Where do we go from here? ASD & school

[leosayershair]

Sorry for long post - DS2 has diagnosis of ASD, delayed speech, no statement, no SALT and has just started his first term of reception at mainstream school (same school as older brother).

He has some 1:1 which he responds well to but as soon as it is not his 1:1 time he becomes disruptive, doesn't join in, draws on the furniture & basically does his own thing which I think it down to getting 1:1 attention and getting frustrated when he doesn't. He can follow instructions but really struggles with the social skills/rules & reading emotions often laughs when people are angry or if they are crying.

Last week there were some major meltdowns, some biting (he's not normally a biter) & aggressive episodes, he seems to be really struggling at dinnertime & playtime.

I had a meeting with HT and she has suggested that as he is not 5 until December and so he doesn't have to legally attend school until then that he should attend school in the afternoon and start at 1 after dinnertime then work towards full days but come home for dinner. This will give school time to put together an assessment & statement for any further resources to help DS. I don't know if this means they are putting in for a statement of need for him or what will happen in December if the school decide he is struggling too much to attend at all.

I work Mon to Fri around the school hours and although work are very understanding, any hours that I take will be leave or I would need to make hours up. I know that school is not childcare but I am all very new to this and just need some advice about any alternatives that I could look into.

I think that maybe I have buried my head in the sand a bit and thought he wasn't as bad as he is or maybe it's because no one knew how he would re-act to being at school as all the professionals who are involved with him all said there is no reason why he shouldn't go to MS school.

I just need some advice about where do I go from here? Can I get help with childcare? What should I be asking/expecting the school to do?

I would apply for a statement, as the school can't meet his needs.
Normally they would do mornings not afternoons.
Hopefully someone else who's been in this situation will post later.
No idea about childcare.
School should chase up SALT.

Was he at nursery before and can he go back there PT? You can still get the free 15 hours. You may be able to get more help via a social care assessment for a disabled child and you as a carer (2 separate assessments!). Look at contact a family website as have useful leaflet. If you qualify for help you can take this as direct payments and use it to pay nursery / childminder etc

You can argue disability discrimination if you want your child in school FT but you may feel the half days idea is sensible

You can also check with school / SEN officer that school is putting in max support (£6000 per child) they can without a statement. Or whether the LA can give school emergency funding until the statement can be done so he can attend more (even if he spends % day outside class in 1:1)

School can access SLT, EP, autism outreach etc etc - are they using all the support available? If not why not?

I would start statementing process yourself as this is good evidence one is needed - see IPSEA

You also have a legal right to parental leave (unpaid) but thats only a short term solution and not a very attractive one.

I would suggest starting the statement process (see iPSEA for draft letter) and asking school / SEN officer to call an emergency multi agency meeting (LA SEN team, EP, SLT, Social Care, school) as there are emergency measures that can be put in place without a statement (see SEN Code of Practice). You can even look at emergency placements in special schools or units which it is possible to access as an emergency pending statutory assessment

I think you need to decide what you want to happen eg PT school / childcare or SS / unit or FT school with more 1:1 and then put your case for that. Don't feel you have to accept their solution especially if its not financially viable.

For a young child the LA only need 'one overarching report' for statutory assessment eg an EP. They do not need to get lots of reports so it is very possible to push things through quickly.

Schools are told they need to collect evidence for months but if you look at SENCOP you will see there are exceptions and your child is such an exception. If there had been proper transition planning and post diagnosis support this would not have happened.

Thanks for the replies & thanks Agnes for all the suggestions/website/info, really interesting stuff.

He was at a private nursery attached to my workplace before school so might be a good idea to pop in there this week & see if there are any spaces. He is 5 in December so would the free 15 hours stop on his 5th birthday or does it run until the term ends?

Just had a meeting with HT & SENCO when I dropped DS off at 1 and we have decided that until half term he will attend school 9 - 11.30 (I requested mornings) except Thurs when the school already take him to SS unit for time in their sensory room/soft play area, so he will still attend that AM then come home for dinner & attend school PM, and see how it goes & they are pushing for a statement of need. They said if it goes well then possibly after half term go in FT but come home for dinner but possibly reduce hours again in December with lead up to Christmas & all the over whelming stuff that goes with it.

