Statement has arrived

[JenRose]

They have offered up to 20 hours a week support.

Nothing from OT or any other professional, no SALT even though the Ed psych specifically says he has problems with his speech and is pedantic and repetitive, AND the biggest shock is that they have omitted the report from the CAMHS psych who carried out half an asessment and said no to ASD and they have omitted our independant psychs opinion of M,s educational difficulties.

 

Now i want to name the independant school in part 4 so will be sending it back to them and requesting a meeting but what about the missing reports?

 

Do i bring this up at the meeting or should i write beforehand?

 

Thanks

[marshmallow]

Sorry, no advice, but really glad you have the proposed statement at last so you can start the next chapter of getting the right provision! Good luck <'>

[JenRose]

thanks,

have reread it and they are offering "up to 20 hours support, from a level 1 LA, to be used on a 1-2-1 basis when needed and in a small group setting the rest of the time" or words to that effect.

 

They havent offered any speech, despite this being one of his major problems, no OT, no EP input.

 

So, i have written to them asking them could they please forward the missing documents and i am going to request a meeting to discuss the other aspects of the statement.

[Kathryn]

have reread it and they are offering "up to 20 hours support, from a level 1 LA, to be used on a 1-2-1 basis when needed and in a small group setting the rest of the time" or words to that effect.

 

"up to 20 hours" "when needed" rings alarm bells as it's too vague. If this is the actual wording, these are loopholes they can climb through. Try to get them to specify a minimum level of support, and when and for how long, specifically, the 1 to 1 support will be used. There may well be other places where the wording needs tightening up.

 

K x

[butterfingersbimbo]

el's says this about her asd...

 

Eleanor needs to develop the areas below: Eleanor needs:

1. to develop her speech, language, social interaction and social communication skills so that she interact appropriately with her peers and adults and make and maintain satisfactory friendships

2. to develop her emotional skills so that she can understand the feelings of others and react with appropriate positive behaviours

3.to develop strategies for managing her behaviour, especially her frustration and anger

 

does this help? sending you some serious kick ass vibes chic!!!

[JenRose]

thanks, those examples help me to see more clearly how "vague" the statement is and whats more, 3 weeks ago we told them of the primary school that we wanted M to be integrated into and they said they would write to the school and get back to us, up until last thursday they were saying that they hadnt heard from the school.

 

On the proposed statement it gives the name of the primary school as the one they would like to name, now we havent even had a chance to look around this school let alone talk to the head and we have until 23 Dec to name our preferred school, im going to ring this school but the chances are we wont be able to look around before the xmas holidays.

 

We actually want M to go to an independent school but are going along with their school, we have always wanted to name this independant school on our part 4 but we also wanted to be seen to working with their suggestions.

 

Not sure what to do now, obviously we dont want to name this primary school as our preferred one but is it going to look really bad if we just go straight for the independant one?

[helenl53]

Jen Rose - THEY SHOULD NOT BE NAMING THE SCHOOL AT PART 4!!!!!

 

This is illegal. Part 4 must always be left blank on the proposed statement.

 

Speak to IPSEA or NAS if you can.

 

Love

Helen

[Kazzen161]

thanks, those examples help me to see more clearly how "vague" the statement is and whats more, 3 weeks ago we told them of the primary school that we wanted M to be integrated into and they said they would write to the school and get back to us, up until last thursday they were saying that they hadnt heard from the school.

 

On the proposed statement it gives the name of the primary school as the one they would like to name, now we havent even had a chance to look around this school let alone talk to the head and we have until 23 Dec to name our preferred school, im going to ring this school but the chances are we wont be able to look around before the xmas holidays.

 

We actually want M to go to an independent school but are going along with their school, we have always wanted to name this independant school on our part 4 but we also wanted to be seen to working with their suggestions.

 

Not sure what to do now, obviously we dont want to name this primary school as our preferred one but is it going to look really bad if we just go straight for the independant one?

 

As far as I know, no school shoudl be named on the proposed statement - they shoud ask for your preferred school, and then name a school on the finalised statement.

 

It is no good going along with a school you do not want named. If you then change your mind, the LEA may argue that they were just pursuing your preferred school. You have to look at their proposed school, so you can argue against it though.

 

Karen

[UltraMum]

"up to 20 hours support, from a level 1 LA, to be used on a 1-2-1 basis when needed and in a small group setting the rest of the time"

 

Way way too vague and Helen's right - there shouldn't be a school named in the proposed statement. You should state the school that you want named and then have a meeting to discuss it if the LEA do not want to name it . Be aware that at some independent schools you may have to pay for the support ....... worth checking out ...

