I don’t want school to attend mediation. Refusal to issue. The school see no issues, whereas my daughter is in the verge of EBSA. They have never supported any referrals, despite my persistent requests since reception. I finally paid for a dyslexia assessment in Y3 which identified moderate dyslexia but recommended SALT & ASD assessment. The ASD referral was refused at triage as school information said she was fine. So I paid for those assessments too. She was diagnosed Autistic & SALT highlighted language difficulties, following instructions 0.4 percentile, her other scores were 2 percentile or below apart from 1 which was 40 percentile which is how SALT thought her lack of understanding was being missed. I have seen via SAR school stating my child has no issues & that it is me. The mediation company have invited the school and the Headteacher & SENDCO are attending. I really don’t want them there but the Mediation company said they have to. I also asked for just one decision maker from the LA attend but I have been told the manager & case worker have to attend. I have also been diagnosed Autistic & I feel intimidated. I thought it was up to the parties in the mediation to request who is invited, not the mediator.

Someone in my community has a child in reception with complex social issues and potentially ASD. She is classified as non-verbal although she does have some verbal communication now. Her school have been clear since September that they can't support her. Her mother has applied to 14 specialist schools, none of which are prepared to accept her unless she has some intervention which results in her presenting differently. She has a meeting with Lambeth on the 30th January to try and resolve things but understandably has low confidence in a successful outcome. She has been told that she can bring an expert with her to the meeting, who could she ask who would understand the process well enough and doesn't need to be paid? Are there charities who could offer support in this way?

We were issued an EHCP over the summer for my 7 yr old daughter which left out SALT and OT input, even though we supplied very detailed private assessments in both these areas - these are the two largest areas of need. The LA told us they would update the EHCP when the NHS OT/SALT had seen our daughter. As the time was running out for mediation or appeal to be triggered and we still had an EHCP that was not fit for purpose, we initiated mediation. Mediation is now December, the OT and SALT reports have just been done. Yesterday, through the mediator, the LA sent the NHS OT and SALT reports with a word version of the current EHCP, and asked us to mark up what changes we want. Are parents really expected to write the EHCP's with no qualifications, having no idea of what a good EHCP should look like? I'd like to know what should happen in the process, and what's the most practical thing for us to do now - if the best shot at getting what we need is to go back and pay a private EP to review and make changes, then I'll have to take it, but seems unbelievably unfair. Doubt they will do it in time of our December mediation date, in which case we will have to move the mediation date. Any advice would be really appreciated! Thank you.

My child, aged 14, is at private school, they have just been identified ASD and ADHD. Does an EHCP work in the same way in private schools?

LA has agreed to EOTAS (involving tutoring, educational provision at an equestrian centre, and clinical psychology support). I have asked for transport costs - my car mileage - in taking my 13 year old child to and from these places. She has severe SEMH needs and will not allow anyone else to transport her. Is there law to support me claiming my car mileage; and can this be written into her EHCP? Many thanks.

My daughter's EHCP is going through a Phrase Transfer (nursery to Reception) annual review. She is currently repeating nursery at an independent school who are supporting her brilliantly and where we want her to stay for Reception. She has Goldenhar Syndrome which results in a hearing loss and severe speech disorder plus various other things. The upshot is that she needs a full time LSA, SALT and OT provision plus Section F of her current EHCP specifies 'quiet listening conditions with low levels of background noise and reverberation'. The independent school which is our first choice has said they can meet needs conditional on her receiving full time LSA support (current EHCP specifies 30 hrs).

The LA say they have two state primary schools that can meet needs. Both schools have intakes of 60 children in Reception where all 60 children share the same classroom space. One of the schools has been described as unsuitable by the Teacher of the Deaf. We obtained the offers from each school and actually neither of the offer letters say they can meet all needs, they both say they can meet SOME of her needs but not all. Both also say they would need extra funding from the LA to make changes to the acoustic environment.

Are we now in a position where the LA do not have a suitable alternative school that can meet needs so they must place her at the independent school that we want and pay for the full package (including fees)? Does 'meeting needs' mean 'meeting all needs' or is there a grey area?

Does anyone have any advice about 'school refusal'? My child, aged 14 hasn't been in school since Dec 2020. How can we help breakdown the barriers and help them return to school?

At what point can Mainstream schools decide they are not able to meet the needs of a child? Aged 6 , yr 2, Prob ASD/ ADHD?? Not yet diagnosed , but has now got ECHP.

My daughter is in mainstream with an EHCP of 32.5. I want her moved into a primary specialist setting. She’s now yr 5. Process was delayed by 2 years due to pandemic. Have been turned down. LA also in email trying to deter me from naming a specialist secondary on her AR which is next week. Despite EP has stated ‘she needs a differentiated curriculum’ and to be ‘educated with like-minded peers’ . And that info appearing on EHCP draft.

The reasons LA gave were vague and non specific. School is full, levels too high apparently , (even though only emerging y3 with full support) and would impact on efficient education of others. (Found case law on IPSEA)
Current School support the move.
Feel that LA acting unlawfully and incompetent re timelines.. so was told I could go to AR with only a working document not a proper draft - I’ve challenged that and working doc has been relabelled and sent as a draft with now obsolete info as per EP report.

I will exercise my daughter’s right of appeal, but is it only learning levels that are ever considered at tribunals? she has a complex range of medical, soc communication and physical disabilities as well as being at pre key stage levels.

Is there anything in the Noddy Guide specific to this?

Also can I name out of county as an alternative?
Thanks

We have Mediation on Monday for refusal to assess, for my 12 year old daughter who is in Y8 and really struggling. Parental request.

LA have clearly accepted she has SEN in their refusal letter, so that’s the first hurdle.

Refusal letter from LA:
-the evidence presented felt contradictory in that **** has shared she does not feel anxious about school but parents have shared that **** can mask
-limited evidence from school to support parents view that **** is struggling in school
-information from school reference academic information very limited
-panel felt that whilst **** clearly has some additional needs, there seems to be a breakdown in communication between home and school

The CAMHS report evidenced clearly states her level of anxieties reported many times from my daughter, however the LA felt it was contradictory despite a letter from CAMHS. Nonsense. The first sentence in her ADOS report states ‘**** was contradictory about high school, she said it’s better than primary school as it’s bigger however constantly having to move around for different lessons is very difficult. She denies she is anxious about going INTO school but she dislikes all the people in her form’…

My daughters CAMHS worker is attending the mediation meeting also.

I’ve printed every email I’ve sent to school, and 9 times out of 10 not had a response. They really do not care and have also not fed any of these issues to the LA when they have requested information from them.

Looking for any advice for Monday, I’m well aware it’ll most likely be a fail but I just try. I’ve got a tribunal in January for my other daughter, not quite sure I have it in me to go through to all again 😞