I can't see the wood from the trees ATM... Advice please

[pannetone]

I will try to keep this brief but is complex...

In a nutshell I have both DS3 and DD out of school because of anxiety. DS (HFA, anxiety disorder) is in Y7 at secondary. He struggled with the transition and at the start of this term everything feel apart. He didn't manage a reduced timetable and is now meant to be going in for an hour each day doing work in the library. He only managed this for 2 out of 3 days last week. He is waiting for a CAMHs appointment and we may be looking at medication. He has had 2 lots of CBT and it didn't help. EWO now involved to support getting DS back into school. Won't happen ATM because DS needs CAMHs help. Bigger worry is that even with medication(/other help?) DS is not going to be able to re-integrate into his large MS comp. Last term they tried to support DS, but his difficulties have a lot to do with the number of different teachers and subjects and different pupils in the classes. (He is taught some subjects with his form, some in sets and some in other groups like boy/girl groups for PE).

Should I be applying for a statement for him? There is very little evidence of his difficulties in school - he only had an IEP in Y6. He hasn't been seen by an EP. Is the fact he isn't able to get to school taken as 'evidence' that his needs are not being met - or just that i'm being an ineffective parent.

Meanwhile DD's school think that I am failing in my 'duty' to get DD (Y4 HFA, selective mutism, anxiety disorder) into school and that they can't help her if she is not there. They entirely fail to make the link is that it is the fact that her needs aren't being met that is causing her to school refuse. (DS by contrast 'wants' to go in and dresses in uniform each day but his panic gets the better of him.) They also think that DD is 'copying' her brother - DS being off may have 'precipitated' her school refusal but she has had manys periods of reluctance to attend school before this.

I have had a refusal of my request to assess DD for a statement and need to appeal this month. BUT the LA say that the school has the resources to meet DD's needs. I am certain that the School aren't meeting them though - support for SEN (and school generally) was said to be requiring improvement in last term's OFSTED. What do i do? The IPSEA appealing a refusal to assess pack states that this is a difficult position to be in and that the tribunal may just throw out my appeal because the School haven't done all they could (by any stretch of the imagination) to support DD's needs.

pannetone that sounds like an awful position to be in. Can you change school for your dd? Just as a way of starting again and building further evidence? I'm sorry that's lame hope someone more experienced/knowledgeable comes along.

"There is very little evidence of his difficulties in school" - the fact that he cannot attend even for reduced hours is MASSIVE evidence.

With regard to your dd IPSEA also state "you need to make the case that advice from a number of different professionals is needed to fully understand your child’s difficulties. In other words, your child “is a puzzle” and only a statutory assessment can help everyone understand the nature and severity of their difficulties and decide the help they need"

Until a SA is made NO ONE will fully understand your child's difficulties, the severity of them or what provision is needed. So NO ONE knows until LA carry out assessments.

IF after SA it is found that school can meet needs, but wont or cant, IPSEA also state "There are some cases, however, where the Tribunal may feel it is necessary for the LA to determine your child’s help just because the school won’t or can’t make provision. This can occur in a variety of situations. Often it is where the school has a different understanding of your child’s difficulties to yours and refuses to increase the help. But it could be the result of in-school factors such as staffing problems, where inspectors have found the school is failing to provide a proper education, or where the school has spent its special educational needs budget on something else"

The LA always say that the school has the resources to meet a childs needs when they refuse to assess.

You need to

a) show a SA is necessary to establish what your childs needs actually are.

and

b) Once SA has been completed that school will not be able to meet needs from their own resources. Resources is not all about money or outside professional help, its about level of expertise of teaching staff too.

Our SA was refused on the same grounds, school were saying that ds was very happy, making progress and we don't know what the hell mum is talking about. We are meeting needs.

I think this is significant and you are not the only person stuck in this area.

The requirement on schools to meet needs is greater - end of. They don't do so - parents apply for SA - refused on grounds (now much easier to prove) school can meet need. Legal recourse to tribunal is useless if school is not doing what it should or if LA can top-up.

But at the same time the disability discrimination legislation also changed to increase school responsibility to meet need. Eg if a child with ASD or ADHD who cannot access the curriculum without the reasonable adjustment of adult in class support is discrimination arising from disability.

I think we need mass disability discrimination cases brought for the pre-statutory kids being failed and I suggest 1st April. Could you have a case?

