EHCP-Residential College

[calmingdown]

Hi I m considering a residential college for my 17 dd. She was diagnosed of ASD 3 years ago while in a mental unit because of anxiety. I m beginning to feel that residential placement will give her a more structured environment than it can also she prepare into a more self reliant life.

I want to ask those who ve been though the system how it works. Can you apply a place for your dc in any Send college/s anywhere in the uk. I only know if you apply for a college that is within your county then you will only get a day placement.

How does it work? What is your experience like with your residential college or school? Is it worth?

@Theshining82 yes she is on medication. Does it make a difference?

It is absolutely not too late! EHCPs can last until 25, or 26 in some cases. Does DD have an EHCP? You will need one. Is DD attending a placement currently?

If DD doesn’t have an EHCP, you need to request an EHCNA. IPSEA has a model letter you can use. If DD does have an EHCP, during a review (via an annual review or early review) of the EHCP you can make it known you wish for a change of placement. Following an annual review, if the LA refuses to amend or amends but refuses to name your preferred placement, you will be able to appeal.

Unless the setting is wholly independent, the LA must name your preferred placement 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.

Many residential placements are wholly independent. For these you will need an offer of a place and to prove the LA’s proposed placements are unsuitable &/or it isn’t unreasonable public expenditure.

You will need evidence a residential placement is required. You can search for placements here. Also, this link is helpful specifically for college placements. You can look at placements in other areas. It is possible to get a residential placement at a setting within the same LA.

I haven’t misunderstood. The ship certainly hasn’t sailed and OP’s DD is not too old to be looking at this. Even if the OP’s DD doesn’t yet have an EHCP and she has to appeal 3 times (refusal to assess, refusal to issue, BFI) there is still time, even more so because the wait for hearings is now not as long as they have been over the last few years.

My dd does have a EHCP but it doesn’t include residential because she was very unwell and she was only 14 then. She has been on med for over 3 years now and a lot more stable then when she came out of hospital. Just that I m finding it too difficult to manage her and give her a structural environment. Residential can give her the skills to manage herself that I can’t.

If DD already has an EHCP, you can request an early review. IPSEA has a model letter you can use. Following the review, you can appeal if the LA doesn’t name the placement you want. Unfortunately, the LA does not have to agree to an early review. If that happens, there is no right of appeal, so you would have to either wait for the AR or request a reassessment of needs.

Does the EHCP include therapies? Do you have social care support?

I think needs therapies. We don’t have care support. The only thing I m worried her med need monitoring. But I think she can do with some professional help with her behaviour. She has asd and mental health needs.

Does it mean she will have to change psychiatrist and mental health team if she moved out?

It sounds as though the EHCP is poor, so that needs amending regardless of the placement issue. If you have to appeal, as many do, to get a residential placement you will need to appeal B&F as well as I. Therapies need to be in the EHCP. You should ask for social care assessments, too - especially as some residential placements are jointly funded with social care (and sometimes health).

DC don’t always change medical teams.

@OvertakenByLego so you ds is in residential? Have you found it better for him?

No, my DSs aren’t in residential. I have 2 with EHCPs - 1 with EOTAS, 1 in MS.

Ds attends a specialist independent post 16 college funded through his EHCP. It's primarily SEMH but the majority of (although not all) students are autistic. He's a day student but it is also a residential placement, which can be 52 weeks a year for those that need that kind of provision.
It's not too late, his placement is for 16-25 year olds, so she would have plenty of time. He's 19 has been there 18 months and is meant to be starting a two year course in September.

When we looked around, the placement said residential wasn't an option for Ds. We were told he would have to have lived 2 plus hours away or as we lived 45 mins away, he would have had to have a social worker. We weren't looking for residential, so didn't really query that information... I have no idea if it is correct.
For Ds home is his safe space. Unfortunately that means he struggles to leave it, apart from college and sometimes that's difficult. He currently wouldn't want residential. I am thinking at some point that supported living maybe a possibility for him.

I won't lie, it was a fight to get the placement, although we managed it without a tribunal. And the college have a steady stream of new students, so LA's can and do pay for these places. It's unlikely a placement like this would be handed out easily as they are expensive, but it can absolutely be achievable, especially using the legal route.

Dd keeps saying she is not happy at home so she s already planing to move out as soon as she s 18. She is quite naive. I wondered if a residential college can give her that wish and prepare for managing herself if she does want to not to live with us. Don’t know it is a valued point enough as a residential college can give her the practical skills to live independently as I really cannot help her with her asd.

What Preparation for Adulthood provision is in the EHCP now? PfA provision can and should be in the EHCP whatever placement DD has. Is DD currently attending a setting?

@Punxsutawney how long did you have to wait for the placement? Is it quite far away from home 2hr+ journey?

Send providers are always in high demand!

@OvertakenByLego no she isn’t atm, it s long story. I think she really struggles and she is not easy to manage either. She has asd and mh so don’t know it will make things easier. Also I can’t see her work in a desktop job as she is not good with people, friends are ok but not colleagues too much politics which will stress her out in no times. I think she will be better work with animals or something doesn’t involve too much with people around her. That s another reason I want her to go to a residential college. I wasn’t into this idea when was 14 but I m very much want her to have a residential placement now.

So, you need to request an early review ASAP.

In the meantime, is DD receiving EOTAS provision? If not and there is anything detailed, specified and quantified in F you need to email the Director of Children’s Services requesting the provision is provided and reminding them of their duty under s.42 CAFA 2014. If that doesn’t work email again threatening judicial review. Then, if that fails you need a pre-action letter, which SOSSEN can help with.

what is EOTAS?