Mainstream choice until SEMH specialist place in SEN school

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What do I do, aibu to keep my DS in his current mainstream school when he hates it. We are mid ehcp, it is likely, although not confirmed, that the recommendation with be specialist SEN SEMH school. But they're all full. Ive reached out to try and arrange visits to view in preparation but its looking like September 2027 for available places. My DS is currently Year 3 so that will mean he cant attend until he starts year 5.

This isn't my issue as I know this is the situation for many SEN children. But what do I do until then. He dislikes school, they phone daily, he is disregulated. He has Alternative Provision offsite under s19 a few hours p/w, but im a single mum working full time to pay bills and my mortgage. We get DLA but not entitled to anything else.

I can't give up work so my question is what to do between now and getting a place, when he hates school so much.

aibu to keep him.in the school he is is even though he hasn't been in the classroom with peers all year.

Or ainbu to move him to another mainstream school?

When you are close to final is g the EHCP you will be asked to say where you want him educated. So you need to find somewhere now that looks like a possibility. Both special and mainstream.

When finalising the EHCP, the council will consult with the schools you have listed. It will also consult the current school (who can say they cannot accommodate). So look around your local area to find all possible options now.

Unless your preferred school is wholly independent, on its own, being full is not enough of a reason to refuse to name your preferred placement. The LA has to prove the school is so full admitting DS is incompatible with the provision of efficient education for others or use of resources. The bar for this is high. Higher than LAs and many schools admit. It has to be something tangible and specific and is more than an “adverse effect”, “impact on” or “prejudicial to” rather than the vague reasons LAs usually try to rely on.

If the LA issues the EHCP without naming your preference, appeal. If DS isn’t in school full time, you can request the appeal be expedited. There will still be a wait, though.

In the meantime, alternative provision can be more than a few hours a week. If DS isn’t able to attend school, push for more AP.

Personally, I wouldn’t move to another MS. Two moves in close succession will be hard, especially if another mainstream can’t actually meet needs. You may be jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire.

Where are you in the EHCP process? Is the LA sticking to the timescales?

Have you looked at all schools within travelling distance? The maximum recommended travel time for primary is usually considered 45 mins. Although some travel more.

Double check if you are eligible for universal credit. The maximum you can earn when you have a disabled child is higher than many think.

Thankyou for this advice. Do parents usually also suggest other mainstream schools at this stage too? I think they're full too in our area. So many new build estates popping up, all schools are over subscribed.

Thankyou. Yes we are lucky, usually the delay is down to the educational psychologist but we have had this now. I believe our decision date/final completion is estimated to be June.

He has 15 p/w which i was told is the maximum. Then the rest in school. He has 1:1 temporarily funded by a charity until the ehcp is in place but they are using this funding towards the s19 AP. The school say they can't afford more. He is likely to be excluded from afterschool club as they cant manage him without 1:1. Im worried about this as I cannot work remotely due to the nature of my job.

When you are responding to the draft, you can state mainstream placements if you want. However, you should only do this if you would genuinely be happy with the placement. My pp applies to them about being full too.

15hrs isn’t the maximum amount of AP that can be provided. Unless AP providers are registered, they are limited in the number of hours they can provide because of the risk of being seen as an unregistered school. The number of hours isn't definitively set out in law. It is often said to be 18hrs but lots of APs will only provide 15hrs because of the risks. But there is nothing stopping the LA using a second provider to provide more hours.

If DS is unable to attend school, the LA is the one ultimately responsible for providing AP rather than the school.

You say the estimated date for finalising is June but is that following the actual timescales or just when the LA is saying? What week are you on?

Have you has social care assessments? A carer’s assessment for you and an assessment by the children with disabilities team for DS.

The LA suggested other mainstream schools when my boys EHCPLANS were at draft stage but it was very obvious my boys required Specialist schools.

I woukd widen your search of schools, look at schools in other LEAs and non section 41 schools too.

If mainstream is named, start the appeal process ASAP.

Good luck.

I thought the social work assessment was around safeguarding. We had a call but no assessment took place they said his needs are met at home.

June will be the 20 week mark. Ive lost count as to where we are now.

Does the ehcp cover wrap around care to enable me to work.

Social care assessments are not just about safeguarding. They can be about providing support for DC with disabilities and their families. DS is a child in need by virtue of his disability. Have a read of this booklet.

Section F, the special educational provision part of the EHCP, won’t cover wrap around care ‘just’ to enable you to work. Provision outside of the normal school day can sometimes can included in F if it is required by the child but not ‘just’ to enable you to work. Provision for care outside of the school day can sometimes be included in section H, the social care provision section of the EHCP.

In your position, OP, I would look at SEMH schools in neighbouring authorities and schools with Resourced Provision, which might be suitable for your child. I wouldn't suggest a different purely MS, it seems unlikely that one would be able to meet his needs.

Certainly sH can be used for the provision of wraparound care. The SS assessment should have discussed this with you. Have you got support from SENDIASS? And from a LA caseworker? You should have access to both.

The la Caseworker directed me to SENDIAS and I emailed Friday so hopefully have a response next week.

I will re request a social worker assessment on this basis. The school kept mentioning early help but I dont need help at home or with parenting.

Be careful with SENDIASS. Some are good but too many repeat the LA’s unlawful policies.

Similarly, be careful of being too trusting of the LA. They often give a version of information that isn’t totally correct.

On their website, Contact has model letters you can use to request social care assessments.

Also have a look at your local short breaks offer. There may not be anything suitable for DS in your area, but it is worth looking.

Op please call IPSEA or Sossen. If a school is named you should be given a place.

I havent heard of these so will look into this thanks. Does this apply with independent providers?

Also the independent school I looked at ends the school day at 2pm. Is this typical?

With an independent school there are two different types. For section 41 schools yes it is true. For non section 41 schools, it is true if the school has offered a place.

Some SS finish earlier, either every day or part of the week. That applies to independent and non-independent schools. It is more common in SEMH schools than other types of SS IME. There was a case about a school proposing to close early one day week not long ago. R (CHO) v GB of Lonsdale School [2026] EWHC 166 (Admin) if you are interested in reading it.

A section 41 independent (or a non-maintained special school, which are sometimes confused with independent schools) can be named in section I even if they object. Once named, they must admit. Whereas, a wholly independent school can only be named if they agree.

If by independent providers, you mean an alternative provision provider rather than independent schools, APs can only be named in I if they are a school. Many are not.

We didnt because our existing school is very Sen friendly and have been amazing, but if she had been at some of the other schools in the area, I’d have been looking to move (probably to the current school).