Private ADHD referral - School & Trust won't complete forms

[Fluffycloudsfloatinginthesky]

Anyone been through this. School agree referral to Cahms is warranted however completely refuse to complete forms for a private assessment - it's also trust policy.

I think I need to get SEN lawyer involved but anyone been through this scenario and got any advice.

Basis for this is that they cannot guarantee their qualifications.

Apparently it doesn't matter if CAMHS will accept their diagnosis . It also doesn't matter that they are actually the lead for local NHS trust most of the week, if the forms come on a private day they won't be completed.

They have apparently never had anyone go private in the entire trust and if they fill the forms for me they have to do for anyone else and they cannot be sure they would guarantee the credibility of the provider.

I have already done a private mental health assessment for which they wrote a letter and in that assessment her scoring was above the adhd thresholds (also dad has it)

what are you trying to achieve? While both my kids schools accepted their private ADHD diagnosis - they also had educational phycologist testing which recommended changes in the school (ie like a computer, exam rest breaks) which the schools accepted.

I am trying to obtain an adhd diagnosis and understand if medication is indicated. She has already been suspended once from school and is refusing to attend some lessons.

Unfortunately being in Y9 I don't feel I have a year to wait on Camhs given she won't be far off GCSEs by then and I'm not sure it wouldn't be too late to turn it around.

Does child have another teacher in their lives who has known them a reasonable amount of time?

When DD was assessed, I submitted questionnaire responses from school and her main music teacher.

Reason being that he had taught her for 5 years at the point and knew her well, whereas at school she had spent most of 2 years in lockdown and no teacher had taught her for more than a couple of hours a week for a term (and the teacher they asked to complete the form happened to teach one of her favourite subjects).

Psychiatrist totally understood the issues and took mine, DH, music teacher and school's scores into consideration alongside school reports and their own assessments.

A diagnosis or assessment?

We also went the private route in Y9 (earliest opportunity due to Covid) and because a 3 year waiting list would not have been much use.

Medication has been life changing for us all - and especially for DD.

@CaptainFuture both but tbh as part of the mental health assessment she had she completed the various scoring models and has scored within the adhd range on all of them.

@OhCrumbsWhereNow - she did do guides until last year so I'm investigating whether that's an option.

Go via Occupational Therapy referral instead to get your DD help who can then refer you on to CAMHS with extra supporting evidence in her favour.

I do feel for you - my daughter's private school refused to participate as well. I can only suggest you ask to speak in private to school teacher who knows your daughter well - and explain the impact on your daughter and family and see if they have any leverage.

I would also book your daughter appts with the person in the trust who you say does both NHS and private - and get them to write a letter to the school board.

My son started meds 2 months before his GCSEs and pushed his grades up 2 levels - but he is at a grammar school so was already capable sort of thing.

Also, depending on your time - I find it helpful for my adhd kids to test them verbaly on subjects - its easier for them as they can still move around and if you have to formulate something verbally in your head - you are a long way to remembering.

For her GCSEs, focus on english, maths, sciences and if she has any subjects she needs as prerequisites for the possible future A level choices. Ask her school to put her in double sciences - she'll drop a science but that's fine - my son was dropped to double sciences and went from a 7s/6/7s to 9/9 because he had less work. Also school to drop one of her other subjects like language - EIGHT GCSES are enough and schools tend to look at english / maths most of the time. Will take the pressure of her and she can study during free periods.

Thanks @Andagain2

There is no budging - she is saying she has run it through the headteacher and the head of Send at the trust.

Problem is the subjects that are gcse choices are the ones she is more engaged with.

It's the core subjects she has more problems with.

Is this is fully private diagnosis or right to choose.

Really unhelpful of them to refuse to do the school forms etc. It’s no more work than if it was the camhs ones.

It's a statutory duty for schools to seek and support assessment when SEND is suspected. Outlined in the Sen code of practice and the children and families act.

The duty is regardless of whether an assessor is public or private.

You could read up and write a letter to the school yourself or use a Sen lawyer. It might not make a difference though - my child's school (he has ASD and ADHD) don't give a monkeys.

Fully private. From what I have seen alot of the RTC are online as nationwide. I would rather face to face. They also have long waiting lists now as more people are going that route.

They don't have any issues putting in interventions and I have said to them
If it was ASD that was suspected I may not go this route as obviously interventions are available. However if it is ADHD then these interventions are going to be of limited use. Meds may not be suggested / work but i cannot sit around for a year waiting for an nhs diagnosis.

She will be out of school before she gets to the top of the CAMHS list.

I can understand your point OP. If she has ADHD then the medication could work for her and make life easier for everyone.

