DD5 awaiting ASD assessment - Reception next steps

[LucindaJane]

My 5 year old daughter is awaiting an autism assessment. I am also waiting to hear back from school nursing service about her emotional wellbeing (anxiety). I have done a zoom session with the children's wellbeing team on anxiety, awaiting one next week on emotional regulation and another from NESSie on asd/adhd in women and girls.

She has just started reception. One of her class teachers is the SENCO and I have briefly mentioned neurodiversity to them and she goes in every day with her ear defenders in case she needs them.

So far school is going okay. As did nursery tbh - she normally struggles at home. However I want to make sure she has help at school rather than masking. But not sure what to ask for. I understand that an educational psychologist can help with emotional wellbeing - I don't think she has any learning difficulties.

Should I request school bring in an EP? Don't know where to begin. I can schedule a call with IPSEA but thought I'd ask here.

Parents Evening is in 4 weeks. She had been at school for a couple of weeks. I was thinking I would submit a little run through of where we're at to the SENCO - good idea?

Thanks in advance for any help and advice. Want to get this right.

If school is going OK so far, it is unlikely the school will be willing to use their very limit EP hours on DD at this point in time. That’s difficult to hear, but is the reality in schools at the moment.

If you feel DD needs additional support beyond what school will/can provide, you can apply for an EHCNA which, if the LA agree to assess, will include an EP assessment.

I appreciate the honesty, don't worry. It's just difficult because if school ends up being anything like nursery, she will never display any difficulties or ASD traits there, even though it all comes out at home.

The school must make their best endeavours to meet a pupil’s SEN. It is possible to get support (either at a school SEN support level or an EHCP) for DC who mask, but it is harder, and having only just started the more involved support, including an EP assessment and EHCP, is unlikely at this stage.

Speaking to the SENCO is a good idea, but at this point the focus is more likely to be on what support the school can offer in house, rather than bringing in outside agencies.

That's great, thanks.

I've had a call back from the school nurse this afternoon who advises putting more support in place at home and school, by speaking to the SENCO. She said that school should help support a child's anxiety, so I can approach from that angle and she said that a possibly neurodiverse child should be supported with regards to sensory needs for example. I came away feeling much more confident, which was just great.

I also signed up for two more online sessions with occupational therapists. Hopefully by Christmas I will feel better able to support DD.