SEN lead unaware of my child! Should they have been involved?

[Icannoteven]

I have just had the most mind boggling (but friendly and helpful) chat with one of the SEND staff at my daughters school.

I contacted them because my daughter has been having massive, hysterical, screaming meltdowns about going to school (which has always happened but have become longer/more intense recently because of how some of her physical health conditions and anxiety are affecting her). I was told that they had never heard of my child. That she has literally never been on their radar 🫤

This surprises me massively because we have had tons of engagement with external agencies over the past 8 years, ALL OF WHO HAVE WRITTEN TO THE SCHOOL detailing her support needs. Despite numerous conversations with class teachers regarding her difficulties. Despite her having to attend multiple hospital appointments each term and me sending on the relevant info to the school. The SEN team have never heard of her 😬 WHAT did I miss? Was I supposed to contact them directly at some point? How? There is no contact info on the school website or any info at all about who the team are,(are they a team? Is there just one of them? I have no idea? (just a 404 not found message).

It suddenly makes sense . The school refusal. Literally none of the things that professionals have suggested to the school over the years have happened. None of her meds have been adresssd and she is struggling! Clearly.

How can a schools SEN person be unaware of a child that has had:

speech therapy from ages 2.5-6, some of which was at school

Nurture group at age 7 -8 due to social difficulties
Conversations with class teacher around noise sensitivity/attention span

constant absence from 8-10 due to vomiting and joint pain (something like 70 percent attendance) - with the school reception and class teacher kept informed of reasons for absence and reasons for struggling

coeliacs diagnosis and hyper mobile joint spectrum disorder diagnosis at age 10 - letters from dietician and rheumatology passed on with advice for school support . conversations with class teacher about support needs due to joint pain.

Letter from occupational therapist sent directly to school about suggested implementations (joint pain)

further conversations with class teacher regarding exhaustion/attention difficulties brought on by vit deficiencies (b12, iron, vit d) caused by coeliacs

Am I wrong in thinking that some of this info should have made it to the SEN team? Or do they just deal with things like autism and dyslexia? 🫤 I thought they were for health/emotional/social support generally?

Todays conversation was really fruitful but I feel like it is support that should have been signposted to us around 5 years ago 🫤 it feels like almost wilful ignorance (or terrible communication?). Is this typical?

Oh and best of all, every term I have completed multiple health care information forms for the school office along (and separate ones for after school club) along with a special diet request form. Who are these forms going to???? Do they just get filed 🫤

Yes, the SENCO should have been aware and involved. This should have happened whether you initiated contact or not. Sadly, sometimes this doesn’t happen unless parents advocate for their DC.

Follow up your phone call with an email (if you don’t have the SENCO’s email, send it to the general email address FAO the SENCO) so you have a paper trail as evidence.

The school must make reasonable adjustments and they must make their best endeavours to meet DD’s SEN.

Consider requesting an EHCNA yourself. On their website, IPSEA has a model letter you can use.

The health forms were probably dealt with by the office.

Thank you @EndlessLight. Great suggestion to send a follow up email to ensure all bases are covered. I wasn’t sure if I had misunderstood the role of the SEND team but it sounds like I just need to be more proactive / pushy about communication.

I will google ECHNA ( not sure what that is, sorry but will find out) and IPSEA 🤔 and find out a bit more.

Ooooh. I just googled ECHNA. It looks as if that would be the next step if the interventions we discusssd today aren’t effective. It sounds like it will need a lot of co-ordination though, so I’ll start making sure everything is documented with ythe various hospital consultants/ gp/school.

thanks again!

An EHCNA is an Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment. It is what you first request as part of the process of getting an Education, Health and Care Plan. An EHCP is a legal document that sets out a child’s needs and the support they require to meet those needs. Personally, I would request an EHCNA now. The legal test for an EHCNA is relatively low.

IPSEA is a charity who support parents of DC with SEN. Well worth reading their website. SOSSEN is another helpful charity.

I'm in Wales now england, but an ALNCo deals with students with learning needs that require alternative learning provision different and above that of their peers. This wouldn't include healthcare needs. We have pastoral and welfare teams that would deal with that side of things so it's entirely reasonable for the senco to not have come across her if she hasn't been flagged as having a learning need. It's also totally possible (likely!) that the previous history has not been passed from primary to secondary so again, easy for them to have missed it if not flagged. Definitely send the email to cover all bases though so all staff are aware of her difficulties and ask for some support with helping her build her resilience around school and maybe a referral to the school nurse and counsellor so she can talk about how her health issues are affecting her personally. Best of luck with it all.

An ALNCo covers all types of special educational needs. OP’s DD does have SEN. Therefore should be known to the ALNCo.

OP’s DD would also meet the legal definition of ALN under the Welsh scheme.