EHCP denied. What is SEN support at secondary like?

[WaitingandRestless]

What are the realities of being on SEN support only at a large mainstream secondary school?

EHCP for DD has been rejected as her needs can be met at SEN support level.

She’s excellent at masking but is so unregulated at home she’s difficult to deal with. It’s not all just meltdowns, it is being so hyped up even putting her socks on to leave the house is a huge feat. Constant noise, shouting and screaming (both of joy and anger) which impact her siblings. She has no diagnosis but is on the wait list for ASD and ADHD.

Appeal the refusal to issue, the majority of appeal are upheld. EHCPs are based on needs rather than diagnosis, so DD not having a diagnosis yet doesn’t matter.

The only way of guaranteeing specific support is via an EHCP. Unfortunately what support schools can provide at a SEN Support level is more limited and varies school to school. Some schools are better than others.

@ThomasWasTortured I would not know where to start to appeal a refusal to issue. I successfully appealed a refusal to assess but this part is a whole new level.

DD does not need huge amounts of funding but she does need individualised support which she definitely won’t get without the EHCP specifying and quantifying her needs. Technically I suppose the school could provide it , but realistically I don’t think it will happen (who will develop social stories for a Yr7 child?!). She has needs in all areas of SEND.

She also needs OT but they’ve said this can be done by giving her sensory breaks (they don’t help. She needs physically administered compression).

I don’t think this would amount to the £6000 notional budget?

IPSEA and SOSSEN are good places to start. Think about whether you need independent reports. Are you eligible for legal aid? If not, but you can’t afford independent assessments Parents in Need can sometimes help.

Don’t focus on £6k, focus on the SEP DD needs. If DD needs direct OT and 1:1 she needs an EHCP.

Thank you. I’ll look at those websites. DD needs OT but doesn’t need 1:1 support. Her school have reported no issues at all and have told the LA she hardly requires any support at all. This is true of her primary school but everyone agrees (other than the LA) that secondary is going to be a problem for her .

Apologies, when you said individualised support I assumed you meant 1:1 support.

@ThomasWasTortured it was the way I worded it sorry! My DMUm has offered to fund an OT report for us . I will look in to that and then decide whether to appeal.

Personally, I would submit an appeal now and then look at an OT assessment. I wouldn’t get an OT assessment and then submit an appeal because the wait for a Tribunal hearing is long and also you would be lucky to get a good Tribunal standard report before the appeal deadline.

Was an OT assessment not part of the EHCNA?

@ThomasWasTortured There was an OT assessment as part of the EHCNA but whilst it identified needs , there was nothing at all in provision as it “is ongoing”. The LEA have not even acknowledged the OT needs in their decision letter .