[JenRose]

Ah i think ive put it across wrong.

They havent named the school in part 4, on the covering letter they have said that the school they would like to name is XXXX XXXXX school and have asked us to reply to the school that we would like named.

 

Now we were going to go and have a look at this school and then say no, as we have our school in mind BUT they were supposed to tell us when the school said yes or no to accepting M and they havent, if we cant get a visit before the xmas hols then we will just have to name our independant school which looks bad on us cos it looks like we havent given them a chance, this is how i see it but i may be wrong, i get very anxious about upsetting the LEA dont know why cos they havent cared about upsetting us.

 

Our private psych is IPSEA trained and ive emailed him the proposed statement and he,s going through it tonight for us.

 

Hope ive explained my self properly !!!

[Kathryn]

Hi JenRose,

 

Find out about the LEA proposed school if you can, or make an appointment for next term, but no reason why you should be constrained by the Dec 23rd deadline, as you aren't happy with the contents of the proposed statement anyway. You will obviously want a meeting with the LEA to discuss what's in parts 2 and 3, so write now and ask for it. That will extend the time period.

 

K x

[JenRose]

Alarm bells are ringing in my head.

Ive just rang the school that the LEA want us to put M into and she said, oh yes i presume the LEA told you that we have a place available for M, erm no i said.

 

Oh erm perhaps they didnt realise that we did, she was enthusiastic about putting M into her school and said

 

"he will need some support and we have a parent of a child here who is willing to voluntarily work a few hours a week with a child like M so he would have support straightaway"

 

so im thinking, no i dont want voluntarily support for him, he,s not been to school for over 12 months and he needs a 1-2-1, someone who is familiar with ASD and pupils with ASD, is this what the LEA have in mind for their "up to 20 hours a week support"?

 

We have an appointment to go and see the school tomorrow with the Head Teacher at 11.00am, we are going even if its just to say that we have gone along with their plan.

[baileyj]

This all sounds like typical LEA avoidance. They always send out the first statement with very loose wording, lots of things like "when needed" and "upto". I had all this reworded in Max's statement, with the help of the NAS Advocate. I think they do it to see what your made of and what they can get away with.

 

You have to be really firm with them, and show them you mean business. If you follow the rules, as long as you write back within dates, to say you are going to respond when you have reviewed xxxx, you don't have to stick to the 23rd December date (I think).

 

LEA will always try and save money and cop out. Don't accept this statement if you are not happy with it. We had about 4 before we accepted one.

 

If you want I can email Max's final statement to you, he started Reception with it, and its been maintained.

 

Let me know if you want a copy, pm me yr email address and I can send it. Please treat with confidence.

 

Hope it helps

 

Jo

[JenRose]

can i write and ask for a meeting to discuss the proposed statement WITHOUT naming our school by the 23rd or have i got to name the school before the 23rd deadline?

 

Thanks

[Kathryn]

JenRose,

 

According to my Ace handbook as long as you have written within this 15 day period to say you want a meeting to discuss the contents of the proposed statement, you don't have to name the school - the original deadline no longer holds.

 

The IPSEA website however, does say that you should name the school at the same time that you request a meeting. They provide a model letter, it's here:

 

http://www.ipsea.org.uk/sevenfixes.htm#AskingforMeeting

 

I'd be inclined to go with IPSEA's advice and just name the school.

 

K x

Edited December 12, 2006 by Kathryn

[Karen A]

Alarm bells are ringing in my head.

Ive just rang the school that the LEA want us to put M into and she said, oh yes i presume the LEA told you that we have a place available for M, erm no i said.

 

Oh erm perhaps they didnt realise that we did, she was enthusiastic about putting M into her school and said

 

"he will need some support and we have a parent of a child here who is willing to voluntarily work a few hours a week with a child like M so he would have support straightaway"

 

so im thinking, no i dont want voluntarily support for him, he,s not been to school for over 12 months and he needs a 1-2-1, someone who is familiar with ASD and pupils with ASD, is this what the LEA have in mind for their "up to 20 hours a week support"?

 

We have an appointment to go and see the school tomorrow with the Head Teacher at 11.00am, we are going even if its just to say that we have gone along with their plan.

Hi I have not been around here so much as life is very busy.However I decided so many alarm bells were ringing I would pass comment.The fact that the school can suggest that using a willing voluntary parent to provode support is appropriate clearly shows they do not appreciate the needs your child has.The days of support being provided by volunteers for children with special needs are over.

The school should be aware that a TA with training or experience or at least a suitable person willing to train is needed.Karen