Hi pannetone your poor Ds is exactly the reason I put in a parental request for Dd3 in November, she is likely to react in exactly the same way as your Ds has.

We were refused and are going to Tribunal, Dd3 has already had periods of school refusal and her needs are not always met even in a small inclusive Primary.

I think you would be very wise to put in a parental request, today!!

IPSEA's letter will help you.

Good luck

Yes you should apply for a statement for your DS.
It is well known many primaries ignore needs and sneak kids in at secondary without identifying half the difficulties
It is a fight to get a statement so you need there to be a purpose to getting one. For your DS that could be an indi mainstream school with small classes or a HFA special school funded by LA.

Your dd you do need evidence she is refusing, if necessary get school staff to come to the house and travel to school with you. You ideally need a GP to sign her off as medically unable to attend due to anxiety and get her on Camhs waiting list too. Can you get video of her refusing? Or a witness?

LA has duty to meet both children's needs otherwise than in school under s.19 education act if they cannot attend eg via home tuition. This costs £ which is why it's easier to blame parents than provide the support.

You should appeal the refusal but also may need to consider specialist alternatives etc if you think mainstream is also not going to work for her.

Claw is right but you might also need to argue mainstream cannot meet her needs eg via small class sizes etc

Look up govt guidance on DFE website for children out of school with medical needs.

What would the school have to do to meet your DD's needs, firstly? Could you ask them to draft an 'action plan' if you can get her to school?

I guess that they're going to be thinking along the lines of 'this is a 9/10 year old girl - how hard can it be to get her to school?'

In terms of how far you've gone to try and get her in school, where are you at?

-Is she refusing to get dressed?
-Is she getting dressed but then refusing to go to the car?

Etc.

Very good point from Lougle when ds was refusing I kept a diary of my efforts and ds's behaviour. I couldn't provide school with a copy, as they refused to give me an email address, which said it all really.

However I did copy in EWO, social worker and provide CAMHS with copies on appointments.

I also asked school for a plan of what support they would provide if I could get ds there. The answer was none, which again said it all.

I also knew the cause of ds's refusal - school not meeting ds's needs and I took action to put that right, I applied for an assessment of his needs - SA.

I think you need to be seen to be doing something, rather than I just cant get my child to school iyswim.

Thank you for all your input.

Handywoman thanks for your comment - I am really unsure about changing schools without DD having a statement - I am too worried I would face the same again without the 'back up' of a statement.' And thanks for the recognition of the tricky time I am having - too many people - even friends - don't necessarily 'get' anxiety. And zzzzz I don't feel that this school can meet needs when there hasn't been a full assessment of what they are. I am not 'anti' HE at all but my gut feeling is it would be do-able for DS (but he does get a lot from the academic challenge of other children - it is the social stuff that causes anxiety) but DD is far more demand -avoidant and her idea of HE (doing what she liked when she wanted probably!) doesn't meet mine. And I also think proper support at school is the best way of tackling her SM.

claw2 I always follow your DS's story - my DS seems similar - unfortunately a bit of self harm is creeping in - punching himself and head banging. (BTW is an estimated 2 months wait for a CAMHs appt acceptable when he is off school and we have this self harm and comments such as him saying his life isn't worth living? I have told CAMHs.) Yes, in my DD's case I would hope that the tribunal would accept that this is one of the cases where the school can't/ won't meet needs and agree to assess but then I worry that I would just end up with a Note in Lieu, as the LA would just say the school has the resources to meet the identified needs.

Keep I have been following a lot of your posts - particularly on Polter's long thread on funding - and agree that under the new funding arrangements (which came in last April - in alll LAs?) the obligation on schools to meet need has increased. When you say that disability discrimination law has changed what are you referring too? Is it the requirement for schools to provide auxiliary aids (and services) to met SEN? That became law in Sep 12 didn't it? That was no good when we bought our case for DS2 as it hadn't come into force but we still won under the 'failure to make reasonable adjustments' provision. And I am concerned that, as far as I know, the Tribunal has no powers to enforce the remedies they give, so your child's needs and provision don't become statutory. Oh and why 1st April -April Fool's Day?!

