Need advice on Education, Health & Care Plans
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cetaylormade
Community member Posts: 2 Listener
in Education
This discussion was created from comments split from: Hello my name is Hannah and I'm an educational psychologist.
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Hi Hannah,
I really hope you can help me! I have four children, but have particular concerns about my middle two children.
My son who is 9 is diagnosed with ASD and dyslexia. He also has auditory processing difficulties and visual stress. He has chronic headaches that are caused by anxiety that he has most days (consultant has ruled out any other mechanical causes for headaches and he has had an MRi). He is also incredibly bright (assessed as iq in top 1%). His consultant (pediatrician who he has been seeing with regards to his headaches) feels he needs additional support at school to help manage his anxiety and dyslexia in particular, but school haven't got funds and have said he wont get an EHCP as he is working at or above levels. Have you any advice/ do you agree that he is unlikely to get an EHCP?
My son who is 7 is also diagnosed with ASD but is also exceptionally bright and is working at or above in all areas. However, he can not go into school without the help of his brother (otherwise he gets very upset and takes up to 2 hours to calm down). Even with his brothers help, the school acknowledges that he needs 1/2 hr to settle everyday (he's not disruptive but tends to go mute). There is an additional TA in his classroom who is meant to be providing 1:1 support for another child, but she often has to help settle my son, showing him social stories, usual a visual timetable and more generalised support to help with his anxiety. At home it is becoming more apparent that he is struggling more and more with things as he rarely speaks in a normal voice anymore (he talks in a robotic/americanized voice when stressed), often hits himself to punish himself for bad thoughts, and has become more sensitive to noise and food textures. We feel he needs to have some 1:1 support but again the school has said they think he wouldn't get an EHCP because he is meeting/exceeding academic targets. However I thought my understanding was the new EHCP's covered more than just academic progress now and also were there to help with health/emotional/social side of things too?
Currently they both have a one page profile that is reviewed termly, but this is not generally adhered to! Any help or advice as to how I can support two twice exceptional (gifted and asd/dyslexic) boys would be gratefully received!
Many thanks, Charlotte -
With regards to your 9 year old, only the EHCP panel can say whether or not an assessment will be agreed. You do not need the school's permission to request. Go to www.ipsea.org.uk for info on best way to make a request for EHCP assessment.
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Same advice re your 7 year old. Though I'd also ask your GP/paediatrician for referral to CAMHS for advice on how to stop him self-hitting. Also National Autistic Society may be able to provide some outreach support. The website Potential Plus has useful info on supporting gifted children with additional SEN (there's also a Facebook group). Ideally both your sons should have a full assessment by an educational psychologist who can offer recommendations for what needs to be in place at school. You can then use the reports as part of a request for EHCP.
Hope you're able to get the right support for them both. -
Hi @cetaylormade
I thought you might be interested in this week's guest Q&A by the Independent Support Service about EHCPs.
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