EHCP support thread

[Phineyj]

My DD (10) is being assessed for EHCP. The council refused to assess (despite her already being diagnosed with ADHD, ASD, hypermobility and vision problems following eye surgery).

School have been supportive throughout and they are going above and beyond to keep her engaged in education.

She's about to go into year 6 though.

I took the LA to the tribunal and won.

They must produce the plan by 4th August. I think they probably will (they've stuck to deadlines so far...ish...). But I've got all the IPSEA complaint letter templates primed!

The hardest thing about the whole process is that no-one else in my life understands it or what it's like to spend all your free time essentially begging people to document the deficits your child has.

It is also a hard realisation that no-one cares much about your child's education except you.

I am also a teacher so I feel sad on behalf of the SEN DC I teach as I am told little about their needs (I spent a whole day doing DofE with one recently...I don't even know what her EHCP says...)

Join me if you are also grimly trekking through the EHCP jungle!!

Absolutely terrible. Poor children are at the end of this too.

I do think the council want parents to crack up. I heard not sure if it’s true a panel allocates 6 minutes per child and they haven’t even read the full documents of the child. It’s just bonkers. It’s just a delay tactic to save cash - the longer it runs the more cash they save.

Anyways I’ve wrote my email and sent it to everyone who is important thank you @ThomasWasTortured and done a formal complaint for the council again 😂 that seems to work better.

It does makes my blood boil - but now I’m going to have a glass of wine and dinner before bed.

It’s just really bad ….. god this is year 3 of my life as an “official sen parent who’s trying / got an EHCP” - I hope it gets better the more years your in it 🤞 or maybe you adapt as a parent - who knows.

I'm hoping one becomes tougher and more cynical while still fighting successful battles on behalf of the child(ren).

Even my experienced teaching colleagues have been surprised to hear what I've had to do to get progress.

Coffee! And onwards!

I should say that the Director of Children's Services at the council here was pleasant, professional and answers his emails the same day, so there are a few good 'uns about. Not that he could get any sense out of his SEN unit either. But he at least had the good grace to sound embarrassed.

A council are not going to get me to crack up. I teach, worked in the NHS before and before that in the arts where I had to deal with the Arts Council! I mean, I could crack but it's not going to be bureaucracy that does it. I can play that game.

And when I get an acceptable outcome I am going to make a pain of myself as an advocate.

Go @Phineyj!!!!!!

Do any of you have any experience of getting an ehcp where there are no behaviour issues and academic targets are being met? I keep being told that without these things, there is little chance of an ehcp being issued?

It is possible to get an EHCP even if academically able and without behavioural difficulties. DS3 has never had any behavioural difficulties and he is academically very able.

How do you show they may need special provision if they are "doing fine as they are"?

There is more to EHCPs than academic progress and behaviour. Think about social, emotional and mental health, communication and interaction needs, sensory and physical needs.

@ThomasWasTortured I understand but am struggling with providing evidence that there is a problem - most people seem to be suggesting that if there are no behaviour problems and if they are on track academically, there are no other issues.... what sort of evidence works? No school refusal, no behaviour points, perfect student... they have developed excellent coping and masking strategies so to all intents and purposes they look 'fine' by the standard checks. I am at a loss to convince anyone there is even a problem!

SARs to school and the GPs can sometimes help. If there really is absolutely zero other evidence then you would need independent assessment(s) (e.g. EP, OT, SALT etc.) either before requesting the EHCNA or for appeal.

OK, I know it is considered poor form to AS but it can be helpful to get a background. DD was receiving some 1:1 funded by school. A SAR will give you evidence of this and why it was necessary. That can be good evidence. You also have an NHS SALT report, that can be used as evidence for an EHCNA request.

We have a new sendco. By way of introduction I have asked for an ILP review and a whole pile of paperwork including a list of interventions and their outcome / impact. Thank you for the advice. Not sure how popular I will be but needs must when it comes to advocating for our children! You guys have been very helpful at preparing to go into battle, as it were. Wish it didn't have to be this way!

@handmademitlove you would benefit from reading the info on the IPSEA website. I based my ECHNA request and then my refuse to assess tribunal paperwork on the part of the code that covers children who are working ok academically but with an extraordinary amount of effort going in to make that happen, over and above what a school would normally provide.

I was assisted in this by having a diagnosis for her already (the report explained about masking) and school was able to provide evidence of all the things they were doing. Plus I listed what we had paid out on ADOS, therapy etc (£5k!). SENDIST referred to this in their order.

