Autistic dd - special school/mainstream with support/home educated? Please help!

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Hi, my dd is 11. She briefly went to school when she was 4 but was unable to cope in the school environment so I’ve home educated her since then and she’s since been diagnosed with autism, adhd, anxiety disorder and ocd. She’d really like to try school now and I think it would be good for her too, she’s very bright and my skills as a teacher are going to limit her the older she gets. I’m unsure how to proceed though. I really don’t think she’d cope in mainstream. She is bright and very switched on but she has a lot of sensory issues so things like noise, bright lights, crowds etc will give her huge anxiety and I don’t think there’s any way she’ll ever put on a shirt and tie as she has massive issues with the the feel of clothing. She also doesn’t cope well with unpredictability. However I don’t know if a special school is right either as I always imagined they would be more for children with learning or physical disabilities? I don’t know if maybe mainstream with some kind of support would be better? Or maybe I should just continue home schooling and get tutors in to help. Although I do really think she’d benefit from being in a school with a busy timetable as she thrives on structure and being busy and that’s not something I’m always able to give her at home.
She doesn’t have an ehcp yet as she hasn’t needed one with being home educated but I’ll look into getting one once I’ve decided what her education is going to look like.
I’d love to hear people’s thoughts please if you’re in or have been in this situation. If your child is autistic, what does their schooling look like? Thanks in advance :)

It's a shame you haven't got an EHCP as you and your DD would have had financial support to support her learning at home, I.e. therapies, special education teachers etc. particularly if you felt that she was struggling at school.

But yes, you will need to apply for an Educational and Health Care Plan to be considered for a specialist placement. I think it's worth you viewing a few school, particularly the independent special schools, there are schools (mainly independent) which cater to children who are somewhat in the middle. Look at Limpsfield Grange School as an example or the somewhere like the Moat School.

If you do want to apply for an EHCP apply ASAP. The way things are are going, it's taking people 6 months to a year to obtain an EHCP and another year on top of that if you want a good quality one.

So what I feel you need to do is:

1. Apply for an EHCP
2. Visit the local special schools in your LA and/or visit independent special schools, mainstream schools etc to determine which setting is the best and where could support her needs.
3. You can continuing home educating her but you really really need to get an EHCP, she sounds like she would greatly benefit from one and not only that, the financial and practical burden would no longer fall on you as it's the LA's duty to provide your DD an education.

That’s really helpful, thanks ever so much. I didn’t realise an ehcp would take so long! I’ll get on to that straight away. I didn’t realise there were both LA and independent special schools either so that’s great info to have too. Thanks again.

I agree with Secular, applying for an EHCP should be your starting point. The process takes 20 weeks from applying. However, that is if you don’t have to appeal, as many do, some more than once. Appeals at the moment are taking a very long time, 6/7+ months.

There are ASD specialist schools. There are maintained SS, academy SS, free SS, non-maintained SS, section 41 independent SS and wholly independent SS. All can be named in EHCPs, but the rules for naming wholly independent schools in EHCPs are different. You can search for schools here.

Even some independent SS require an EHCP in order to attend, although some do allow parents to self fund. Some SS won’t allow you to visit without already having an EHCP or be going through the process.

Support can be given in MS via an EHCP if you feel MS is right. There are additionally resourced provisions that work for some, too.

If it is inappropriate for DD to attend school then you can have an EOTAS package via the EHCP. This is preferable to EHE as the LA retain responsibility and fund provision. If you decide to continue EHE some LAs will sometimes give a personal budget to parents whose DC have an EHCP and EHE, but this is often not as much funding as can be secured via EOTAS.

Yes- it may also be worth you getting private SLT, OT reports (particularly from an OT who is sensory integration trained as it sounds like your child's has sensory needs) and an Ed psyc and/or psychiatric due to your daughters OCD and anxiety? If you search on Google "tribunal recommendations professional reports Mumsnet" you will see parent recommendations of clinicians who write really good reports and provisions that she child requires.

Unfortunately, the EHCP process does take a while. There is also something called an EHCNA to quicken the process a bit if your child is in early years or transitioning to secondary but I don't know an awful lot about that but cannot advise. But yes, obtaining an EHCP takes a long while, your DD may be even rejected if having at the first hurdle and then likely have to appeal and go to tribunal which also prolonged obtaining one.

All you simply have to do is simply request an Assessment for EHCP to your LA and any reports of your daughters need.

The IPSEA have modelled templates on their website. Link: www.ipsea.org.uk/making-a-request-for-an-ehc-needs-assessment There's also SOSSEN- most useful, they have webinars on Education and the law and about schools/EHCP. Having a look on their webinars (£10.00 each) that are applicable to your daughter are very very useful in how to go on about the process.

Look here: sossen-sandbox.mxapps.io

When I was new to special schools and the lot, the book "choosing a school for your child with special needs" by Ruth Birnbaun is a good book on how to look for school, help you decide how to find the right school for your child etc. Heres a link to Amazon for the book if your interested: www.amazon.co.uk/Choosing-School-Child-Special-Needs-ebook/dp/B00CQ8NRA4

Sorry if my original appeared to seem that I was disappointed or laying blame. I find it frustrating that schools or clinicians do not tell parents about obtaining EHCP/ getting support for your child. But also, it reminds us as parents what we also need to take the responsibility to seek and find out the information of how and where to support of children with needs. But anyway, what's done is done, now you have the information and you can move forward.

The EHCNA is the needs assessment you first request prior to the LA deciding whether to issue an EHCP or not. Everyone who has an EHCP has had an EHCNA.

Personally, I wouldn’t get independent assessments now as otherwise you may find they are out of date should you need to appeal at a later date. For example, the LA may agree to assess but then refuse to issue or issue a rubbish EHCP. It used to be the case that reports up to 2 years old were considered current, but over the last few years SENDIST have considered reports much more recent than that out of date. Also, unless money is no object you may find e.g. the LA’s EP assessment is adequate but their OT report is vague so you can prioritise what you need. Although it is worth looking at who you would use and asking for their waiting list times, as professionals are busier than ever.

I agree. I thought it would be worth the OP getting some private reports as her daughter has been home educated and, unless I'm wrong, does not appear to have an assessment by OT and SLT via the NHS? So it may be having some reports of her daughters needs (which does not have to be expensive) and submitting this alongside the request for an EHCP.

If the LA agree to assess SALT, OT and psychiatrist &/or clinical psychologist assessments can be part of the EHCNA. If the NHS can’t or won’t assess the LA must commission independent assessments. So, given the costs associated with multiple, good tribunal standard assessments, unless money is no object I would wait to see if the LA agree to assess and what their reports are like before paying for assessments that may not be necessary or will be out of date before you reach a Tribunal hearing.