Would I be mad to relinquish his EHCP?

[TheP1per]

My son has had an EHCP since March and was moved from his mainstream high school to a SEMH school. He is autistic. We’ve given it a good go but he is getting more and more down about his situation. He had PTSD from his previous school experience and this new school is so overstimulating for him, he’s constantly in a heightened state and has started to have intrusive thoughts and trying to self harm.
I feel he needs to be home educated for a time, to help him recover but I think we will have to relinquish his EHCP to do this. It’s just his school place, not therapies etc.
Has anyone done this before? Did it work out? I feel trapped and I hate it.

Thanks for your help.

Keep him in school op
give it more time
how old is he?

Thank you for your advice. He is 13, almost 14.
Of course to be in school is the ideal, if it was a more suitable school I guess. I agreed to him going to this school even though it wasn’t exactly what he needs as he needed to get out of his mainstream as he wasn’t attending.
I think he will have to change school no matter what. He’s in a bit of a state and the school is unable to meet his educational needs as he is much brighter than the other kids in this school (their words). I was happy with this and it felt like it was a small price to pay to be happy in school day to day, but he’s not happy so this has led me here to pondering home education again.

IMO, you would be daft to ask the LA to cease to maintain. It also doesn’t sound like any of the legal tests for ceasing are met.

However, that doesn’t mean doing nothing.

I would request an early review. On their website, ISPEA has a model letter you can use.

For many DC whose primary need is ASD, a SEMH setting is completely the wrong place.

Have you looked at other placements? What therapeutic provision is in the EHCP?

If it is inappropriate for provision to be made in a school, there is also EOTAS/EOTIS.

If DS is unable to attend school, the LA is still responsible for ensuring he receives a suitable full-time education and the provision in the EHCP.

Personally, I wouldn’t EHE, but if you want to, you can still do that with an EHCP. Because DS is in SS funded by the LA, you would need to request permission to deregister. That isn’t quite the same as permission to EHE. And permission must not be withheld unreasonably. If you EHE, the LA doesn’t have to provide the provision in F of the EHCP.

@TheP1per unable to meet his educational needs as he is much brighter than the other kids in this school (their words)

the school has said your son is the brightest child that have encountered and are co sequent unable to teach him because he is SO intelligent?

@Thatmoves you might not realise, but if OP’s DS is academically able, many SEMH schools wouldn’t be able to meet needs because many SEMH schools’ cohorts are working below ARE at around ARE. For example, many don’t offer GCSEs or only offer core subjects.

Some can offer bespoke arrangements but not all can and bespoke arrangements within a school don’t work for all DC.

Sorry, that came out wrong. I didn’t mean to offend you if I did. I’m just upset and was trying to get my thoughts out quickly. They have said he is way further on in his education than the other children who have either been expelled and out of school or unable to go to school for long periods of time. His class teacher has said he is at a higher level than the other so not being challenged. That’s what I’m going on. He will do 3 GCSE’s at the foundation level as that is what they provide apparently.

Offend you??

wtf

i was intrigued that you’re saying a school are basically saying he’s too clever for them to educate

Thank you for understanding me. That’s what meant, in my jumbled way.

I thought it sounded like I had upset you. My mistake. I just didn’t want a pile on because I phrased something incorrectly. I just wanted some advice.

Ok so much brighter than those he’s being educated alongside with SEN?

My advice… keep him in school!!

you got it in March, that’s hardly giving it any chance considering Easter holidays, summer half term and then entire summer holiday break!

I would really suggest requesting an early review.

Did you look at what other SS are within travelling distance, including independent schools and those out of area?

Do you think after a period of time to reset, independent mainstream could work?

Ok I will do that. I hadn’t really thought about the fact that the LA still have to put provisions in for him even if he can’t attend school.
When we wanted to view schools previously, this was the only school that responded in the timeframe. I wanted to view another two. There is an independent an hour away that I’ve found, that I think would be good but its a bit too far in my sons opinion.
Yes I do think after a bit of time to recover from burn out he would do well as he wants to learn.
Thank you for your advice.

Yes that right.

if you are able to afford independent, then maybe look for a private school closer?

Look at schools again.

I would look at the one DS thinks is too far. For the right placement, a journey of 1hr can be worth it. At secondary, the maximum travel time is typically considered 1hr15. Independent schools can be funded via the EHCP, so don’t worry if you can’t afford the fees.

Having worked in a few SEN schools OP I doubt this school is appropriate for him. He needs the smaller classes but academically he is probably far too able for the work that the rest of the class are doing. What I wouldn't do is withdraw him from school - but i definitely wouldn't leave him there either. The issue isn't going to change the longer he stays there because it's not about him needing time to settle it's about him needing a different level of education.

I agree that this needs reviewing and you need to look at other schools, I do think that an hour away for a kid that just really needs to decompress after school in their own space is a lot. There may be ways to make the journey bearable though, maybe having snacks and having headphones and listening to music/audiobooks/something he in interested in or playing games on a phone if he likes that.

This makes a lot of sense. Thank you for your advice.

You do not have to relinquish the EHCP even if you decide that this school is not a good fit. We took ds2 out of his special school placement and retained the EHCP. Eventually we were able to get home tutors for him which suited him better (with an EOTAS arrangement). He needed a break though first before he was able to engage. In the end he had tutors for four years to do both GCSEs and then A levels.

Can I ask, when you took your ds out of his specialist school, did you just tell them that you wouldn’t be sending him in again and give your reasons?
Was there any resistance on their part?

He had gone down to virtually zero attendance when we officially withdrew him so it was I think of no surprise to the school. No fuss from the school who just said they would welcome him back if we changed our minds. No fuss from the LA either - we were nominally home educating for a couple of years and then social services helped us get an EOTAS arrangement in place for him. He caught up well and actually ended up only 1 year behind doing GCSEs and A levels and is now at university.

That’s lovely to hear. And also reassuring.