Targets for autistic child with social and sensory difficulties?

[SpaceInvader321]

We're meeting with DD's SENCO for the first time next week. DD is awaiting an autism diagnosis and has really been struggling with the secondary school transition. She's a good student but the social and sensory elements of the school day are the hard part and she's super anxious and stressed out and resistant every day to going to school (she's had a couple of mental health days so far, but we're trying not to make that a habit).

Can we push for a support plan even without a diagnosis? I know support is supposed to be based on need, not diagnosis, but I've heard from other parents who have been dealing with this school for longer that they don't offer much support without a diagnosis. And even those with a diagnosis and EHCP apparently aren't really getting adequate support. I'm willing to make noise if I have to.

Should we push the SENCO to do an Assess Plan Do Review?

What kinds of targets / outcomes should we be looking for given that there aren't learning difficulties involved?

We're really concerned about the impact on her mental health. We're on waiting lists for what we think will be better schools, but no leverage without an EHCP.

Thank you.

You don’t need a diagnosis for the school to provide support. The school have a statutory duty to make their best endeavours to meet a pupil’s SEN whether they have a diagnosis or not. They should be a SEN Support plan (called different things in different schools) as part of the graduated approach


Parents whose DC aren’t getting support specified and quantified in their EHCP can enforce the provision. If DD is struggling to attend school have you considered applying for an EHCNA?

Targets/outcomes and provision can be based on other areas e.g. communication and interaction, social, emotional and mental health. Precisely what will depend on DD’s needs.


You can appeal for the schools you are on the waiting lists for.

Applying for EHCNA is a good idea - but takes time.

In the meantime, are there easy wins that a helpful SENCO can deliver? E.g. relaxed uniform/fidget toys/pass to leave class and go to quiet space/permission to leave lessons two minutes early/ear defenders/chewies disguised as pencil tops... The sort of thing that costs nothing. Or nearly nothing.

Thinking a little more ambitiously - is there a quiet space she can use for breaks? Something like chess club or board game club or arts club that can also offer social support?

Thanks for your reply.

I understand that the school has an obligation to provide support but this school is clearly drowning under demand and poorly resourced. They didn't even have a SENCO on staff this year until Feb and she's only part-time til July and, from conversations other parents have reported, she's not exactly proactive about following through. It's very frustrating.

We recently moved house and applied to other schools, but I've been told you have to appeal within 20 days of not getting a place and that period has passed. Is there any way to raise an appeal now? I was figuring we would have to wait until next year, when we apply again for an in-year place and appeal if we don't get one.

I would like to initiate a NA but am a little worried about not being able to show any evidence from school -- or the school denying there's a need.

DD's main challenge is being able to focus in a classroom where the children are noisy. She's got sensory issues and is hyperaware of little sounds, chattering, etc. A lot of kids probably hardly notice these things, but for her it's physically painful. The pushing and shoving through crowded halls and the canteen is unbearable.

However, an SLT teacher we've been dealing with says they have investigated and not found that behaviour is out of the ordinary for the school. She said they don't demand that children be "silent" during lessons. The result is that our very academically-inclined, well-behaved, rule-following child is miserable. (Don't mean to imply with all those adjectives that she's perfect trust me, she is very much on the cusp of teenagedom with the attitude that comes with that but at school, she holds it together, and then falls apart at home.)

School have offered her the use of the learning support centre, but she says it gets noisy too. They've offered her a time-out pass (which would allow her to stand in the corridor outside the classroom for 5 minutes if she needs a break). But she doesn't want to leave the classroom -- she wants to be doing lessons without disruption.

Is the fact that the school's SEN provision is nearly non-existent and the learning environment for kids with sensory issues is not fit for purpose grounds for a NA and for applying for an EHCP?

She's also been through CAMHS but had a disastrous first counselling session with a clinician who, DH said, was a bit pushy in trying to get DD to speak, so we asked to put those sessions on hold and they discharged her.

I feel like I keep rehashing this in various threads bc nothing is changing on the school front but we feel our options are so limited because of catchment restrictions and NHS waiting lists and poorly funded schools/services. :-(

Part of the problem is that DD has refused a lot of the interventions they've proposed. She does keep a fidget toy in her pocket but she doesn't like clubs or social groups, so she won't do something like that at break time.

She's anxious that leaving class early or for a sensory break will result in a bunch of kids asking her lots of questions. She was taken out for a chat with someone recently and exactly that scenario unfolded afterwards. She hates being the centre of attention, so just the thought of stepping out of class causes her more anxiety.

I've asked the school if a member of the support team could accompany her to the learning support centre some break or lunch time to help her get settled into the space (and into the mere idea of using it) but that hasn't happened so far. I'll be bringing it up in our meeting next week. But DD has said it's always been noisy there when she's walked by, so I don't know if it's really a quiet space.

Other parents have asked for relaxed uniform for sensory kids but the Inclusion team say the headteacher is adamant about keeping it as-is.

And since the school doesn't think overall behaviour is an issue (despite their reputation in the community), the classroom environment seems unlikely to change.

I'm going to start putting our request for a NA together.

Even with no SENCO or a part time SENCO they must still fulfil their legal obligation. If you aren’t getting anywhere with the SENCO escalate the matter to the member of SLT responsible for SEN &/or the HT. If support isn’t being put in place escalate your concerns and if you can also email teachers directly. Unfortunately you have to keep pushing the school, parents who do get better support for their DC. If the school need more funding in order to meet pupils’ needs they can apply for high needs top up funding. Although it doesn’t sound like they haven’t done anything?

I wouldn’t focus on what other parents are saying. The circumstances of each individual pupil are what matters, so just because a something has been refused for someone else doesn’t mean the reasonable adjustment can’t be made for DD.

It is possible to still get an EHCNA without school’s support. You could submit a SAR to see if there is anything there that’s helpful. It isn’t about whether the school could in theory meet DC’s needs or not. Also, you can get an EHCNA where the school could do more but won’t.

What support do you want to happen? Does DD use noise cancelling headphones/ear defenders? The school could look at her placement within the classroom. They could engineer sensory breaks by the teacher asking her to get something/take a note somewhere. Support could be timetabled in a way where DD isn’t leaving/entering a class part way through to minimise questions. Can DD take a packed lunch?

Has DD had a sensory OT assessment?

If you didn’t appeal you can reapply and then appeal once you have to right of appeal again.

I didn't know there was such a thing as an OT sensory assessment! Why don't the people who should know what to recommend (GP, CAMHS, etc) recommend these things?

By SAR do you mean Subject Access Request? Is that just to see what records the school has kept about DD?

Often professionals won’t tell you, unfortunately. Sensory OT isn’t commissioned on the NHS in all areas, but it’s worth a try anyway. If you apply for an EHCNA and the LA agree to assess a sensory OT assessment can be part of the needs assessment even it isn’t normally commissioned in your ICB.

Yes, a subject access request. It can cover all data held on DD.

That's all very helpful. Thank you so much.

Might something like loop ear plugs help? Or other small, in ear things that are less visible and othering than ear defenders?

Every time I mention small ear loops, DD says no way. She is so sensitive about anything new or that might draw attention.

I should probably just get her a pair to try so she can get used to them.

Can you recommend a good brand, by any chance?