Awful school are refusing to help! It’s no skin off their nose so don’t see why they won’t do it. I’d complain to the head and give your reasoning. If DD was 9 then fair enough but as you say, if you go private she will get the help sooner.

Sounds like the can’t be arsed!

Because they say if they do it for me they have to do it for everyone and what if those people are using people who will diagnose anyone for payment.

So penalising me for a perceived future situation that may never happen

I can't believe your school is being so difficult - would a disabilities charity be able to help? Feels like her rights are being violated.

In the meantime...please do not get too hung up on the idea meds will solve her problems - because not everyone gets on with them. Of the three people in my family with ADHD only one uses meds and he only uses during exam times (GCSE and A levels).

What is essential is if the school is up for exam extras go for as much of that as they will give you. Breaks are very important with ADHD. If you can get a computer (helpful for english as ADHD brains put down info and then can move it around) and even if they agree to extra time even better! She would need to have slow processing skills for extra time though.

In the meantime while waiting for diagnoses - if you can afford it find maths and english tutors who are good with ADHD kids.

Oh what a familiar shit show.

Can you confirm if the private assessor is someone you have found and are paying for? Is this part of this right to choose or completely outside of that? Are you referring to the Connors questionnaire or a request to assess for ADHD referral form?

The school are deliberately being obstructive fuckers. You'll wait forever for CAMHS too.

I found my own private assessor for Autism and ADHD completely independent of the NHS and school who were appalling in their refusal to help and support my request. I had to pay of course.

The ADHD assessment just needed one teacher to complete a Connors questionnaire which the psychiatrist sent them. I completed one and so did my son. These are an online part of understanding behaviours observed by others. The autism assessment involved an in school observation which I asked for. The school obvious had to agree to having them in there for half a day.

No one ever has challenged the diagnosed conditions. The reports are excellent. NICE guidelines followed and more for each assessment. Assessor agreed to be contacted by anyone who doubted validity of the assessment and diagnosis.

Unfortunately, this did all cost approx £2000.

Very poor form from the school. Unbelievable.

Did you ask whoever is doing the assessment what are the other options, e.g if a child is home schooled, who then? Coach, tutor, old primary school teacher..??

Do you have school reports going back years that repeatedly mention some of the behaviours arising from ADHD?

Would they do a Qb test?

It's so shocking that we have to fight so hard for our children.
Meds have been a massive help in our house. Took about 3 tries to find one that worked and had manageable side effects but so worth it.

Absolutely appalling and absolutely just an attempt to get you to go away and for them to be obliged to do less legally according to obligations they may under equality legislation.

I'm trying to ascertain what you need school for, it sounds like someone who can reflect upon her behaviours/ struggles in school. It sounds like you aren't going to get this. But I don't believe this will be a barrier to assessment and diagnosis. It just makes it very tough. You'll need another setting or professional possibly who interacts with her regularly. I think someone here suggested an educational psychologist to help support this whole process from a learning perspective. Of course you'll have to pay. Just forget appealing to school now. You don't need them but it will be harder. With the diagnosis and a water tight report from a NICE approved assessor, you can then shove it in their face and ask what they're doing based on defined disability status to help her.

I had a free 30 minutes with a SEN lawyer I found online. Brilliant advice. He basically guided me on how to compose my email to school. I quoted Equality Act legislation and duty of care school had with regards to disability status. We do have a diagnosis though.
The guy was great. He knew everything. One recommendation is to find out who the SEN governor is as they usually have SEN kids. I don't know if you have governors like this in private school settings.

Getting her assessed and diagnosed is really important.

Can you ask assessor about a Qb test. This happened with my Ds as confirmation .

i would also follow the complaints procedure at school

contact senidass..

@Andagain2 no - meds may not work I agree but at least let's get the the point we can try.

@Wishyouwerehere50

This is a predicate person I found recommended by someone who had used her. Not RTC.

I have already paid for a mini assessment to essentially get a guideline of whether to continue with a full assessment.

So she did a RCADS questionnaire, SNAP-IV form, ASSQ questionnaire, ADD self report (specially for teenage girls) and qb check.

Basically on those she was scoring in the range that would indicate ADHD is a strong possibility. Also possibly worth looking at ASD. Obviously school did not do their side so it's not complete.

School are not disputing it's a possibility now and are happy to go to Cahms. That's one step forward at least but it's not quick enough.

She did the qb check, she scored 21 and apparently over 10 means elevated likelihood.

I have contacted siass in my area and they were useless. A friend said they have had a lot of new staff lately and they are nowhere as good as they were.

@Wishyouwerehere50

Could you send lawyer details please

Yes I will PM you

@LegallyBlende

Yes I have reports from
Y3-5 which state exactly the same things we are seeing now.