What more could we be doing?

[Icantbelieveitsnot]

DC is in Year 10. School attendance has been particularly bad for last 6 months and is now non- existent. ASD diagnosis, has EHCP mainstream with specialised unit), CAMHs input (and medication) and expecting psychological input very soon.

Hasn't left the house or undertaken self- care activities for the best part of a month.

Due to declining situation we have said no school for now and have tried to remove school things from sight in DC's room so as not so act as a reminder. DC is in no state to express their preferences for the future (and hasn't been able to for years).

School are very supportive but I feel like this is unchartered territory for them.

I feel it would be counterproductive to call for an EHCP review immediately because DC isn't well enough (for any sort of schooling/education input) or to decide what is best going forwards and it would just add to more stress (and failure) in this situation for both DC and us.

I am happy to say no education for now but I am equally angry at professionals/LA that it has got to this and guilty with myself for letting it get to this stage.

DC has never liked school, has always been resistant to going and we feel the EHCP has never had enough/the right provision despite (about 8) years and 4 tribunals of trying (it has got better so tribunals not completely wasted but feel the whole situation could have been avoided if we as parents had been listened to more).

What else can we do at this stage?

How long should we hold off the review?

What might an EOTAS package look like? (If EOTAS I think something very home based rather than AP is likely to be necessary).

I have tried to include the pertinent details without making it too long/drip feeding but please ask questions if it would help!

SEN provision isbt properly funded. Theres not a lot of options in reality. What could have been done differently with the resources available? Start there.

But also, if he has barely attended in 6 months, the currently situation is home
based. What does that look like and what could be done differently there?

Thank you for responding. It is so sad that SEN provision isn't properly funded but your suggestion of starting with what could have been done differently with the resources available, is a great suggestion, thank you.

Just wanted to clear up one misunderstanding though, when I said the school situation had been declining for the last 6 months, I didn't mean DC has barely been in six months. More that DC went from missing one or two days a month, to one day a week, to only going in one day a week then not at all, over that time. The worst of that progession has been this academic year. Whilst we are looking at doing things differently at home, most of the issues we are currently facing definitely have school roots and it is too soon to identify otherwise. DC has actually made positive progress (albeit slow) in the weeks since school has been ruled out of DCs life for the time being.

SEN provision isbt properly funded. Theres not a lot of options in reality. What could have been done differently with the resources available? Start there.

That isn’t how it works. Provision in EHCPs is based on what is reasonably required. Not on the LA’s budget. EHCPs can be fully funded and, when written correctly, which may take an appeal, can be enforced. There are options.

I don’t think it would be counterproductive to request an early review of the EHCP. The scope of educational provision is very wide and DC would benefit from it in some form even if that is not traditional education/what others consider to be education. For example, DC clearly needs therapies and other therapeutic provision. These are educational provision and having them via the EHCP means DC can receive therapies that wouldn’t otherwise be available to them, more frequently and for longer than would otherwise be available and without the need to sit on any waiting lists. Also, following a review (early or annual review) if you have to appeal the wait is long and the sooner you start the ball rolling for that the better.

EOTAS packages are bespoke, and the possibilities are endless. Some have packages completely at home, others completely away from the home, some a mixture. Some have a traditional education package, others don’t. Some have packages that consist of only therapeutic provision. Some are self led and low-demand. Others aren’t.

Not all suitable for your DC, but to just give you an example. For example, packages can include therapies (OT, SIOT, SALT, MH therapies e.g. animal-assisted therapy, rebound therapy, hippotherapy…), tuition (online or F2F), mentoring (in person or via a company like Mindjam), education via something like Spectrum Space boxes, assistance dog training, equipment/tech/subscriptions/memberships (e.g. sensory equipment, gym equipment, iPad and assistive tech, magazines, MEL science boxes, hello fresh boxes), a budget for resources/sundries/activities (including for whatever DC enjoys such as gaming or art or Lego or…), music/drama/sports/chess/coding classes/groups, cookery lessons, professional time.

In the meantime, the LA must provide a suitable, full-time (or in your case as much as is suitable) education and anything detailed, specified and quantified in F. This also doesn’t have to look like traditional education. It can be self led, low demand and therapeutic.

Thank you so much. I discovered Mind Jam the other day and though it would be perfect for him. Many of your other suggestions are things I hadn't heard of do will take a look. They are definitely making the prospect of EOTAS less scary (and leaving the safety net of DC's current school). Our LA are notorious for being appalling so I am sure it will be a fight but knowing some alternatives that would work for him will really help. This might be a big ask but may I ask whether you can recommend resources/professionals who could point me in the right direction for therapies/alternative education. The only stuff I have found is by accident or really helpful people like you - professionalscseem very much up for spouting the LAs lines which is how we got in this mess in the first place.

Many have to appeal for EOTAS, unfortunately. But, many have to appeal for a good EHCP even if they attend a school anyway.

It takes work but the best way to find therapies/provision is via word of mouth. Ask around locally too to find others with EOTAS, post on here, I’m not on Facebook but if you are there are EOTAS groups on there. Some paid for webinars about EOTAS e.g. SOSSEN and Sunshine Support, but they aren’t necessary to find provision and don’t provide an exhaustive list of local provisions. Some advocates will help devise a package, but the helpfulness of advocates varies and again isn’t really necessary.

If you post more about DS’s interests I could make some more suggestions to look at both for now and maybe for the future when DS gets to a place where he can manage more. For example, if Mindjam would work for DS you could also look at Gecko. Then depending on where you live there may be an AP like Code Ninjas, Overworld Esports Academy in Surrey, Tubers Academy in the SW, Geeks Room in Leeds, Imbue ventures in Derby and Minerva’s virtual academy has an Esports BTEC. You could look at technology and a budget for gaming resources.