Should I apply for an EHCNA?

[BraverThanBogroll]

DS starts secondary school in September. He has a diagnosis of autism but has managed fairly well in a small MS school with minor adjustments. He is exceeding academically but is known to be “fidgety” and is often in trouble for talking.

He does have problems outside of school with initiating friendships, being difficult to manage when he’s “hyper” and sleeping (he takes medication for sleep and we’re awaiting therapy to help him function rather than faff).

DS is starting to get anxious about going to secondary; he’s becoming upset and does not want to go to the class taster day tomorrow. (He’s refused to hand back the permission slip and says he’s not going).

DS school have outright refused to put him forward for a needs assessment as he does not need additional support. I asked the Senco how they would know this without an assessment and they said he’s fine in school.

I’m now torn whether to apply myself; will it be pointless? Should I wait to see how the move to secondary goes?

Or should I apply anyway on the grounds they will need to take in to account his future needs?

I know from experience that without the EHCP , he’s unlikely to get much in the way of support.

WWYD?

Is DS actually ‘fine’ at school? So many schools say that is the case when the child is anything but. The school just don’t see it, don’t know what they are seeing or choose not to see it. To coin the phrase of the support organisation, define fine. DS’s reaction suggests he isn’t ‘fine’, it’s just been bubbling under the service and secondary is his tipping point. Where this is the case schools and LAs often tell parents their child won’t get, or don’t need, an EHCP, but parents go on to successfully apply themselves.

Have you spoken to the secondary school’s SENCO?

If you do apply for an EHCNA it now should taken into account the upcoming transition. The relevant case law is DH & GH v Staffordshire CC [2018] UKUT 49 (AAC).

Agree with dory. Is he actually okay in school? I thought Ds was fine, I kept getting told he was. But he wasn't at all and by the time we realised, things were already going wrong.

Definitely look at how secondary school can help with transition. Many offer enhanced visits etc.

Is there any support being put in place to help with the secondary transition? Do you have an Autism Outreach service where you are? Where I am Autism Outreach has a transitions team who help support DC when moving schools.

My Ds (ASD and now Yr7) was offered extra visits to his secondary school before he started. He actually didn't go to the taster day as I knew it would be too much for him. That was agreed with the school.

As dory says, have you spoken to the new Senco yet? Some schools offer something like a 'calm club' at lunchtimes to help DC who find unstructured times difficult. There are often afterschool clubs that can help DC find likeminded friends.

In answer to your question about a needs assessment though, I applied for an EHCP myself after the Senco at my Ds's primary told me he would never get one. We did. My Ds is also considered academically 'able' but he has profound barriers to learning due to his anxieties, processing difficulties etc. An EHCP isn't 'just' about academic abilities, whatever some may try to say.

I meant to post this link. Apologies if you already know this but some useful info here about applying for a needs assessment:

www.ipsea.org.uk/asking-for-an-ehc-needs-assessment

@Imitatingdory it’s very hard to tell if he’s “fine” as he shuts down emotionally and he doesn’t really tell me much.

As an example, he could really hurt himself and insist he is fine if his leg is hanging off . Even his meltdowns are not outbursts, it’s either inconsolable crying or just silence. He says he hates school and he’s asking lots of questions about whether he will have friends.

Thank you for the case law to look at

@Punxsutawney that’s a very good screen shot; I’m going to use that in my letter to school.

@Toomanyminifigs he’s getting no support at all; he was not included in the extra transition days as his primary felt he did not need it. I wasn’t actually aware they were happening.

I have spoken to the new school Senco but I didn’t feel she took me seriously as his primary have no concerns. It is very frustrating.

It doesn’t sound like DS is ‘fine’, he sounds desperately unhappy and struggling. As Toomanyminifigs posted, there is much more to EHCPs than academic progress, social and emotional development are just as important as is mental health. DS1 and DS3 are both academically able, yet both have EHCPs.

The inconsolable crying and shutdowns are just as valid a sign DS is struggling and overwhelmed as meltdowns.

It is really poor DS wasn’t deemed in need of extra transition days. That tells you all you need to know about how well the primary school understands DS’s needs. Speak to the SENCO again, and ask if the school has a member of staff specifically in charge of transition.

Braver I've been there, done that and got the t shirt with schools telling me Ds is fine. They don't see him hitting his head in the car, the complete emotional deregulation at home or the shut downs.

I think similar to my Ds, yours has gone under the radar and it's been easy for his primary to not notice or ignore any difficulties. Secondary school is a whole different ball game though and Ds is now paying the price for the lack of support he received at his.
Interestingly even in his specialist placement I'm still getting 'he's okay'. There is a real lack of knowledge out there regarding young people that are struggling but don't display behaviour that challenges or show there is a problem in the school environment.

I would definitely push for a better transition to secondary for him. It's not easy but sometimes you have to be the 'squeaky wheel', especially when schools are failing to spot and support a child's needs.

I would say that inconsolable crying could be classed a 'meltdown' personally. That's exactly how my Ds reacts.

As others have said, it sounds like your poor Ds is very far from 'fine' at school.

It's appalling that his primary decided for themselves not to include your Ds in the extra transition days.

I would second getting in contact with the secondary again. Maybe cc in the head of Yr7. See if there's any chance Ds can have some extra visits. There's still a whole term to go so there should still be time. Have you asked the Senco if there are things in place for Dc who struggle at lunch/break times? It sounds like they might be when your Ds is going to have difficulties, at least initially.

Has he gone to the taster day today?

Toomanyminifigs DS3 finds the unstructured times the hardest. Luckily he has found some clubs he likes, when he’s not there he spends breaks and lunch in a quieter area specifically for those who struggle with the hustle and bustle of break and lunch and has 1:1 at breaks and lunch.

It’s a while since I was in teaching, but we always offered additional taster times for children who wanted/needed it. We would show them the places they would be most likely to have lessons in ( not always foolproof, with timetabling), but places like the canteen, reception space, key departments, library, hall etc. We took photos for them of these places and (with permission), TAs they would work with, form tutor, if that had been settled), outside areas they would use if they wanted and my department, which was also used as a quiet space every lunchtime for those who don’t like the hurly burly.

None of those things cost money and don’t take loads of time.