EHCP hints and tips please

[Mendeleev]

Good evening,

The council have agreed to assess my dyslexic son without any resistance, which is great news.

If we are successful in getting an EHCP, I would prefer to name a specialist dyslexia school where I believe he will be taught according to his needs but more importantly, boost his self esteem. I think the school will suit him and his personality.

So, I’m after any advice on how to go about naming a private specialist school and getting the provision I want for my child. For example, wording on the parent view part on the application.

I know the council will try to place him in a state school, of which there is nothing suitable, without my son having to travel on two buses and a long walk.

Many thanks!

Is the indie SS you want a section 41 school?

If you get an EHCP you will get transport to the nearest suitable school. So, if there is a state school, MS or SS, that can meet needs within reasonable travelling distance (generally 1hr15 for secondary pupils, 45 mins for primary) you would get transport. You are going to need to prove that his needs can not be met in MS or the state SS.

You need to make sure you ask for any assessments you think DS needs. The LA are required to undertake them as long as they are reasonable. Anyone asked for a report by the LA must respond within 6 weeks. If the LA can't stick to this time limit they should commission independent reports - waiting lists and not having available staff are not acceptable reasons. "Not known to this service" is not an acceptable response from any professional. The reports should be detailed and specific.

Make sure the LA stick to the time scales. If the LA plan to issue an EHCP you should have a draft by week 14 and if they are not going to issue they must tell you by week 16.

IPSEA and SOS SEN are both helpful resources, and both have helplines.

When the draft EHC Plan is issued you will be asked to name your preferred school.

If the school is one of these type of schools (listed in section 38(3) of the Children and Families Act) :

• A maintained school or nursery (mainstream or special)

• An Academy (mainstream or special)
• An institution in the Further Education sector
• A non-maintained special school
• A section 41 school.

you are entitled to request it is named in the EHCP and the LA should consult with the school and name it. The link tells you what to do if they refuse to consult, or name another school on the final plan.

www.ipsea.org.uk/choosing-a-schoolcollege-with-an-ehc-plan

Thanks for replying.

Yes, it is a section 41 school, with a number of children there on EHCPs. They run a dedicated bus from our town in SW London straight to the school in Surrey, which is ideal.

There are a couple of state schools which have dyslexia units within driving distance but I would not be happy with them. The students are taken out for intervention but not taught by specialists in all subjects.

My son has mental health issues (at a very young age) and is very aware of how he appears to his peers. Being part of a unit would be detrimental to his mental health as well as not being taught specialists in dyslexia.

How can I prove this though? Sorry for all the questions.

Thanks again.

As PP said, make sure you ask for any assessments you think would be helpful and would hopefully make recommendations which would point to the specialist dyslexia school. Eg small class sizes, or a particular way of teaching.

Maybe ask for assessment from a dyslexia specialist or if he is having any kind of therapy ask for them to do a report. If he has any sensory issues, ask for OT assessment. If there are social issues ask for assessment by a SLT. It needs to be a full picture of all his needs, not just the dyslexia.

So the reports need to say e.g. the interventions need to be delivered by specialists with X training/qualifications.

As well as the assessments listed by Ellie, if your DS has MH problems you need to ask for an assessment by CAMHS/a psychiatrist/a CP. As part of their report you need them to say that an enhanced/additionally resources provision/unit isn't suitable and that he needs a specialist SpLD setting.

Okay. Thanks. This is great advice.

He has been through CAMHS in year 4 and has now been referred again by school and our GP.

I didn’t actually realise I could ask for assessments of my choice.

There are no social or sensory issues but he does have a diagnosis of visual stress and the original private EP report said he has visual processing disorder. I will ask for a behavioural optometrist assessment.

Any others? They have stated he will be seen by an EP, SALT/OT, our local NHS trust and SPA team.

6(1) of the SEND regulations 2014 says:

Information and advice to be obtained of EHC Needs Assessments

6.—(1) Where the local authority secures an EHC needs assessment for a child or young person, it must seek the following advice and information, on the needs of the child or young person, and what provision may be required to meet such needs and the outcomes that are intended to be achieved by the child or young person receiving that provision—

(a)advice and information from the child’s parent or the young person;

(b)educational advice and information—
(i)from the head teacher or principal of the school or post-16 or other institution that the child or young person is attending, or
(ii)where this is not available, from a person who the local authority is satisfied has experience of teaching children or young people with special educational needs, or knowledge of the differing provision which may be called for in different cases to meet those needs, or
(iii)if the child or young person is not currently attending a school or post-16 or other institution and advice cannot be obtained under sub-paragraph (ii), from a person responsible for educational provision for the child or young person, and
(iv)if any parent of the child or young person is a serving member of Her Majesty’s armed forces, also from the Secretary of State for Defence;

(c)medical advice and information from a health care professional identified by the responsible commissioning body;

(d)psychological advice and information from an educational psychologist;

(e)advice and information in relation to social care;

(f)advice and information from any other person the local authority thinks is appropriate;

(g)where the child or young person is in or beyond year 9, advice and information in relation to provision to assist the child or young person
in preparation for adulthood and independent living; and

(h) advice and information from any person the child’s parent or young person reasonably requests that the local authority seek advice from.

6(2) of the SEND regulations says:

2. Where it appears to the authority, in consequence of medical advice or otherwise, that the child or young person in question is either or both—

(a)hearing impaired;
(b)visually impaired,
and any person from whom advice and information is sought as provided in paragraph (1)(b) is not qualified to teach children or young people who are so impaired, then the advice sought shall be advice given after consultation with a person who is so qualified.

www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2014/1530/contents/made

More info here:

www.ipsea.org.uk/ehc-needs-assessments