Lincolnshire Mum Appeals for Specialist School Placement for Autistic Son
A Lincoln-based mum finds herself in a protracted struggle with Lincolnshire County Council after her three-year-old son, diagnosed with Autism and Global Development Delay (GDD), was denied a place at a specialist school.
Unsuccessful Application for Educational Health and Care Plan
Ralphi, who is under assessment for the eating disorder, pica, requires full-time, one-on-one support owing to high anxiety levels in his current nursery environment as per findings from an educational psychologist. His mother, 30-year-old Sharnie Philpot, had submitted these findings to the Lincolnshire County Council (LCC) as part of an application for an Educational Health and Care Plan (EHCP) for Ralphi, but the council's initial refusal was a hard blow:
"I was floored, even though my son can’t even so much as sit on a chair and still drinks out of a baby bottle, he isn’t being offered a place at a specialist school. They want to put my child who can’t even cope at nursery in a mainstream school with 25-30 children," said Sharnie.
Although Sharnie and her family contested this decision, the council only reversed their decision regarding the EHCP but did not offer Ralphi a place in a specialist school.
When Sharnie tried to appeal the educational aspects of the EHCP, the LCC stood by their original decision, leading to a potentially lengthy wait for a tribunal and leaving Ralphi without an adequate place in the education system.
"We now have to wait up to 24 months for a tribunal which now leaves Ralphi with no place in the education system," Sharnie lamented. "He deserves the same chance at education as every other child in the world."
Response from Lincolnshire County Council
In response to Sharnie's concerns, Sheridan Dodsworth, Head of SEND at Lincolnshire County Council, said the council strives to meet the needs of children with special requirements. She added that the council is investing £100m in local special schools and creating over 500 additional places to accommodate the increasing demand.
"Our aim is to ensure that children with special educational needs get the support they require. Sometimes that means a place at a special school, but, in many cases, a mainstream school and additional support is more appropriate. Every case has its individual circumstances, and there is an appeals process if parents disagree with a decision," Dodsworth stated.
Currently, 2,713 children in the county benefit from an EHCP, studying in both maintained and academy special schools. The quota for these schools is set annually but the institutions often accommodate additional students if resources permit.