Ehc plan advise please has it made a difference for your child

[samjade]

Hi all would really appreciate some advice.
my son has been struggling more than ever since starting primary school. He is diagnosed with autism and has just been accepted for an Ehcp after a 11 month wait for decision.
having just read the plan I’m not feeling very hopeful
I thought he would get a specialist teacher to help him 1 to 1 but a lot of the stuff on the plan is relied upon the normal teachers and includes what they are already doing.
I am certain my son would be very different if he had a specialist teacher as he recently spent time learning with an Elsa trained teacher and came back from school a different child.
my son has stopped masking his difficulty’s and is now being perceived as strange by his peers because he is acting out his struggles and annoying others in class. He has been attacked by a group of 7 children who held him down and stamped on his chest and there was no reason from the boys for doing it.
its very sad because without the school struggles that he can’t cope with he is a lovely fun boy to be with and no one is getting to know this.
thanks for reading and please reply if you an offer advice

I agree it is standard to specify qualifications etc in a good EHCP, and in your area it may be possible to recruit people but it very much isn’t possible in all areas. And even a good 1:1 cannot fully counter-act the environment if it is unsuitable.

It isn’t just my area, I support parents across the country. Schools and LAs often cite funding or recruitment as a reason not to provide provision detailed, specified and quantified in F, but I have yet to meet a case out of the many I have supported where it is an actual barrier when faced with enforcement action. In every case I have been involved in with the right funding, potentially substantially more (one case I supported needed and got funding at the level of the teaching MPS), and effort (LAs often only start taking parents seriously when they see parents know the law and will advocate and enforce DC’s rights) an appropriate appointment can and has been made.

Of course, if a SS or EOTAS is required a 1:1 in MS isn’t going to cut it. I haven’t said otherwise.

Given some of the things the OP has said I highly doubt it is the right environment.

Again, I haven’t said otherwise. Although, from OP posting ”Worrying now what if the school don’t agree to the plan will he have to apply to a specialist school” it seems her preference is MS.

Thank you all for you help
I will be doing some research on special schools the idea of a specialist school sounds amazing but I have only heard bad things from a friend about the schools she tried for her son.
I’m still trying to figure it out because I think the students find my son fun but where he isn’t getting the support he needs learning he’s now taking it to a new level and maybe appearing more different? He doesn’t like big groups so is perhaps appearing anti social to some? I’ve told him he can be friendly to people in class and doesn’t have to play with them in the playground. I feel he could progress socially in main stream overtime especially if there is a way to stop him feeling overwhelmed with learning.
he’s very naive and won’t tell on anyone which is worrying and will easily be influenced and not realise people are not really his friend? He won’t use the toilet and said he won’t go to the top of the cloning frame in a case a big group pushes him down it’s so sad I don’t know what to do.
I see why 1.1 would be reduced when the time is ready and be made more discreet perhaps. But right now his ta is making him a lot worse.
the school told me a while ago they are looking for an extra teaching assistant I have seen on indeed they are looking for an apprentice assistant and paying £211 a week so there not looking for anyone with any training at all! Perfect! They must not have the funds isn’t that what the ehcp is meant for.

I feel everything in the plan is being done already and the teacher must feel overwhelmed trying to manage with Leo the ta clearly can’t be bothered to praise and encourage or doesn’t have the understanding how to motivate him because the other Elsa teacher managed to get it done with ease? amazed me how well he learnt and how good he felt with the other teacher who is Elsa trained.

No mention of him being allowed outside to help him re focus just says a tool kit will available I know they use putty to help but he needs to go out and come back in ready to learn not be playing with putty for long periods of time or hiding under jackets.
This could be prevented with the right teacher and outside breaks.

I just checked EOTAS is that something I should be asking for in case he has to leave the named school the school could say they can’t have him anymore would that leave me with no help at all? Or if he gets hurt again I don’t know if I’d want him to go back.
what does ss stand for I can’t seem to find it on Google :)

If the current school is your preference, the school can’t just say they can’t have him anymore. Well, they could try, but LA can and must name it unless they can prove one of the exceptions I posted in my pp. If you want a special school, look at what is available. They vary greatly. Just because they weren’t suitable for your friend’s DC doesn’t mean they won’t be for DS. Although an appeal is likely going to be necessary. The legal threshold for EOTAS is that it is inappropriate for the provision to be made in a school. Unless you have evidence of that EOTAS is unlikely. Even with evidence many have to appeal. If the setting named becomes unsuitable or breaks down at a later date, you can request an early review.

Just saying a tool kit will be available isn’t enough. For example, it doesn’t say it will actually be used or when/how often/how long or what the tool kit consists of. What does the evidence state? Was an OT assessment part of the EHCNA?

the school said they think he will be able to continue at mainstream he is getting worse though.
I need to ask more specifics on the toolkit
and should he have an ot assessment?
I’ve read a bit about that quickly. I thought the EP was all they did.

During an EHCNA the LA must seek advice and information from:
a) the child’s parent or the young person;
b) educational advice (usually from the head teacher or principal);
c) medical advice and information from a health care professional;
d) psychological advice and information from an educational psychologist;
e) advice and information in relation to social care;
f) advice and information from any other person the local authority thinks appropriate;
g) where the child or young person is in or beyond year 9, advice and information in relation to provision to assist the child or young person in preparation for adulthood and independent living; and
h) advice and information from any person the child’s parent or young person reasonably requests that the local authority seek advice from.

H can include OT.

