Private assessments for learning difficulties

[Ivegoterrandstorun]

My DC is 8 and working two to three years behind their peers. School keep putting in a referral for EHCP but it keeps getting knocked back. I suspect various issues could be the cause such as Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, Dyspraxia and Inattentive ADHD. They are unable to retain basic information such as spelling, struggling with basic number bonds, clumsy, short attention span and very easily distracted, also has illegible writing even when copying text, I only heard of Dysgraphia this week and think that could be a potential area to investigate too.

I can find plenty of dyslexia assessors but not many who cover dyslexia dyscalculia and dysgraphia, it seems pointless to only test for one area when it may be others.
(I found out that dyspraxia has to be diagnosed by an OT rather than a EP)
And ADHD assessments also seem to be a different provider.

My question is, where you suspect more than one area for concern where and how do you go about private diagnosis, it seems a minefield and I'm really struggling with where to start.
Will I have difficulty with school and our GP accepting private diagnosis? Can I use any provider? And will it help with the EHCP if we were to get a diagnosis.

I would be really grateful for any experience and advise you can give me.

If you got this far thank you for reading.

Have you appealed the EHCP refusals? Were they refusal to assess or refusal to issue?

The LA and school cannot refuse to accept independent assessments just because they are independent. The validity of any assessment is less likely to be questioned if you use someone who follows NICE guidelines &/or works/worked for the NHS too.

If you decide to go private for an ADHD assessment and continuing private prescriptions would be an issue, you should speak to the GP first because not all will take on shared care.

For the learning difficulties, I would start with an EP rather than dyslexia assessor.

Thank you for your reply @EndlessLight refusal to assess at this point. Apparently in our area if its just learning difficulties they won't assess because of the huge backlog.

I will check with the GP and am looking for an EP who can diagnose the learning difficulties but really struggling to find one who covers everything.

The LA may not want to assess for learning difficulties but that is not the law. The only lawful test is a) has or may have SEN, and b) may need special educational provision to be made via an EHCP. Have you appealed to SENDIST?

Depending on what evidence you already have/what you can get from e.g. subject access requests you may not need any independent assessments for a refusal to assess appeal.

If you do want to look at a private EP assessment, I would use someone with SENDIST experience. Try Jemma Levy, Stephanie Warman, Leanne Short, John Pugh, Vivienne Clifford and Marina Gouzouli-Allen. An EP won’t assess all the same things an OT can/would, but an EP is the one I would start with in your case.

I've not heard of SENDIST so will look into that and the names you have suggested thank you!

If you appeal the refusal to assess, you appeal to SENDIST. When was the refusal to assess? Are you still within the appeal window?