Nursery provision for 3 year old

[StopPullingMyhair]

Hello,

Would appreciate some guidance around the minefield that is childcare for a child with SN. DS currently has three sessions per week at a SN school which totals 8 hours of provision. He's taken a long time to settle but now loves the time he spends there and we already see a difference in him. The rest of the time he is with either grandparents and I am with him two full days (work part time).

Problem is he is very very very difficult to stimulate, has poor attention, little interest in play and would happily watch TV all day if you let him. He is non verbal but very sure minded and gets very frustrated if he doesn't get what he wants immediately.

I know grandparents would like to pull back from childcare and I am loathe to reduce work as my mental health really struggles when full time at home. So we need to think about how to restructure our week and childcare. Ideally his time at school would increase, even another session would benefit him but we have been told they wouldn't expect him to get any more sessions until at least the next academic year.

Obvious alternative is a nanny but I really think he thrives in a group setting, school have also said they don't think he would cope with mainstream at this stage.

Anyone else been in a similar position? Where does the 15 hours for three year olds come I to it, is there a system to appeal for more hours?

Not sure what best route to take is and would appreciate any of you wise suggestions.

I don't know a whole lot about this stage, except to say that you are entitled to an EHCP/Statement, and by law your child's educational needs must be met.

Have you had speech and language therapy involved? Also portage?

Thank you senvet. School have told me EHCP not needed yet but am cynical that this is more in their favour rather than ours. NHS SALT to date has been sporadic and poor so looking for a good private one at the moment. Portage was brilliant but stopped once he transferred to school.

If the school say he wouldn't cope with mainstream then surely he needs a statement/ECHP?

We had one from age 2 so it isn't too early to have one.

All 3 year olds are entitled to 15 hours and I thought SN were from age 2 allowed those hours.

I am really not an expert but it doesn't all sound right to me. I am sure you should be getting more support one way or another

Disadvantaged children which in most areas includes disabled children are allowed 15 hours from age 2 for childcare, if the SN school can't take him you can split those hours with another setting / childminder etc. But don't confuse childcare with education. Your child is entitled to the amount of education necessary to meet his special educational needs. That figure can be higher than 15. In most cases it should be higher than 15 because children with Sen need more education not less than other children. We won 35 hours per week education at age 3 at tribunal so apply for the EHCP yourself now on grounds that as he cannot learn from his environment and the gap with peers is getting wider he needs more than 8 hours per week education to learn what he needs. Typical children learn all day everyday. from the minute they wake up, they are asking questions and exploring the world. If your child doesn't do that he probably needs 25+ hours a week of early intervention.
You can also apply to social care for services (short breaks) either for him as a disabled child or you as a carer and if successful ask for direct payments which you can use for childcare.
Also check your council website most have funding for children who need 1:1 in nursery so he could go to a mainstream nursery with 1:1 helper. My LA offered 75% (of 15 hrs) without EHCP but to get 100% had to get ehcp. It's sometimes called inclusion funding but the council local offer should have info.
I would apply for EHCP so they take you seriously. You can't get a SN school place without EHCP and it can take 12-24 months to get a plan if you have to appeal once or twice.

Agnes thanks for that, really good advice and you are right he needs that education. Must be why I feel stuck, it's the specialist education he needs. Are there any good guides to completing the EHCP?

yes IPSEA website is superb
www.IPSEA.org.UK

Really? I'm in trouble then as ds who is three next month has no ehcp. He's under portage. Has feet funding and a early years co ordinator.

Please please please don't tell me I should be appealing his ehcp now? Everyone has told me he is off to panel for sn pre school and they will sort out his ehcp before school

Have just been reading LA notes on SEND provision and it says for early years no EHC is needed. What I am going to assume though is that the level of provision will be at their discretion with no legal requirement only an EHC would cut through this and ensure the child got what they needed.

Much like acknowledging a child needs weekly physio but the local provision will only offer a limited amount, if any....

Been told no ehcp needed in my la - phew!

Have you got a case officer at your la? Mine is suprisingly good ( faint)

Phew indeed 2boys.

We have got a case officer so think will call them, just don't want to be fobbed off that what he and we are getting is appropriate. He's in desperate need of more input but had to have a bit of a fight already to get a third session so know they won't bend easily. Hope all works out for you, each LA is a law u to their own it seems.

Hi StopPullingMyHair. I am sorry but I as yet have no experience or knowledge about the new EHCP. But if it's helpful, I can give an overview of our situation with a Statement of Educational Need for my DD2 now aged 3Y 8 mths.

I submitted a parental application direct to the LEA. I got no support from our preferred school in doing this as they thought DD2 was too young, as did our OT. But a kind MN Chatee told me to submit a parental application as it was the LEA's decision; not the school's, and not the therapist's opinions that counted. How right he/she was. The most beneficial part of the process was our evaluation by the EdPsy (sp?) who's evaluation I think had the most sway with the LEA. They gave me some very good advice and really supported our case, highlighting potential issues I had not previously considered.

My DD2 has CP and I applied for a Statement for her just before her 2nd birthday. It was finalised when DD2 was age 2Y 5mths. The Statement supported the provision of 1:1 support for 15 hours (15 hours being the standard free childcare provided for all 3 year olds). So the private mainstream nursery she was in, was funded to provide an extra member of staff to ensure her safety, mobility and inclusion. They were brilliant. Further, as we had a Statement, the Birth-to-Five (not sure all regions have this) service supported us with additional equipment to ensure her full inclusion (special seating).

DD2 is now in a nursery setting in a MS primary school. We do not have Birth to Five support here as the LEA look after the schools. But her Statement followed her here and she still gets 1:1 provision paid for by the LEA, and her Statement has just been reviewed for support in Sep (when she moves into Reception year) when her 1:1 support goes up to full-time hours (all day) from the 15 hours we get now.

I used the IPSEA guide at the link given by Senvet. Like others have said, we too require a Statement/EHCP to access SN schools in our County. I recommend putting in a parental application for EHCP then you know where you are and you can be fobbed off .

CAN'T, can't be fobbed off

Agnes thank you for your post, very helpful

Good luck Stop and 2boys