So, as previously mentioned, but a recap if any one needs…

We had an annual review for Charlie in July, it was agreed in principle but after 8 weeks no forward planning has been made.

We have no draft EHCP, which alone from the fact we have no final EHCP, we also have no personal budget for 2024/25 academic year. So previous academic years meant that we were paid the personal budget to deliver Charlie's EHCP every September, January and April. So far there's been no payment.

I have been chasing this with the LA since August, I had hoped the EHCP draft plan would have been finalised by September 1st and then we would have received the first payment in order for Charlie to begin education.

His “school” is EOTAS which means Education Other Than At School. New terminology I'm led to believe is EOTIS which stands for Education Other Than In School, different LA’s use different terminology. For us though, it will be EOTAS.

EOTAS for Charlie consists of a speech and language therapist (SaLT) for 1 hour a week, a tutor for maths and English for 6.5hrs a week, a learning support worker (LSW) for up to 32hours a week for 39 weeks a year (we use this provision less in the week, so that Charlie can utilise this provision in the school holidays) this is delivered mainly Monday to Friday between 9-3.30pm for the most part. We keep the tutoring and SaLT between the school day but the LSW is extremely flexible and will work up until 9pm at night and over a Saturday if needed, not to mention over the school holidays. All Charlie's community activities, stationary, equipment, subscriptions, Duolingo and much more is also part of his plan.

Now the issue, due to the draft plan not being finalised, the agreement to the personal budget (which pays the LSW wage, along with lots of other things) we haven't received the personal budget for this year so I am unable to provide a huge chunk of Charlie's education! This is a worry for me. We don't want to lose our LSW because Charlie has made some really good progress here, and there are subscriptions that have already left for this term which of course has had to use funds that I had hoped would be replenished.

It's unfortunate that it has come to this, and I am told it's because of a structural change in the SEND department which has caused this, and a direct delay to Charlie's education. It's simply not good enough. This should have been addressed and managed by the beginning of term. We had slightly longer, given that we were on holiday until the 9th, there really was no reason for this to have taken longer. It is deeply unfair and frustrating to everyone working with Charlie.

I have already put in a formal complaint of which they have 10 days to legally respond, and this will hopefully escalate so that we can get an answer before the end of September. That in itself is difficult as it means we will be in limbo for a few weeks, and that's ultimately unfair on myself and the team that works around Charlie.

I can't believe that after such a positive start, that this is where we are. And all due to leadership changes within our LA. It really is frustrating.

Fingers crossed we get an answer soon!

Georgina x