Testimonials

This case study illustrates the importance of obtaining an accurate education, health and care plan (EHCP) in order to gain a place in the right specialist education setting.

From mainstream to home schooling

Daniel* is a secondary school pupil with diagnoses of Autism Spectrum Condition (Asperger’s) with associated challenges, absence epilepsy and a demand avoidant profile.

As a cognitively able young person, he had been educated in a mainstream school, but required both Speech and Language Therapy and Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, funded by his parents.

Their application for an assessment for an EHCP was declined by the local authority (LA) in June 2023 and so they began home-schooling Daniel in October that year. Daniel’s parents looked at potential independent specialist provision and one school suggested they would benefit from our school search service.

Involving an educational solicitor

Due to the lack of support from their LA, we advised Daniel’s parents to contact either an educational solicitor or a SEND Advocacy for help in obtaining an EHCP. This is a legally binding document that follows a young person whether they attend a mainstream or specialist provision school, documenting their educational needs which must be met.

Following the appointment of solicitors for Daniel, their involvement led to the LA agreeing to an assessment. However, when the draft EHCP was received it specified that Daniel could be educated in a mainstream secondary school. His parents requested an appeal of this decision as they felt such a setting would be unable to meet their son’s needs.

Obtaining the right evidence

We recommended that additional expert witness reports on Daniel’s needs should be obtained and submitted as evidence to support changes to the draft EHCP.

The local authority set a date for a SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disability) Tribunal so that the EHCP could be appealed but, with our input and support from the solicitors, the requested changes were accepted by the LA and a Tribunal was avoided.

Searching for a best-match school

Having reviewed all the diagnostic reports for Daniel and agreed specific search criteria with his parents, we conducted a school search, explaining our process in an online meeting with them.

We identified a number of schools potentially able to meet Daniel’s needs and, following a review, agreed a shortlist with the family. We advised them to visit as many different specialist schools as possible, to enable a clear comparison.

As a result of these initial visits and referrals made to selected schools, Daniel was invited for several ‘taster’ days. We worked with him and his parents to prepare them for what these days would involve. A further potential school was also found at this stage and named in the EHCP. Having been out of school for a year, Daniel has been successfully attending this specialist provision since the end of November 2024.

Without expert help in obtaining an EHCP and successfully challenging the initial version by presenting additional professional diagnostic reports, Daniel would still be out of school. Instead he is flourishing in an educational setting matched to his specific needs.

* Name has been changed.

I would highly recommend the services of Lorna and Susannah.  My son has ASD and we had been through a very traumatic period of school suspensions, exclusion and initial local authority refusal to issue EHCP (now appealed successfully) when I first met Lorna.

From the outset Lorna has been caring, professional and non-judgemental, and committed to helping me find the most appropriate education for him.  I had what I thought were a lot of “silly” queries and they have never been treated as such.

My son has now completed a full term in one of the schools identified in the search, and the progress has been wonderful to see.

Thank you Lorna and Susannah.”

We worked with Lorna to help explore school options for our eldest daughter who has severe dyslexia. Having already been on a long journey before speaking with Lorna, we were very impressed by both her knowledge of this complex area, her practical input, and her nuanced understanding of our child (which she has developed from reading her paperwork).

It felt like Lorna ‘knew’ our child, without even having met her which has been very important in helping guide our journey. Lorna was also very adaptable to move quickly within our time frame which we very much appreciated. Very highly recommended.

Thank you so much for your assistance in finding residential provision for my son. He loves the vocational pathway in animal husbandry, and is being fully supported for his therapeutic needs. Now he has a life of his own with friends his age.”

My autistic son was desperate to move to a school where his needs could be fully met and he could be helped to make friends with like-minded children. Really huge thanks to you for finding the right place for him – his self-esteem has improved so much and he is engaged and learning well at school for the first time in years.”

Thank you very much for your time; you have really helped us to rationalise our thoughts with your comprehensive service. We have spent three years fighting to get the help our daughter needs and finally we feel the end is almost in sight!”