Q:

Are you willing to share a summary of your EHCP section A? If yes, please share. (Please make sure you remove personal data, such as names.)

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25 Mar 2021

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A: SenseCheck

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  • 17 Jan 2022
  • Yes

    Simple

    PART A – ALL ABOUT ME

    [EHCP: Amended Final Following Appeal Hearing and 1st Tier SENDIST Decision]

    My Views

    My aspirations

    [child] is trying his hardest to talk to us and is trying to mouth words so we understand. School has been great in making him more confident to speak and is now on to three to four word sentences. We are sure this is what he would love to do the most so that we can all understand each other.

    What I enjoy doing

    [child] enjoys mark-marking, painting, naming objects and animals, and watching YouTube videos on a phone or tablet. He also enjoys puzzles in real life as well as on a PC, Tablet or phone. [child] enjoys reading time before going to bed. [child] likes dinosaurs.

    What I am good at

    [child] can tell us what he wants to eat, drink or play with. He can tell us when he wants a phone/tablet, when he wants the TV to be put on, when he wants his bib, when he wants a blanket and when he wants cushions. Other times he can direct us to something by taking us to the object. [child] is good at naming things and naming colours. He can play with adults, follow their instructions and give cuddles.

    How I like to be helped

    Sometimes [child] likes adults to do an activity (e.g. colouring in) and sometimes he likes to be shown how to do it, like getting on and off the toilet. Sometimes some sounds can get on top of him so he might need to be taken out of the room or have the source of the sound turned off. He needs one-to-one adult assistance in everything he does.

    What I find difficult

    [child] has a diagnosis of Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

    Other things I want people to know about me

    [child] likes to meet new people and is very open to making new friends. [child] loves cuddles and people engaging with him on the floor. Sometimes he can get very upset for no apparent reason, so please call his parents if that happens. When he is not able to get his point across to people, he can get upset, so please have patience with him.

    Do I have my own on-line plan?

    No

    Family Views

    Things we would like people to know about [child]

    Certain sounds can upset [child] so he puts his hand on his ears and makes ‘ma-ma’ sound to block out the noise. [child] can get upset when he is feeling tired and restless. [child] can become violent if he feels he is not being understood, out of frustration that he is not able to communicate verbally. [child] has a lot of anxieties and needs to feel in control of a situation.

    Things we would like people to know about us

    We have tried to introduce [child] to various extra-curricular activities and now have identified swimming and yoga as activities that he likes to do on the weekend.

    Our aspirations for [child]

    We want [child]:

    • To be independent
    • To make friends
    • To be able to talk

    To continue to attend mainstream school and learn alongside his peers

    How to support us as a family

    By providing [child] and us with as many specialist consultations as possible (Occupational Therapy and any other therapies that can help [child]).

    What times or days are best for meetings

    The best days are first thing in the morning during the week.

    Any other information we want you to know

    [child] has grown in confidence ever since he started reception and after school club, so we want to keep challenging him to help him become as independent as possible.

  • 19 May 2021
  • Yes

    Other

    Section A : About Me
    (Taken from discussions with the educational psychologist as part of [child]’s EHC needs assessment)

    This is how I communicate:
    [child] will chat with adults and is more engaging and forthcoming when discussing things he is interested in and knows about.
    [child] finds it difficult to contribute towards meaningful peer friendships as he struggles to contribute verbally and keep up with the conversational aspects.

    What is important to me:
    [child]’s family is very important to me. He also loves to cook and bake at home.

    My Aspirations and goals:
    [child] is learning to play the drums and feels he is making good progress.

    What people like and admire about me:
    [child]’s Mum described [child] as a kind, thoughtful boy who cares about others – he helps to look after his younger brother and elder sister who has cerebral palsy.

    How I learn best:
    [child] needs to be referred to by name constantly during the input to lessons in order to get him to snap out of his dream-like state.

    What I can do to help myself:
    [child] is a hardworking boy who always tries his best.
    [child] loves cookery and can make some things independently such as tea and toast and pancakes for the family’s breakfast.

