Hello
I'm asking on behalf of a friend who also has an ASD child.
For primary school he attended a Communications and Interaction Unit attached to a mainstream primary- having had a statement , later EHCP - since he was 4.
He was happy there , thriving in the small and experienced setting.
Our county has/ to save money unfairly removed all our ASD bases/ C and I units at secondary school level. All of our SEN schools are either for children who are below their academic expected level or who have severe behavioural issues . Her son is at least where he should be academically . The council , therefore decided he needed to go to a mainstream secondary.
When her son started in September, he literally couldn't cope with the large, busy school - 200+ pupils per year. He had huge meltdowns , anxiety, panic attacks . In the end she felt she had no choice but to remove him as he was running into roads , wanting to end his life due to the pressure. As all the local schools are of a similar size, she enrolled him in a small , new independent school . They came to an agreement that until the council funding came. He has around 20 hours in his EHCP, she could pay £100 a week towards the fees. This is all of his DLA and more. She is a single mum and his carer (and her fathers who had severe dementia) She is having to take the council to tribunal now.
Any advice please and recommendations for a good Educational Psych would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance