EHCP help please

[PeskyYeti]

My lovely sweet 9YO boy has autism and adhd.

He is struggling with school, and hates going.

He is anxious and says he would rather die than go to school.
He has threatened to kill himself
He self harms

But because academically he is bright, school are doing nothing.

They have said his anxiety and Sen are not linked and there is no point applying for an ehcp as they know he won't get it.

We are getting zero support.

In my head we would get more support if we had an ehcp. But I thought that about his diagnosis and we still get nothing since that.

Any advice?? I'm meeting senco again on Friday to push for ehcp.

I could say so much here! His mental health and wellbeing are most important of all and you are right to be concerned. The legal test for an EHC needs assessment is low and even if you have to appeal to get the LA to assess, it is worth pursuing as a process. I really suggest that you check out Jodi Smitten and Naomi Fisher and also Gecko Community as first points of call.

You can, and should, apply for an EHCNA yourself. IPSEA have a model letter you can use. Don’t listen to the school. EHCPs are about far more than academic ability.

The school must make their best endeavours to meet a pupil’s SEN. Not doing so because he is academically able is unlawful.

In the meantime if DS can’t attend school due to his MH the LA must provide an alternative education under s.19 of the Education Act 1996. This should begin once it becomes clear DS will miss 15 days - the days don’t need to be consecutive or have already been missed. Email the LA’s Director of Children’s Services requesting provision.

Is DS on medication for his ADHD? Are you under CAMHS or paediatrics?

I would apply for an EHCNA yourself, even if the Senco disagrees.
We were fobbed off for years and years regarding Ds as he was academic and compliant in school. That has led to huge amounts of distress for him, significant MH difficulties and a young person barely able to function. I believe had we pushed earlier things could have been different. I totally understand it's not easy, especially when you don't have the support of school, but you know your child better than they do.
I always thought we were making too much of a fuss and that there were others with much higher needs than Ds's. But he is now in specialist education. So we really weren't making a fuss at all ...

Apply for EHCP yourself, also contact your local SEND information and advice service for guidance. IPSEA have templates and guides. Start collating all your evidence, going back to his birth/ milestones if necessary. It's a long process so start ASAP.

Be careful with SENDIASS, some are good but too many repeat the LA’s unlawful policies. They receive LA funding so will ultimately toe the party line. IPSEA and SOSSEN are better.

I recently applied for and obtained a full time EHCP for a pupil with a very similar profile- ASD, very bright, extreme anxiety and school refusal. So, yes, if school won't support, apply yourself!

School sounds pretty useless. The Code of Practice makes it clear that SEN is not all about academic attainment, but that schools should also take into account communication, physical and sensory difficulties, and social, emotional and mental health difficulties. Your son obviously has the latter, and if he has autism the chances are that he has communication problems (e.g. difficulty with figurative language like jokes and irony, problems with making and keeping friends) and sensory problems (e.g. sensitivity to noise, tastes, bright lights, touch). If he is not making progress in those areas then he is not making adequate progress, and they will inevitably impact on his ability to learn, especially if he struggles even to get into school.

When you apply for an EHCP, you should think about all those areas of difficulty and highlight them. Any supporting evidence you have - e.g school reports or letters mentioning them, reports from people who run activities he attends - would be helpful, but aren't essential.