Athena

Thanks Kathryn, will have a read. No, I am sure that the use of the word "normally", rules out a blanket policy. I am currently going through the Statementing process, so maybe my other crusades will have to take a back seat, for a while.

I have just read an independent school's prospectus and it states that "they will not normally admit children with Statements of Special Educational Needs" I was shocked and upset to read this! We were looking at independent schools possibly suitable for DD. This was a mainstream school. Are independent schools allowed to state that they won't take Statemented children? Is this disability discrimination? Really feel angry and thinking of writing them a strongly worded letter, but would like to get my facts straight first!

Hello Caren, Have a look on IPSEA they have loads of advice and model letters that you can download. Hope that helps.

As Karen said, don't worry about filling out their forms, type out what you want to say and send it in, making sure that you put LEA reference and Jake's name on each page. Send it "recorded delivery" just in case it gets "lost". I found this site very helpful: Statement checklist Good luck and stay strong!

Hi Dana, I have the same (irrational) fears as you have, terrified that I will be judged a bad parent and that they will find that it is all my fault that DD has problems. Totally irrational, I know, but the sort of thought that pops into my head at 2am! DD has seen the Paed, the EP, SALT, OT, then joint assessment with SALT, Paed, and EP, which was when we got the formal ASD diagnosis. All except the Paed also came into school. PM if you every want to talk.

I felt the same when the LEA agreed to carry out a statutory assessment. I thought "OMG, so they think that there is something wrong with DD!" They have agreed that DD needs a Statement, and while I am pleased that I won't have to appeal to SENDIST, (may still find myself there if the Statement is cr@p though!), a part of me is also very sad, as it confirms the extent of DDs special needs, so I have very mixed feelings about it all. I found the Statutory Assessment hard going, if I am honest, spent the whole of the school holidays traipsing between appointments, very stressful and depressing. The nature of the assessment is to paint a bleak picture, concentrating on what DD cant do, rather than on what she can do. DD got very stressed, wanted to know "why all these people are so interested in me". Some of the professionals were very good, some not so good. The SALT was useless, as is her report! Awaiting the proposed Statement at the moment, and feeling anxious about that!

Hi Stressedout, Just wanted to say that I am going through Statementing process at the moment. It really is hellish! Don't even have the draft proposed Statement yet, but have been told informally that they are going to issue a Statement, rather than a Note in Lieu, which, frankly, isn't worth the paper that it is written on. Don't give up, keep at it until you get what you need, you can always threaten them with going to Tribunal.

Looks interesting, I will have a read later. SALT assessment that was produced as part of DD's Statementing process is so woolly, you could shear it and knit a jumper with it! Full of weasel words and phrases such as "any or all" of the following interventions.... It is pants, really, and we are not talking throngs, but great, huge, greying and fraying Bridget Jones style knickers!

Thanks Karen, that looks really useful!

Thank you for all your helpful replies - I realise that I need the Statement to be watertight!

I know that I am jumping ahead of myself here, as currently going through Statutory Assessment, but is it possible to ensure that a Statement specifies that a Learning Support Assistant has experience/qualifications? I want to ensure that when DD gets support in school, it is the RIGHT support, not just someone's mother doing a spot of voluntary work, or (no disrespect to dinner ladies) a dinner lady helping out.

Hi Skye, good to hear that you are OK about the diagnosis and that it has helped you to get the right support at school. I will let you know how it all goes!

Karen - thanks, yes I believe that the consultant paediatricin will have the final say on the diagnosis. It does seem strange that DD "ticks all the boxes" for ASD, but that the SALT disagrees, on the basis of one assessment, when the other professionals have seen DD numerous times. Hi Skye, I have had the opposite experience, ASD mentioned very early on, but nothing put in writing yet. How do you feel now you have a formal diagnosis? In my case, a formal diagnosis would help both the school and ourselves to access specialist autism advisory service, which we cannot do at the moment, so I hope that the formal diagnosis helps you too.