    What helps me:
    [child] really struggles to work independently and requires many prompts.

    What doesn’t help me:
    [child] mentioned how difficult he finds Maths – in particular fractions and times tables. He also listed English as an area he struggles with, in particular any written work.

    [the rest of Section A is not shared]

  • 13 May 2021
  • Other

    Other

    Other ...:

    [removed at request of parent]

  • 07 May 2021
  • Yes

    Other

    [Not sharing full section - but here is a summary. The objective is for our child to gain independence by leaving home and moving to a special needs residential college in order to learn how to cope in the adult world.]

    Parent aspirations for the future are that by the age of 25:

    1. [child] should develop between the ages of 17 and 25 the skills necessary for the desired outcomes in terms of Education, Social Care and Healthy Living.
    2. [child] should be able to live a fulfilled and enriching independent life away from his childhood home with appropriate oversight, stimulation and support.
    3. [child] should be able to work productively and generate an income appropriate to his abilities with an appropriate progression path and therefore provide a meaningful and fulfilling daily life.
    4. [child] should have an enriching social life focused around his personal areas of interest and new areas of interest of his choice with appropriate like-minded peers. He will not be dependent on his family to provide a social life or access to a social life.
    5. [child] should understand his health care needs and be able to manage them with appropriate support including administration of medicines, creams and ear drops, organising and attending medical and dental appointments and recognising when he needs to see a doctor.
    6. [child] should be able to look after his personal hygiene including washing properly and effectively (body and hair), cutting nails, selecting appropriate clothing for the weather, laundry..
    7. [child] should be able to maintain a healthy lifestyle, eating healthily and exercising regularly.
    8. [child] should be able to manage and organise his time, diary and appointments (work, medical and social).
    9. [child] should be able to travel independently.
    10. [child] should understand potential dangers and threats in adult life and understand the presence of, and how to use, the support network around him that is intended to provide pastoral care and protection for him .

    If these outcomes are not achieved [child] will not have the skill sets necessary to maximise his very great potential, will suffer reduced self-esteem, isolation and there is a serious risk he will become depressed and vulnerable He has the potential to suffer physical, financial and social abuse, serious health issues, unable to work and will become a burden on the state and social services.

  • 28 Apr 2021
  • Yes

    Other

    Extract from section A
    In summary:
    Our hope, as parents, is that our child can become fully independent and have a happy life. Doctors have expressed doubts
    In terms of long term aspirations, we want him to become as independent as possible and to continue to have a happy life. We want him to be able to close the gap with his peers, to be able to speak in full sentences that are "logical and in context", to be able to read, write, and count, to be able to read books and understand a story, to have confidence engaging in physical activities, to learn to ride a bike, to have healthy relationships and understand boundaries, to be safe in the community and to articulate in music and arts.

  • 28 Apr 2021
  • Yes

    Other

    A: my world
    [We were advised by our SENCO to go into a lot of detail in the “My World” section as this was our only chance as parents to directly feed into the process. This section is therefore very purposefully written to highlight all of [child’s] challenges and to pre-emptively refute any suggestion that he didn’t need that much help.]

    What makes me happy and is important to me?
    (What helps me feel motivated, be calm, comfortable and safe and what makes me smile; people, objects, situations)
    I enjoy playing with all kinds of construction and transport toys – in particular building train sets and model planes. I am good at solving problems, for example figuring out how to crack “childproof” locks or how to open a door with a high lock. I really enjoy train rides and I like to plan the route we will take. I like playing with friends although sometimes I do not know how to behave with them. I enjoy learning numbers and reading, especially signs at train stations.
    [child] likes repetitive actions such as making the same lego train again and again. When playing he often lies on the floor to look at the train at eye level. He is very proud of his creations and likes to show them off to family and friends.

