At Education Advisers we are increasingly being approached to help families find independent SEN schools for their children.
Increased awareness and understanding of the ways in which the lives of children and young people with SEN can be improved, together with a greater awareness of that entitlement, has resulted in a rise in the numbers of families who are desperate to simply get their child’s needs assessed and documented for provision via an Education Health and Care plan (EHCP); the legal document outlining the child’s legal right to support.
All children in the UK who are recognised as having Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities are entitled to extra support. However, in the seemingly endless war of words and stream of conflicting pronouncements about funding in schools, parents of children with Special Educational Needs are often in the dark as to what they can do to find the best kind of support for their child and are often left feeling that they have to put up with inadequate provision, or worse still, they take their child out of school altogether .
So, is there anything an anxious parent can do?
The answer is yes!
There is a potential solution to be found in the independent (private) sector and you can start by returning to the recommendations outlined in your child’s EHCP.
Once your child’s needs have been officially evidenced in an EHCP, you as the parent and in turn your child’s school, are able to claim funding for that support from the Local Authority, who are legally bound to provide it.
Equally, if as a parent if you feel that
- your child’s needs are not being met in line with the recommendations of the EHCP
- there is no other viable maintained sector option
- you have found an independent school that can meet those needs
You are entitled to approach the LA for funding
Or, if you are interested in finding out more about the possibility of an independent school education for your child give us a call on 01622 812852 and speak to one of our consultants or fill in an enquiry form.