Ehcp and SEN schools

[Mummyof2asd]

Hi can someone please help me. My son who is 7 years old is on the waiting list to be assessed for autism. His school have applied for an EHCP which has been accepted, his school are saying they can not meet his needs. But emailed his SEN case officer and they said the panel have recommended main stream and his primary care need is Moderate Learning Difficulty (Cognition and Learning). On the EHCP. I just feel like why should he be moved to one mainstream from another. My son can not read, has only just learnt to count to 10, he stims, has meltdowns on the way to school, has sensory needs for example if his shoes feel funny or clothes . He gets lost getting around school. He has 1.1 all day sits in a corner of the class room away from everyone else with his 1.1. His peers baby him and he notices his different honestly feel like crying for him. I really feel he would be best suited at a SEN school, I don’t understand why they are saying mainstream, is it because his extremely quite and isn’t naughty. Honestly I know he will get bullied as he gets older if he stays in mainstream . Sorry for the long post just feel like I am letting my child down I don’t know what to do but I’m watching his mental health decline in front of me, I feel so bloody helpless 😣

His also 2 to 3 years behind in his learning than his peers . The gap is getting bigger

Forgot to say he also does not sleep and often by the end of the day will be laying across the floor. He has no friends

LAs often push parents towards &/or name MS even when it isn’t appropriate. It is about saving money. Places in SS are also in demand.

Push the LA to finalise ASAP then appeal.

When you got the draft EHCP, you should have been given the chance to state your preferred school, did you? That could have been a specialist school if that is your preference.

Separately to the EHCP, does DS take anything to aid his sleep?

I am sorry to hear that you are going through this. I think you will need to appeal the naming of a mainstream placement in Section I of the EHCP. I would suggest contacting IPSEA to help and provide further guidance. It will be key for you to set out clearly, and evidence, why a mainstream setting cannot meet your son's needs (including the impact on you son's mental health).

The LEA may argue that, if the EHCP is putting additional support in place, then this should be given a chance to work in a mainstream setting. You will therefore want to evidence why his needs simply cannot be met in a mainstream setting, e.g., the inability of the pre-EHCP measures put in place by the current school to do so and the inevitable features of a mainsteam setting (e.g., class size etc.). I think you would want to explain why a specialist setting would allow him to, for example:

• make progress/overcome barriers to learning, by being in an environment more attuned to his needs and having access to more specialised teaching and resources.

• build his confidence and self-esteem in relation to learning.

• feel included within his peer group.

• develop friendships through access to other children with SEN so that your son feels less different

where a mainstream setting cannot.

I'm unsure whether you have a specific special school in mind. If so, as part of your appeal, you would be asking for them to be named in Section I of the EHCP. If not, I would definitely suggest visiting prospective schools if you can. This will allow you to get a feel for whether a particular school would be suitable for your son. It will also give you the information you need to explain why a given setting could meet your son's needs where a mainstream placement cannot.

However, I'm aware that schools will not necessarily agree to these visits prior to their being consulted for a placement for your child by the local authority (i.e., after the local authority has agreed to a special school placement in principle). In that case, it may still be possible to arrange a call with the SENCO from a given school to discuss their offer, and their websites should provide useful information about this.

@EndlessLight @BlueTrainers thank you so much for responding, I’m new to all this and just don’t have a clue what I’m doing tbh, just don’t want to mess up my sons future . Thank you for your advise that is very helpful . And I give him magnesium tablets for his sleep but they do not word, doctor won’t prescribe anything as I have diagnosis yet .

Melatonin or other medication to help with sleep doesn’t need a diagnosis. You could request a referral to a sleep clinic. There will still be a wait but in some areas it is shorter than for paeds &/or CAMHS.

I'm glad that was helpful. I hope that you get the right setting for your son, it can make such a big difference and I know how difficult it is to see your child struggling.