EHCP support thread no. 3

[Phineyj]

A new thread for when no. 2 is full up.
Link to thread no. 1: https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/special_educational_needs/4834986-ehcp-support-thread
Link to thread no. 2:
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/special_educational_needs/4989146-ehcp-support-thread-no-2

I am the mum of an 11 year old girl with SEN and have spent the last 20 months battling for my local authority to issue an EHCP to support her transition from primary to secondary school. We are currently after draft stage after two tribunals. I've had so much useful advice and moral support from posters on here.

This new thread is here to help everyone, whether you're just starting out or are a battle-hardened veteran of years of this.

There is no such thing as a stupid question and there are many acronyms and technical terms so please ask for an explanation of anything that you don't understand.

SEN: special educational needs (sometimes SEND: special educational needs and disability)
SENCO: teacher at school charged with overall responsibility for students on roll with SEN
ECHNA: education care and health needs assessment - the process of a local authority commissioning reports to find out a child's needs
EHCP: the education care and health plan that details a child's needs and the agreed provision to meet them; a legally binding document
SENDIST: the special educational needs and disability tribunal - an independent appeal panel which considers parental appeals against Education Authority decisions about special educational needs.

Its the LA that is ultimately legally responsible for ensuring provision as far as I know.

School say they do not have the resources. We say take it up with LA. Nothing happens.

I think we have to escalate

Thanks @BrumToTheRescue those are good points re timescales and I'll bear them in mind. I'm certainly not letting them get away with omitting the OT and optometrist stuff entirely either, grrr.

However, I'm v keen to get her into my school as there's obviously a lot I can do behind the scenes so to speak to address issues or try to head them off.

And that may mean downplaying her SEN a bit at this stage as actually she does well in groups, won't stick out academically or socially and can keep it together in school, so her long laundry list of SEN isn't actually too 'bad' in practice from a class teacher point of view I'd say. I am really concerned I may put them off and that could mean essentially losing a school place that we already have and which it was no small effort to get.

Having said that, the LA draft so SO poor that I feel I can't let it go without improvement. I can't even understand what they are trying to communicate in some of it and the primary SENCO felt the same. If that SEN unit were a child they would definitely have a few notes in the 'Communication and Interaction' section!

@Alltheyearround you don't know, presumably, if they actually have 'taken it up with the LA'? Have you tried a SAR to both so you can see what's been said by both sides? Could be illuminating...

Do you have any other credible school options?

No SAR yet but I bet it would be so interesting.

No other options available immediately but that may change.

Indy is full.

The timescales are very helpful to keep in mind, thanks. DS was in Y5 when I submitted our EHCNA request and the final EHCP has just come through. I guess it's feasible he could be half-way through Y7 by the time an appeal on BF&I is heard (if the LA doesn't concede). I don't have much of an appetite for another drawn out process either, but it feels like we don't have much choice. I would so much rather be enjoying some free-time with my kids.

Regarding the reasons that schools have said they can't meet needs (unable to provide 1-2-1, daily precision teaching, small groups, laptops, quiet spaces, etc), can a school really refuse to provide those things, or do they have to find a way because it's legally required in the EHCP? I'm just wondering how much a battle we'll have with the school, if the LA does name them despite their claim of incompatibility.

Hi all!

I had my final EHCP issued last Thursday! It currently has primary school named. Should have secondary school name by next Friday!

I'm still in shock that I've managed to push it through!

You overtook me @RMNofTikTok! Congrats.

I honestly don't know how, they conceded then issued really quickly! I even got all of the strategies listed in the EHCP as provision! I even managed to get use of a computer for longer pieces of written work mandated on it! Everything I asked for, they gave me at draft stage despite refusing previously! That's why I'm utterly confused 😂

That's brilliant @RMNofTikTok, you must be so relieved. Hope you get the secondary school you want too.

I've had no update on the outstanding school consultations. We've been putting off talking to our DS about the situation but I think over half term we're going to have to sit down and explain that he might not be able to stay at his school but we don't know where he is going. I'm dreading it.

Oh gosh @UnendingSaga, that sucks.

I am so much hoping we don't have to go there.

@UnendingSaga apologies I've been absent from the thread recently.

What year is your son in? And how long have you been awaiting on consultations?

I'm new to this thread but wanted to ask how do I know what 'category' of need an ehcp is for. Transport are asking and I don't know what to put.

Ehcp has just been issued, DD aged 4 has a complex neuro disability, can't walk or talk, incontinent etc. has a visual Impairment, is adopted and has alot of emotional and anxiety needs. In September will start at a special primary school for children with sld and pmld.

@UnendingSaga awful situation. So sorry to hear it

He's year 6. Consultations went out after the Easter break I think, delayed because LA spent some time arguing with his current school (it has a secondary provision) about fees and then refused to name them. And then it was Easter so there was no point sending. Then my case worker went on long term sick so had to get it picked up by a new caseworker who is chasing them all. We've had one back (no) and are waiting for another two. One of which I am almost certain will be a no. The other I didn't know was being consulted so not sure what to expect.

Great news here today - final plan issued with our named ss 😊😊 4 years of shit finally payed off !! Ds has been given the "exceptional needs funding" still not really sure what that is though and I don't get told naff all by the LA !

Lovely news @vacay and @RMNofTikTok.

@vacay exceptional needs funding is just more funding on top of what would normally be given. Don’t worry about funding.

@Bramble19 sometimes the EHCP will say what the primary need is. If DD’s doesn’t, I would go with SLD or PMLD depending on which is more relevant to DD. Try not to worry about it. It won’t change whether DD is eligible for transport or not.

@SpaceInvader321 anything detailed, specified and quantified in F must be provided. Ultimately, it is the LA who is responsible. However, many EHCPs are woolly and vague (for example, “access to”, “would benefit from”, “opportunities for”, “or equivalent”, “as appropriate”, “would be useful/helpful”, “as required”, “as advised”, “key adult(s)”, “small group” not being defined) so aren’t worth the paper they aren’t written on and are not enforceable. If you need to submit an appeal once the LA has finalised, it will be later than half way through Y7.

Well done @RMNofTikTok - your persistence has paid off.

That's great news @vacay - very well done. Tenacity is clearly key!

My lovely friend who is a Professor always includes comments with grammar corrections (and requires that she is addressed by her title).❤

Thank you all. It states ds is to have 32.5 hours of support, would this mean 1:1 or just general support because it's a special school?

@vacay 32.5hrs of “support” wouldn’t have to be 1:1. 1:1 can be given in SS, but it would need to be in F.

Ahh I see. I've found it now, it says it can be 'delivered on an individual or small group basis dependent on need'

Great news @vacay and @RMNofTikTok !

@UnendingSaga Sorry you're still waiting for the consultations to come back. Has the LA definitely requested them? I found out on the day we were meant to finalise last week that mine had failed to actually contact the schools they claimed they were waiting to hear back from. Maybe contact the schools directly to check the status, just in case? My DS is also in Y6 and schools are starting transition events after half-term and we still don't know where he's going either.

@vacay that is too vague. For example, that means DS may not get any 1:1. What is a small group? Your definition will be different to the LA. Delivered by who? Doing what? Where? Dependent on need is woolly.

To be honest I'm not that bothered at this point if he has 1:1, the main thing is he is in the special school, that in itself is a massive win as mainstream just wasn't the right place for him. Aslong as he gets more support than he was getting is all I care about now.

Does anyone know how the free travel works ??