p11.2 microdeletion), and on the autism pathway.
Non-verbal with very limited expressive language - unable to get his needs across to unfamiliar people.
Significant gross motor delay - cannot walk independently, requires a walking frame or crawls/walks on knees.
Severe sensory issues - struggles with busy environments, self-stimulatory behaviors (flapping, deep pressure seeking).
Limited social interaction - does not share, take turns, or engage with peers spontaneously.
Severe learning delay - functioning between 9-21 months across key developmental areas.
Needs 1:1 adult support for all areas of learning, communication, emotional regulation, and physical mobility.

What the EHCP Says (Section F - Support Required):
Full-time 1:1 support from a trusted adult who understands his complex needs.
A highly structured, predictable environment with visual supports throughout the day.
Daily small-group or 1:1 speech & language therapy using a Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS).
Adult-led play therapy to build engagement and extend focus (currently max 5-10 minutes on preferred activities).
1:1 interventions for emotional regulation (as he struggles with frustration and self-injurious behaviors).
Daily physiotherapy support to progress independent mobility and safe use of walking aids.
Adapted environment to accommodate physical disabilities and allow access to mobility equipment.
Is this the issue then? Is that why they've named a mainstream school - as part of the appeal do I need it re looking at?

Thank you for your advice btw

Using ChatGPT isn’t really helpful because it depends on the exact wording but, yes, it sounds like B&F need improving. The placement named in section I is the logical conclusion of B&F.

To give you some examples (not an exhaustive list):
‘Needs 1:1…’ - need doesn’t mean DS will actually receive it.
Who is a ‘trusted adult’? What is their job title? What training/qualifications/experience do they have?
‘Adult-led’ what adult? How long for? How frequently? Ratio?
How long will the ‘Daily small-group or 1:1 speech & language therapy’ be for? Will it be delivered by a SALT themselves? What is a small group?
‘Daily physiotherapy’ - how long for? Ratio? Who by?
‘1:1 interventions for emotional regulation’ - what interventions, by who, when, where, how long for, how frequently?
‘Access to’ is too vague.

I don't really understand that but I'm not exactly smart so that's probably why but to me, even with the wording of it - it sounds like mainstream isn't suitable - but I guess that's how they get away with it with vague wording.

I'll put it into my appeal that the wording needs to be changed, this whole thing feels absolutely ridiculous but I'll fight it.

I don't really see how logically a severely delayed, non walking, non verbal, non potty autistic child is suppose to thrive in a mainstream school.

Thank you for your help - I've emailed the meditation place and Sendias so hopefully we get somewhere.

Sorry OP, it’s a shit situation and I’ve been here before with my own DD. In the end, I got the local MP involved as the mainstream school admitted they couldn’t meet her needs on her EHCP which is a legally binding document. She has never stepped foot in a mainstream school and we was offered a place at our first chosen one pretty soon after that.

The problem is decisions are based on the paperwork rather than the actual child. In cases where the EHCP is poor and doesn’t represent the actual child it can result in an unsuitable placement being named because, on paper, it isn’t unsuitable because the child’s needs and the provision they require aren’t accurately captured.

Be careful with SENDIASS. Some are good but too many repeat the LA’s unlawful policies. Looking at IPSEA and SOSSEN is better, IMO. Also check if you are eligible for legal aid.

Look at the evidence? Is the wording of that also vague and woolly rather than detailed, specified and quantified? Consider whether you need independent assessments.

Just appeal it. And talk to the school who have said they can take him and explain how complicated he is. If they can see that, they might change their mind about being able to meet his needs and then he will have no school place which will make it easier to make the council provide a suitable one. Sen schools can be forced to go over numbers and a cept a child but only if you go to tribunal. In a way, going to tribunal sort of helps the council to get places for kids (although obviously the council should actually make sure there are enough places in the first place).

Yes, appeal and get a named special school on his EHCP. Sorry you have to do this to get the suppprt your son needs and I really hope you get help and guidance with getting him the most suitable provision.

EHCP writing is horrific. In order to be any use, everything needs to be nailed down to the absolute finest detail as pps have said. But we found the EHCP writer absolutely refused to do that as the schools would not be able to provide/ guarantee that provision. And yet the whole point is an EHCP makes damn sure that support IS provided, come hell or high water.

I am afraid you will have to appeal - have the authorities any idea how distressing this is to be having to bang your head against a brick wall for even the basics? If only they would not force people to fight every inch of the way.

And it is desperate for schools too - they state very clearly that they cannot meet a child's needs but the child is placed anyway. The school absolutely wants to do the best it can for the child but does not have the resources. Money allocated from the LA for a TA for instance is never allocated on the full assessed need, but less is given, and the shortfall has to be met from the school's already overstretched normal budget.

It is all wrong from both sides.

LAs can force (non-wholly independent) schools to admit without parents having to appeal. The problem is they often don’t, but they can.

If the non-wholly independent school is named in section I, they can’t just refuse to admit even if they don’t think they can meet needs.

Absolutely ridiculous. Good luck with your fight.

Unfortunately, there are not enough special schools so that’s why so many SEN children end up in mainstream.

Mainstream schools are bursting with children with special needs, where they can’t meet their needs. SEN children suffer and so do all the other children when they have to be evacuated from their class due to disruption (I’m not saying your child is disruptive OP).

We ended up home schooling. I now work in a mainstream primary so have seen both sides.

This is my problem too - he is disruptive, not in a violent way but he will become really distressed in that environment but the most awkward thing is the reception class is up a flight of stairs so we actually can't even get him physically to the class unless we let him crawl up which I imagine is against health and safety.

He won't be going to mainstream, I'll refuse anyway but I'm going to appeal as much as I can and if we need to home school then we will but I don't feel like that's in his best interests really as we won't have the same access to physiotherapy and OTs etc - it's just so stressful.

Sounds like my freinds son. He has similar needs. Although he can walk. His brother is at special school already. But she's just been told the youngest needs to go to mainstream. Despite the school saying they can't meet his needs. It's blindingly obvious he needs to be in special school. He would thrive there. It's absolutely ridiculous!

and if we need to home school then we will

Don’t tell the LA or the school this. If they know you will EHE, there’s no incentive for the LA to concede or for the school to work with you to push for an alternative placement.

Not true. There's a lot of very knowledgeable people on here.