EHCP

Udosdottir

Hiya everyone. I am having a hard time with my twin's EHCP at the moment. Both in very different ways. And I feel so confused. About how it all works, what it's supposed to do... we applied together with school for one twin because school told us we should, it couldn't do any harm, only help with transition to secondary school. And I applied together with school for the other twin, against their wish - but in the end together with them after all - because I think school is not doing enough for him at the moment and he needs more support.

The first EHCP was accepted this summer, after I threatened to appeal (very weird, and I was then more or less blackmailed into agreeing to it in the current form- but that was partly my mistake because I took too long to react because I didn't fully understand...). In any case, the EHCP we have now, is very vague, doesn't describe needs adequately and is factually wrong in some details. (School currently provides 1-1 the whole school day, which is really needed, whereas in the EHCP is only says "instructions may need to be repeated".) The second EHCP was not even rejected in the past 11 months. But because it went through our SENCO, I do not have any contact numbers I could call. And when I called SENCO, she always tells me "you should have heard something, maybe have another look" and "I'll speak with them and let you know next week". We went through such email exchanges now three times since the begin of the pandemic - which doesn't make things easier. I was patient due to the circumstances, but I am beginning to regret that. - I don't really know what to do... I had a look at IPSEA but it all seems like I have to have an idea what I really want. And I feel like I don't understand all this enough.

I would like to speak with someone who know about this, explain our case, and get some advise on what I can and should expect and ask for. ... Any recommendations where to turn to for support?

Tori_Scope

Hi @Udosdottir Thanks for posting. EHCPs aren't something I have much personal experience with, so I've marked your post as 'unanswered' in the hopes that someone else will see your post. I've also moved your post into the education category in case that helps others who've been in a similar position to you to find your post.

Have you looked into your local SENDIASS service? SENDIASS are the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information Advice and Support Service. For example, here is the Leeds SENDIASS website, and their webpage on EHCPs.

I know you said you'd looked into IPSEA, but they have an information service that could be of use to you to help you get some more general advice and support? 

Udosdottir

Thank you, Tori_Scope. I will look into the additional links. For now, I actually managed to get school to agree to an early review. I hope that's what's right. I am so confused what with the possibilities of requesting a re-assessment, a review, or contest it altogether. And I am not sure I understand the difference between SEDNIASS and IPSEA. I feel like I am stuck in a mirror maze :-)

I still would very much appreciate to have a personal chat. I am not sure what exactly I can actually expect of an EHCP, I guess. I went into it, thinking we are doing school a favour because it would help them access funding, and now I find myself in a position where I am arguing with school that there should be more put into it. It's so weird.

poppy123456

A review is not a re-assessment. It's a review of her needs and the EHCP. The process can take several weeks, sometimes longer. With Christmas just around the corner, it's likely to take longer. Your local council will also need to agree to the early review.

A meeting will be called for the review to take place and you will be invited to attend, along with anyone else you wish to invite. Although this may not be done as a face to face meeting, it could potentially be done through a video call.

Before the meeting your daughters school will need to prepare all the paper work, which will include their thoughts on her needs. They will also send you a form to fill in with your thoughts on her needs.

Once the meeting has taken place a draft copy of the EHCP will be done and sent to you. You will need to read through all of that very carefully, if you disagree with anything that's in their you will need to contact them and tell them but this must be done within a certain length of time (the letter will tell you how long you have) When the process has been completed you will be sent the final EHCP.

Udosdottir

Thank you for your answer @poppy123456.

The Senco said, she'd "meet up" with me, go through the document, make a note of everything I want changed, and then run that back with the council.

I am so confused. Because when I talked with them in July and told them that this wasn't right, they told me: "this or nothing, but you can have a review right in September". It's been weird with Covid and everything. I expected there to be a formal review of it like you described above. On the very first day back to school, the Senco met us on the parking lot, and we understood she wanted to go through the Covid safety measures school had taken, and why it would be safe for your daughter to return.And my husband who drops her off, said that wasn't nevessary (as we had read all that before)

Now she claims that was what review which we had rejected back then.

And now she says that we can just meet and she'll feed it all back to the local authority, they'll change it, no problem, and send me the new EHCP. It does sound too easy. I used to think the SENCO was on our side, and now it feels like she's playing me. Could it be that it's being done like that because of Covid? - We are to enter tier 3 next week.