Agnes yes I am wondering if the way forward is a independent MS school with small classes for DS. We visited one that has just 2 Y7 classes,currntly with about 13 in each class, and max of 20 per class. I can't send DS at present because he really isn't well enough to successfully manage the transition to a new school. In any event would it strenthen or weaken my case if we move DS to this school? If DS 'settles' would the LA just argue he no longer needs a statement, or would the fact he has settled be evidence that he needs a small class size IYSWIM?

As regards evidence of school refusal if staff came to the house they would see DD still in bed on a bad day! I took her for a 'visit' to the school 'after hours,, but I took her in her PJs as she refused to get dressed. Unfortunately in the week before last I had said I was bringing DD in for her speech appt at school and then going again (DD wouldn't agree to being in school all day), and the office staff (!) and the TA who works with DD took it upon themselves to insist that DD stay all day. I took DD into the lobby to explain what they were suggesting and she protested noisily BUT because of her SM, when the TA appeared she went quiet and let the TA take her away. I regret letting her go, but I was put under so much pressure that she would be 'fine' once she got into class. It was a mistake. DD came out of school tearful and remained silent for a long time once we were home. She hasn't been to class since because she doesn't trust the TA... (There were already issues with the TA putting pressure on her to communicate)

The irony of the school's approach that day was that the previous day I had been advised by CAMHs to get her into school even if it was with me and only for a short period, but the therapist hadn't had a chance to speak to the school. (|So why were the school claiming they knew what was 'best' for DD .) DD has actually been under CAMHs for 2 years but only last November did we get appts with a psychotherapist and given DD's SM we are not getting anywhere (if we are indeed going to - I have my doubts) fast. So DD's anxiety is recognised by CAMHs which hopefully counts as 'evidence' of why she is school refusing. Hoping that her diagnosed generalised and separation anxiety disorders count for something too.

Any advice on what I should be doing in the meantime? I don't think the GP can sign off for anxiety. In DS's case he would regard being signed off as 'failing'. But he is not managing to do the hour in school - managed Mon and Tue last week and not since then. This is partly because the Head of Year insists he has to come and speak to DS in the library every time he is in, although we have asked him not to as DS can't cope with being asked to commit to coming in the next day or being told how important education is.

What should I be doing with DD? I would rather get her gradually back into school, as being off is making it increasingly hard to go in. In her case some of the issue is that she hasn't had adequate support. In fact we now think that the TA has actually made things worse overall. (And we have said we no longer want her to work with DD - the TA was meant to be doing group work several times a week to help with DD's SM.)Last week at a meeting with the autism advisory teacher the School made a ridiculous plan that DD should return to school full time on Tue with 15 mins with a (different - i insisted) TA, but only if I got DD there at a specific time. Head still reluctant to provide any extra TA time - all of it is 'allocated' and other children would be losing out. DD is not managing to be in school at all! Head says he will only provide extra support if 'professionals' recommend it. I said it was his job to provide SEN support and anyway EP report already recommends 'an adequate level of adult support' - though Head gets round that by saying DD gets that!

Panne, what did CAMHS say when you told them he was self harming and having suicidal thoughts? (in my experience CAMHS will view it as a child trying to express himself in an inappropriate way and wont be too alarmed by it, particularly if he isn't leaving marks)

In my experience they view it as a child trying to avoid something they find anxiety provoking and they are totally against letting a child avoid something totally and will probably continue to advise you to try and get him there on a reduced time. They seem to view it more on what YOU can do and how YOU can handle behaviour, as they are a family service, not an educational service.

Has school had an EP assess, an EP is much better suited to making educational recommendations. When ds was refusing I applied for SA, I also got an indi EP to make educational recommendations. If you feel school is the problem, then an EP is the way to go.

As for your dd, you say a reluctance to go school, how reluctant is reluctant is reluctant?

If I woke ds in the morning and tried to dress him for school, he would be screaming, thrashing about, punching himself, punching and kicking me, throwing himself off the bed, head butting walls, cutting himself with scissors, hitting himself with objects, not sleeping, refusing to eat. He was also seriously self harming in other ways, so he was smothered from head to toe in sores etc, etc. (this kind of behaviour is unheard of from ds, he is usually very compliant and passive)

My 'NT' boys would have days when they didn't want to go to school, claiming headache or feeling sick or my arm hurts etc, etc, without actually showing any real signs of illness or distress.

