Sadly, not all EHC plans are equal. If an EHCP is required, and that is not always the case, generally the child has needs and requires additional provision that is not already in place and is beyond the resources of a mainstream school.

February 15 is the key date for finalising EHCPs for transition. The plan must be reviewed and amended by this date in the child’s year of transition.

“I think I fall into a lot of cracks in terms of I'm too something. I'm too this, I'm too that. And my music has never really had a home. I've been this floating alternative. I'm too mainstream for an alternative. I'm too alternative for the mainstream. And I'm just kind of wandering.”

This week we had our first ever parent's evening at my son's new secondary school. If you've read my previous blog on feeling despondent you will have some understanding of where we were a few years ago.

Why is today so significant? For one child at least, today is significant because today is the deadline by which the Local Authority (LA) needs to decide whether or not to undertake an assessment for an Education Health Care Plan (EHCP).

When you have a child who is struggling at school, you want to be able to rely on the system to provide support. Many of us in this situation find ourselves reading up on what support is available, what the law says and we get really well qualified to advocate for our child or children.

So when we come up against parts of the establishment that seem to have a different understanding of the rules of the system it is emotionally draining.