Can a parent request an EP assessment?

[debs40]

I've posted this in SN Education too but I know that site doesn't get many visitors!

My son is undergoing assessment for ASD. He is bright and doing quite well but has clear problems in working memory and probably dyspraxia/dysgraphia.

We are seeing an OT for the motor skills/sensory side of things and we went to bibic for assessment in relation to some of his difficulties. They confirmed auditory processing and working memory problems.

I have asked school who needs to address this to no avail. He is on SA but gets no assistance at all over and above differentiated teaching. His targets relate to social skills and were compiled before the reports had started to come in. There was an occasional social skills group last term but that seems to have fizzled out.

I would like to know whether I, as a parent, can request an assessment by an educational psychologist or whether this has to be requested by the school.

Why would they be reluctant to do it? Does it cost them? They clearly know there are problems.

Also, the OT will certainly come back with a whole of host of suggestions. Are the school obliged to implement them if they are 'reasonable accomodations' related to a disability?

Hi Debs, yes you can request an assessment, its the first step for applying for a statement.

They are reluctant as it would cost money and would involve giving him help. They obviously feel they are meeting his needs.

and no as you probably already know, the school doesnt have to do a thing without a statement. You could write to the Board of Governors and complain if recommendations are not followed. But you will probably hear the same old story lack of funding etc, etc.

As I understand it Claw, an assessment by an educational psychologist is not the same thing as a request for a statutory assessment of needs for statementing purposes which can be a multi-disciplinary approach. I stand to be corrected.

Also, looking at the problem from the DDA angle rather than special need perspective, I think there is an argument that if OT suggestions amount to 'reasonable accomodations' (as described by the DDA) then ignoring them could be discriminatory if the problem comes within the disability definition in the Act. This is irrespective of the presence of any statement.

I think this can be a useful argument to bear in mind when dealing with provision and I wondered if anyone had tried it with any success.

I know, at least in my area officially, a parent can only request an EP appointment from the school's SenCo. If the SenCo chooses not to put that child forward to see the EP then there is 'officially' nothing the parent can do. However....there is a way to get around this.... Contact the EP's secretary, and explain your situation, and then, even if the SenCo isn't putting your child forward to the EP, the EP is 'aware' of your DC, and will ask questions as to why they aren't seeing the DC... Sometimes it's the ONLY way to get what your DC needs. It's how I managed to get my DD seen by the EP after 5 years of begging the SenCo to put her forward....AFAIK it's the same in most, if not all LEA's, that the SenCo 'chooses' which 6 children from the school see the EP on each visit....

Its is not the same thing, but if the school are refusing to do this, im assuming they feel that your ds's needs are already being meet.

It would depend on what the OT suggestions are i suppose, if her suggestions require extra time, they can fall back on no staff/funding.

All roads seem to lead to statementing dont they!

Debs, do you have a ASD Outreach in your area?

Claw the key point about the DDA and the OT's recomemendations is that if they are 'reasonable' and relate to a disability (e.g. ASD, dysgraphia, dyspraxia) then the school have to accomodate them under the DDA, otherwise it is discrimination.

Once you have crossed that threshold, funds have to be found. You cannot say we will not make these reasonable accomodations because of lack of funding. It is illegal.

I'm not saying we have or will reach that situation, but I think the DDA is a useful string to a parents' bow.

The school are not refusing to refer at the moment. They're just being useless. They have just not responded to my suggestion following the BIBIC report but that's not unusual. Anyway, I have asked specifically today. I think DS is just not a top priority as he's not falling behind, although I think his difficuties become more apparent as he gets older.

Loudlass, I rang the Ed Psych team and mentioned my son and the issue and they said ask the SENCO directly and then come back to them if there are any problems as I do have a right to make a request. Thanks for the tip!!

Debs, has you ds had a multi-disciplinary assessment?

We have had SALT.

We are coming to the end of OT assessment.

We have yet to have an ASD diagnostic assessment from CAMHS.

The working diagnosis is ASD as a result of which we are starting the Early Bird Plus with school next week.

I think there are elements like dysgraphia and auditory processing/working memory which require proper assessment and this woudl require the ed psych to be involved.

Debs unfortunately the DDA for schools, to make ?reasonable adjustments? does not extend to providing extra support. This is because extra support is already available for school pupils with statements.

As I read it, making ?reasonable
adjustments? includes:

? changes to practices or procedures
? changes to physical environment

but not to providing extra support which is defined as specialist teachers or equipment.

I would not be askign for a specialist teacher. We might need basic equipment but the school would almost certainly have writing slopes, moveinsit cushions etc.

In any event you could supply yourself. So you would be asking for accomodatioins to practices and prcedures

How did the multi-disciplinary assessment come about, did you request it or did the school?

The whole point of a multi-disciplinary assessment is that all areas of concern are covered. You could argue how are they going to determine his needs without an EP assessment.

I will dig out the link i have bookmarked about the disability thing, obviously i dont know what the OT recommendations are, but you can have a read and see if you feel it will apply to you or not.

Thanks Claw. The multi-disciplinary process is the ASD diagnostic process which we started with a referral from our GP last Jan.

Our CAMHs do there own school assessment and don't really need the EP assessment.

That sounds sensible!

Yes it makes it easier as we are in the same boat in regard to school not getting the Ep into assess as our son is bright too although the SENco does recognise his "quirks"...
I pushed the County Area SEN Inclusion Officer Mangaer on the issue and she got the school to agree to have a specialist teacher come into assess our son. So awaiting those rsults. I think she showed him pictures of a baby in the highchair crying and asked what each character was saying when they saw the baby. So not sure how that assessment would have helped but its all wait and see.

direct.gov.uk/en/disabledpeople/educationandtraining/dg_4001076

Have you tried asking your GP, Paed, SALT, i think all can access EP?

Also if you are concerned with auditory processing there are tests which can be carried out, i think one of them is called SCAN. (i have yet another bookmarked, if you need it!)

Claw, looking at the Act itself and the statutory guidance confirms that the Act does not talk of 'extra support' but rather 'auxiliary aids and services'

This appears to be defined as specialist teachers or equipment and not practices, procedures etc

I can make a direct referral if the school won't

If you ask the school to make reasonable adjustments and these reasonable adjustments take up half an hour of time, would that not be considered as extra support?

Is extra support not time based?

Sorry Debs, im like a kid with all the questions. Thought it might be handy to know for future reference. But you have already said it doesnt apply in your ds's case as it will only take a few minutes to apply what you are asking for.

Sorry, got carried away

Not a worry.... you've made me look it all up which is good!!!

I think it very much depends on the intervention suggested and whether this can be reasonably accomodated by ordinary staff without additional assistance e.g. extra staff etc.

The act talks of 'auxiliary aids and support' and does not link in time.

If a teacher had to spend half an hour doing something for one child and not teaching the class, then that teacher could rightly say it could not be done without extra support e.g. additional TA support.

It is not entirely clear that 'in house' support falls within 'auxiliary aids' etc.

The Act was not supposed to provide an additional channel of attack for SEN parents but its vagueness appears to have been the subject of some legal debate and has left the door open for challenges.

Its a minefield isnt it!

Good luck with your EP.