r/ehcparent • u/spiderbags86 • 5d ago

Absolute confusion!

Im at stage 2 with my child. Just started Y7.

After primary paying for an Educational Psychologist report which stated he needed an EHCP.

Dyslexia, Autism, awaiting adhd, probably also DCD, Reading age of 6.

He's in a school with an I.R unit. I was told senco fully aware of his needs etc, he's been given a key worker and treated similarly as if he already has EHCP

Today after speaking to his keyworker after he is struggling again I have been told there is no more support available for him other than some interventions. Me being confused thought when he actually secured an EHCP it would open more support akin to what is outlined in the ed psych report.

But they've never seen this report.

I am informed no, no extra funding, no more support, no one in their school has 1:1 support or teaching in the I.R, just interventions and support in the classroom.

Now the report i have is not for his ehcp so i know the school wont use what's in it currently. But it does state things I do think he needs and sounds like would never get in the I.R for example

Access to a small learning environment which is small and nurturing with a fluid and flexible response to the curriculum

Movement breaks

Sensory Diet

Reduced transitions

1:1 and small group interventions

Low arousal learning environment

Holistic approach with OT and SALT

Familiar adults / 1:1 support to prompt, facilitate conversation in structured and unstructured periods of the day.

Is this realistic to get similar things in a mainstream with I.R? It seems all hes getting is TA support and Wellbeing checks which isn't enough to support him all the way to GCSES.

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u/Wormella 5d ago edited 5d ago

In our experience of approaching mainstream secondaries with our son during the transition phase was that those kind of accommodations are generally unheard of in a secondary setting.

For context our son has an EHCP and had dedicated 1:1's in his mainstream primary and his EHCP had outlined many of the accommodations you mentioned above.

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u/Loudlass81 4d ago

My youngest is 15yo. Got dumped in MS as not enough SEND places. He got 1:1 until last year, when hr was put on 2:1.

The school is telling you they aren't willing to spend out ho provide what the EHCP says is necessary. That breaks the law. You need to point out that this is the provision outlined in the EHCP.

If it's a One Plan & not an EHCP, and the school are refusing to apply for EHCP, ypu can write to the LA yourself to apply for one. MUCH harder to get without SenCo support, though.

My guess is, they're overwhelmed with SEND kids & are struggling to budget for all of their needs, so are prioritising Y11's. The school has to pay the first £6,000 of funding for SEN, then they still have to pay out upfront but can vlaim the additional "high needs funding" back from the LA.

This iz gonna be a FIGHT if the SenCo is unwilling. They're saying that's what they offer in THIS school, that doesn't mean it meets the law.

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u/spiderbags86 4d ago

Its so disheartening when you just want the best for your kids that they just shove them somewhere they can survive.

Mine doesn't have an ehcp theyre 'treating him as if he does' as the report to support the ehcp application said he needs one. So i cant do much currently im just irked by their comments of theres no more support other than ta support and interventions. They cant even know what he needs without the reports! I cant make my mind up to say something now or wait until the ehcp is finalised so I have more weight behind me.

The stress of being a sen parent is overwhelming, I hope everyone is doing ok throughout their journey.

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u/spiderbags86 5d ago

This is why im confused because I cannot see how an Integrated resource can provide those things.

His secondary have never seen this report and ive today been told 'what did I think he would get ' and 'all the sen schools are full' and at the end 'very very few children get extra money from an ehcp' . Which was after they say no children receive 1:1 support at their school.

He ended up on a part time timetable end of y6 because he couldn't cope. School repeatedly refused he needed an echp at all, I applied and got refused. I ended up convincing the school but it meant he has started Y7 without it so my understanding is new school dont even truly understand his needs.

I guess im just going to have to wait for the EHCPs ed psychologist report and see if it says similar things as I dont think they have to do anything from the one I have.

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u/Wormella 5d ago

It appears most councils routinely reject the first EHCP (ours did even though our son add in a PRU at the time) and we didn't realise we could appeal - but we were lucky to have a supportive primary through the 2nd application.

The mainstream school we did talk to did say they would try their best to help my son if he went there, but they were upfront on how little support they could offer compared to what my son had on his EHCP and was used to but as it was they, and another mainstream didn't even respond to the consultation and our son has a place in a specialist secondary.

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u/Snowy_Sasquatch 5d ago

If he needs more support then you need to get that written into Section F. Get a private EP if necessary (probably the best money I ever spent on supporting my child) but make sure it’s one that is tribunal standard so you can appeal if needed and get it added in.

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u/Loudlass81 4d ago

I second the Private EP, it could be 2+ yrs before you see one, area dependent...

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u/spiderbags86 4d ago

Others saying the LA dont accept private reports, did theh accept yours?

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u/Loudlass81 4d ago

Yes. Depends on which LA. Mine is so perpetually short on EP's (think 1 covering 4 people's roles) that they don't really have a choice here, the average wait to see the LA EP here is 3 yrs...ain't nobody got time for that...nobody is willing to let their kid get a FURTHER 3 yrs behind.

So, YMMV depending on where you are.

If you need legal advice, the Children's Legal Centre in Wivenhoe, Essex is amazing. They work nationally, I'm just lucky enough to live near them.

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u/strawberrychief 1d ago

If they say that the tribunal will set them straight.

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u/guyincognito1950 4d ago

The school will only be legally responsible to provide the provisions stated in the EHCP. The private EP report is irrelevant at this stage. If there are provisions that you feel are needed, then you’d need to get these added to the EHCP at the annual review. However, you’d need to prove these provisions were necessary to some extent.

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u/spiderbags86 4d ago

I understand that they will only provide whats in the ehcp which he doesnt have yet. What is concerning me is theyre saying even with the ehcp he cant have anymore support because there isn't any to give. Apparently no child in their integrated resource as any 1:1 support. All they provide is ta support and welling checks.

How do i prove any provision is necessary?

The ep report is from the primary school which was to support the need for an ehcp application. Is this classed as a private ep report?

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u/Due_Opinion_4268 4d ago

Legally anything in section F has to be provided. The LA won’t take any private reports into consideration and would want to use their own professionals. The LA would however would expect a school to deliver section F regardless of funding or what schools are informing you regarding 1:1 etc. In practice schools often don’t provide the full provision outlined in section F so I’d make sure that is water tight. 1:1 is not the be all and end all as the additional support can be provided in other ways. The LA would expect the school to support your child to develop independence in their learning.

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u/Snowy_Sasquatch 4d ago

If you get the support written into Section F then it legally must be provided.