Autistic son in mainstream?

[Stupidsadsack]

Hello - my son is due to start reception in September. His EHCP has not specified 1:1 for him but instead put that a member of staff is to assist him. I gathered from portage that a full time 1:1 is unheard of in mainstream and reading between the lines I am thinking they meant that if I feel he needs a 1:1 he should be in a special needs school. Has anyone else had any experience of this? Is there something I need to put in my parental comments of the EHCP in order to get him a full time 1:1? I have to try mainstream because he is so bright but who knows what he will get up to without the right support. Any help would be appreciated.

My LA wouldn’t specify 1:1 support as they said that it was up to the school how to spend the funds. I didn’t agree with this but didn’t push it because I already knew the school planned to provide him with 1:1 support. I would not have let him attend without it.

4 autistic dc attending mainstream school on our primary auties thread all started with 1:1 support (2 have now moved to a more specialist provision). There are other dc in my son’s school who get 1:1 support.

Have you discussed this with the school? Do you know what his funding level will be?

The portage worker is wrong, it is possible that get 1:1 specified and quantified in EHCPs in MS. LAs with policies like Open's are acting unlawfully. Such blanket policies are illegal, and all EHCPs should be detailed, specified and quantified. Case law dictates nothing should be left for the school to decide.

"assist him" is too vague and woolly. What are they to assist him with, who, when, where, how... Without 1:1 specified and quantified in the EHCP you can not guarantee it will be provided and if it isn't you can't enforce the EHCP. If you think DS needs 1:1 either full time or part time you can appeal the EHCP.

My kids get a full time 1:1 in mainstream

I don’t disagree 10brokengreenbottles. Thankfully ds’ school would never have any intention of not providing 1:1 support for him.

Thank you for all the messages. These have been very helpful. May I just ask how you got the 1:1 support? Was this because you put it in the parental comments or did a professional recommend it in a report? Apologies if I come across as not knowing much. I think there have been too many assessments and opinions I have no idea where to turn to.

Open apologies if my post came across as critical, that wasn't my intention. You are lucky, unfortunately, many schools aren't as supportive and parents don't realise until it is too late and their child isn't getting 1:1 but they can't enforce the EHCP.

OP provision in section F is taken from the assessment reports, if the reports don't state 1:1 it won't be included in section F. DS3 has full time 1:1 in MS as that's what all his assessments state he needs.

Can I also ask does getting a diagnosis make a difference in getting 1:1 at school?

EHCPs should be needs based, not diagnosis based.

No it didn’t broken. At the time I didn’t realise this but as I said, for us it hasn’t been a problem. If it became one then I wouldn’t hesitate to get it sorted out.

OP our SALT report said he’d need significant adult support. We were open about ds’ needs with the school before we applied, this was just before he got his asd diagnosis. I was adamant he would need 1:1 support on safety grounds alone and school have always been in agreement, thankfully.

If the EHCP has a lot in it then realistically he’s going to need ft support because the class teacher will not be able to fulfill it all.

Thank you so much for making things so clear. I am new to mumsnet and wondered if you could tell me what OP stood for?

Original poster/opening post. It depends on the context.

Thank you

My daughter has full time 1:1 all day in mainstream and has from the beginning even without an ehcp, she’s now in year 5 and had it since starting

That’s amazing pumpkinKING - I wish my son could get the same