Udosdottir

Maybe I should ask for a re-assessment rather than a review? Seeing it never was right? Where can I get help understanding what I should ask for? Also in the EHCP, Now the SENCO essentially tells me I should write my own document, but I have never seen one. What *should* be in there?

poppy123456

It will always be a review and not a reassessment. The EHCP is already in place it just needs changing to support your childs needs, which is usually done yearly.

Even though we are in extremely difficult times, you shouldn't be relying on the SENCO to pass on information because the correct information may not be given.

I find it extremely difficult to believe that a review will be done so soon after the current EHCP was done. It's a lot of work to put together a review and when they are done it's usually through a meeting, with yourself included.

You wouldn't "write" your own document as such, you would be given a form with questions on it and for you to put your views. This will then be transferred into the EHCP.

Once the draught EHCP has been completed, you should never ever agree if it's not correct. You should always voice your opinions with what you think isn't correct and for them to be changed.

I am familiar with the EHCP process having been through all of this quite recently with my daughter. She was 17 when she had her first one but i did have an amazing amount of support from my local council. A review has then taken place every year since then. I did have to fight a little for the last one to be done because she's almost 20 now and will soon be coming towards the end of her education years, it was eventually done and funding is now in place for her final year.

Tori_Scope

Just to add as well @Udosdottir, you can always ring our friendly Helpline service if you'd prefer to chat this through one-to-one on the phone. You can contact the Helpline on 0808 800 3333.

Udosdottir

Thanks to both of you! I find this all so difficult; to understand the implications, and to really get impartial information. I also find it hard to believe that the senco tells me; o.k., we'll meet next week, and you tell me what should be in the EHCP and that's it. But that's really exactly what she said.

I wrote to an solicitor in the meantime in the hope of getting some real information there, and also contacted SENDIASS. I am afraid of souring the relationship we currently have with school. Because apart from this process now, they used to be really supportive, and put a lot in place for us. And suddenly I feel like trying to pull down rubber doors: It doesn't feel right, when I say so, everyone agrees, and then nothing changes. :-(

They do say that everything is different due to COVID. Apparently many rights and processes have just been frozen. For example we used to have a CAF every term, and I had to fight hard for the one we'll have at the end of this week.

My husband (the child's father) thinks we should just leave it as it is, as things in practise work out alright, even if it isn't a legal right ensured in the EHCP. I am utterly confused, and a little paranoid of making things worse for her, and at the same time, finding it hard trusting our only source of information atm : the senco. I hope the solicitors will answer my request. I have not heard from them as of yet. But then, I wrote during the weekend, so they only have had a couple of hours to look at it.

Thanks for being here. Makes me feel a little less alone.

poppy123456

I definitely don't think a solicitor is needed here and i'm not even sure if they will be able to offer you any help or advice.

Udosdottir

@poppy123456 yeah, maybe not. I have just had a long talk on the phone with a lady from SENDIASS. That was really good. I felt reluctant to contact them, because they wanted to generate a file upfront, and I had to hand over exactly all data before anyone would even talk with me about whether they can offer any help. - I thought it would be like filing an official complaint, and didn't want to mess with things before I understand what's going on.

But that was a really good and helpful chat. I was starting to panic and got more and more confused while reading stuff online that never fully applied. Now I am much calmer. While she agreed that we need to fix that EHCP, she also reassured me that there's no real time pressure. (I feared I was maybe losing a right to appeal or something if I waited too long), and we kind of build a clear path forward. That feels much better. And I think I understand now in retrospect what the SENCO meant because what she literally said just really doesn't make any sense. (She really said I should write my own version of the EHCP and she would see it implemented which just didn't sound right, and got me so confused. But I think she just meant that if I feel school is failing her in a way, she'd see it implemented. Or something along those lines.)

But now that I know what the next steps are, I feel so much better about it all. And better suited for my talk with the SENCO on Friday. Phew! Thanks for your support and for bearing with me. :-:smile:

poppy123456

You're welcome. I'm glad you were able to talk to someone. I know how it feels not to understand the process and what everything means. Been there, did it and wore the tshirt, as the saying goes. It took me a while to understand the whole thing.

Let us know how you get on with SENCO on Friday and if you need anymore advice, please just ask. Always happy to help and advise anywhere i can. It's a daunting process.

Tori_Scope

I'm really glad that SENDIASS were so helpful @Udosdottir, and that you've finally got a bit of a plan. As Poppy said, please do let us know how you get on on Friday