ehc plan

[Itsyourwifeymacrid]

hi all so iv received my sons ehc plan draft copy today and to say I'm confused is an understatement lol,so they have given him a level 7 which where we are is really high the teachers said,even the nursery where he is at and has been for 2 years are now saying as he's got this plan they might not be able to cater for him which is strange as if it wasn't for them we wouldn't be nowhere near where we are now,so nursery told me level 7 is good but on my draft copy it doesn't state anything about schools but nursery told me the la have been liaising with afew special schools I had requested,so iv googled it and it's hard to find an answer but I want to know if mainstream would be out the picture as he has really high complex needs and would prefare a special school for him as he struggles been anywhere where near others so would struggle with that alone at school,he has so many problems that I didn't realise was a problem if you get till we got this plan,anyone else had a level 7 on there plan and been given a special school placement.

Level 7 will be a local thing, so I don't know about that.

If your son struggles being around other children, a special school may well be the best thing for him.

I work with children with very high needs in mainstream schools. I would advise against mainstream school for a child who does not like being around others. There usually aren't enough quiet spaces for all of the children who need them.

But you may be told the special schools can't meet his needs. Then they would say he should go to a mainstream school. This sounds silly, but special schools are so full. You can appeal any decision if you think it is wrong for him.

What do you want for him?

Levels/bands differ depending on LA. Focus on the provision detailed, specified and quantified in F of the EHCP rather than the level.

It is correct that the draft does not state a school or type of school in section I. In drafts, section I must be blank. You can inform the LA of your preferred school.

Unless the school is wholly independent, the LA must name your preferred placement unless the LA can prove:
-The setting is unsuitable for the age, ability, aptitude or special educational needs (“SEN”) of the child or young person; or
-The attendance of the child or young person would be incompatible with the provision of efficient education for others; or
-The attendance of the child or young person would be incompatible with the efficient use of resources.
The bar for the LA to be able to do this is higher than LAs and many schools admit. However, the LA may refuse and force you to appeal.

Please don’t go mainstream if you have even an inkling your child won’t cope. I work in MS school with children who’s parents chose mainstream school cause they thought it would have a good effect on them being alongside “normal” children. A disaster! These poor kids don’t get the support they need or deserve! Don’t do it!

@fluffy71thank you so much,you have just said exactly what I'm thinking,he really can't cope in a class of 6 kids so only another 5 children near him and he hates it,he has social and communication disorder and on the autism pathway,waiting for sensory processing assessment and he's educational psychologist wrote in her report she sees he has alot of other learning difficulties which need investigation,he struggles so much he even struggles at home,he doesn't like cuddles or anything like that,he doesn't understand what your saying to him,it's really hard,then my daughter goes to mainstream school so when I take her the teachers are like we can cater for him course we can,told me once we get he's ehc plan to let them know and they can tell me,but I see alot going on under the surface there iv been and picked my daughter up on a dinner time and they are sending home kids with send issues coz there having a bad day,this will happen daily,he can't sit down and do any kind of work he doesn't know how to write he's name or draw a simple picture so to go from nursery to sat in a classroom full of 30 odd kids he isn't going to cope,I live in hull and our system has levels 1-10 and my son got level 7 which nursery have told me that's very high as thr next levels are for severely disabled children so in that sense the la have done the best they can for him,it says on all he's targets he needs a teaching assistant etc,my minds racing and when I tell my partner my concerns all I get is stop worrying he isn't going to mainstream full stop,I'm thinking yh but your not the one going to all the meetings where I have to say all this to some really nice people aswel which makes it hard but it's the system I have a problem with not the people,they have spoken to 2 special schools on he's behalf but when do they tell me the outcome,I'm so overwhelmed by it all now,iv fought since last April and finally got their but still some last bits to get out the way like schools,when will they tell me about schooling etc

You get the opportunity to state your preferred placement. The LA will then consult with schools. Then the LA will finalise - this should be by week 20, or if you had to appeal refusal to assess but not issue, within 14 weeks of the conclusion of that appeal, or if you had to appeal refusal to issue, within 11 weeks of the conclusion of that appeal. When the LA finalises, you will know the placement/type of placement named.

I'm finding your posts a little bit hard to follow, but it sounds like you think a special school would suit him best, his draft EHCP shows him having a high level of needs, and that the LA have been consulting with some special schools. So far, so good, everyone's on the same page.

But budgets are tight, and many LAs are known for doing as little as they can get away with regarding EHCPs. In your position, I'd be doing a couple of things:

• Research the special schools that are available near you, see if you can visit, etc. You get to name your preferred school and unless it's a wholly independent school, in most cases the LA should then put that school in the ECHP. I think @StrivingForSleep may know the differences between the state, sort-of-but-not-entirely independent, and wholly independent special schools and the best ways to find them.
• Go through the EHCP draft with a fine-toothed comb. And then go through it again. When it says what he needs, it needs to be specific and precise. You don't want anything remotely vague like 'access to', 'would benefit from', 'small group teaching', etc. It needs to be nailed down – this therapy, this many hours a week, delivered by a person with this qualification. The 'small group' needs a number on it – is that 2 or 6 or 10? If it's nailed down, you can enforce it. If it's wishy-washy, they can claim 10 is a 'small group' when it's completely overwhelming for your DS, and there will be little you can do about it. Again, listen to @StrivingForSleep if she gives advice.

You can search for schools here. This covers all types of schools. Also ask around locally. You could start a thread on the SEN or SN boards.

@skkyelark is spot on about going through the draft carefully. It is very rare for the drafts to be watertight.

