Specialist dyslexia teacher provision on ehcp

[Dyslexiateacherpost88]

Our 8 year old, year 4 son , is autistic and dyslexic with a severe processing delay. Mainstream school provision has been getting gradually better and last year was superb. We're just putting together a very extensive EHCP application. We've been working with the school on it for years and he's had his diagnoses, occupational therapy, Ed psych, salt, neurologist etc assessments. He's had weekly salt for a year. He's had lots of interventions etc. Sits on own desk with ta, access to sensory room etc. He has never had a meltdown at school, he tends to have a "freeze" response to stress. New SENCO seems awesome, previous senco wasnt great but good teachers made up for it. Our son is extremely well-mannered and well-liked with school staff and I think this has helped him get such great input without an EHCP (actually his manners are used as a tool to give him thinking time with his processing delay). Mainstream school have specifically said he can stay and they will support him. It went into ed psych report.

Our sons 50 page(!) dyslexia report was really interesting. It will obviously form part of his EHCP when we submit. It states clearly they recommend an EHCP application and our son will require significant funding. It also says "he will require a specialist dyslexia teacher as soon as possible and as frequently as possible." It also recommends specialist touch typing training etc., laptop processing recommendations etc. It's an awesome report.

But honestly, I'm realistic here there's no money tree. Anyone had this? Has anyone received a specialist dyslexia teacher? I recognise the timelines and frequency language is not specific. Senco and us have meetings with our educational navigator next week. Once that report is received we feel ready to submit.

I guess I want to manage my expectations here. Are we likely to get this input? Did a previous ta retrain to take on this role?

Specialist tuition can be included in an EHCP. It isn’t rare.

It is typically delivered by an outside professional visiting the primary school. TAs don’t usually take on the training.

Right now, you just need to focus on submitting the EHCNA request ASAP. The school should have submitted the request a long time ago. You didn’t need the SALT, OT and EP assessments first. If the LA agrees to assess, advice and information from these professionals form part of the EHCNA. And you will still need further advice and information from them because the reports are not detailed, specified and quantified in the way they must be.

That's great news re-outside provision for dyslexia teacher.

Yes, so most of our reports are 50+ pages and very detailed probably 2000+ pages in total. Son has had 1:1 since year r and huge amounts of provision e.g. weekly elsa or tala since then. The school, our educational navigator, sendiass, neurologist, assessors, etc have been really impressed with the provision he's had and all have agreed going any earlier for EHCPNA would have resulted in a substantially smaller long-term package. He's been on a government pilot that has been fantastic and I am very pleased we've waited and are doing this in conjunction with the school. The pilot involved specialists from an SEN school coming in weekly to advise us and help our son. It's been an incredible process that's meant he can stay with his friends.

I know on mumsnet everyone believes it best to get the EHCP in place ASAP, but this is a rare example where I truly believe it wouldn't have been in his best interests to do that.

going any earlier for EHCPNA would have resulted in a substantially smaller long-term package.

This just isn’t correct. The EHCNA is about gathering evidence of what is reasonably required. The evidence you have spent years gathering could have been gathered during the EHCNA. Many have to appeal to get the provision detailed, specified and quantified in F whether they have substantial existing evidence or not. Detailed reports are of little use if they are not also specified and quantified. That would result in the provision in the EHCP being too vague and woolly and not worth the paper it was written on because it would not be enforceable.

Be careful with SENDIASS. A minority of good. Far too many repeat the LA’s unlawful policies. They receive LA funding so are not truly independent and will ultimately toe the party line.

Yes, but the reports would have been rushed. He provision has been amazing in the meantime and it's enabled his autism diagnosis which would have taken years going through the NHS rather than the pilot scheme.

From my point of view, he's had amazing care? What else could he have had with an earlier EHCP? Even free after school care was included. I guess the dyslexia teacher and a slightly better processor on his laptop? I'm just wondering really. What else is he entitled to?

EHCPs are not based on having a diagnosis, so that isn’t relevant. If the reports you have are not detailed, specified and quantified in the correct way as per your OP then they aren’t any better than advice and information sought during an EHCNA. Some will also be considered out of date by now if you have been working on this for years. And a lot of the time LAs seek new advice and information during the EHCNA because they do not agree the reports are sufficient for the NA (and they would be correct in a case where the reports are not detailed, specified and quantified).

An EHCP could provide more support than otherwise received, including but not limited to support with dyslexia/technology/assistive tech/training and support to use it and ongoing direct therapies beyond what is already available.

It would also have legally protected the provision. As it stands support could be removed tomorrow and you would not be able to enforce it all without the EHCP.

The diagnosis has been very relevant for my son's MH.

But not to the EHCP, so isn’t relevant to whether an EHCNA could/should have been requested before now.

With an ehcp he wasn't eligible for the pilot programme that included the sen school and diagnoses

All the provision DS has received as part of the pilot programme could have been part of an EHCP.

Yes. Must say it's been great he's has all this without doing the application and updates for years. Such and interesting process to be involved in. I've loved the monthly meetings etc and great they'll continue with the EHCP.

Reviews can be included in EHCPs if they are reasonably required. Just like any other provision can be.