"As a mother to 3 children who moved to the area 5yr ago all with academic differences to a normal classed child, I have had my fair share of issues with East Riding.
1st child a girl, not recognised as having autism as she could hide it at school and blow up at home. The school anxiety got that great that she started self-harming at school. The lack of support from school and lack of help with services made the situation worse. Referral to CAHMs when a child is feeling suicidal is ridiculous. Having to wait weeks on end to get to the top of the waiting list the suicidal thoughts disappear and you are discharged, but they get worse again and it all starts again. When it got really bad we ended up seeing someone to be then put on another waiting list to be seen, we have now been on that list for over a year and now she has turned 18 she has been discharged without been seen. All through the struggles she never got any help as with no diagnosis she could not have an EHCP and the appropriate help needed.
Child 2 diagnosed with autism and severe social anxiety. Shortly after starting secondary school my child could not cope in the setting due to the size. His sensory needs and anxiety got that severe that school anxiety started. CAMHs again is hard to access and when accepted you end up with clinicians that basically blame the parents for why the child acts the way they do. Which is not the case. Then comes the major problems with EHCPs. His EHCP went out to lots of different schools in area and out of area as his current school could not support him. Normal schools could not support him and he was not bad enough for special schools and the only school that could cope never had any spaces for him. He has been out of school ever since. The Council supplied a home tutor and my son would only engage for the most of 3hrs a week out of the 10 he was allowed. He remained on roll at his secondary school even though he didn't attend and they couldn't support him. We tried for the last 4yrs to remove him from the roll to be told in the final year the council wouldn't remove him from roll as he needed to do his exams in maths and English. I think it's disgusting that the school that could not support him has been getting his pupil premium and probably his level of support fund without him even setting foot in the place for the last 4 and half yrs. The council on numerous of occasions has tried me to get me to say I would home school him as I wanted educated otherwise to get a personal budget but they weren't keen on that idea. In the last 4 years we have had 6 echo's work on my sons case all which leave when you finally are getting somewhere then you have to start again. The workers never stick to timescales and as a parent you are always chasing for things finalising. His moving on which is supposed to be done in year 9 was not completed and after a year of excuses due to the pandemic it was done. They then had to do his next moving on within 6months of that. Today we are still waiting on panel to see where he is going as the college course that he got on was pulled 2 days before GCSE results day due to not enough interest in course.
Child 3 What can I say my youngest son has had an EHCP since nursery and for the last 3 years it has been nothing but chasing and timescales not being met. He too has had several changes in echo and is on his 3rd in just over 3yrs. His latest EHCP review I brought forward as there has been lots of changes. This was in May and I'm still waiting for his draft EHCP from the council. As a parent over the last 5yrs I have had to battle for everything for my children which has not been easy due to East Riding council. It has had a serious affect on my own mental health. Why should we have to battle for our children but I will carry on until they get what the should of had from the start."
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