This blog post was written on 4/2/2020

An EHCP (Education and Healthcare Plan) is there to assist your SEN child through childhood with the correct services and provision in order to safeguard them and hope that they achieve their full potential. It is written by using the guidelines of the SEND Code of Practice, a 292 page document with principles that all services working with SEN children should adhere to. Tonight I took apart the 292 pages, bit by bit and wrote a 4 page long complaint outlining each and every principle that I personally feel has failed Charlie. Whether it be health or education.

The EHCP has been in draft version for around 10 months now, and is not legal. The legalities come from the legal framework within Children and Families Act 2014, which then makes up the guidelines given to the SEND Code of Practice.

I knew nothing about the legalities of SEND caselaw and just bumbled around with this shockingly written EHCP which was neither quantified or specified, and just accepted it. Then the angels appeared. 2 lovely ladies by the names of Mrs H and Miss S and between them, they have opened up dialogues to conversations that I never thought I could have, therapies that I didn’t even realise we were allowed, a plan that I didn’t even know could of existed. And above all protection for a provision for my darling boy who needs more than anything the right educational setting and provision to enable him to live a life as assessable as he can. There should be no barriers to learning and there should be support networks to avert a crisis from happening.

For Mrs H and Miss S I am eternally grateful as without them, I would definitely not continued to fight for as long as I have, each and every time I was almost at the point of giving up, in they came and picked me up and supported me to continue to fight, and for that I am truly grateful.

I hope you both read this one day and realise how special you are.

Georgina x