To be fair they do have a good relationship with the autism outreach team who are based at the SS unit he goes to on from school on Thursday mornings.

He is already scheduled for a meeting at school on 27th Oct along with EP & autism outreach I'm feeling a bit more positive, and thanks once again for all the info you posted, good to know that I have somewhere to go if needed, you've been a great help.

Leosayershair,

re this part of your comment:-

"I had a meeting with HT and she has suggested that as he is not 5 until December and so he doesn't have to legally attend school until then that he should attend school in the afternoon and start at 1 after dinnertime then work towards full days but come home for dinner. This will give school time to put together an assessment & statement for any further resources to help DS. I don't know if this means they are putting in for a statement of need for him or what will happen in December if the school decide he is struggling too much to attend at all".

I would check with IPSEA as to the legality of this current position of school as they could well be treading on shaky ground here legally speaking.

www.ipsea.org.uk

What Agnes wrote as well, apply for the statement yourself and asap. You are really your child's best - and only - advocate here. Also if school apply for the statement and the LEA refuse it, they cannot appeal. Only parents have this right. Some schools too can and do sit on such applications for ages, if you make the request yourself you know its been done then.

agree with the others - apply for a statutory assessment yourself.

IPSEA have a model letter on their website - here

the process to get a statement takes a minimum of 26 weeks (often longer). I would not waste more time in waiting for the school to apply. there is no need to delay this further. It is quite obvious from your post that the school is not able to meed your DS's needs.

I would also ring IPSEA about the suggested part time schedule following your DS's 5ths birthday to find out if this is legally sound. In England, full time education is compulsory after the 5th birthday. So I am not sure if the HT can simply suggest a part/time schedule for your DS because school cannot meet his needs.

I don't know a great deal about getting a statement & can be a bit a bit of a pushover so if the school said they were pushing for it then I just take their word for it, same as taking someone elses word about what is best for my DS so thanks for that advice that if I do it myself then I know it is done.

I will also be looking at IPSEA & SENCOP, thank you very much, as much info as I can is much appreciated so I know what I am talking about as needed!

well, one does not 'push' for a statement. one must formally 'apply' for one

there are 2 options: either school applied or school has not applied yet

I would double check with the school if they have applied yet and if so, when (the LA must tell you within 6 weeks if the SA is going ahead).

If they have not applied, then I would just use the model letter from Ipsea and send it off myself.

good luck

info about the statementing process and timescales in a nutshell

"I don't know a great deal about getting a statement & can be a bit a bit of a pushover so if the school said they were pushing for it then I just take their word for it"

This is also where such forums come in to their own. Simply put, you cannot afford to be a pushover particularly when it comes to SEN and school.

I would never take a school's word for it that they were actually applying for such a document either; many schools sit on such apps for ages without auctioning same. If you make the request yourself you know its been done then.

Do keep us updated.

I'm doing this right now - if you haven't had a letter from the lea within two weeks of them saying they have applied then they most likely haven't as the lea need your permission to go ahead ie signature on paper. My sons school didn't want me to apply but I was told its my job to be in charge - so I am driving we go where I choose when I choose it. Too much time has been wasted of my sons life. I was told lots of things by school in reception. I should have smiled, nodded and ignored as not much of the talk turned into action.

The only things I have learned have been from this board - it's my only sign post and only honest source of information

I am pretty sure the free 15 hours funding lasts for the term
If you have a connection with the SS already perhaps you should ring them and see if they have space for him PT as a dual placement and put that forward as a solution. The benefit of that would be specialist staff can get to know him and skill up the mainstream school.
You need to be very blunt you are not going to risk losing work so the LA / school need to find a solution quickly.
Don't let them think you will go along with PT for more than a few weeks or you will find that can become months.

Thanks again for all the advice, lots to think about & will start the process to apply for a statement myself.

Agnes would he need a statement before going to SS as duel placement or would that only apply if he was FT at SS? That would be a fantastic solution.