I am not suggesting there is a 'trumps' in school refusal or that children don't show distress in different ways. Im just saying you have to show professionals, particularly CAMHS, that you know the difference between signs of real distress and a child just trying to 'get one over on you' as this is what you are being accused of.

At CAMHs I spoke to the clinical psychologist who did about 10 sessions of CBT with DS last year. I sat in on the sessions and yes, it was very much DS shouldn't avoid situations that made him anxious BUT i felt that as he had ASD and sensory sensitivities it was asking too much of him to keep on making himself do things he found so difficult, when a lot of it seems to me that he needed people and the 'environment' to adapt/be adapted for him. In the end the CP gave DS an 'ultimatum' that he had to start talking about and 'facing up' to his fears or there was no point in continuing with CBT. DS stopped. Allegedly that CP had experience of carrying out CBT with those on the spectrum...

And yes claw the CP didn't seem overly concerned about the self harm (which DS generally does stop if you tell him too) and the suicidal thoughts (which I suppose saying 'my life isn't worth living' is but I am hoping is 'just' him expressing how difficult he is finding things). And the advice was that DS should keep getting into school even for a very reduced session. BUT DS has panic attacks (plus anger and head banging) in the car when we arrive at school (he is in no fit state to get himself there as he used to do) and then getting out of the car and walking up the driveway. And he isn't 'recovering' in the hour he is in school. The panic only lessens but often comes back when the head of year speaks to him. Even when not panicking he is miserable and tearful. He comes out saying he is never going back into school again. He is then very angry at himself saying that he has failed and let us down.

I have asked that the school get in the EP - I will chase that next week.

Some of DD's school refusal is of the passive, withdrawn nature, though she will also strop and shout and kick. Sometimes she will lock herself in the bathroom. (Bolt now removed.) On a typical morning she will lie 'comatose' in bed in response to being told it is time to get up. Eventually (having had the quilt removed) she will start saying she doesn't want to go to school and become tearful. She will refuse to get dressed and attempts to dress her will be met with kicking. I will 'disengage' for a bit and leave her to get dressed. She won't do it and then we have another cycle of resistance. This can go on for hours - which sounds ridiculous writing it down but it happens. There are a lot of accusations that I am mean, I don't care about her, and I hate her.
She is very different in expressing her anxiety than DS, but her anxiety is just as 'real'.

Also Panne ds's school were obviously not meeting ds's needs and were providing him with very little support, if any. A tribunal could have easily decided that school were not doing enough...they clearly wasn't and could have done a lot more.

However, your case will not be that school haven't done enough, it will be school is simply unable to understand your dd's complex needs, and as a result, they are unable to identify or quantify what help should be given.

You can then give examples of strategies tried and why they have been ineffective. Like the TA for example.

You believe that the difficulties dd is experiencing at school, as a result of her needs not being met, are evidenced through x,y,z behaviours she demonstrates.

Then after they agree to SA and have professional reports, the help needed cannot be provided from within schools budget

Sorry Panne if my previous post came across as harsh, I don't doubt you for a second, I understand totally. I have been accused of similar not being 'strict' enough, ds just trying to 'get one over on me' etc, etc.

Which is why I started a diary of my attempts and ds's reactions to give to professionals.

That is the difficulty with CAMHS, its all about what the child and you can do. When its the environment ie school which is causing the problem, which is why I suggested EP.

In the end with ds, after trying to work with school/LA who were opposing my SA request and still expecting me to get ds into school, in fact putting a lot of pressure on me to get him there by involving SS. I was not prepared to try anymore to get ds into school, I simply didn't trust school to met his needs if I could get him there and I wasn't prepared to see him suffer anymore by my attempts to get him there. I sent a letter to LA/school deregistering ds and stated I would be HEing, I was also honest and told them I felt this was the only option left for me.

Emergency meeting was called, CAMHS signed him off and ds was offered home tution until SA was complete and statement finalised.

This might be a questioned asked of you, if you are convinced that school are not meeting your dd needs why do you still attempt to send her there? (not a question from me I will add)

www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/269341/Equality_Act_2010_-_advice.pdf

Chapter 4.

Reasonable adjustments technical guidance for schools

www.equalityhumanrights.com/uploaded_files/EqualityAct/PSED/ehrc263_code_england_v3.pdf

This is the less publicised aspect of replacing statements with ECHP - ie moving the goalposts of which children are supported and have statutory rights. What happens to those who don't 'qualify' under the new system?

