Experience of Send residential schools / colleges

[AppleGarden]

My dd is in hospital with anxiety and attending the hospital school doing a few GCSEs while her medication is being adjusted. The hospital school and her doctor are looking for a residential placement for her at the moment. The last two local provisions she attended failed to meet her needs. Dd will need to attend a post 16 provision so a college will be a better option to prepare her for adulthood.

I really don’t know much about Send residential college. Can anyone share their experiences? I just really hope that it will work out for my poor dd this time.

do you know how far they will be from home?

The issue is who is paying and will they? You wil need to get a EHCP with the school
named. I assume you have started this process.

We re waiting the hospital school to give us a list of provisions to visit. We re waiting for funding to be approved. Hopefully we will know where we stand in the next month or so. She needs a place that will give her GCSEs, level 2 & 3. Most colleges seem only do functional skills!

OP - i would be very surprised and impressed if your daughter is in a SEND residential within the next 6 months

what’s the short term plan?

only visit any (not like there’s loads anyway!) that actually have spaces otherwise i suspect you will do a lot of travelling for nothing

Just wondered what other people s dc and parent’s’ experience like? Did it work better?

short term plan she has to attend the hospital school at least she is doing a few GCSEs and receiving therapies.

EHCPs can be fast tracked for children in hospital, under hospital school. I would suggest looking round, and seeing what you think. Trust the hospital. Good luck.

QAC in Birmingham is wonderful. No experience of the residential provision though.

@Leafpicker2000 Do you know someone went there?

I would be concerned about a young person with severe anxiety being away from home. Whilst the school's may meet her academic needs I am not sure that mental health care would be their strength.

@cansu I half agree with you I want some where within 2hr travel from home ideally so I can visit her often until she fully settle in. But she does need to be in a residential placement as the doctor, dd and ourselves all agree.

Yes - my dd.
She's 25 now. She is autistic.
Took English and Maths GCSEs and a BTEC.
They cater for Autism/sight impaired and those needing much more support who are on life skills type courses.

Don’t limit your search to specialist colleges, some specialist schools cater to college age young people.

Even for DC in hospital, the EHCP process won’t be much, if any, quicker than 20 weeks and that is if you don’t have to appeal at any point.

@Leafpicker2000 may I pm you? My dd was diagnosed of autism a few years ago.

Yes. That's fine. Can I see messages on my phone or do I need to log into pc?

Whatever is easier for you.

@KeepGoingThomas it is important that my dd goes to a provision that caters for young people up to age 25+.

Be aware even if DD attends a provision now that goes through to 25 there is no guarantee she will continue there until 25.

@KeepGoingThomas yes, I fear that as well! I have heard that some parents have to keep appealing year after year! I really hope she can be there until she finishes a level 3 course. I may have to get in touch with a ed lawyer to look after our case every year.

Have messaged you.

she was very let down by two provisions in the past it s so important to get this one right.