Isla’s story

SENDIASS got a call from Evelyn whose daughter Isla, 7, has been experiencing Anxiety. She has been electively home educated for just less than two years. Isla has a SEN statement and Evelyn has been contacted by the LA (Local Authority) for a transfer review to an Education Health and Care Plan. Evelyn was quite apprehensive into why they needed to do a transfer review as she felt no support or help has been given to Isla since she’s been home educated. Isla was very emotional when she was in school, but since she has been home educated she is doing very well.

Decision to cease the EHC plan

Evelyn feels that Isla does not require a review and questioned how an EHC plan would help, since Isla was not going to be returning to school. We informed Evelyn that the LA has a responsibility towards Isla’s well-being and needed to make sure Isla’s educational needs were being met. Evelyn understood and was happy to continue with the review meeting. She wanted a Coordinator to attend the meeting to offer support with the process.

The Coordinator visited Evelyn and Isla half an hour before the meeting, as they wanted to introduce themselves and explain the transfer review process. The transfer review meeting was long, as Evelyn only just received a copy of the review and did not have time to absorb the information. She wanted more time to review the paperwork and asked the questions regarding ceasing the statement and not transferring to an EHC. The Local Authority Officer booked a further transfer meeting allowing Evelyn time to read the paperwork and advised that he will need to take the decision to cease the EHC plan to panel.

Ceasing the EHC

Evelyn was grateful that the Coordinator was there at the meeting as support. The Coordinator showed her a copy of an anonymised EHC to give her an idea of what information is required. They also discussed personal budgets and direct payments. Evelyn felt that Isla’s needs were not being met by the Local Authority and is happy to provide everything she needs, including private reports and interventions herself.

Following the second meeting she was still very certain that she did not want to transfer to an Education, Health and Care plan and again asked for it to be ceased. Just under a month later the Local Authority notified Evelyn that the panel agreed that she could provide everything that Isla needed through electively home educating.