DD cases too often seem to be powerless and pointless - a slap on the wrist, maybe an apology but still seen to be 'inclusive' by OFSTED.

April 1st has a certain irony in this respect - not because the children are 'fools' but because the planned change is 'foolish'. Individually we can sign a petition which is then filed in the bin. Alternatively we can sign a disability discrimination sendist appeal form. This cannot be filed in the bin but triggers expensive due process.

Concerted group action gives a brief but powerful vision of a potential future where parents stop tolerating day to day discrimination and when the LA have left the building - leaving the school and parents to slug it out.

How many times have parents been frustrated because the cheap and easy reasonable adjustments to include their child have not been taken? Aside from the aids and services thing, the big change is that not making reasonable adjustment used to be able to be justified by schools. Disability discrimination is different from other forms of discrimination as it allows or even insists upon positive discrimination to level the playing field. eg DS2 has not been allowed a fiddle toy because it distracts others; not allowed motivational rewards because it would not be fair to other children; lost golden time for behaviour associated with ASD; not given additional staff support to enable equal access to the curriculum etc. All different types of normalised/acceptable discrimination. I am not the only parent where this behaviour by the schools is normal practice.

I do think that you need to try and use the system as it exists now and should appeal but we need to be aware that the times, they are a'changing. At some point we need to change the advice that we give so that people can best fight now instead of sharing how we did things in the past.

I'll get off my soapbox now

Also, the tribunal service says the process takes around 4 to 5 months to hearing and so is timed to coincide with introduction of EHCP.

You may not have enough evidence to become statutory (because the bar has been raised) but that doesn't mean that you don't have a valid DD claim. You don't need evidence of years of failure and you don't have to go down the delaying waste of time school/LA complaint process.

The routine practices of many schools are unthinkingly discriminatory. Parents have previously fought against that discrimination by applying for assessment of need and statementing. The severity of the needs of the children has not changed and the discriminatory practices of schools have not changed. The bottom line is that it is discriminatory to not meet the additional needs of children in m/s schools who are pre-statutory. In the old days, schools did not need to concern themselves greatly with issues of possible discrimination because all DC with identified additional needs would be statutory. Not any more - m/s is being touted as a suitable environment for children with complex and even severe additional needs.

Either our kids suffer habitual discrimination and we suck it up or we try and continue to play by the (secret) rules of the old order. It was hard enough to learn the rules before - we had to try and patch together experiences - but the rules have just changed.

Or we continue what was started with This is my Child and discuss how we bring about a culture change so that habitual/routine discrimination against disabled children is seen and recognised in the same way that routine discrimination against 'blacks/women/gays' is no longer tolerated or seen as acceptable. I may just be paranoid, but it seems to me that a notion of the deserving disabled profile (ss, unlikely to ever be independent) is creeping in whereas a child with dyslexia or ADHD will just have a made up condition to hide poor parenting or the parents will be playing the system to get extra time in exams because everyone knows that little Johnny is not 'really' disabled but just needs 'a good hiding/his backside tanned'.

I appear to be talking to myself here so I will continue my mad ramblings...

To link DD and EHCP it would be useful to have objective evidence - something like a statistically significant increase in the number of both SA applications and discrimination claims in the 6 months before implementation.

SA criteria have been increased.
Disability criteria in schools have been increased making disability easier to prove.
Responsibilities of schools, in law, have been increased.
Therefore access to DD claims has increased.

But the power remains potential if or until the parent makes it real by exercising the right of access.

Anyone applying for SA will also have sufficient evidence of routine discrimination. Why not pop in a DD claim to SENDIST at the same time.

Frustrated that your child is being failed - that the school won't meet need and will sabotage any attempt to appeal to the LA to assess and meet need. Refused because the school could do more (but won't). Make a DD claim. Not so that one DC is assessed but to challenge discrimination without which EHCP will cost more, not less.

Keep I think i follow most of what you are saying but a brain addled with not enough sleep and 2 non school attenders at home means that I can't join you on the soapbox ATM.

DD cases too often seem to be powerless and pointless - a slap on the wrist, maybe an apology but still seen to be 'inclusive' by OFSTED.
This is where I am at with my view on DD law.

