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Funding for Private Provision
My daughter is diagnosed AuDHD and receives high rate daily living DLA and low mobility. No EHCP.
She attended a private Waldorf school until it closed down in 2024. Waldorf has a very different approach to education which was accessible to her.
After the closure there was a nearly 2yr court battle between myself and her father as he tried to force her into state school. CAFCASS concluded that would not be in her best interests and would in fact be harmful for her to attend state school and it was court ordered that she would not be made to. She was to be home educated and attend a Waldorf home education group four days a week - highlighting that the Waldorf approach is the type of education that she can access. I was able to receive financial support for this through UC as it was Ofsted registered as childcare.
She has now aged out of that provision and wishes to attend another private Waldorf school, ideally starting in Sept for the next two years for her GCSE's. (She would be going into year 10)
Unfortunately the fees would stretch the family budget to it's max and the schools own funding applications have closed for this upcoming year.
What funding sources are available?
Would a section 19 be applicable here? -
We are in the final stages of EHCP. We have requested EOTAS (to pay for online school) and a personal budget. The LA have said "County Independent panel have reviewed your request for EOTAS and personal budget to fund Kings Inter High, further information is required before EOTAS can be considered. We will be contacting F...... high school to establish if they are able to support funding Kings Inter High as E. remains on their school roll. We will also be issuing consultations to independent settings to establish suitability; these consultations will be shared with you before they are issued." My question is does the LA pay for EOTAS - why are they asking the school? The LA tried to unroll her from mainstream but we said they could not do this until they have provided alternative provision - and we request EOTAS - were we wrong to do so?
My daughter is happy at online school. She has tried two mainstream schools and cannot manage. She will not attend school in person and the EP report is fairly conclusive with this regard.
Angie Lee-Foster
17 Jan 2024