Does your child need an EHCP?

We hear in the media about the failure of children with SEND by the education system. There are so many horror stories of children and their families being let down again and again. For anyone who is starting the journey with their autistic child, the system alone can appear to be totally overwhelming, and often there is a lot of misinformation given to parents, which makes it even more challenging. Sadly, lots of the problems people experience come from different teams being determined to save money. The majority of autistic children can cope in mainstream schools and don’t necessarily need EHC plans. The reason there is often a failure at this stage is the lack of clarity about what support is available without a plan.

SENCOS are often perceived as the key to getting a child an EHCP, and they only get involved at that point. The role of a SENCO is to coordinate the SEN provision in the school and to ensure that every child with SEND can access an appropriate education where they can thrive and reach their own personal potential.

The step before an EHC plan is called SEN support, and whilst it isn’t legally binding in the same way that an EHC plan is, the school have a statutory obligation to provide the support. SEN support can sound quite ambiguous with little rigour, but according to the government website, for a child aged 5-16, this level of support can include:

• Specialist learning programme

• extra help from a teacher or assistant

• to work in a smaller group

• observation in class or during break

• help with taking part in class activities

• extra encouragement in their learning, for example, to ask questions or to try something they find difficult

• help to communicate with other children

• support with physical or personal care

This list is not exhaustive but shows the range of additional support that can be accessed without an EHC plan. We are going to do a series of posts over the coming couple of weeks, which will give some ideas of how parents can support their child, ensuring that their child has access to the support they need. It is a prerequisite of reaching an EHC plan threshold that the school has exhausted all the support that they are obligated to offer. This support can also be accessed during the EHC plan assessment process, so it doesn’t exclude being able to be assessed for a plan.

Social development is a key part of a child’s education journey and is particularly essential for autistic children. The government website suggests the following support options for children who are eligible to access SEN support and have a social development difficulty:

• help to communicate with other children

• observation in class or during break

• Help with taking part in class activities

• Work in a smaller group

Every child who is struggling with their social development will obviously need different support and interventions. However, here are some ideas:

Observation in class or at break - for this purpose, the break observation is crucial. A child who copes well in a structured classroom setting and can communicate and socialise with their peers may be completely stuck during break time. It is essential that you request that these observations be done by a staff member who is familiar with the child in the class environment so that there is a clear comparison. To get a clear idea of how the child is coping socially. Lessons such as the arts and PE must also be observed as these require different social skills than more academic subjects.

Helping to communicate with other children is another element that can encompass both the class and playground settings. Remember that communication doesn’t just mean the ability to talk. It is about understanding social and unspoken rules. Whilst these are not part of the school curriculum, they are an essential part of education.

The sort of help that you could request includes:

• Short individual sessions to talk through events that they struggle with.

• Social stories to help demonstrate expected communication.

• Communication cards

• Supported interactions with peers both in and out of the classroom

• Explaining to the class about autism and ADHD, and how they can help autistic pupils and pupils with ADHD to be happy, accepted and included.

Help with taking part in class activities - again, this is not exclusively academic classes. The sort of help you could request includes:

• Support before, during and after school trips

• Support to take part in class assemblies, concerts and plays

• Support to work in a group activity - this may include using visual scaffolding or having an adult work closely with or monitor the group.

• Making sure that your child is given support but is still challenged academically. Even if your child finds group work difficult, they shouldn't be grouped with lower-ability children unless necessary.

• Preparation before an activity so that they have time to process what is going to happen.

  
  

Work in a smaller group.

Smaller class sizes are one of the things that are often cited as a reason that a neurodivergent child can’t cope in mainstream. For some, this is very much the case. If your child attends a mainstream school and has SEN, that means they would benefit from a smaller learning environment at certain times of the day. This is something that can and should be facilitated at the required times. A smaller class size can mean that socialising isn’t so daunting, and this can encourage a child to interact more appropriately with their peers.

These are just a few ideas of the sort of support a school can give your child’s social development without the need for an EHC plan. If, after all these options have been tried, you still feel unsure, approach your SENCO and discuss what you think your child still needs and isn't getting. Contact your local SEND advice service in your local authority area and find out what options are available to you at that point. An EHC plan is not the only way to get your child support. While it may sometimes be necessary, there are often faster and more productive routes by working directly with your child's school.