moving from US to London with a 19 y/o ASD child

[Ukbound2024]

I'm being offered a position in London and trying to work out what services/programs would be available for my son. He will be 19 years old by then. He has an IEP and is currently in a transition program (we live in south florida) which provides continued academic development in areas like math, grammar, civics, etc. and some vocational training as well. His current HS diploma does not allow him to go to college, but he'd love to attend post-secondary school for film/movie making. Any help/direction on what we can expect to find for him would be amazing. Thanks!!

When you say post secondary school education, do you mean university level education or non-advanced education at a sixth form/college?

either one. I mean whatever school level he could access that is beyond high school (after 12th grade in the US). For example a trade school or community college here, not necessarily a degree seeking program like a Bachellors. I know our systems don't align, so hopefully that gives you a better idea.

In FL, kids with special needs can remain within the scope of the school district until they turn 22. That means that once they finish the 12th grade, they can continue learning in transition programs paid by the state if they choose to. If they don't, then they can sometimes attend some non-degree seeking classes at the local community college or some trade school if they can accommodate them. Higher functioning kids, who finish 12th grade with the same credits as neurotypical peers can go to university as long as they find a school that can provide whatever accommodations they need. My son was not able to finish 12th (high school) with all the required credits, thus cannot attend university at this point.

It sounds like you are perhaps looking for non-advanced education a sixth form/college rather than university.

In England, most 19 year olds, including many with SEN, would not be funded to start a new non-advanced education course. The exceptions are English and Maths if a level 2 pass hasn’t been achieved and some adult education courses which would depend on his immigration status and previous qualifications.

However, for the minority of 19 year olds with Education Health and Care Plans (EHCP) they can be funded until 25, or 26 in some circumstances. An EHCP is a legal document that sets out a child’s or young person’s needs and the support they require.

Once you have moved to England, DS or you on his behalf can request an Education Health and Care Needs Assessment (EHCNA) from the Local Authority (LA). An EHCNA is the first part of the EHCP process. IPSEA and SOSSEN are charities who support parents with SEN matters. They have lots of helpful information on their websites.

If you did actually want advanced courses (which are classed as level 4 and above) an EHCP wouldn’t cover it. This includes university education. The majority of these courses wouldn’t be funded. DS also wouldn’t qualify for support via Disabled Students’ Allowance because he wouldn’t be eligible for student finance England support. Although the institutions would have to provide reasonable adjustments.

thanks for that. He currently has an IEP (individualized education plan) which sounds very similar to the EHCP you mention. Do you know how long it would take for the assessment to be done?

US IEPs aren’t quite the same. Not all with a US IEP will be eligible for an EHCP in England.

The EHCP process is governed by statutory timescales and takes 20 weeks if you don’t have to appeal. However, many do have to appeal, some more than once, and appeals are taking a long time at the moment.

IEPs also exist in England but they are different to the US version. IEPs in England are the SEN support plan at a school level and don’t carry any legal weight.