Hi everyone. Just looking for advice as I would like to get an ed psych assessment for my son. He's in year 4, awaiting second stage autism assessment and receiving a few different interventions at school such a weekly mentor session with a TA. However, we would like an ed psych to do an assessment because of the following-
-He can't seem to make friends, or keep them, and finds navigating social situations at school incredibly hard. He is often isolated, plays alone etc.
-Does not express emotions in a typical way- won't show remorse or empathy even though I think deep down he does feel it. Emotions will come out in angry outbursts (at home) or floods of tears over small things.
-A speech & language person came into school to assess him a few months ago and stated he had 'significant social communication difficulties'. There has been no follow up to this.
We feel we need someone who can come in & observe him with his peers and try to 'crack of code' (for want of a better phrase) of what might be going on in his head & how we can best help him to relate to peers & the world around him generally.
We have looked at private therapy for him but in process of seeing if our own budget will stretch to this.
We are desperately worried about the long term damage this is having on his self esteem- he wants friends & party invites etc but just can't seem to find ways of making connections with peers that last.
My question is- how should we go about making our case for an ed psych when the school is so pressed for funds, the senco is run ragged with workload & my son has no academic difficulties (apart from those involving speaking and communication) as such which might prompt school involvement?
Many thanks in advance for any advice.