I'm new here: advice for meeting with school & local authority

[BargainBlunt]

It's actually pre-school, attached to private school. They told me to not apply for a reception place as the "state system better suited to 'DS needs'". There used to be lots of reports about hitting other kids etc, but now there is very little.

We don't have a diagnosis. The GP can't even tell me if we are definitely on the waiting list. Just the forms have 'gone in'. I also just found out he's been referred only for ASD, and there is a separate process for ADHD. The GP said to me on the phone "oh you think he's got that as well" but I don't know. I just know the signs and what I've read online. Seems ridiculous to have two referral pathways when you can't possibly know which one they should be on until the diagnosis has happened.

DS struggles with following instructions, he paints himself, draws on the walls, licks things, can't focus, can't sit still etc, talks to people who aren't there, etc

I started a thread a week or so ago about him licking people in the hairdresser and running into the street - and someone kindly recommended I come over here.

Anyway - tomorrow morning I'm meeting the pre-school manager and the local authority (at my request). It's a bit odd as he's not staying there as they said they don't have resources to support him and they think he needs 121 support which they can't provide apparently. But I guess we can talk about what will happen for the next 6 months. He has a One Plan. (I don't know if that is a national thing or not). I also don't know if he should stay back a year. His language is v delayed. I seem to be the only one who can understand him half the time!

Any tips for the meeting? What should I be asking for?

I've written some questions about the EHCP process etc but any tips of how to approach this meeting or what I should be asking of the local authority - would be v. welcome.

ASD and ADHD referrals are often separate. The assessments are different, often undertaken by different teams and in some areas not even by the same department (e.g. in some areas ASD assessments are taken by community paeds whereas ADHD are undertaken by CAMHS).

Do you have it in writing from the nursery DS needs 1:1? Many independent schools aren’t supportive of SEN and where they are often charge parents extra. Have you applied for a state school place?

Don’t rely on the LA or school for information on the EHCP process. They will tell you what they want you to know and their version of the law. Instead educate yourself by looking at IPSEA and SOSSEN’s website and reading the SENCOP. If you haven’t already applied for an EHCNA you need to ASAP.

What support are the pre-school currently providing?
Does DS already receive early years inclusion funding? If not, ask about that.
Does DS receive DLA? If so, are the nursery receiving disability access funding?

Thanks so much for the advice

.I haven't applied for anything. The pre school tell me he has to have 3 x One Plans before applying for an EHCP and he's only had One Plan since October. One Plans are Essex councils docs for kids who need additional support.

Things have only started in Oct really.

I have applied for primary schools. Our top one isnt the closest but was amazing on SEN. I really want him to go there but don't know if we will get it.

I have it in an email and in his One Plan that he is able to follow simple instructions with 121 support but that they have only been able to provide that when they've happened to have additional staff and its not possible long term but its what he responds well to.

We don't get DLA. I will ask whether they've got extra funding. So far the steps they've taken are: writing a One Plan (which is largely cut and paste from my emails to them) and buying a small tent.

The HV told me little to no chance of EHCP as when she saw DS he was being sweet and quiet and she said "you should see some of the kids I see". So then the pre school said I need more One Plans etc. So I haven't progressed with that by myself but maybe I should just crack on

You should apply yourself ASAP. You don’t need 3 One Plans first. That is a myth and it is unlawful. The only threshold you first need to meet is a) has or may have SEN, and b) may need SEN provision to be made via an EHCP.

Don’t listen to the HV, or any other professional, putting you off applying for an EHCNA. Sadly many say DC won’t get or don’t need an EHCP but the parents go on to successfully apply themselves.

What the pre school have said isn’t quite the same as explicitly saying 1:1 is necessary. As you are finding out without an EHCP you can’t guarantee that will be given. The pre-school should be doing more to support DS.

OK. So I will say I want to start the application process now and if pre school aren't in agreement - I'll just crack on regardless. I can reapply if rejected. I'll do more reading on it. Thank u.

I can push them on the 121 support tomorrow. As in does he just respond better or does he need it in order to participate/get anything from the activities?

The One Plan also needs to be reviewed. Their top goal is making DS eat his lunch with cutlery which doesn't feel like a number one concern to be honest.

I want to bring up the fact that they basically said they wouldn't have him long term but guess as they're private they can get away with it more. I hate how they pretend to care about him while also piling on the pressure to get us to bugger off!

If you apply for an EHCNA and it is rejected you should appeal. The majority of appeals are upheld.

Your question about 1:1 is a good one I would use in order to engage with a task and progress as that is often what professionals look at, engagement and progress.


By all means raise them not offering a reception place, but don’t focus on it. You aren’t going to change their mind and it doesn’t sound like it’s the right place anyway.

Thanks so much for your advice @JustKeepBuilding

They were all v supportive but really putting me off the EHCP idea - saying that we needed more evidence but also that he was making progress. I asked about 121 and they said word for word "he responds very well to 121 support, but he is able to manage transitions and some activities without someone stuck by his side". I did persuade them to make changes to the one plan. They are really focussed on him using cutlery but that seems like a small thing in my mind.

I could apply by myself for ECHP and will do. I have applied for primary school and they said it wouldn't be in place in time anyway to affect whether we got our first choice. They are v keen for me to start him at primary and see how things go and then apply for EHCP if necessary.

I will pursue it anyway.

I told them he was licking strangers at the hairdressers and they all started laughing. 🙄

Follow up the meeting with an email so you have a written paper trail as evidence should you need it.

Of course the LA are keen for you not to apply now, they do everything to put parents off applying. An EHCP won’t be in place before allocations, but if DS gets an EHCP after national offer day it can name a different school to that already allocated.

Can you delayed him entering primary for a year to sort this out? Mainstream schools can be very difficult places for children with complex SEN who do not yet have a EHCP

They are telling you a load of nonsense

I did ask that @Rollingupahill and got the answer that it would make schooling far more complicated in later years and that his primary "should be able to adapt to his needs" they told me to tell his new primary to apply for transition funding amd to ask for reduced timetable/staggered start etc

I will keep pursuing that as an option but I don't think his current pre school will allow him to stay on

Hi, from what you have said, it seems your DS has significant and complex needs and so requires a EHCP. By definition, therefore, the school cannot meet needs sufficiently for him to access education.

The risks you need to weigh up is him starting and having a traumatic time at reception versus schooling being more complicated in future years (and tbh, I cannot see why it would be more complicated).

Staggered starts / reduced timetables are meant to be used when a child's needs can ultimately be met in mainstream, rather than as a means of managing a situation where needs cannot be met, although the latter is often what actually happens. Bear in mind that in such scenarios, it will, in practice, be up to the parents to look after the child when not in school which can be the vast majority of the school day.

Is DS summer born OP?


I cannot see why it would be more complicated

Some of the potential reasons are: transfer to secondary can be more difficult, young people can leave school without obtaining any qualifications, without an EHCP it means there’s not as many years post 16 funding available, the developmental gap often widens anyway so SEP is still required and the problems haven’t been solved by being educated out of chronological year group. May not all apply to OP’s DS and may be weighed up as still worth deferring but there are potential negatives.

Thank you for the insight. Yes, I was thinking that the year would be used for the express intention of obtaining a EHCP.

Unless there are other reasons to defer it’s a risky strategy with the mess SENDIST is currently in as the extra year may not be enough to get an EHCP if a parent has to appeal more than once.