To do this, go through all the reports with highlighters. Highlight all DS’s special educational needs in one colour and all the provision to meet those needs in another colour. Each need should have corresponding provision.

Then go through the draft and make sure all the highlighted needs are in B and the highlighted provision is in F. Make a note of anything the LA has omitted from the draft, any needs without corresponding provision, any woolly and vague wording, anything the reports have failed to include, and any reports the LA has failed to include.

When you go through F, look out for vague and woolly wording, as pp said. This is very important. For example, “access to”, “would benefit from”, “regular”, “up to”, “or equivalent”, “opportunities for”, “as appropriate”, “would be useful/helpful”, “such as”, “e.g.”, “etc.”, “as required”, “as advised”, “key adult(s)”, “small group”. Provision must be detailed, specified and quantified, otherwise the EHCP isn’t worth the paper it is written on and cannot be enforced.

When you find vague and woolly wording, check the reports to see if they are woolly and vague or if the LA has watered down provision. If the reports are vague and woolly, ask the LA to go back to the report writers to make the reports detailed, specified and quantified. If the LA has watered down provision, request the LA stick to the wording in the reports.

Also make sure any health or social care provision that educates or trains is in F. For example, LAs like to put things like SALT and OT, etc. in G (health care provision) when it belongs in F (special educational provision).

I totally understand your feeling, it's a lot of information all at once! My child also has an EHC plan, and the level assigned played an important role in the choice of school. If your son has complex needs and is better off in a suitable environment, a specialized school seems to be a good option. Maybe the best thing would be to contact the LA directly to clarify the steps? Good luck to you!
Mini Militia App Lock

hi everyone sorry not replied iv been poorly,thank you so much for all your advice everyone,its so bloody hard they are so hard to get them to understand you,iv been told he can go to special school but has to go on a waiting list and they have put down 4 different ones so to me the la are trying for us but due to spaces it's hard to get him in in September,my daughter goes to a school and the teachers there all tell me they can do things for him there not a problem but he has zero understanding of anything so if they want him to sit down at a table he ain't going to do that,he kind of just ignores you but he has been diagnosed with social and communication disorder with severe understanding of spoken language,he does understand alot of things but for someone to get him to sit at a table and do work god help them,i feel sending him to mainstream while we wait for special school will set him back so much,its like they want to send him there to see him struggle for them to then make a space at special school its weird,I'm really thinking of trying to home school him but he's senco worker said its fine but it will set him back as he won't socialise,he doesn't socialise anyway he has social and communication disorder,I'm so angry,upset,all these things,I just want the best for him and they expect you to fight for it,almost like the one who fights the most gets the space,I can't do anything more now,iv got my partner telling me my sons defo not going to mainstream iv got the teachers on at me he will be fine,even tho they don't know him, its so hard,I'm tired of fighting for my sons future,why when children are disabled is it a fight for everything,it shouldn't be like that it should be just plain straight forward,they need help they have been recognised as needing help but after that it's like leaving you in the middle of the sea and they tell you to find your own way back,its not fair

Maybe the best thing would be to contact the LA directly to clarify the steps?

That would be the worst thing to do! LAs tell parents what they want them to know and often give incorrect advice based on their own unlawful local policy.

OP, you do not have to state 4 preferences and DS does not need to sit on a waiting list. If the LA finalise without naming your preferred placement, you should appeal. Personally, I wouldn’t EHE. If you do, the LA has no incentive to name a special school.

if you read what I put that's my situation and I clearly state all las are different,who else is going to sort it for them coz i know it's unfortunately the local authorities up and down the country

I did read your post. Despite what some LAs claim, the law is the same in all LAs. Everything I have written in this thread applies to all LAs.

you just told op not to listen to me and put down 4 schools,yeah your right you don't at all but my situation iv been able to do that,read it once more and you will see it's about MY situation,now stay on topic and don't worry yourself about what I put as il continue to post if I feel the need to do so don't try undermine me please its really not worth it is it,its not my fault you miss read what I put and can't accept it is it,or perhaps in your eyes it is

Agree with @StrivingForSleep

With an EHCP, you have the right to choose the school you want your son to go to. There are only limited grounds under which the LA can refuse to name the school you want. Once the school is named on the EHCP, they have to admit your son even if they are already full. Your son will not go through the normal admissions process. They cannot put you on a waiting list.

This is the law. It applies everywhere. If your LA is telling you things are different where you live, they are lying to you.

I haven’t misread what you put.

Read my post again. You have clearly read a different post to the one I wrote.

I didn’t tell anyone not to listen to you.

You are the OP. OP stands for original poster.

And I didn’t tell anyone to put down 4 schools. Quite the opposite. I said “you do not have to state 4 preferences”

no you didn't say that and I never said you did,I said i was fortune enough to be able to put 4 down,I don't get you your saying things over put a stuff you've put

no you didn't say that and I never said you did

I am not sure which part of my post you are responding to here but

You said “You you just told op not to listen to me and put down 4 schools”

I didn’t tell the OP (which is actually you) not to listen to you.

I didn’t say you had to put down 4 schools.

When I said “you do not have to state 4 preferences”, my point was you don’t need/have to. I was merely pointing out you only have to state one preferred placement.

Ah, you are bringing other threads into this one? You replied on another thread about contacting the LA for advice. I responded with “I wouldn’t take advice from the LA. LAs tell parents what they want them to know and their (often unlawful) version of the law.” and you didn’t like me pointing that out. Is what your point about telling someone not to listen to you is about?