What Qualifications/ Experience should an LSA have for 1-1 support?

[Whatwouldyoudo41]

My son (7) is in independent education, the school have advised that he needs 1-1 with an LSA going into year two as he has learning difficulties. We have to pay for this as EHCP has been a refusal to issue.
Understandably, the school want to recruit this person due to safeguarding etc, but I have been told that, due to the short recruitment timeframe, he will be having one of the Pre-School TA's acting as his LSA for the time being until they are able to find someone. The thing is- i'm not entirely comfortable with the person they have put in as his temporary LSA as I have no idea what her qualifications are, if any? She's 19, and they've emailed me to say she has a wealth of experience as a TA as well as an LSA, but she's only been with the school for 18 months and it was her first job. Am I being fobbed off or is this fair enough for an LSA. What qualifications should an LSA have? As a side note- they have had since April to recruit, I think they might have forgotten! Thanks in advance

1:1s don’t necessarily need to have any qualifications or experience, and even if they do it’s unlikely parents will be told.

Did you appeal the EHCP refusal? They only way to ensure specific qualifications/experience is via an EHCP.

The school may not have forgotten, they may be struggling to recruit, many schools are at the moment.

As an aside, you do realise teachers in independent schools may not have any qualifications or experience either.

I understand your concern. We discussed the qualifications of the TA in great detail as part of our ehcp. In the end we had it written that the TA must have training and preferably experience of working with autistic children. I thought this was great, I didn’t realise the school would not only withhold info about the TAs qualifications but also only hire agency staff to fill the role. This means we are on our third TA in just over a year and looking at having a fourth in the autumn term. I wonder how common of an experience this is. For kids with autism change is difficult. It means just as DD is getting to know someone they leave and we have to start all over again. It is all very confusing in terms of stability and the qualifications of the TA

TAs/LSAs are shockingly badly paid considering the skill set they're supposed to have and often the level of support/interventions they're supposed to offer. It's not much more than minimum wage.

Support staff who work with children who have quite challenging needs don't get any extra money than those who are 'general' class TAs. In my experience (my son has has 1:2 support for ten years now) - there just aren't enough experienced support staff out there. The very skilled staff often work in specialised settings or tend to stay in the same school for a long time.

Even with something written into an EHCP that specifies that the staff should be trained/experienced, if there are no applicants then I'm not sure what the school is supposed to do. I think hiring someone who is keen and then training them 'on the job' may be the only thing a school can do.
I do know that the basic requirement for support staff now is Maths/English GCSE at a pass level.

My Ds has also had agency staff to cover when staff have left at short notice or are off sick. It is by no means ideal. I guess the alternative would be he would have to stay at home if they're aren't enough adults in his DSP to ensure safety?

Schools are on their knees in terms of funding and recruitment. It's a very sad and worrying state of affairs.

It is very sad. We have the full funding from the LA for a 1 to 1. The TA who is supporting our daughter is paid terribly and wants to be a permanent TA. The school have said this is not possible because of funding. The LA have said they have the funding and should hire her. I think it’s very hard for schools but the communication and expectations between some LAs and schools in terms of funding and EHCPs is also a problem. It’s frustrating for everyone involved

Another thing to consider even if it is specified in the EHCP is unless the actual training, qualifications and experience are specified in F it doesn’t mean anything as it is too woolly and one person’s definition of what training, qualifications and experience is varies to the next.

Where possible DS3’s school tries to rearrange staff if 1:1s are off to use another member of permanent staff who at least have some knowledge of the pupil/the school and the pupil may already have a vague awareness of the staff member. Then if necessary backfills what the member of staff would normally do with cover. His primary school did similar.

Pacifica44 you need something about a (or a couple of) consistent 1:1 included in F. Funding isn’t your concern, if F is detailed, specific and quantified you can enforce the provision, so focus on that.

Pacifica44 - in your specific case I would challenge this.

So if the school is saying they don't have the funding for a permanent member of staff, what are they proposing they do? Hire agency staff forever? Agency staff are usually very expensive so this seems odd. Although not taking on a permanent member of staff may work out cheaper if they're not having to pay pension/holidays etc.
As you say though, it is not good for your DD. As LargeLegoHaul says, it sounds like the EHCP may need tightening up. Does it say anything in there about 'consistent' member of staff in Section F?

If the school is saying that the funding they've been allocated isn't sufficient then it's for the school to request more funding from the local authority. It's the local authority who are legally responsible for delivering what's in Section F of a plan.

When is your DD's next annual review? You could always ask for an emergency annual review (although the LEA don't have to grant one).

Some good info here:

www.ipsea.org.uk/what-an-ehc-plan-contains

www.ipsea.org.uk/changing-an-ehc-plan

@Toomanyminifigs this is extremely helpful thank you. I may have to call an emergency annual review. The info from IPSEA is great and I will use this. It’s much appreciated. It says dedicated 1 to 1 but perhaps consistent is also needed. I am learning as I am going.

Oh and yes they are planning to hire agency staff forever. The school says their policy is to never hire perm SEN TAs as the funding is not stable. The LA have said this funding is stable and the agency policy doesn’t make sense.

The LA have said this funding is stable

The nature of EHCPs means it isn’t. EHCPs are reviewed at least AR, and 1:1 provision specified and quantified in s.F could be amended. I also wouldn’t trust everything the LA says.

Pacifica44 - we're all learning as we're going aren't we?!

I've used Ipsea and SOS!SEN in the past and found both organisations to be really helpful. They offer free phone advice lines should you need specific tailored advice but it can be very hard to book a slot so you may have to keep trying.

The whole system is so geared against parents/carers. It makes me angry that we all have to fight and fight to get the support our DC are legally entitled to. So many times I've heard schools/local authorities spout unlawful practises. I could rant on!

Knowledge is power though. Do start your own thread if there are specific questions you may have as there are some lovely helpful posters here.

@Toomanyminifigs that is so kind. It is so hard and I really appreciate your response. All the best.