    Depending on his mood, the following things can help [child] feel calm and comfortable:
    • Finding a quiet space to get away from a busy environment
    • Watching cartoons or videos on a tablet or phone
    • Playing outdoors, e.g. football, basketball, playground
    • Physical contact – he is a very affectionate boy and is generous with hugs, kisses and strokes (although he can get upset if someone touches him without asking permission)

    What makes things difficult for me?
    (Such as medical or health issues, getting around, things in my environment which I might find challenging; situations/objects/behaviours)
    [child] was diagnosed with autism in November 2017: we had been concerned about him for a while and the initial referral was made by the school SENCO after his first term at nursery.
    While [child] displays signs of intelligence and can be a kind, affectionate child, he struggles in a number of areas and requires very close supervision and support. In particular, he has difficulty with:

    Social interactions:
    I often struggle to play with other children or to engage in sustained conversation with them or anyone. For example, if a child says hello to me, I will recognise them and might tell an adult their name (“It’s Noah!”), but I don’t always say “Hello!” back. When friends come to play at my house I might play alongside (not with) them for a bit but then will go into a different room where it is quiet until they are gone.

    With close supervision [child] will occasionally tolerate playing with 1-2 other children: however, this can quickly disintegrate if he does not get his own way. Because [child] is very tall for his age strangers often think he is much older than 4 and thus have higher expectations of him in public situations.

    Emotional regulation:
    I often show violent or aggressive behaviour at school, home and outdoors. This usually involves one or more of pinching, hitting, kicking and biting.
    We have tried a number of strategies including time outs, distractions, restraint and social stories, with varying degrees of success. Sometimes the trigger for an outburst will be obvious (e.g. a toy being taken away) but often it is not. We try to talk to [child] about why he felt the need to hurt someone but he is incapable of explaining and usually replies along the lines of “I want to hurt, it’s good to hurt”. If he does give a reason, it will usually be that the target of his aggression has done something “wrong”, but he does not understand that even mistakes are not justification for violence. When he is calm, he understands that hurting people is not “healthy”, but this is easily forgotten when he becomes upset again.
    Through very close supervision and interventions by his TA and teachers, the frequency of this behaviour at school has greatly reduced since the autumn term; however this is due to the 1:1 support that the school is supporting using its own budget. The frequency of incidents has increased this term, in part because of anxiety triggered by multiple staff changes: this has led to [child] being excluded from school trips as staff feel that even with a dedicated 1:1 they cannot ensure both his and staff’s safety. So although [child] has made some progress this year, we are concerned that (as noted in several of the reports) he has severe difficulties controlling his emotions and feel that therapies to address this should be implemented. When [child] is calm, he is much more receptive to learning, so tackling his emotional issues is a fundamental step before he will be able to access mainstream learning.
    Large group activities:
    I can rarely join in group activities (such as circle time in school or a game of pass the parcel at a party). One reason for this is that I am sensitive to noise and over-stimulating environments as described further below.
    As a result he is missing out on a lot of learning in school, although (with personal support) he is now able to be in the same room as lessons, but does not yet take part. We are particularly concerned that he gets help in this area as whole group learning will become more and more important as he moves into Year 1 where there is less free play.

    Unexpected change:
    I really don’t like it when a trusted adult leaves unexpectedly, even if for a short period. I also find it difficult when something occurs in the daily school timetable which I am not expecting. When a transition makes me anxious I am much more likely to display aggressive behaviours.
    At school this manifests as him ignoring the transition from one activity to another or becoming emotional. He will not go into the classroom when a substitute teacher is present: this is relatively easy to manage in reception as the two forms are next to each other with free flow, but will be much more difficult in year 1. Ideally there would be a range of teachers and key workers that [child] is comfortable with so he will not be so distressed at one person being absent. At home he can become inconsolable: for example if his father leaves the house to pop to the corner shop he will stand at the door crying “Daddy, Daddy” and will not let himself be comforted. Meltdowns can also happen outside the home, such as if we go to a restaurant and cannot sit at the table that (in [child’s] head) is “ours”. Meltdowns can go on for 20-30 minutes and he cannot be left unattended during this time.