The only people whose opinions really matter are the ones at SENDIST, as they appear to be based on the SEN Code.

My daughter's school teachers are kind and helpful but they also tried to dissuade me.

It really helped me to have worked for years in the arts, health and education and therefore to know that even good people can be, well, shall we be kind and say "misinformed"?

Rather than only asking for parts of the information held about DD, you would be better submitting a SAR for all data held. That way you don’t miss anything. If loads of interventions have been put in place previously that is evidence.

Am interested in the SAR discussion. What exactly do you ask for? Is it worth asking the LA too?

@Phineyj - admiring your resilience. Am prepping for an appeal. Does anyone have any thoughts on asking to bring forward dates? Attendance has only been 60% for a couple of years.

If you aren’t after something specifically and you have the time, ask for all data. It can help to do the LA too. It can be interesting to compare what is disclosed from the school and LA, it can highlight where not all data has been disclosed. Also GP, hospital and any other services who have potentially useful information.

With 60% attendance I would inform SENDIST DC isn’t currently receiving a full-time education and request an expedited hearing.

Thanks @ThomasWasTortured. Do the LA have to agree to an expedited hearing?

Just back to expected performance, does anyone know how this works?

DC has received multiple diagnoses and is now medicated and has a few adjustments in place. Prior to that, DC was badly misunderstood. DC is still unable to attend regularly so still at a disadvantage, and has also missed multiple assessments. DC has an extremely spiky profile. Not sure how their potential or performance should be being considered by school in light of all this? Suspect they are using a baseline that does not reflect their potential if recommended adjustments and provision were actually put in place? Any thoughts?

@MrsLamb the obvious thing school should be doing, to my mind, is arranging for an educational psychologist to see DC. They would be best placed to comment on the level they're working at in the light of what's generally expected for their age (they're KS3 I think?) Did your DC see an educational psychologist when the EHCP was done? How long ago was that? Also, I don't know if you'd be in a position for arrange a private report, but although there is a shortage of ed psychs, it is possible to get them if you're determined and the private ones will travel.

I had difficulty finding one when I looked in April/May this year but did in the end find someone decent and we got a cancellation slot for December, and she did half an hour free advice with me too (I don't know actually if we'll use the slot as in the end I was quite happy with the report the LA commissioned not that they actually bothered to read it as far as I can tell, but hey ho ).

I feel like while you could do a SAR and get lots of data on DC, you may not be able to interpret it very effectively as you won't have the overview on what's normal for that age/stage/type of education.

Is the school part of an academy trust? If so, there's generally a SEN lead in the central academy team who should at least know things like wait times for ed psychs locally; if the academy trust has access to one of their own, etc. Or the school's SEN governor? Might be worth giving them a ring and dropping into conversation that you're thinking you'll have to do a SAR to get enough info for the appeal? Schools hate doing SARS!

@MrsLamb EP have a long wait list. However as they are in such short supply some parents are being given £925 towards the cost of a private EP in our county. However it’s not the total cost but it’s a good chunk of it …. Worth checking out if your council does that. Or maybe ring round get your name on a waiting list and hopefully you can have a back up plan. Some will do tribunals some won’t.

Does your child want to go in but is unable to? So sad for them isn’t it. My boy is the same. But everyday is a new day.

What type of school is he in? Do you think it’s the best school for him at the moment? So hard 😭

💐

EP will help with looking at progress. SARs aren’t just about academic progress, so even if you don’t need it for that it is still worth doing. The data from SARS should include things like emails discussing DS which will highlight e.g. attendance difficulties, difficulties attending lessons even when in school, SEMH development and progress.

The LA may object, doesn’t mean SENDIST will agree with them.

Yes that's true that a SAR will reveal a lot about attendance and how the school has handled that. My school recently appointed one of the teachers to focus on year 11 attendance and mental health. I assume that when we looked at who was struggling to attend, it become evident this was an issue. I think schools should definitely be thinking that way. Behaviour is communication and refusing to come in is communication.

We have had only some occasional school refusals from DD but eventually there always turns out to be something rational behind it (maybe not so rational to us but definitely rational to her).

"The LA may object, doesn’t mean SENDIST will agree with them."

I think I'm going to print that out in large font and stick it on the wall behind my computer.

SENDIST wrote me the most humane letter after our refuse to assess tribunal. They gave names too (I hate that no-one signs letters from the LA). Although they then mis-gendered my DD but I guess they like everyone must need to do a bit of cut and paste!

Attendance in Y11 across the country was a particular concern last year. Maybe your school are hoping to improve that this year?