Cost of SLT input to school

[KnottyAuty]

Hi
I'm trying to estimate the cost of my son's EHCP to see how it compares at his current school against an indie that I'm looking at. What sort of figures should I use for a SALT coming into school to train the TA, attend AR, assess DS and write up/monitor a plan for SLT to do the activites. We are in London. They have given a number of hours in the plan. What might they charge our school for that service?
Thanks
Fiona

There are too many variables to give an accurate answer. It depends on what exactly is involved (e.g. initial full assessment will be more than an updated assessment of progress since last appt, will they be required to write a report for the AR as well as attend, what training will they be giving to the TA/has the TA already had basic training, SALTs travel time…) not least whether it be delivered by the NHS, someone the LA has a contract with or an independent provider.

Have you asked the LA and school?

I wrote a message but then lost it….
im trying to guesstimate the cost of 6 hours of provision

I’m being invited to school visits and I’m short of time so wanted to estimate the cost of his current placement and prioritise the schools with similar costs as the £££ are probably unlikely to get agreed

Independent SS are almost always more expensive that state MS. You would be better focusing on why state MS can’t meet DS’s needs.

For ‘just’ 6 hours of ongoing direct provision you are looking at around £450-600 independently but there’s so many variables and could well be a lot more with the initial assessment, ongoing assessments, report writing, preparing for/attending AR, training the TA, travel time… or less if it is delivered by the NHS instead. A good independent initial assessment and report for an EHCP will be over £500 alone. BTW 6hrs isn’t a lot for what you have listed.

Thanks @AReallyUsefulEngine. The SLT was very cautious about what she put into her report and I agree it doesn't sound enough but she's quantified 6 hours so that's what I have to work with. I'd gone with a first estimate of £50/h so I might go up to £70 in my sums following your post...

I'm trying to show that an indie specialist is not much different in cost from his current placement to help open up the discussions with the LA about a Non Section 41 school in line with IPSEA info:

"when a parent or young person asks for an independent setting as part of their ‘representations’ on the draft EHC plan, the onus is on them to prove that none of the schools the LA is offering can meet the child or young person’s needs, or that the cost of the placement will not constitute unreasonable public expenditure"

Aside from the costings I've been looking at all types of schools and placements based on whether they would meet need. I had previously scanned most of the local mainstreams and can discount them on the basis that they don't have specialist autism provision or certain items "integrated into the day-to-day curriculum" as specified by the LA EP report. There are some in that group with good pastoral care and SEN teams that I spoke to and have already agreed (with the SENCOs) there that they cannot meet need. Lots of special schools don't suit us either and have also been discounted on the basis that they can't meet the mainstream peer group elements (also specified by the borough EP).

There are 2 mainstreams with Autism RPs and I suspect that the LA will try to push one of them strongly so I am looking at them in most detail. The first is close by but has issues with the layout/buildings/GCSE offer which make it completely unsuitable. I know less about the second one, which is much further away and their RP is for a completely different pupil profile to DS. I have spoken to 1 parent with a similar child who didn't have their needs met there, so I'm curious to see what they can offer when I visit...

So at the moment (including the 2 LA RPs) I've got a list of 9 schools that I have sent our reports to, to get an idea of suitability before our Draft EHCP arrives. I'm hoping that out of that list we get one that will be a good fit. He's been invited in for assessment at 2 indies and has a tentative "yes but we want to see the EHCP" from another. I'm waiting for responses from the rest of the list and I'm hoping that I can then give the LA 1-3 names of schools that can meet need (or ideally that we have offers from) to do their formal consultation with. It just feels like such a rush to do this within the 14 week Re-Assessment timeline... It's exhausting!

My dream would be to avoid a Tribunal and for DS to begin a new school at the start of Y9 in September 2022 and have time to settle before GCSEs. If we have to "trial" mainstream schools he is unlikely to get access to a specialist setting after Y9 and he might end up repeating years or dropping out altogether.

What I need to work out next is a strategy for dealing with the LA negotiations in terms of leading them through the arguments, and what to say, when. At Draft EHCP stage, I need to make the case for our choice, without revealing all our "cards" for why their school is nsuitable in case we have to go to Tribunal...

Any thoughts?!

The SALT report doesn’t sound adequate. £50 an hour is too low if delivered by an independent SALT, even £70 is cheap.

I'm trying to show that an indie specialist is not much different in cost from his current placement to help open up the discussions with the LA about a Non Section 41 school in line with IPSEA info:

"when a parent or young person asks for an independent setting as part of their ‘representations’ on the draft EHC plan, the onus is on them to prove that none of the schools the LA is offering can meet the child or young person’s needs, or that the cost of the placement will not constitute unreasonable public expenditure"

If you are going for an independent SS I would focus on the first as independent SS is almost always more costly than state MS.
 I won’t say always because there is always the possibility but it is highly unlikely.

spoke to and have already agreed (with the SENCOs) there that they cannot meet need.

Do you have this in writing?


If we have to "trial" mainstream schools he is unlikely to get access to a specialist setting after Y9 and he might end up repeating years or dropping out altogether.

Not that I think you should have to, but why do you think this? Pupils can join SS after Y9. And remember the EHCP lasts until 25 if necessary, or even until 26 in some cases with the recent ruling.

I think it will be an LA SALT so I'm being conservative in my initial costings until I get a real figure. Agreed on showing that the mainstream offerings will not meet need - that's why I am speaking to lots of schools so I have all covered before I speak to the LA. I think I can show that the indie cost is about the same once I include the other taxpayer costs than just the school/therapy costs, but ideally I would like to prove both points above to make the negotiation easier. Nothing in writing from the mainstreams but the EP report is written in such a way that it would be very difficult for them to say a standard mainstream can meet need & the outcomes. For this I also have a FOI showing the abysmal GCSE pass rates for maths and english for autistic YP in our LA's mainstream schools. I don't want to trial their local mainstream schools because I genuinely don't think they will meet his needs. He can't regulate in a classroom of quiet well behaved children who don't make fun of his behaviour - how on earth would he manage in a comprehensive system with peers who will tease him for that? I think he would drop out of school and we would waste another 1-2 years fighting the system to get back to where we could be in September if I can make the case for the indie now. Yes the funding will allow for extended stays in education but he is not 100% mind blind and is suffering a lot with feeling different/other already. Delays would have a terrible effect on him and I fear he might never recover. Better to avoid all that and get him a good outcome without all the trauma.