Concerted group action gives a brief but powerful vision of a potential future where parents stop tolerating day to day discrimination and when the LA have left the building - leaving the school and parents to slug it out
I'm not sure whether you are talking about about a group joint case (or indeed if that can be done) or you are proposing lots of us make individual DD claims at the same time.

Make a DD claim. Not so that one DC is assessed but to challenge discrimination without which EHCP will cost more, not less.
I haven't got your point about EHCP costing more if DD cases aren't brought.

claw you have given me rather different points to consider. In the case of DS I have given up trying to get him into school because he isn't well enough now. Despite me telling him he isn't well enough to go today he has still got dressed in his uniform. He keeps saying that nothing feels right - he can't deal with being in school or not being in school. However, I don't intend de-registering him because I do want to consider the 'next move' once he has been seen by CAMHs and probably given medication.

On the question of DD I suppose hand-on-heart I have given up on the idea of the school being able to provide effective support for DD. So it is curious that I am trying to work out how to re integrate her into school... Made more curious that it is apparent that the school don't know/are reluctant to provide support to get her back into school. But I suppose i feel I have to 'keep my options open' as I am unsure that I can persuade the Tribunal to assess and then the LA to give DD a Statement.

I have rung (and left a message) with an idependent EP this morning and spoken to an independent SALT. I am definitely going to go ahead with the appeal. I will also put in a parental request for DS. I need to demonstrate to the school and EWO that the main reason DS is not able to attend is that his needs are not being met - and that could be the school setting itself not just the support within.

pannetone - I have in mind nice time-consuming individual applications creating increased demand on the tribunal service and producing some lovely stats - the tribunal service love to collect stats. They don't love to share them quite so much but a timely FOI should sort that.

I don't imagine for a moment that DD claims reduce the cost of the EHCP or that not bringing DD cases somehow increases it. Rather, the removal of statements from DC who would currently qualify leaves a rather tricky problem as the requirement to meet need remains. It used to be that schools not meeting the needs of DC was evidence that the DC probably needed to be assessed/statemented. Now it seems not meeting the needs of DC who are pre-statutory 'means' failing to make reasonable adjustment to ensure access and an equal playing field. Hence it should be the trigger for parents to bring a DD case rather than apply for SA.

Rather than predicting failure (must have 'evidence' of failure) and then witnessing an increase in DD once the horse has bolted (EHCP are implemented) it might be worth being able to demonstrate impact at an earlier stage.

Panne, I thought I was doing everything possible, like you. I applied for SA (which would lead to EP assessment) LA refused. Both school and LA were opposing my SA request and forcing me to go to Tribunal. If school are not backing your request (and possibly even appearing as witnesses for the LA) it is very unlikely they will request an EP assessment unfortunately and very unlikely they will offer any extra support, as this is just like saying they are not meeting needs and that your dd needs SA.

I couldn't continue to try and work with a school who not only did not understand ds's difficulties and refused to support them, but were appearing as witnesses for the LA at the Tribunal.

What will you do, if you cannot persuade a tribunal to assess and statement?

I got indi EP to assess ds and he concluded that it was not in ds's best interests for him to return to his school. He tore school (and a few professionals) to shreds in his report and recommended that ds needed indi school, with specialist support.

This gave me the confidence to deregister ds from school and insist that the LA expedite the SA process and issue a statement so ds could return to a suitable education.

Practically, DS1 was transferring to secondary and I didn't imagine it would go well. I had had 2 refusals to assess but did not go to tribunal as LA changed their mind. Proposed statement arrived too late - failed transfer the month before. I already had private diagnostic assessments with Margo Sharp and Daphne Keen. By the time he saw DK he had already been refusing for a couple of days and she wrote in her report that he needed SS and should not attend m/s. I was in the process of appealing 2, 3 and 4.

I also had him signed off initially by the GP. Maintained contact with secondary that he had never attended and they said it would be counterproductive to force him. Never heard from EWO. I then contacted the LA to request EOTAS tutoring. I then had to provide evidence at consultant level for EOTAS then a whole different layer of shit with LA employees in your house for 5 hours a week, then an absolute angel of a tutor, then tribunal and then placement in indi ss. Oh, and a year and a half of my life and 15K.

Ds2 just told me that he lost 10 minutes golden time today. 5 minutes because he was late due to local flooding (we live in a village OOC) and 5 minutes because he could not concentrate.

Can I only have one DD claim at the same time? IE? I could submit several a week. How many of us could?