    Following instructions:
    I find it difficult to follow instructions that are not of obvious interest to me or which I don’t expect, for example during transitions from play into a lesson. When this happens I need someone with me patiently repeating the instructions a number of times using simple language. I will often try to control a situation by giving the adult instructions.
    For example at home he will not let his parents brush his teeth until they have counted to a number set by him (usually 100). The result of this is that, at the moment, [child] can only be persuaded to do something he does not want to do with close support from an adult. At school, [child] is working closely with his LSA to include more adult led learning activities on his timetable using the now and next board. This has varying degrees of success but he is learning to accept new learning challenges as a result, as long as he is prepared for them and guided through them using things that interest him.
    Social communication:
    Although [child] has a good vocabulary he most often speaks in statements or questions seeking information or reassurance. This not only inhibits his ability to form relationships as noted above, but also means he can have difficulty asking for assistance. Sometimes it appears he expects adults should instinctively know what he wants (the National Autistic Society refer to this as “mind-blindness”), and he gets agitated if they do not provide it. For example at mealtimes he may suddenly shout “I want a drink!” in an upset fashion as though he had asked repeatedly and been ignored. He therefore needs close supervision to spot signs of anxiety. At school, [child] has struggled to build meaningful friendships with his peers as a result of his poor social communication. [child] receives two half hour sessions weekly with an LSA for speech and language to improve his ability in this area. However, he does not yet have any formal speech therapy despite being benchmarked as well below age expectations. We feel [child] would greatly benefit from more learning and playing opportunities with small groups of other children to help prepare him for whole class learning in a mainstream environment.
    Sustaining attention:
    [child] finds it difficult to stay still for any length of time and often fidgets even when sitting in a chair. In addition to affecting whole group learning, this makes it hard for him to watch a film or attend a concert or play. Reading with [child] is challenging, both because he is reluctant to look at the words on the page, and even when he does he loses interest after a few minutes and moves to a different activity.

    Loud, large or over stimulating environments:
    I really struggle in environments such as school assemblies, theatres, museums and supermarkets and (whether with parents or school) can only go to such events if an adult is solely dedicated to supervising me.

    He is prone to running away (including getting in a lift by himself), either in a seemingly mischievous way or as a result of anxiety. [child] displays sensory sensitivities and will become upset at certain sounds, especially hand dryers and the chimes his teacher uses to get the class’s attention.

    Self-care:
    I find some fine motor skills activities hard, for example I cannot write in a straight line or use a knife consistently. Although I am toilet trained during the day, I cannot wipe myself after opening my bowels and need an adult to help me. Sometimes I forget to tell an adult and then my pants get dirty. For the last three months I have not worn pull ups at night, which I am proud of although I still have occasional accidents where I will wet the bed. I am also quite clumsy and will often knock over drinks or accidentally hit someone when I move around.
    Awareness of danger:
    I love keys. Although my parents and teachers have explained to me how it is not safe to be on the other side of a locked door from adults, I like to lock and unlock doors. I have locked myself in the classroom at school and locked my grandparents out of their house, then run upstairs with the keys. I also like running across roads although I am getting better at knowing to hold hands and look for cars.

    What helps me succeed and what do I need?
    (What strategies/ things help me behave well, help me cope in difficult situations and help me as a learner)
    Knowing what will happen next – I becomes very anxious if I do not know what is coming up or if plans change (even if the change is a positive one). Last thing at night I always ask who will be taking me to school in the morning, and at when I get dropped off at school, I always ask who will be picking me up. It is therefore very important that the school tells my parents as soon as they know if there will be a staff change, so my parents can prepare me. I also respond well to visual timetables and routines including now and next boards.

    Consistent reassurance – I will often ask the same question over and over to make sure I understand something. If you tell me something that turns out to be wrong (eg if a teacher is ill and I have not been told, or if the restaurant we planned to go to is closed) I will get very upset and remember it for a long time.
    For example, his class teacher is a job share and every night and morning he will ask “Is it [teacher 1] or [teacher 2] today?” He will also ask whether his parents will be home for bedtime and who will be reading him stories tonight.

