Should I apply for an EHCP or not

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Both my children are severely dyslexic with additional SpLD, short term memory, processing, understanding difficulties. They are both working about around 3 years below. My daughter is 12 my son is 8 (he cannot read or write) school are and have done as much as they can both have full funding for TA however, still no progress. My son is beginning to get very frustrated, isolated in class and does not want to attend. My daughter who has just started secondary school is now also realising how difficult the level of work is (she is only a few weeks in too). I feel that the best support for them is through a specialist Dyslexia school but this is at a cost which we cannot afford? Should we press and push for an EHCP? Would it help? I feel as though my children are not getting the education that they require because of cost and it's so wrong!!!! Can anyone shed some light or hope???

Yes! Most definitely. In fact I can't quite believe that their primary school has not already done this. Have you had meetings with the school senco to discuss their next steps in applying for EHCP's? Definitely do it yourself with your DS, it will be trickier with your DD as she is at a new school and they will need time to assess her, offer her support, show its not working and gather their evidence before applying. If you apply for her now you will probably get a refusal as their may not be enough evidence. This should have been done for them both already! Try ipsea website for a template letter.

I can't quite believe this!! My daughter time and time again, keeps getting failed by the Education system because she is quiet and goes under the radar and now once again because she has moved schools she will have to wait until they have done more assessments, more interventions to come back to me to say that it hasn't worked. Why is the system so flawed? It's heartbreaking.

I have a meeting at my sons school tomorrow each time we meet the SENCO they say they are trying all they can, I am at the point of despair.

I am going to apply for them both.

Sorry, emotions are high, I should have said thank you for your response. It means a lot

Yes do! Have your meeting tomorrow and ask them about an EHCP application. If they are dragging their feet (maybe because they will need to supply lots of paperwork) tell them you are going to put in a parent request for one. Send copies of all paperwork of their correct working levels and what support they get at present.

Thank you so much, have you gone through this process yourself? I have lots of supporting documents and assessments, from Speech and Lang, Ed Psych, Occ Therapist, Physiotherapist and also an external SpLD specialist. For both of my children I am just so cross I didn't apply for my daughters whilst still at primary, as as you say it is highly likely she will be refused.

Please do! We've had children who have turned up to secondary school who have struggled immensely and it has taken us a year to get the paperwork and evidence together needed to move them to a more appropriate setting. I have no idea how they have managed to get through the whole of primary school without being statemented but it sounds like primary schools just fob parents off to avoid paperwork by saying 'we wouldn't do anything different regarding support', completely ignoring the issues that this will cause on transition to secondary.

I have a son with ASD but he had a full statement from the sept of his reception year. However I work in education so know a little about how frustrating these processes are and I have lots of friends who have gone through the EHCP process as well as in the school I work in.

So in my daughters case is it all too late? Will they not even consider all the evidence that has built up through Primary because she is now in secondary and will want to start the process again. Surely I can contest this. Why should her education be hindered any more than it has because the primary school have fobbed us off.

Definitely apply and speak to the new schools senco and tell them what you are doing but they may need to gather their own evidence. It's definitely worth doing anyway though and then fighting it if you need to.

Ok I will do, I think in my daughters case it may be a tribunal case!!! I am so cross and upset for my children. However, I will try to channel it. Are there any organisations, charities that will walk you through the process or is it the case of paying for a lawyer - again not a reality.

Look up ipsea and Sen sos as well as your local sendiass service.

Thank you I will, my local advice told me to look at the online leaflets!!!!!

Sometimes there are also local charities and groups that will help (often parents themselves) and I think mencap may have some contracts in local areas to help parents. Have you looked on your LA local offer? I don't know if that would have any parent support groups. And try scope as well

I have contacted a few various ones, some National and some local, so see what I get back. Thank you again for providing the information.

If the SENCO is admitting they have tried everything they can and your children are still not making progress, they absolutely meet the criteria for an EHCP and the school should have replied some time ago. I really wouldn't wait even a day for the SENCOs to put applications together, do it yourself. It certainly isn't too late for your daughter.

Thank you we have met with Senco today and his ta and all in agreeance that EHCP is next route, we are doing it though as not prepared to wait for busy Education staff. We have also been told that if it goes through that County have spent all their budget so wont fund any out of county specialist education (none in our County). If we were to get EHCP and move county where the provision is where do we stand then,? Does anyone know? Our daughters school have also said they will support our application.