SEN funding isn't a bottomless money pit

[Sogfree]

I'll preface this by saying I really enjoy my job working in a SEN school. I care deeply for the children and families I work with.

I've had 4 different conversations this week with parents where they expect an excessive amount of additional resource to be allocated to their child. They expect this as, in their opinion, it's needed. I disagree with 3 of the 4 parents that this is needed.

All 4 of the parents are going to fight the decisions county have made. Their decision to fight will mean county spend more money arguing the challenge.

Services are already broken with the increase in need. Recruitment fails, as there aren't enough speech therapists/OTs/CAMHS practitioners etc to employ.

One parent demanding extra from one of these services means another child gets less.

One parent demanding a child goes to school X at £100k per year when a place at school Y at £30k is going to meet their needs means the child who needs the place at school X doesn't get it, and extra £70k per year is wasted. And the parent keeps their child out of school for 12-18 months whilst they fight for the place at school X.

That's the reality.

Every parent wants the world for their child. I understand that. But taxpayers can't afford to give every child the world.

AIBU - parents know their child best and we should fund what the parents say the child needs

YANBU - there's only so much money to go around and parents need to accept hard decisions have to be made without challenging them

@HMart1n no, they don’t.

If horse riding and therapies are in F, they are required. If the provision to meet the child or young person’s needs could be provided cheaper, it would be. The LA wouldn’t agree to the provision and neither would SENDIST Order it (and if the LA thought SENDIST had erred in law they would be quick to challenge the decision). The wholly independent schools wouldn’t be named in F is it was unreasonable public expenditure and there was an alternative that could meet needs.

Legal representation isn’t required, and even the best representation can only work with the evidence.

So you’re an OT? A SALT? A Physio? A sensory integration specialist?

The system needs changing! We all know getting things “in” takes resources all parents don’t have. Things like legal representation are hugely helpful as are time, strength, education…

I do not understand why horse riding is necessary for core muscles, private therapies run by people adept at persuading parents they are needed when there are others with EHCPs and the same conditions who mange without and far cheaper provision…..

Re private schools it’s a huge waste of public money. Where does it end? Are we going to fund everybody who has a parent that has the resources to get an argument that they need it. Are we going to start funding support so all parents who think their kids need it can get the help to get it “in”? Where is the money going to come from? That money could be far better managed and go into MS and benefit future need and more children.

Do you actually know how much an RDA horse riding lesson costs?

It's cheaper than human-run therapy.

No I’m a parent with a child who has several needs
and an EHCP who has had to make do with what is offered.

No it isn’t if run as a group by a trained TA already employed by a school. This is what many children with EHCPs and core muscle needs have.

Before my daughter did horse riding she was having weekly physio sessions on the nhs which cost far more than her horse riding.

And failing to invest adequately in education does what?

It creates yet more issues down the line - joblessness, addiction, oncreased physical and mental health needs, crime, prison, supported living….. - which ends up costing a lot of money - money which could have been spent in other ways AND resulted in an individual being able to contribute towards society in some way to help further support funding gif things society needs.

You have no idea the circumstances around each child though do you
trained TA ? Trained in what 🤣 most TA are not trained in physio
here lies the issue.
She requires physio she has horse riding, hydro therapy and a physio therapist for 6 weeks a year !! Instead of physio therapist every week.

i have just calculated how much my daughter costs the local authority a year that will include
school fees / therapies / sessions / respite

it equates to around 400k PA.

I do not understand

Evidently. Your posts are highlighting your complete and utter lack of understanding of SEN and SEN law. EHCPs are based on needs, not diagnosis. People with the same condition can have differing needs, require different SEP and need different placements. Just because you don’t understand doesn’t mean something isn’t required.

That money could be far better managed and go into MS and benefit future need and more children.

And what about those who cannot attend MS? You leave them to rot without the SEP they require? Lots with horse-riding in their EHCP will have EOTAS/EOTIS/C because it has been deemed inappropriate (in the legal sense) for provision to be made in a school or college.

As I have already posted, for those who need independent assessments but can’t afford them and aren’t eligible for legal aid, there are charities who can help. There is also the option of appealing and asking SENDIST to direct the LA to seek further advice and information from professionals.

Ah, theres the crux of it.

Nobody grudges investment in education, what people begrudge is treating SEN provision as a bottomless pit and an expensive shopping list.

The money is not there. What is there needs to be managed and diverted better alongside being shared out more equally.

It is your job as a parent to ensure that the EHCP meets your child’s needs and if it doesn't to challenge it. If it doesn’t follow professional recommendations - challenge it.

and an EHCP who has had to make do with what is offered.

Well that’s not technically true. You had the option to appeal just like others. You may have chosen not to, but you didn’t have to ‘make do’.

run as a group by a trained TA already employed by a school.

As has already been pointed out to you, group provision isn’t suitable for all, neither is TA provision, or in school provision at all. If group provision ran by a TA in a school was sufficient, horse-riding and individual therapies wouldn’t be in F.

Expensive shopping list 🤣🤣🤣
you generally believe that parents can just ring up and be like ok we will have
2 horse riding sessions
2 physio sessions
2 ot sessions
a week please
private school fees
a 1-1 funded and a taxi

“People with the same condition can have differing needs, require different SEP and need different placements. Just because you don’t understand doesn’t mean something isn’t required.“

And parents with more/ better resources can argue better re those needs. Just because you don’t like hearing that doesn’t mean it isn’t happening and there isn’t huge unfairness and a big waste of money within the system.

It needs a dramatic overhaul.

And what does ‘equally’ look like to you? Everybody gets an extra set of XYZ and those that cannot use XYZ bevause they can’t do abc just gets shoved to one side?

Frankly you sound envious.

the issue is the system is broken
in mainstream school using local borough out reach OT and SLT
my daughter got 2 OT sessions a term and 2 SLT a term.
now in her independent Sen school which is only costing 3 k more a year ! She will get 2 a week.

Again, there are ways for those without the ability to fund independent assessments &/or representation to fund independent evidence and receive advice. It is possible to successful appeal without either.

That’s a bloody bargain.

Hence the system needing to be overhauled its haemorrhaging money, isn’t fair and isn’t working.

You don't need any extra funds to appeal and LA decision. I didn't. The LA decisions are so obviously illegal and unsuitable it's not hard to win even if you don't know what you're doing.

If you don't feel confident with reading to know what to do, there are several free services to help you. If you have a low income, there is legal aid.

One of my neighbouring LAs went bankrupt (Thurrock) not because of their SEND spending, though.

The haemorrhaging money isn't from funding provision though. It's bureaucratic wastage.

@HMart1n so you think forcing DC to have group provision run by a trained TA in a school setting is fair even if that is completely and utterly inappropriate and would be actively harmful?