    I am most successful when I feel like I am in control of a situation. I need to be prepared for an unplanned activity during the day.
    This can mean that adult-directed tasks are challenging for me without that preparation being put in place.

    I can find rewards motivating, e.g. knowing that after a maths session I will have a basketball break, or that after a haircut I will get some chocolate. I have a lot of energy and need breaks for physical exertion during the day. My now and next board helps me prepare for these breaks and helps to ease my anxiety about what it is coming next in my day.
    I like to have a trusted adult close by who can guide me, reassure me and stop me feeling overwhelmed.

    I succeed best when I am feeling calm and not over-stimulated. This tends to be in low arousal environments with a small group of people. I have a desk in the corridor that I can go to, which is good when the classroom is too noisy. However, there can be lots of distractions in the corridor so I can sometimes find it hard to sit still and concentrate. I also miss my friends when I am there as it is only my LSA and me so I do not get a chance to interact with other children, be taught by a teacher or take part in class activities.

    How I communicate and how you need to communicate with me
    (Such as signing, picture exchange system, switches etc)
    I have a good vocabulary and most of the time you can understand my speech, but I am not very good at having a back-and-forth conversation. You need to speak to me slowly, clearly and with few words. If I am struggling to understand, drawing or pointing to a picture can help me focus on what you are saying.
    Do not touch me, even for a hug, without warning me or asking permission as this can make me angry and I might hurt you, especially if I am upset. For example, say “let’s hold hands” or “can I give you a hug”.

    Other things about my world and my life
    (Important people in my life, my family and friends, my community the social side of my life)

    I live with my mother, father, and younger sister (17 months age difference). My parents work and my nanny looks after [sister] and me during the day. I like seeing friends my age, as long as the group is not too big, and playing with toys at other people’s houses. I am particularly gentle with very small children and will help them play or get things for them. However, I find it difficult to share toys sometimes.

    Important people in my life include mummy, daddy, my sister, nanny, my teachers [] and my LSAs [].

    My conditions and how they impact on my day to day life
    (Brief description of needs and impact)

    My ASD affects my and my family’s day to day life a lot and means that, right now, I cannot do lots of things I would like to do:

    Whether I can go on an outing or take part in an activity depends a lot on my mood that day. For example, at least twice I have had to pull out of a friend’s birthday party on the day because I have had a difficult morning.
    I cannot go out to the theatre or cinema as I cannot sit still for a long time, and the dark and noise scares me (I have been to some 30-minute toddler films which I enjoyed)
    My parents are very nervous about taking me to museums/parks/playgrounds when they are busy, as I will often run off (for example, running out of the playground and towards the park exit). This is particularly hard when I only have one adult looking after my sister and me.
    Large family or social occasions, especially in places I don’t know well, make me nervous. I am likely to run around a lot and explore my environment, e.g. by picking up things and throwing them on the ground. This means that it is difficult for me to go to family friends’ houses where they have nice things
    As parents, we often feel like we are walking on eggshells around [child]. When he is in the right mood he can be incredibly calm, sweet, kind and loving and he will be excited to do activities with us. He shows enthusiasm for the smallest things, such as taking a train ride, getting an ice cream or over who will read him bedtime stories. However, in an instant he can go from sitting calmly to hitting, or get fixated over something he wants (we call this the “red mist” when nothing can distract him from the object of his attention and it often ends in either aggression or a meltdown). This mercurial temperament means it can be very hard for us to take him to public places or plan activities, as we never know how he will react.
    In the past [child] has taken swimming and rugby lessons, but he nearly always refused to join in and did not like it when children made fun of him, so we stopped going. We made a decision to stop extracurricular activities while he settled into school, but are now looking for suitable activities that he would enjoy, and are on the waiting list for swimming and trampolining lessons run by SIGNAL.

