It is the second time Buddy and Tunde have applied for an EHCP. Their first application was turned down before Buddy was assessed. Councils reject about a quarter of EHCP applications at the assessment stage, according to the Department for Education.
When they lived in Scotland, Tunde says they did not have to apply for the equivalent of an EHCP. Buddy’s comprehensive school arranged support for his learning, although not for his emotional needs.
Scotland has a different system for helping children with Send; schools there aim to deliver more support without the need for parents to apply for the equivalent of an EHCP.
“It’s a madness,” Tunde says. “[Getting extra support] was so easily done, and it could be easily done again.”
While Buddy is not able to go to school, the council is providing him with 19 hours of lessons per week in the local library.
Tunde tells me the process of applying for an EHCP has been so time consuming she had to stop working as a midwife and health visitor for a time.
“I can’t do the parenting. I can’t get him to these appointments, and work at the same time… I couldn’t get my son seen in the right amount of time and see other people’s babies in the right amount time. And it was a toss up – and my son won,” she says.
We catch up with Buddy after a lengthy speech and language assessment.
“Draining… that’s all I’ve got for you,” he says as he leans against a fence, Reindeer Dog tucked under his arm.
