Younger friends

[Jennybeans401]

It's likely my dd is on the autistic spectrum, we haven't yet had a formal assessment but her previous school had a meeting with is about it. Nothing happened following that meeting and due to bullying we've taken her out of school.

She is 9 but gets on with children half her age usually 4-6 year olds. She struggles with children her own age and often doesn't understand the rules of play. Is this often the case for children with autism?

Yes, that is consistent with my experiences. Are you electively home educating? Do you plan to apply for a EHC needs assessment?

Yes we are EHE and finding it hard at the moment. We will apply for assessment but many people say it's a bit of a long wait.

It is often thought ND DC are developmentally 2/3rds of their chronological age, which might explain why some ND DC find mixing with younger children easier.

Unless you have to appeal, which I appreciate many do, the EHCP process takes 20 weeks from start to finish. If the LA breach the statutory timescales you can force them to comply.

When you say you removed DC from school due to bullying, was DD unable to attend due to her SEN or MH? If so, stop EHE and inform the LA they need to make alternative education arrangements. If DD can’t attend school this should be other provision e.g. home tuition, online, hospital school, small group tuition at a centre.

It was a mixture of things. She stims a lot at home and there were other things pointing towards her being on the spectrum but school did nothing.

She struggled with sequences on instructions and the noise in school. Trying to get any help was impossible, a boy who had received an autism diagnosis in her class was shouted at all day by the teacher. With the bullying issues (dd finds it hard to express herself so school were annoyed about this) we just deregistered her.

I should also say the boy was crying all day too, I really feel for him.

The school deregistered us over the phone and the local authority haven't offered any advice. Just said the EHE advisor would be in touch.