Anyone knowledgable about EHCP able to help me?

[Purplerainbow2]

Ds1 is nearly 10 in year 5. He was diagnosed privately at age 5 with ASD, odd and anxiety. Been under Camhs since then, is under paediatrician (who's useless and won't give him an nhs diagnosis). I asked from when he was in foundation could they apply for statement as I felt he wasn't being helped enough. It was always refused, they told me he would never get one as he wasn't 'bad' enough and academically a year ahead. Then the changes to EHCP and I was told before Xmas he was now not going to meet the expected level at end of this school year so he is now failing academically. His attendance has been bad. I said I will apply for EHCP and achool said they would apply in January and it wasn't simple, said there would be a lot of paperwork for me etc I said fine bring it on. Anyway his attendance is so bad the attendance board are involved as he is a refuser.

He wants to go to school but I think he is struggling with the pressure since the curriculum changed and it's all sats Sats sats. He is also going to be assessed for dyslexia, which would explain a lot. The senco said before they can apply for EHCP they have to gather information and they have to had put in place a certain amount of school action plus and shown they haven't work. He has been on school action plus since foundation!! Surely they can proof him getting worse in behaviour and attendance etc?? All I have done is a views and aspirations form for it. They haven't asked me to sign anything etc. it's now 2 months since the original conversation. Am I wrong to think something should've been done or said by now? I asked before half term and was just told they were 'gathering infomation'. I know they will now be saying 'well he hasn't been in school'. Is there anything I can be doing to hurry the process along? Or is this correct ?

Tia

school applied for us and I appealed (over contents, not refusal to assess).

Been trying to ring ipsea but they always engaged and have restricted times you can ring. Which I understand, as they are a charity. Just want to get my facts right about our 'rights' tomorrow

Try to ring them as soon as lines open in the evening

Shut for today don't open until after the meeting tomorrow. Wish I knew if there was a way to see if they really have applied or just lying

I waited and waited for school to apply for my daughter's EHCP needs assessment. They finally did it but made a right mess of it so it's now been refused - I wish I'd just done it myself a year ago. My advice would be to just get on and apply yourself...

I'm sorry to hear that so, how did they mess it up?

Hi purple, just wanted to say that you have identified that your child needs an EHCP. You don't need someone else to tell you this. All the professionals such as EP, SALT,SENCO will only be saying things you already know, but they do help put the rubber stamp on things (as you are just the mum). My DS Senco kept delaying everything and gave the 'gathering information' thing. Even when the information was 'gathered', they then wanted to wait and see if new strategies will work! By year 5 everyone should pretty much know whether strategies have/will work surely?? I felt the school just wanted time to correct their poorly managed ways so that when the LA did their own assessments they could say 'look what we've been doing'. If they had done all the things suggested to them over the years, then we wouldn't be desperately trying to get an EHCP which tells them in writing and legally what they have to do! My take on your situation is;- apply yourself for ~EHCP. Don't worry about Senco or LA feelings (your child is just a name passing through the system - thats tough to learn but true), while you worry endlessly with sleepless nights etc, they just have a job to do and go home whilst you are actually living the life and caring for your SEN child. Follow every phone call whether answered or not with an email, which confirms conversation or simply 'I phoned at 10am and there was no answer'. This is your paper trail. They will hate it. But I have learnt they are not your friends (but try to stay friendly if you can) and go in passively aggressive to get what your child needs. Good Luck.

Thanks chow yea I think it sums it all up. About to go for the meeting with them and esbas and when I come back I will be applying online for his ehcp

I will probably come back here for more help!! Sorry! Thanks all so much for your advice.

Good luck, hope it goes well

Just to add I was told that my son would never get a statement or diagnosis. I was told the EP was waiting to go in, I was told that they would need two years to gather enought evidence to ask for assessment.

It was all bollocks. The EP was never called in because as soon as I put in my own request I had the sign permission forms for EP to access my child.

He got a diagnosis and the statement.

My only thought in that process was him. As soon as I applied I realised how very little he meant to the school. They still don't treat him like a sen child. There are far worse kids than him in the school and they don't like that. But do you know what? It's not my child that did deserve the statement. It's all those other children being terribly failed. School know they are worse yet do NOTHING about it. Why? Lord only knows. It's disgusting

Sorry - my son did need a statement, I should have said "it's not that my child didn't need a statement"

Meeting was crap. I ended up in tears and really cross. Head said he has more help then any other child has ever had at the school and they have nothing else to offer. Esbas lady who is very nice came back with me to the house to speak to ds about school on Monday and he was talking all very positive and yeah I'm going Monday. Iv then tried to get him to his Camhs apt and he is refusing saying his clothes are too irritating (he only has vest and joggers on) I'm sat here crying yet again with such a head ache as I'm so fed up with it all. I feel like I'm being punished a) by my son (yes I know he can't help it b) by school and c) just by life

Ditto everything zzzzzz said. It's perfect in the sense they admitted they have done everything but no progress has been made. You know they have done very little - but NOW is the time to use their words against them and say you've done xyz but now time to apply for ehcp which I will do myself. ' thank you in advance for supporting me and ds through the process '. In the world of sen - things have to fail - fall apart - shit hitting the fan etc , before they take action. It's disgusting but it's how it is. I had to take my ds off his adhd meds to get them to see how he actually is as I didn't want him permanently on meds. He had to be problematic for them to act.
Chin up - brush yourself down - you will win!!! Why? Because you have too for your ds!

Thank you so much zzzzz I have just sent an email as you suggested and used the correct working that makes me sound I'm greatful to them, said I was happy to take pressure off hem and apply myself etc.
I have to say the esbas lady was lovely, I'm glad she was there as it felt she was fighting my and ds corner.

Chow that is awful you had to take ds off his meds just to show them that!!

Polter, thank you I need that hug today! I'm off to hunt our the !!

Can you appeal if schools apply?

Yes, definitely, but do get on and apply yourself anyway now. As zzzz said, in saying he has more help then any other child has ever had at the school and they have nothing else to offer, the school has basically made your case for you.

Sorry you had a tough meeting, sounds like you can use it as evidence and proof that he needs a EHC plan though, as others have said.
My daughters school did the whole 'gathering evidence' 'we have to wait 4 terms' etc etc but now openly admit they don't know what to do next - which is precisely why we need a needs assessment!
Ever feel like you are going round and round in gigantic circles while people try to trip you over and pull the wool over your eyes??!!

Yes big time to circles!

The problem is school say he's fine once he's actually there. So they won't be doing me any favours !

I had a reply to my email.... Head wants to see me Monday

She just said something like "come and see me lunch time Monday so we can discuss these things, you are doing your best don't think anything else". All I said was more or less the above! That I appreciate their efforts and the fact that ds has all the help they can offer etc but tntat I'm concerned ESP about his future and the transition in not only up to secondary next year but year 6 in September and that the head agreed her concerns when we met in December just gone!