ADD EHCP

[ADogAndThreeCats]

We are going to have our EHCP meeting at school which I requested at a Local Council. I would appreciate any advice about what to mention, and what to say...

My Y6 DS has ADD and exhibits symptoms of dyspraxia. This includes his PE, coordination and inability to handwrite longer pieces. It's not only about the legibility of his handwriting ( awful) but, most importantly, his hand gets tired very quickly. The handwriting struggle affects the development of his writing skills, particularly in creating stories. Last year, the teacher paid no attention to my recommendation of allowing my DS to type. Only half a year later did the message sink in for her, but it had already affected my son's writing skills.

Therefore, I would like the option of typing longer pieces of accommodation to be included in the EHCP statement, so I don't have to struggle with the lack of communication between SEN and the teacher, to say the least.
We are unlikely to get a 1:1 ratio because my DS is above the expected levels in maths and reading. This is due to the fact that he is very bright and my hard work with him at home. He could benefit from somebody helping him to pay attention as he is inattentive and his mind flies around even during tests.
CAMHS rejected him as he is missing that H in ADHD. He is not impulsive or hyper. He is calm, just inattentive. This is confirmed by the teachers who struggle to keep him focused but not enough for CAMHS
I am struggling to get an appointment with a paediatrician specializing in such cases. My GP says the referral should come from the school, but the school has done nothing despite I have been raising this issue since Year 3.
Now, after I completed the EHCP request, the SEN at school suddenly started panicking and completed the referral to OT. OT responded that they had already spoken with the school's SEN about it and sent a letter requesting referral forms. The school sent me a scan of a letter addressed to the school's SEN lady asking if I had heard about it. I must admit I was shocked that they sent me a letter that wasn't addressed to me and they clearly lost!
Last year, SEN wanted to meet regularly with my son, but it never happened. When I asked why it never took place, I received loads of excuses. I was truly fed up with it and that is why I think that only EHCP may help.

Any advice before EHCP meeting? Many thanks in advance

@strawberryandcreams

>You can make the referral yourself.

How? Please tell me how? I tried through GP but she sends me to school.

>When we went to the appointment, we got the adhd diagnosis there and then. Then, put on a waitlist for ADOS test. To diagnose ASD. This is done by a specialist speech and language therapist. Then it's a further few months before an actual diagnosis is given.

he had that test for autism with CAMHS. They said he is not ASD. Way below treshold.

>A wobble cushion? Breaks every 20 mins or so, to aid concentration. Fidget toy.

he is not Hyperactive. Wobble cushion annoys him. He is not physical at all. PE disaster as it is with dyspraxia... Breaks- perhaps. I will mention it- thanks

@Ohdearwhatnow4

>Am I right that your son hasn't been diagnosed with add or dispraxia?

You are correct. He has not been formally diagnosed. It is however mentioned by every teacher. My DS grandma is a neurologist with 45 years of practice in a different country. She says the same

>CAMHs are very slow but normally their correct

As I mentioned we had CAMHS who stated in the letter that he is not ASD, and for ADHD he is not showing impulsivity of hyperactivity. Simply he is missing H. Much as I am surprised they don't seem to take care of ADD that doesn't pay attention even when the teacher says: please all stand in line

well so I am in limbo with an inattentive and distressed child with dyspraxia and social problems.

You are right. I will do that

For an ehcp needs assessment you need to be able to show that the child MAY have special educational needs and MAY need special educational provision through an EHC.

from what you have written he should meet the threshold for a needs assessment. Even if it is decided he doesn’t need an ehcp after the assessment phase at least the process will mean ED psych and other professionals will need to provide reports which can help understand needs more.

>
When you say cahms has done it. As in you and the school both completed a social questionnaire and then a formal assessment took place to look for autism

correct @strawberryandcreams lengthy questionnaires and I received the mentioned response after 6 months. Long 6 months

>ecause from what you've said, it sounds like it could be a mix of add and ASD

on the scale for ASD he was way way below treshold.

He is ADD for sure + he has motoric coordination issues + certain social difficulties. The neurologist ( from another country) in my family says it all adds up to dyspraxia.

@Sirzy

>Even if it is decided he doesn’t need an ehcp after the assessment phase at least the process will mean ED psych and other professionals will need to provide reports which can help understand needs more.

exactly. I will be happy if that moves the process towards diagnosis and some help

Have you thought about going private, not sure of the costs in your area but might be worth considering if you can

Not necessarily. If they decide not to do a statutory assessment at the end of the 6 weeks, nothing will happen at all.

My Y6 DS has ADD

So, you think he might have ADD, but he hasn’t got any sort of diagnosis?

@Shinyandnew1

Every single teacher suggested that. Also, DS grandma is a neurologist ( in another country) with 45 years of practice. She also believes he has dyspraxia and ADD can be associated with it too

Every single teacher he has had for the last 6 years thinks he has ADD, but none of them will support a referral to see a paediatrician to discuss this?

They said he has huge attention and coordination problems- to be specific.
Yes, they contacted SEN who is in school. The rest of the story is in the initial post.

>ut none of them will support a referral to see a paediatrician to discuss this?

where did you get that info from? It is SEN Co who does referrals not the teacher.

What do you mean they contacted ‘SEN who is in school’?

