For those that have followed the story, of our fight to secure our Grandson, Liam (affectionately known as Li Li), a place at a Special Educational Needs (SEN) school, you will be pleased to hear that he is now LOVING life.

After two years of tests, meetings, speech and language assessments, he was, in year 2 granted an Educational Health Care Plan (EHCP). This is a legal document, outlining his educational needs, sets out a plan of the extra equipment, the speech and language sessions and one to one teaching he would require for the coming school year and more importantly the funding the school would receive to achieve these requirements.

The school he attended had a good reputation for helping SEN children remain within mainstream education. Sadly two years on as he started year 4, the schools reputation had attracted many more SEN students, most without the funding from an EHCP. They were struggling to cope and although at our annual reviews, plans were made to support Liam, these were increasingly not being met and we feared his funding was also helping to support other children’s needs. Selfish as we may appear, we were not happy that our continuous, fight for him was not being used entirely for his needs and as time went on the gap in learning between him and his peers was widening and he was beginning to realise the difference, withdrawing into himself, or becoming unruly.

By year 5 his behaviour was impacting more and more on family life and we decided to attempt to get him a place at a SEN school, where we felt his needs would be better met. We made our application at his next annual review and submitted a long essay of our reasons, and copies of the educational psychologists report, together with his speech and language assessments. However the schools report wasn’t particularly strong. We may be cynical, but wondered whether they didn’t want to lose the funding. The paperwork then got lost at the council, who agree to school moves and funding and by the time it was found we were in summer holidays and were therefore subsequently declined.

Fuming at the incompetence and lack of reasoning, we had to wait till school returned but demanded a meeting with the council representative at the school to discuss. By now Liam had a new SEN Cordinator at school who was entirely supportive. The council representative arrived with no paperwork or laptop, so could not even refer to any notes. Needless to say the meeting was a little explosive, but we failed to overturn their decision.

Knowing Liam now had to endure another school year, feeling sad, knowing he could not keep up with his peers and feeling a little isolated, we submitted a complaint to the council, with an application for him to attend a SEN senior school. We added numerous additional pages, of assessments from his new SEN coordinator, his new Speech and Language therapist, the Educational Psychologist supporting our application and a log of his deteriorating behaviour at home.

Just before Covid lockdown, we discovered we’d won the war and gained his place at our preferred school. He was so excited and we were so relieved and excited for him.

Lockdown and school holidays were a long struggle but a few weeks before school, his new teacher came for a doorstep visit and invited Liam to three taster days at the end of August. It was perfect. He met some of his new classmates, found his way around his new environment and discovered how his school days would pan out. He was also awarded transport to school and the week before he started, his minibus driver and escort came to the house for a doorstep introduction and to let him know timings.

We are now a month into the school year and approaching half term, but oh what a difference in such a short time. We have our funny, caring little man back again.

He feels very grown up and independent catching the bus to school each day. Gone are the fights to get him dressed and out of the door in the mornings. He’s up dressed and ready, watching from the window at least 5 minutes before the bus is due. He is the last of 6 children to be collected, so the bus is occasionally a little late but his anxiousness subsides as soon as he sees it turn into the close, then he’s off with a “bye Mum” and a slam of the front door 😳.

With the twins school staggering start and finish times, Mum is not home after school before Liam arrives. More often than not someone else is in the house, but we decided to give him a house key, for the odd occasion when no one is home.  However he now insists on using it everyday and woe betide anyone who opens the door to let him in.

I made this mistake when he appeared to be struggling to find his key. With the minibus waiting to ensure he got in I opened the door to let them know I was home and the look on his face told me I needed to shut the door pretty damn quick so he could let himself in!! I suppose he felt I was undermining his independence. After explaining my reasons for opening the door, I did receive an apology (previously unheard of)

He sits next to me at the dining table (yes sadly we all have our own place) and oh my gosh, he doesn’t stop chattering. Telling us about his day, his new friends, and his teacher. Look out anyone who interrupts his flow. He will not only get irritated, but start again from the beginning of his story, making my ears irritated with the person who interrupted him 😂

After years of refusing to read at home, he now reads to Mum at least once a week and is starting to engage with the homework he is set. He has previously struggled so hard to do homework as he was set the same as his peers, which of course he didn’t understand. It is heartwarming to see and hear. And of course, the more he does, the more confident in his own abilities he is becoming.

He always refused to join in with PE lessons at mainstream school. Often even refusing to change into PE kit. Now, you’ve guessed it, he loves it. His new school has an outside gym which he enjoys so much. He is with children, with varying abilities, and no longer feels pressured.

On day one he was given his lesson timetable, with breaks and lunch times also listed. This is precisely, the structure his little head was craving. We have a copy in his room and one on the fridge. He knows everyday exactly what he is doing and when, so no surprises, and he can prepare himself for lessons he doesn’t enjoy quite so much. With smaller class sizes too, he also knows he is able to get any additional support he needs.

But on the whole he appears to be engaging with everyone and everything, including his twin siblings when he gets home. There are naturally still blips, but that is children in general.

There is a parents hub, for each individual pupil, where teachers post messages and photos relating to your child. My daughter has received some great feedback, some lovely photos and last week Liam was awarded Star of the Week, for his kindness towards others.

When he tells his Mum, for the first in a very very long time, that he loves school it brings a tear to your eye. We are now so positive for his future. Life for him will always be a little bit of a struggle. He is unlikely to become a rocket scientist, but with his growing confidence and new found ability to start to make sense of the crazy world around him, we feel he will now be able to fulfil his dreams and enjoy a happy, independent life.

Life for Liam has completely turned around. We knew he was still somewhere, in that confused, scared little head, it was just a matter of the right environment to help us get him back.

We are already, incredibly thankful to his new school. In the short time he has been in their care, their understanding and nurturing has meant we are no longer searching for Li Li.

💙 We’ve found him. 💙