Does anybody have a template letter for taking there Autistic child out of school in term time please

Im absolutely rubbish at wording things in the right way.
Thanks

How do I get an EHCP without a diagnosis and how do I access an alternate provision if we don't get an EHCP?

I have a 13 yr old son who has been home educated since Sep 25. We were failed by our primary school when they kept referring him for ASD and ADHD and telling us that he was "managing with scaffolding" when he was clearly struggling and failed all his SATs. He went to a private school for 1 year and they deferred him back a year because of his delayed learning, they did a Sandwell assessment that showed he was working at 7-8years old in every area, but then the school closed down so we chose to home educate (there was huge anxiety around school and learning and it had started manifesting as self harm also).

Since doing so we have realised just how far behind he is. The only official diagnosis we have is a visual processing disorder and after 3 ASD and ADHD referrals they all came back as inconclusive. We have an anxiety related Tourettes diagnosis and the consultant there wrote that he has an obvious learning disorder but then discharged us so we have no follow up for that. Our GP has just told us to get in touch with the LA to get an EHCP but I dont think that will do much good when hes home ed so we have no capacity for an ed-psych or similar. We are struggling with traditional home-ed as there is severe anxiety around learning in the traditional sense so I would like to let him access an alternative provision for 1 or 2 days a week but I cant even find anything that we can fund privately.

So I suppose my question is in 3 parts -
1. do I need to get a diagnosis or where do I get any support for a "learning disorder" and how do we find out the full extent of it? (hes had testing for global delay that was negative)
2. I know I need to start the process for an EHCP but Im at a loss how I do this as a home educator and without a diagnosis and no professional/medical support?
3. Is an EHCP the only way to access an alternative provision?

Can Section F identify a school and its provision

In Section F of EHCP it is stated that 'Whilst at (named school)' the pupil will have X provision. The EHCP is written like this for most of Section F. Is this correct?

Can I claim transport costs arisen while appealing changes to transport provided (appeal was successful)?

- Transport changed from solo taxi to shared taxi without new risk assessment being conducted
- initial appeal (end of august, just before school returned) submitted parent statement
- initial appeal failed, warned one attempt left. Gathered evidence from multiple professionals for stage two appeal and triggered pre-action protocol letter
- while appealing - self funded transport with the same company the LA had been using previously, receipts provided
- outcome - won appeal and LA concluded solo transport was required, however refusal to reimburse any costs as it was parental choice to send our son to school and we hadn't provided all the evidence (which we didn't have) at stage one

Context - our son is a school refuser (gaps in attendance can lead to increase in distress behaviours going in / increased refusal), his school is out of county and we were unable to drive him ourselves, all our leave was allocated to school holidays, our son has a congenital brain injury and cannot be left at home without supervision, our son has previously looked after child status (adopted) and significant trauma, the loss of regular driver triggers rejection and toxic shame responses (including self injurious behaviour).

Additional - initial appeal August 2024, pre action protocol issued October 2024 (and not accepted as stage two complaint hadn't gone through - we thought both ran together, additional costs associated with this), complaints re costs incurred outcome August 2025. (Process initially delayed by gathering evidence, and then by stress incurred / health issues)

Costs incurred - around £5,000, now in debt as a result as had been told if we won the appeal we would claim costs back (but county staff member - recording of this phone call is unavailable we have been told, as not all calls are recorded)

EHCP was issued with no school named. Initially mainstream but now agreed mainstream is not appropriate. The LA have consulted for a school place with incorrect diagnosis, stating that my daughter has MLD social and behavioural needs when she is SpLD, intelligent and has no social or behavioural needs. Are they breaking the law in doing this?

Taking children out of school during term time

I will be taking my children out of school next month for our family holiday. 2 of my children have additional needs, one is diagnosed combined adhd and one awaiting assessment for adhd/asd. Neither of them cope well in overcrowded situations with one having social anxiety and the other being liable to wonder off etc. this is the main reason for going out of term time so it will not be as busy. Is there anything I can do in order to not receive an fine from my local authorities for doing this.

Are medical notes that have been annotated and signed by the DR acceptable for EHCP

Medical professional has annotated and signed the medical records but LA will not accept them or add them to the EHCP

Tribunal Bundle

Extended appeal inc Social Care.

During VCMH the Judge advised the LA to concede Section I as unreasonable (no evidence to support its position). LA agreed which left some minor dispute of OT related needs & provision plus all of D & H.

Judge asked us to agree to the outstanding to be heard on the papers which we did. This was nearly 2 months ago and our actual hearing should have been 6 weeks ago.
The paper hearing date was moved so still hasn’t been heard yet.

Supplementary bundle has evidence which a) was served to us but not submitted to the tribunal b) totally new evidence that we haven’t seen c) omitted evidence submitted by us.

The majority of the errors don’t make a difference in the disputed areas but the new evidence does.

I have asked the LA Solicitor twice in the last four weeks
to correct the bundle without a reply (usually communicates). I

I followed the instructions of the clerks and emailed
in a direction was issued which set out the new hearing date on/from which stated issues with the bundle to be resolved between parties.

This is most probably irrelevant but adding to the injustice but there is a stage 2 investigation report about what I believe is unlawful thresholds for social care provisions which is being withheld yet they’ve submitted evidence in way. As it’s a paper hearing there won’t be an opportunity
to challenge this evidence.
Is there anything else I can do? If there’s isn’t anything I can do regarding the tribunal, is there a route of redress regarding the solicitors lack of action/response?

Removing references to evidence in the working document

Hello, we have our Tribunal hearing in a few weeks for our appeal of Section B and F and an extended appeal for Section C and G. We have managed to agree a large amount of the working document with the LA and they have asked me to now remove the references to professional reports against each statement that has been agreed.

I'm not keen to do this in case they change their mind about what has been agreed and adjust the working document before the hearing and my references then wont be included.

Is it standard practice to remove references from the working document before a hearing on agreed statements?

Thanks, Verity

Understanding change of placement in section I after permenant exclusion?

My son is in year 7, EHCP and been permanently excluded.

He was in mainstream and I was trying to get a change of placement but the LA had not put the paperwork through in time and told me to wait. In which time he was PEX. I'm not appealing the PEX as it's pretty pointless, he lasted 10 weeks in Mainstream school.

Now the PEX has prompted a change of placement under section I. I have named a specialist, the LA are consulting on Parental preference. But they feel his needs can still be met in Mainstream and consulting with them.

Due to the PEX he is now educated outside of school and the LA have set him work online with a tutor online. Which obviously does not meet provision F. I also work full time and after next week I have zero childcare. I have complained to the director of children and suprise, nobody cares.

I have two questions with anyone that has been through this:
1.When the LA name a school that is not parental preference I have the right to appeal under SEN tribunal, this is currently a 9-12 month wait, is this triaged as more urgent as he is not in school? Also will the 'tutoring' remain in place whilst I appeal?
2.I have contacted every solicitor I possibly can to proceed with judicial review, can anyone recommend anyone that could take legal aid and has availability?

I actually have no idea what to do and I don't actually no how I'm going to keep my job. Anyone that's been through this experience and could share would be much appreciated, I can't find this situation online anywhere.O