    Thinking ahead
    What do I hope and aim for soon?
    (Aspirations and goals across the areas of friends and community, independence, education and learning, health)

    As parents our immediate goals with respect to [child]’s education are for him to be able to play a full part in school life and to benefit from the learning offered to him. For the reasons noted above, at the moment he is not capable of taking part in whole group learning or sustained interactions with other children, both of which are essential if he is to not just survive, but thrive in school. While [child]’s school have been incredibly supportive of him, his complex needs mean that even very experienced staff struggle to cope with his behaviour. It seems clear to us that [child] needs to be supported, long term, by staff who are experienced in working with ASD children, in a space where they have the capacity to do so, as they will be best placed to help him develop the strategies he will need to thrive in school.

    Outside of school, we would like [child] to be able to take part in activities that require concentration and stillness, for example visiting a museum or seeing a play. [child] loves swimming and has talked of wanting to snorkel and scuba dive, but at the moment we cannot do this as he is not able to cope with longer plane journeys.

    In particular, we would like to work towards [child]:
    • engaging in whole class learning, as we recognise this will only become more important once he leaves reception
    • being able to follow directions from adults
    • taking part in sustained (20-30 mins) social interactions in small groups of children
    • developing coping strategies to manage his difficulties independently, so that in time he will not need such close support
    Improving his self-care skills so he will be independent in dressing and toileting.
    Being able to regulate his emotions so that the frequency of aggressive behaviour is greatly reduced and, eventually, eliminated

    What do I hope for one day (perhaps next year, in 5 years’ time and long term)?
    (Such as the job I will have, being part of my community, my lifestyle, where I live, my independence and my relationships)

    I want to do well in school and learn how to read and write independently.
    I want to get better at swimming and one day go on a long plane ride to somewhere I can scuba dive.
    At the moment I want to be a train driver, or maybe a police officer, when I grow up.
    As parents, we want to do as much as we can for [child] now so that by the time he reaches secondary education (and ideally before then) he will be fully capable of learning with his peers in a mainstream environment, albeit he may always need some form of additional support. In the longer term we would like him to be able to live, travel and work independently and be capable of meaningful relationships with other people.

    History
    My journey so far/ important events
    [child] was born at full term with no complications and met his early milestones on time. He started walking at 13 months. As he became better at walking and running, we first noticed his hyperactive behaviour when he started running off at every opportunity while his friends played calmly near their parents. His speech was slightly delayed (at his 2 year health visitor checkup, he only had about 20 words) and he did not say his first two-word phrase until about 2.5 years old. We started becoming worried about his speech when his younger sister started talking – by the time she was 18 months old her speech was more advanced than her older brother’s.

    [child] started nursery at 3 in September 2016. Nursery staff soon noticed that he had a very short attention span, could be quite clumsy and had destructive tendencies. They referred him to the school SENCO who arranged for a SALT assessment in January 2017. This led us on the path to his autism diagnosis which we received in November 2017.

    [child] started reception in September 2017 and very quickly needed additional support. He bonded well with the LSA the school brought in to help him, [xxx], and improved greatly over the first two terms. [xxx] became part-time in the summer term and a new LSA, [xxx], started working with [child]. Things went well at first, but after a few weeks things went downhill and [xxx] stopped working with M. After another LSA filled in temporarily, but the school have now been able to organise for [child] to work again with [xxx]. [child] was able to take part in school trips until the summer term, when the school decided he could only go on trips if two adults were with him.

    Important things to consider relating to the rest of my world
    (Such as housing, transition to adult services, leaving home, hospital admissions, my family set up)

    The transition into Year 1 will be difficult for [child] and the school is already starting to consider how we can help him. It will be important for [child] to have more than one adult LSA moving forward so that he can learn to adapt to new and different situations and avoid over-reliance on a single person, although we have to be mindful that [child] takes a while to bond with new people and transitions are difficult for him. We know that [child] is going to need frequent learning breaks throughout Year 1 in order to cope with the different classroom setting and its demands, and he will require an adult to supervise him during these periods.