EHCP failed - whats next?

GabbyP

Hi My daughter is 17 and has an EHCP for severe anxiety, separation anxiety, social phobia and depression.  The college she attempted to try to attend for A levels agreed to the EHCP but four weeks in had not put any of the provision in place, her mental health took a dive and when I tried to arrange the provision in EHCP at a meeting, was instead told she could no longer continue as she was missing so much from non attendance - although keeping up with the work as course was 50/50 online and attendance due to Covid.  I have email trail backing this up.  Wonder if anyone knows what the next steps I can take are?  Daughter not sure she wants A levels now as nothing has changed in the meantime and she doesn't want to entertain going back to same place in Sept 2021.  

ASDIBS

I would contact the L A that provided the EHCP and let them know. I had this problem with my son. He couldn't attend college on a regular basis due to his anxiety related illness. I told the college that I felt they were discriminating against my son and that they needed to make reasonable adjustments. How does your daughter feel? Is she confident enough about the amount of work she has done?

Ross_Alumni

Hi @GabbyP

How are you? Have you made any progress with this?  

GabbyP

Hi Ross
No, not got anywhere yet.  Asked for EHCP review at beginning of the year but due to Covid situation, people being in and out and all the excuses associated, nothing happened yet despite chasing several times. Shouldn't have to be such a battle to get a kid who wants to learn into provision that suits her needs!!! On the plus side, #Focus5 are going to start working with Sophie and also our local careers advice people, CSW are having zoom meeting with us next week to look at what we can do as I was fed up waiting for the EHCP review - she'll lose another year if someone doesn't do something soon!  Think online provision is the only way to go, given that even with an EHCP the placement at 6th form college failed.

ASDIBS

I realise it's a bit late now but is there any way that your daughter could do a btec instead? There is no way that my son could have done a levels as he wasn't there often enough to do course work etc.  A btec may be more of a manageable qualification. My son was given assignments to complete and he researched the majority of it online. Does your daughter have a mentor at college that she can speak to? My son was assigned a mentor and he had a really good relationship with him. In fact without that support, my son would have failed. What details are on the EHCP? Does it list specific things that need to be put in place?

It's annoying. I've got the same problem now he's at university. Unfortunately EHCP is not valid at uni and I felt they didn't do enough for him. He's now having to resit his first year and another. 

GabbyP

Hi @ASDIBS. I thought an EHCP was good up to 25 years of age so would cover Uni??? Something else to worry about another day!  Sophie wants to study Anthropology at Uni - she's keen on A levels if she can do them online, or possibly access course later on - she has brains (unlike her mother!!) and is keen - just a very frustrating situation.  EHCP states 1-1 mentoring for 20 min daily, plus other 1-1 sessions, help accessing social activities etc but none of it was done by the college which is why the placement failed. College also questioned how she managed to get an EHCP with "just anxiety" which kinda says it all really.

ASDIBS

Oh wow. She managed to get an EHCP because she needs one. They're not easy to get so the college should appreciate that. Have you tried called ipsea? I found them really useful when I was changing my son's school on his EHCP. I thought to the same too re 25 years of age but they don't apply at uni. Apparently young adults can stay on a college longer (I think). I used my son's EHCP to get support at university but it's not law. He had to apply for a disabled students fund and he got awarded with mentor, laptop, recording device, printed etc.  Is there a different college local to you that she could attend? Probably not ideal though. The LA needs to review and the college need to advise what they're doing and now/if your daughter has improved and if any amendments need to be made on the EHCP. Sounds like a lazy college if I'm honest. My son should have had 1:1 support in all lessons but didn't like that at college. He therefore just went to his mentor as and when he felt the need to (he spent more time with his mentor) his mentor interacted with lecturers for him, got him extra time for assignments etc. I'm assuming that colleges are working face to face again now? Is your daughter still able to continue online? Is that something they could do? Sorry I can't help much as it's obviously down to LA and college communicating with eachother. ☹️. 

GabbyP

Its nice to just be able to vent! We only have the one college as rural location.  Daughter is investigating online A Levels and trying to decide on three subjects, I'll then push to get her those funded through EHCP.  She had LA provide online tuition for O Levels because she couldn't cope with school environment and that took an appeal to get. Thankfully we had a family Practioner from Early Help involved at that point and she fought tooth and nails for Sophies right to education but no longer involved with us as she had achieved the goal set.  Just all so difficult - I have two boys with autism and it wasn't this much of a fight (mostly because they got no help and we managed at "normal" school LoL).  I have been in contact with DIAS and Ipsea in the past fight for the EHCP, thanks for thinking of it, I shall gather my thoughts and prepare for another battle with LA.

ASDIBS

It's fine. It definitely feels better to vent. Trust me I know (do it often). My son has Asperger's and he had behavioural difficulties at his first high school as they didn't communicate with him properly. He also went to mainstream school. It's so frustrating. You think that when you've got the EHCP in place that it's going to be so much easier but no! You then have to rely on the school/college putting those provisions in place. Luckily my son is bright and that's one of the reasons he did well. I think if he wasn't then his college would have sat back and let him fail but they knew he was clever. He got the best GCSE results on his course. We shouldn't have to fight as much as we do. My son is 20 this year and I'm still doing it now. Good luck. Keep us updated with how your and your daughter get on. Take care x

forgoodnesssake

I can only echo the frustration of EHCP not covering Higher Education.  It's to do with how unis get centrally funded as opposed to colleges which have more localised funding as far as i am aware.  I have also been appalled at how few professionals who should know better are totally unaware that EHCP will stop the minute a young person enters HE, irrespective of how significant their needs are!  My son does have some stuff from DSA (much as @asdibs describes for her son)  but he has significant CP, uses a powered wheelchair, a communication and needs support with all physical and everyday tasks and none of that day to day support is now provided by DSA (it used to be until a radical shake up a few years ago) So now you are at the mercy of whatever the university can provide because they are now in charge of that.  We have been pretty lucky but it varies a lot so must be checked out well before committing to any one uni. 

Katharine_Alumni

So sorry to hear what has been happening for your daughter @GabbyP It must be incredibly frustrating. Yes, it is true that EHCPs should be available up to the age of 25. If there is anything that we can do at Career Pathways, please do drop us an email at careerpathways@scope.org.uk even if it is just that you/your daughter would like someone to listen We are here to support you and as someone with anxiety and depression myself which was never recognised at school, I know how frustrating it can be. Thanks for reaching out and sharing