If you appeal, you could look at an independent SIOT assessment. This can ensure the EHCP meets DS’s sensory needs.

What do you think about MS? Don’t just listen to what the school say.

The school’s version of meeting needs and yours may be different. Do look around and see what is available.

The toolkit could well be a generic list of things to try produced by the LA. My LA certainly has one.

EP brings everything together, but OT and SALT are useful in their own right.

do you think it would be reasonable to request it. I’m not sure what Siot is will have a look but independent assessment sounds like a good idea and sounds like it would be helpful for my son
can I just request an independent assessment right now before an appeal? Can they do this assessment at school if it is independent?
thank you for all your advise so helpful

SIOT is sensory integration occupational therapy.

You could have reasonably requested an SIOT assessment. Since you already have the draft and, from your posts, are going to need to appeal anyway, the best way is to make your representations on the draft, push the LA to finalise then appeal and look at an independent assessment (you can look at an independent assessment any time you want, they aren’t only for appeals to SENDIST).

If you appeal and aren’t eligible for legal aid but can’t afford independent assessments, Parents in Need can sometimes help. Not all settings allow independent assessments in school, unfortunately. Lots of SIOT assessments are undertaken, at least in part, in the OT’s clinic.

Even if there is something generic used in your school/LA, it must still be detailed, specified and quantified in F, otherwise it isn’t enforceable.

I don’t think his needs are being met.
what is the point him being there if he can’t concentrate and his social skills are being made worse because he is overwhelmed.
maybe I should be asking them to elaborate on the took kit I think he said a tool kit to be developed!
my son has been involved with salt. I can’t see anything about and ot at any point.
the main reason I want to keep him in ms is because I’m scared about the special schools from what I’ve heard they’re not very good. I’m scared I will make it harder for him to live independently and adapt to life if I home school.
also I’m hoping his social skills will improve in time and he will adjust but I’m scared more than even that’s not going to happen if he doesn’t get some more support than he is currently getting and the ehcp draft doesn’t give me hope for that.
He does have some friends who also have autism and adhd at school.
He was at a school where he barely spoke in class and was very in himself but always had a friend one at a time!
when he moved to another school he suddenly wouldn’t stop talking constantly and distracting people. He’s now joined primary and is doing things such as climbing on tables and hiding under jackets. The school said it’s great he’s not masking anymore but they are not preventing him getting into these states.
it’s not right what must his peers think I know some of them thjnk he’s funny but going forward he needs to be allowed out regularly and taught more effectively for this to not happen.
last time he was at school he was told he’s not to play with two of his friends :( not sure if it’s the school or mums choosing for that to happen

That’s great thank you for info about siot.
its a shame they don’t have it at school maybe mine would allow that to happen will have to speak with them.

OP any SALT or OT has to be funded either by you or by the LA if specifically included in the EHCP (i.e. X will receive 1 hour of SALT per week with a registered therapist). It isn’t something that ms schools just have onsite. Indeed, many schools will have no idea what SIOT is and not all OTs are trained in SI. Even in a specialist school the children don’t necessarily receive 1:1 therapies unless it’s legally required per the EHCP. What they do is in-bed SALT and OT practices into everyday classroom activities.

Likewise, an independent assessment is generally paid for by parents unless the LA agree to fund one due to otherwise breaching statutory timescales for the EHCP process.

You don’t need to electively home educate unless you actually want to, but if you decide to it doesn’t has to make life harder for DS.

If SALT is required it needs to be in F.

What type of schools were the ones you’ve been hearing things about? With autism as primary need or SEMH? Were they all state and do you have any specialist independent schools near you?

Mainstream school told me they could meet needs. Been in special with twice weekly SALT, twice weekly OT and weekly psychology interventions for two years now. The difference is amazing. But there would need to be a school nearby that you were happy with.

I haven’t got much money but I’m going to look into things I can do myself and see hoW it goes at school.
will add my thoughts about the draft and appeal if I’m not happy with it. Thank you all for your advice and support it means a lot.
my friends son primary need was adhd he also has autism so perhaps it would be a different choice of schools for my son.
I will look into SEMH for sure I picked him up today and they bought me in to show me his new tent he can go in when he feels he’s going to be silly! Im sure it was a dog tent it was not even big enough for a small child crammed behind some desks I just think he needs movement outside so he doesn’t feel he has to hide in a tent or do you think it is a good idea for him.

It depends on the child and their needs. Some children seek a small confined space to feel safe. They’ve got him the tent presumably because he was hiding under the coats. Is this something he does outside of school?

No he doesn’t do that outside of school he’s never been this bad at school. Can’t see much point him being there if he’s hiding in a tent most of the day this is just silly. He may as well be home and comfortable. He sometime wears his hood up if he’s uncomfortable when we go somewhere new.

It’s got worse since year 3 started and worse since he got attacked

Could you speak to an independent advocate like Talking SENse? My friend used them when she was struggling with her daughter's school and EHCP. She spoke highly of them. They're Midlands but will travel.

By the way, you've mentioned your son's name numerous times in your posts - could you ask Mumsnet to edit for privacy?

Hi samjade,

We hope you don't mind us sticking our nose in but we wanted to check you're happy for this thread to contain several mentions of your DS's name?

We'll edit posts or remove the thread for you if you'd rather it disappeared.

Hi thanks for your message I’ve already deleted the thread! I don’t know how it’s on here!

If you report your post asking MN to delete they can, but you can’t delete from your end.