EHCP suggestions please

[Mintysmoons]

Good morning,
My son is in year 6 and has a dyslexia and visual processing disorder diagnosis. We paid for a private assessment back in year 3.
There has been an ongoing fight for getting him extra help and accommodations consistently and CAMHS have been involved as a result of the emotional repercussions.
An ehcp has been talked about on numerous occasions but they keep changing their mind as to whether they will apply. Last year was a definite no, this year they are saying they will.
This is where i’m after some of your wise words!
My son is having various small group interventions but he is just not making the expected progress. The school asked me what I would want to see with the extra (ehcp) funding. I said a specialist dyslexia teacher, self esteem therapies but they don’t seem to think the LEA would accept that. I imagine this could be true given the funding crisis. So, what else could I ask for?
I have also been told that they don’t fund a one to one teaching assistant anymore although I think that would be beneficial for 50% of his time when doing writing, reading and maths. He wouldn’t require help for practical subjects.

Thanks!

Well I am a secondary mainstream and I have a number of students who have EHCPs for the same or similar diagnoses as your son. Their EHCP provision includes specialist teaching (usually for 2hrs per week), particular teaching methods or approaches, equipment and resources like Docs Plus on IPad, teaching assistant support, ELSA provision etc. You can apply yourself for an EHCP if school aren’t but don’t leave it to the end of the school year!

Thank you Cat. Very interesting to hear of other students with plans for similar issues.
School keep telling me we won’t qualify or it’s highly unlikely to get a plan for dyslexia.
Sounds like a fob off.

You can't know what interventions your child needs in the absence of a proper assessment and professional advice. If he isn't making progress, that strongly suggests that he would qualify for an EHCP and you should apply yourself without waiting for the school. www.ipsea.org.uk/asking-for-an-ehc-needs-assessment

Thank you Ton. I requested a call back from Ipsea and spoke to a very helpful lady about the prospect of applying myself. I think it is looking more likely.
School keep telling me that we won’t get a one to one because they generally don’t fund that nowadays, especially for dyslexia. They have also said that it would be very hard to get an assessment/plan if I apply on my own. I feel nervous about applying on my own in case I shoot myself in the foot by doing so. I have no idea what the success rate is like compared to that of school applications.

It's not true that local authorities never fund 1:1s any more. They have to fund the support that children with EHCPs individually need, and any council that puts in place a blanket policy that it won't ever provide a particular type of support is acting unlawfully.

That doesn't of course mean that your child will necessarily get one, because it completely depends on whether the evidence demonstrates that he needs it. FWIW, my dyslexic son did well with a couple of sessions a week with a specialist dyslexia tutor and a lot of practice at home, but obviously every child differs.

All you child has to do is pass the test in law that says: does this child or may this child have Sen needs? If the council comes back and says they won't assess you appeal that. This is most likely a paper hearing and pretty simple. The majority of parents win at this stage. The council than has to do an assessment which I think here would be what is most useful. I would suggest at this point you call ipsea back. I would insist on getting an EP, SALT and OT assessment. They have to do this in the alloted time and if they don't have anyone available they need to commission a private report. A lot of primary schools are frankly awful with Sen and we had the same situation only last year. The school flat out refused to apply and even the head said we were being unrealistic as her and the senco both have dyslexic and dyspraxic kids who don't have plans.

Don't listen to any of them, by writing this it sounds like you know what you need to do. Feel free to DM me if you have any questions.

All you child has to do is pass the test in law that says: does this child or may this child have Sen needs?

Not quite. If that were the case, all the children on SEN Support in schools would qualify, and in fact around 97% don't. The second part of the test is whether the child may need help through an EHC Plan. That in turn depends on issues such as whether he's making progress, and whether his needs can be met through the resources normally available to mainstream schools.

From what you say, you can demonstrate that your child meets these requirements so you should get on and make your own application. Even if the LA refuses, it's relatively easy to appeal and over 85% of appeals against refusals to assess are won by the parents or conceded by local authorities.