SCN0374

Written evidence from Parental Submission 48

 

  1. My son has an EHCP granted in March of this year. We battled for 3 years to obtain this despite clear evidence since he was a baby of his needs.
  2. My son has epilepsy, a chromosome disorder, learning disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, poor motor skills. Processing disorder, and a number of other issues.
  3. In my experience, I have met with nothing but resistance from the local authority, and schools in support for my son.
    I am fortunate in that I am legally trained and have fought hard for my son who now has an ehcp.
    That being said, his needs are not met. His LSA is in place but his OT and SALT provision are not being met due to argument between local authorities and the unwillingness of his local authority to go into his school.
  4. Much more shocking has been the response of [local authority] at our request to move there. I have recently been offered a good job which I am on the point of having to turn down with [name] University, because not a single school in [city] will accept my son.
  5. My son has no behavioural problems at all, he simply requires one to one help to understand non literal language and to concentrate. Every single school that we have approached have opposed his admission on the grounds that it will interfere with the efficient education of other children. This is purely to do with finances, and they are using this as an excuse.
  6. His current head teacher has written a glowing reference showing that my son has no behavioural problems and is  a model student.
  7. Funding for higher needs students like my son needs to e increased dramatically and schools should be prevented from so blatantly discriminating against children with an ehcp.
  8. I am very concerned indeed about the future, and that my son will be without  a school place. At present it seems that school can just lie and make up excuses as to why they don’t want children with Sen.
  9. Funding is insufficient as matters stand, and if the CAFA is to be given meaning it needs to be implemented with funding.

June 2018