How do I know if DS needs an EHCP to start Reception?

[TGN101]

Name changed for this if anyone recognises him from real life I don't want it linked to older posts.

My youngest will be 4 in February, and starts school in September. All being well, he will go to our only catchment primary, where his older sister currently attends.

I have absolutely no worries about the school. I have a good working relationship with the SENCO through my daughter (as yet undiagnosed, but I suspect will be by the time she leaves primary) and the reception teacher is lovely. Small classes (rural, under subscribed school) and they have a number of SEN pupils on roll currently who are championed, supported and fostered as much as possible, they will absolutely do their best.

DS was diagnosed earlier this year at 3 years old with ASD. He was down as query GDD from about the age of 1, with delays in gross and fine motor skills, and communication. His motor skills caught up first, but was non verbal until almost 3 when he suddenly started marking extensive process. He finally saw SALT in the summer who said while some sounds are still a bit behind, considering the rate of progress they thought these would self resolve and that the other speech deficits were communication based rather than pathological speech issues and he was discharged. I would agree with that, FWIW, he can be mostly understood by most people, his biggest issues are either using the wrong words/scripted phrases so we don't know what he means/doesn't finish the sentence and we have to extrapolate, or him going mute when disregulated and I don't think they can do much for those.

He has complex gastro issues, is on medication 3 times a day for that and is still not potty trained, despite our best and repeated efforts. He is also on the wait list to see urology as there are concerns there too, and he's not able to reliably relay information to identify if it's behavioural or something more medical , so gastro referred us for their involvement after our last inpatient admission this year.

Despite all this, he is the most joyful, loving little boy. He is so kind and empathetic (despite the stereotypes), funny, and so incredibly intelligent. His problem solving skills, thanks to the delayed speech, are second to none, and he remembers absolutely everything and soaks information up like a sponge. He wants to please and loves feeling included and praised.

His nursery have been nothing short of life changing for him. They are so kind and supportive, adapted to all the changes his health has thrown our way, tweaked routines to ease his anxieties, they always say they love having him there and it really shows. He stims a lot, albeit mostly fairly subtly, and unless particularly disregulated doesn't lash out. He has sensory issues which can lead to anxiety or disregulation, but nursery have worked to structure class activities around his difficulties and work through some of the sensory modulation activities that the HV gave us but he wouldn't engage in 1:1, but will in a group setting. As a result of all their efforts and accommodations, his meltdowns at nursery are minimal. He has come on in leaps and bounds and I can never thank them enough for all they did.

My concern is that because they've done everything so proactively, facilitating his progress, I don't know that you could argue for an EHCP, except my worry is that the reason he is making progress is because they have low ratios and he can have a substantial amount of support and flexibility when needed. If you put him in a class of 25, with 1 teacher and 1 TA, for example, he's not going to have someone within arms reach at all times to step in and head off a situation that could escalate, and he's not articulate enough yet to seek out that help. There's also a few life skills/behavioural things that he will do at nursery but not anywhere else (not just at home, literally anywhere/with anyone other than nursery) and any attempt to force that results in a substantial meltdown, and if he views school as a new nursery setting, the transition might not be so bad, but if they get 'Home' DS, it's going to be far trickier.

Do I just arrange a meeting with the SENCO when his place is confirmed and let them see how he does and then look to do an EHCP down the line if he needs it once they can demonstrate they need additional funding? Or should I be documenting all what nursery do and putting a case forward for an EHCP now so that they can look at getting any support in place needed for September? I'm so desperate to do right by him but I've no idea what that is to be honest!

I would request an EHCNA yourself now. Unfortunately, you may not have an EHCP for the beginning of reception. Many have to appeal and the waits are long. On their website, IPSEA has a model letter you can use.

Agree with PP. Don’t wait you can request the EHCPNA yourself parental request.
Has there been involvement from a specialist advisory teacher? Do nursery receive any Preschool Inclusion supplement for him? The formula for requesting this would give some indication of level of need and support required.
You shouldn’t need to list what Nursery do as this is the Manager/ SENCO’s role.
You will be asked for parental information.
Has he had a sensory assessment from a specialist OT? Not all are qualified.
Sounds like Nursery staff have been very proactive.

Thanks I'll have a look at getting the ball rolling. Nursery don't receive any additional funding that I'm aware of ,and I'm not aware of any specialist teacher involvement. I do wonder if there's a risk that the support nursery provide may make it harder to identify what he'll need as when I've asked before they said they didn't feel like they did much differently, and then remembered, as an example, they now don't tell any children what's for lunch until they've sat down and been offered a drink of water at lunchtime (with DS being coaxed to drink it before they reveal the food) because they've only managed to get him drinking by 'linking' it to eating, and if he clocks the food is something he doesn't like and won't eat, then he will no longer drink anything either. I can't imagine school being able to indulge those sorts of quirks so easily and then it raises the question as to how/what/who is going to be responsible for ensuring adequate fluid intake which is essential for his gastro issues and his consultant would not be happy if he wasnt drinking anything at school, for example.

Our area/trust don't offer paediatric OT input other than for the provision of mobility aids, there's no sensory service other than some videos on their website, which is what nursery used to develop his sensory exposure

Is DS in receipt of DLA? If so, even if the nursery isn’t in receipt of early years inclusion funding for DS, they should be receiving disability access funding.

The LA should take into account the upcoming transition when making any decisions now. You may have to appeal but you can get EHCPs even if needs are being met by the nursery providing support in excess of what would typically be available in mainstream settings. Although it sounds like DS needs more support than the nursery is providing anyway. For example, SALT. EHCPs can include provision DC wouldn’t get on the NHS. SALT is about far more than the physical ability to speak and if DS is autistic he will benefit from SALT.

An EHCNA can include a sensory OT assessment even if your ICB doesn’t normally commission sensory OT.

No he isn't, I suspect he would be eligible, but things are contentious with his Dad who would be furious if I applied for it and I always decided the money wasn't worth the fallout, but if it impacts what he can get a school I might need to try and talk him round. Interesting that he can access a sensory OT through the needs assessment, I think he'd benefit from that immensely.

I would have liked him to have some sessions with SALT, but appreciate that their list is enormous so he didn't meet the NHS criteria but I didn't know the ehcp could help with that. I'm fairly au fair with navigating the NHS by this point but ehcps are a whole new ballgame and so overwhelming, I've no idea how I'm meant to advocate when I don't even know what might be an option 🫠

Reading IPSEA and SOSSEN’s websites as well as the SENCOP will help you begin to understand the SEN system and law surrounding it.

Disability Access Funding doesn’t apply once school age. It would be for now rather than school. Just so you know, if you decide to claim DLA, DS’s DF doesn’t need to know.

I'll post a link to the support thread.

www.mumsnet.com/talk/special_educational_needs/5309128-ehcp-support-thread-no-5?utm_campaign=thread&utm_medium=app_share