When every specialist school consulted says they can’t meet your child’s needs, it can feel frightening and personal. In reality, this happens far more often than people realise, and it does not mean your child is “too complex” or that there is no suitable provision. In many cases, the child has been kept in an unsuitable mainstream environment for so long that their presentation now looks like “risk” rather than unmet need. And in many others, the school has only seen a substandard draft EHCP that does not reflect the child at all. Before looking at the paperwork, it helps to understand the child’s presentation for what it really is.