It's been a while since I posted here, and a fair bit has occurred, mostly frustrating, but I have had to keep my fighting spirit up, and for some of it, I have succeeded.
W's EHCP request was refused by our local SEN team. Their 'experts' (made up of teachers, head teachers, health care professionals, to name a few) decided that although they recognised W had 'recognised special needs', the information submitted by W's teacher was insufficient. These professionals made this decision without even meeting W. They made their choice not to carry out an EHCP within one of their weekly meetings, along with many other children's applications.
To add further to their refusal, the telephone call to let me know the outcome was not forthcoming, despite them saying they had a duty to call me within 24 hours of their answer. So it was left to me to chase up, and when I finally spoke to someone in their office, she informed me with an air of patronising, that she was "aware it is not the answer I was hoping for". No kidding!
I approached my local Parent Partnership, who are volunteers, and who have experience and knowledge of the SEN system.
I met with one of their advisers, and through him, he arranged an informal meeting with a representative from the SEN team.
We met at W's school, and present were myself, W's teacher, my adviser from the PP, and the SEN member. W was still not required by this stage, and the representative was not interested in meeting him.
The child for whom the 'experts' on a panel decided didn't need an EHCP.
W's teacher fought her ground, and asked the SEN woman to clarify exactly what was not sufficient in all the information she had submitted.
Each time the SEN woman gave an example, W's teacher went into the information the SEN panel had received and apparently reviewed (to base their "no" decision on) and showed her just what she was asking for. There was nothing missing. Everything they claimed they needed to base their decision on, was there.
The excuses kept on coming though.
I was asked to approach W's ophthalmologist and request him to write a detailed report on W's eye condition, how it affected him day to day, the outlook, expectations etc. I was also asked to pay out of my own pocket for an educational psychologist report, and a speech therapist report. They were asking me to spend upwards of £500 for this.
If you consider that the EHCP has it's own educational psychologists and speech therapists to complete their own assessments, it seemed ridiculous, and another cheap tactic to make me give up trying to fight them to carry it out.
I decided then to continue on to Global Mediation. It is a relatively new idea (it wasn't a must do way back when I had a Statement (what the EHCP used to be called!) carried out on my eldest son).
The SEN team had a deadline to reply to the GM request, and two days before it ran out, I received a letter from the SEN team, which made no sense. They stated they had received a request to carry out an EHCP on W, and that they had 6 weeks to decide if they would do so.
I have dealt with this particular SEN team before, and I had been caught out by their lies and tricks before, so this time I knew it wasn't a mistake. They were hoping to catch me out.
I called GM and my adviser there said the SEN had not responded to their request for a meeting.
I called my SEN team. I asked why this letter had been generated and sent, and why they had ignored the GM request. The resulting waffle and lies were laughable.
I telephoned the GM back a little later that day, and was told the SEN had literally just emailed in a response to the meeting and had agreed. Funny that.
I had collated all the information for the big meeting. I even purchased a swish folder file to hold all the paperwork in. I wanted to look and feel confident.
I researched the GM mediator who was assigned our case. He seemed very adept at his regular career as a solicitor, and his mediation skills had all positive reviews.
I was ready to fight the SEN. I was actually quite looking forward to it. To show them up. To highlight their excuses. I even had photos of W to look over us as we talked around the table. I wanted them to see the child for whom they knew so much about (apparently).
40 hours before our meeting, I received a call from GM to say that the SEN team had backed down and had agreed to carry out the EHCP, and that they wanted the meeting cancelled.
I requested that the SEN confirm this to me in writing (email) before I agree to cancel, as I didn't want them to catch me out again, by lying about agreeing, me cancelling, and then losing the right to a meeting - there are strict rules and time frames for Global Mediation, and as we were right at the end of the time frame I didn't want to fall into a trap (I really really do not trust SEN teams!!).
So now the EHCP process has begun. We have met with the coordinator who is our 'go to' person throughout the assessment. An educational psychologist has been booked for a review of W, at school.
I am not letting my guard down however.
I have learnt the hard way about their specialists who assess children for the EHCP. The report generated for my eldest son's tribunal (going back a few years now!) was full of lies (claiming I had said X and Y), and was so biased towards the SEN council, it was laughable. I ripped the report apart, highlighted each inaccuracy, submitted it to the panel of three judges, and was praised by the tribunal head judge for not bowing down to the bullying of the council team.
The supposed 20 weeks time frame is also not tenable I have been told. They are so far behind with their EHCP's that even my eldest son who is being transferred over to the EHCP from the Statement (every child will be transferred over in the country) has a delay, despite him not having his EHCP questioned at all. He is severely autistic and has severe learning difficulties. The SEN team won't dare try and refuse him!
It should not be this hard to get my son help with his education. But it is. And it is happening all over the country. With the way the Tory government view people with disabilities, it is not going to get better any time soon. SEN teams need proper funding to keep on top of the many children with disabilities in their catchment, but because there are always budget cuts by each council (and the children's and disabled services always seem to be hit hard each time when they make cuts) and the councils don't get enough government backing financially, it is a mess. A disgrace. It is 2016 in modern Britain, and yet children and adults with a disability are treated with contempt by those in power.
SEN teams do not ever seem to be kind or amenable however, and the panel of 'experts' have no interest in an individual child, just how easily they can keep costs down by refusing to help children who need support.
Politics. There's only ever one winner.
I have a big fight on my hands.
I'm ready to give it my all.
My son needs me to.
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