ASD Diagnosis for 11yo - now what?

[SpaceInvader321]

We got an autism diagnosis for DS last week. We're currently appealing the LA's refusal to assess. Is the diagnosis likely to help our case?

DC is in Y6 and school has really been doing the bare minimum as they don't consider his needs complex enough, even though he's been struggling and falling behind in maths and grammar, struggling socially and feeling quite negative about school and learning. He's not a behaviour problem, so it's easy for them to sort of ignore the situation.

Other than informing the school of the diagnosis I was wondering if there's anything else we should say or ask for. Thanks.

The school must make their best endeavours to meet DS’s SEN. Remind the school of that. They must make reasonable adjustments. Depending on what DS is struggling with, use of laptop and assistive technology, not attending assembly, do they have a lunch club, somewhere quieter to eat, anyone who delivers anything like drawing and talking, a time out card, movement breaks, use of noise cancelling headphones, arriving/leaving 5/10 mins early/late via a quieter entrance are examples of what could help.

EHCPs are based on needs rather than diagnosis, so a diagnosis alone won’t result in an EHCNA, but (depending on how good the report is) the needs highlighted in the diagnostic report could help your case.

Have you spoken to the SENCOs of the secondary schools you have applied to?

If you aren’t already in receipt of DLA, apply.

Thank you. He gets some movement breaks now. Last year they gave him some 1-2-1 time with a teaching assistant to try to help with his maths but there's nothing like that this year. They said they'd put him on the list for the school's EP but then changed their mind because they said they didn't have the money for him.

We did speak with Sencos at open evenings. The school he's probably going to is highly rated and their senco seemed ok. They don't have a dedicated learning support area for Sen kids - one of the headteachers said they don't think they need one BC they give support in class and through other pastoral care routes. They have all double classes on their timetable, so I do worry about how ds will cope with that. But they have got good progress scores for mid- and low- attainers.

The senco at our other child's school is great but the classroom environment is very chaotic, so I don't think it will suit ds.

I don't know anything about DLA. Do we have to craft an argument for him needing it? Thank you.

An EP assessment and 1:1 without an EHCP is unlikely in schools these days. You should look at requesting an EHCNA. In the meantime, if the school needs more funding to meet DS’s needs, they can apply for high needs top up funding.

A DLA application is a form you complete about the support DS needs. The Cerebra guide is helpful when completing the form, including giving examples of support you may give that you may not realise counts.

We are currently appealing a refusal to assess.

According to their website, the LA where our school is located reserves top up funding only for those with EHCPs.

I'll look up the Cerebra guide. Thank you.

Sorry, you did put you were appealing a refusal to assess in your OP. My mistake.

The LA should not be having a blanket policy of only providing high needs top up funding to those with EHCPs.