One for the EHCP gurus

[ohhollyfred]

Help please!! My head is going to explode and I feel so overwhelmed. I have just received my daughter's draft EHCP. The wording says 'she requires ongoing individual help her engage with different early learning activities. Am I right in thinking that I need to pin them down to clearly define what they mean by ongoing individual support. Whether they mean 1:1 or not. Further down the plan it says 'high levels of adult support to help her engage with the curriculum again... I need them to actually state what they mean by high level don't I?? And again further down it says in the short term ongoing individual support with self care. Should I be getting them to clarify how long they mean by in the short term. I don't know how much detail these things need but from first glance it's so vague it's making me think they will be able to back out of any 1:1 support she needs because they haven't actually said it in black and white

Sorry that should say ongoing individual support

You are right in thinking that wording is too vague and woolly. It doesn’t mean full time 1:1. The wording needs to be detailed, specified and quantified - who, what, when, where, how, how long for, training/qualifications/experience... As well as the bits you mention, the hours need quantifying and ‘adult support’ need amending. Why will the support with self care be short term? If they are expecting DD’s self care to improve, they don’t know that it will. Personally, I would want short term removing. If things improve the EHCP can be amended at a later date.

Provision in EHCPs is taken from the reports. If the reports are vague and woolly, F will be too. What are the reports like?

Thank you. The reports are so detailed from all those who inputted she also has a 50 page support plan a portage profile - a lot!

The letter they sent has said that I can chose a school (special or independent) id I wish and they will add it to the plan and because of this they wonder if 1:1 etc hasn't been mentioned because od the different ratios etc at a special school

You have the right to request a non-wholly independent school and the LA must name it unless the LA can prove:
-The setting is unsuitable for the age, ability, aptitude or special educational needs (“SEN”) of the child or young person; or
-The attendance of the child or young person would be incompatible with the provision of efficient education for others; or
-The attendance of the child or young person would be incompatible with the efficient use of resources.

You can ask for a wholly independent school, but different rules apply. You will need an offer of a place and to show the LA’s proposed school(s) can’t meet DD’s needs &/or it isn’t unreasonable public expenditure.

Some DC in SS require 1:1.

You should go back and check the wording in the reports.