SEN isn’t a role. Do you mean the senco?

I am a senco-I do referrals to paediatrics, OTs and SaLTs day in day out. I do them with the class teacher-they know the children inside out. The reports are written together and I make the referral. If the teachers all completely agree with you, but the senco doesn’t, have you had a meeting with teacher/senco together to get to the bottom of this? I would have done this years ago.

@Shinyandnew1

Dear Shiny, perhaps you would like to read my first and the original post because the questions you state suggest that you have not read it.

Shinyandnew1 as a SENCO you must know not all schools are the same. In some schools teachers repeatedly raise difficulties without the SENCO making onwards referrals.

You, as someone who knows the system, may have requested a meeting years ago, but many parents don’t because they put trust in the school’s process and/or don’t understand the system. It is clear from the OP’s posts she doesn’t understand the SEN system. I also suspect English isn’t her first language.

It isn’t necessarily true nothing with happen if the LA refuse to assess or refuse to issue, sometimes the pupil still ends up with more input than previously. Which is the case here with OT being contacted.

Maybe I will state it again for the benefit of Shiny:

We were referred to CAMHS by SENCo
We were referred do Ed Psych by SENCo
We were promised to be refered to OT and a total mess emerged as described in the initial post.

In order the above to happen obviously we had meetings, how otherwise it would have taken place.

Yes, Yellow, you are correct on both points made.

I was talking specifically about a referral to the paediatrician-which is how a diagnosis of ADD/ADHD would be given in many cases.

Have you had meetings with the class teacher/s and SENCo together where you have asked for this paediatric referral? Have they said they won’t support it (why?) or have said they will do one and then haven’t done it?

It sounds like CAMHS undertake ADD/ADHD assessments in the OP’s area.

@Shinyandnew1

>I was talking specifically about a referral to the paediatrician-which is how a diagnosis of ADD/ADHD would be given in many cases.

I asked for it but they said that this is CAMHS that evaluates for ASD and ADHD so the school and I completed forms and waited for half a year
And I have been asking SENCo for referrals since year 3.

I had several meetings and they said it is OT who should be contacted. And then comes the story that made me call OT to understand what is going on with lost letters and some discussions.

In the meantime, I asked GP for referral to paediatrician but she says that it is a school that should do it as it falls under learning difficulties

>Have they said they won’t support it (why?)

nobody stated anything like that. Everybody acknowledges problem

>or have said they will do one and then haven’t done it?

numerous times. Even planned regular meeting with DS. All it was ....hot air

OP, the wait in my area for ASD assessment is nearly two years from the point that the specialist assessment service receive the referral. If you can afford to pursue a reputable, multidisciplinary private diagnosis I would strongly recommend it.

numerous times. Even planned regular meeting with DS. All it was....hot air

That’s really crap. I think I would suggest you email the SENCo weekly asking if she’s written the referral yet!

>That’s really crap. I think I would suggest you email the SENCo weekly asking if she’s written the referral yet!

At the beginning I did. She was telling me about how busy she is. She also was going to meet my son on a weekly basis to address his social issues. She volunteered to do that during my meeting with the teacher and herself. She had one meeting and then another 3 months passed...nothing. So I asked her cc: pastoral care. And I heard the whole story how busy she was etc...It was late June and at that point, I was fed up. I was waiting for CAMHS response then.

CAMHS came back and said: no ASD, for ADHD he is lacking hyperactivity and impulsivity. Review in 12 months
ED Psychologist said: All behaviours within range of expectations. Talk to OT

and SENCo only panicked when I started EHCP process. She immediately contacted OT who told her that they sent her in March the letter requesting to complete it. Letter addressed to the school and to her... She asked me if I heard about it anything because she had seen this letter just now. At that stage, I just gave up and I am waiting for EHCP at least to encourage her to do referrals to the paediatrician. Anything progress will be good. I cannot let my son go to school alone because when I tried he nearly was hit by the car because he is so inattentive. I heard about it from other parents who were on the street then

Well then explain me the reason why SENCo contacted OT immediately after she got a letter from EHCP office? What wasn't it if not panic ?The very same day. Before- zero input despite my numerous requests.

I do not fear battle with school more than I fear about my son' s condition

I am waiting for EHCP at least to encourage her to do referrals to the paediatrician

It’s sounding quite likely that your request for a Statutory Assessment/EHCP will be declined. Is your child on the SEN register?

At that stage, I just gave up

Don’t give up. Keep pushing for the referral to paediatrics. Speak to the head tomorrow and say the SENCo said she would do this referral in June and it hasn’t been done, please can they intervene and chase it up.

This is a quality assurance issue really. There is no doubt that OP's school has not followed the code of practice.

OP have you tried contacting the SEN governor for a discussion? Going for an ehcp seems like such a hammer to crack a nut. Thousands and thousands of pounds in administration to get a school to make a referral and issue a laptop. The system is wrong.

@FatandRoundBouncingontheGround

No I have not contacted the SEN governor, and just dealt with school SEN dep.
Well I am pretty sure they didn't spend thousand and thousand pounds as it was just reading form and coming to a meeting at school that will take place soon.

Of course the system is wrong. There parent's concerns should not be left at a mercy of SENCo