Education Otherwise - ABA, Son-Rise, RDI etc...
A Local Authority can arrange for your child's special educational needs to be met via an 'Education Otherwise than at School' package if it considers that your child's special educational needs cannot be met within a school setting.
If the Local Authority agrees that your child requires an 'Education Otherwise than at School' package then it must pay the full costs.
Parents may wish their child to be educated through Home-Based programmes such as ABA, Son-Rise, RDI, Greenspan, Growing Minds, VB, etc...
This is the most complex area of Special Education Law and if you are considering requesting an 'Education Otherwise than at School' package from your Local Authority then you urgently need to seek expert legal advice at the earliest convenience.
We have represented a large number of parents seeking such provision and recently secured the largest award for a Home ABA Programme (65 hours per week of ABA tuition for 48 weeks of each year).
Elective Home Education
Parents are often misled by Local Authorities and are told that once their child is of statutory school age they must attend school. This is incorrect as the law states that each child must receive a suitable education regardless of whether this is delivered at school or otherwise.
If you wish to electively home educate your child then it is important to seek expert legal advice to discuss the pros and cons of such a decision. A parent who electively home educates their child usually does so at their own expense.
Statemented children who are on the role of a special school are treated slightly differently. Before embarking on an elective home education call me to arrange an initial consultation to ensure that you have all the relevant information before you make a final decision.
Home Education and the Law
For some children Home Tuition can be an alternative to attendance at school, or can form part of an overall education package which includes part-time attendace at school and which is tailored to meet the needs of the individual child.
The law regarding Home Tuition is complex and the individual circumstances of your child will dictate whether or not your child is entitled to Home Tuition. Local Authority's have statutory duties in relation to children of school age and must provide a 'suitable education' in accordance with s.19 Education Act 1996.