DD is currently going through what I suppose is a multi-agency assessment, well she has been assessed by various professionals for over a year now. Ed Psych considers that DD is on the Autistic Spectrum, but only puts Social Communication Disorder in her reports, but verbal tells us that she considers that DD is autistic. Consultant paediatrician considers DD is autistic. OT undecided, but agrees that DD displays autistic behavior. DD receives Sensory Integration Therapy, for her sensory issues. So it was a bit of a surprise when the SALT told me that she does not believe DD is autistic, as during her assessment, when she showed DD pictures of people displaying emotions, such as crying, laughing, DD was able to say whether they were upset or happy, or whatever their emotion was being displayed. E.g boy with broken toy was sad, girl with a birthday cake was happy, that kind of thing. Given all the other evidence, it seems strange for the SALT to rule out ASD on this basis. Ed Psych says that DD exhibits "learned empathy", e.g she copies what other people do.

Thank you, so the ultimate responsibility for decision making lies with the Director of Children's services, that's helpful to know. Sorry, I didn't clarify - I have copies of all the professionals reports, but I am after the case officer's report, I presume that the Special Needs Officer will summarise all the reports, and then write their own report recommending a Statement or a Note in Lieu and that the report will go to the Panel? Not really sure how it all works.....

I read somewhere, that the LEA case officer is legally responsible for making the decision whether or not to issue a statement. The LEA can use panels, for advice and guidance, but that the panel does not make the decision, it is the named officer of the LEA. Can anyone confirm that this is correct and show me where I can quote something to this effect? Also, can I use the Data Protection Act to request a copy of the report that will go to the Panel?

Hi Kathryn, Happy Anniversary! Very glad to have you on the boards, find your help and advice invaluable to a "newbie" like myself!

"Tomorrow is another day" and hopefully, a better one for you!

Thank you Sally and Kathryn for the helpful replies. Have decided that I will try for maximum support in mainstream then if that doesn't work, I will go for a specialist placement.

Thank you for your replies. We have started talking to DD about moving, and she has told us that the room must be painted the same colour as her existing room, which is fine, and I hope that it helps! Will use social stories as well. I think that I am just prepared for a rough couple of weeks!

We are going to move house shortly, and I am dreading it! DD gets upset if someone sits in her chair at dinner time, I just don't know how she will cope with moving house! Looking for any advice to make it less traumatic for her (and the rest of the family!)

Currently going through Statutory Assessment for DD, who attends mainstream local village school. School tell us that she needs significant 1 to 1 support, which they hope to get via the Statement. At the moment, I am intending to name her existing school in the Statement, as they have been very supportive, but what happens if even with 1 to 1 support, things don't work out? By naming her existing school, am I "wasting" for want of a better word, the opportunity to get her a placement in a special school? Provision in my LEA is very poor, no mainstream schools primary schools have ASD units, few have any SEN units attached, so it is all or nothing. Can I name a special school at annual review? Just scared that I will make the wrong decision......

DD's school report was so positive, that I did not recognise the happy, carefree child described in the report! Though digging deeper it does say, "with support" can do X, "with prompting" can do Y. But I am totally in the dark regarding what happens during the school day, due to DD's communication problems, she can't tell me and the school are too busy to let me know much at all.....

Thanks Jaded! DD is only in Year 1, but I am already worrying about secondary schools.....

Quote: "Many of the parents that we meet through the Social Communication Disorders Clinic at Great Ormond Street hospital raise concerns that they have about how well their child is going to cope with moving from primary to secondary school. Up until now there has been no formal research carried out on this area and as such there are no formal support stuctures in place. Many schools have to work on a 'trial and error' basis to put transitions packages into place. We have received a grant from the Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity©, to enable us to run a research project to formally look at the difficulties and stresses that occur when a child moves to secondary school. Through examining these difficulties and understanding current school practices wish to create our own standardised support package that primary and secondary schools can use to help them to put in appropriate support for the transition. " Here is the link for more information GOSH research study into school transition