Anyone got experience of conSENsus? was it helpful?

[charliesvoice]

Hi-

i hope i'm not boring you all with my SaLT problems!!! this is my situation at the moment:

 

since FEB we've been paying for 1 session a week of private SaLT for DS - which we are now starting to see some big developements!! DS said UNPROMPTED "ORANGE" yesterday ( well it was actually "orge" but we knew what he meant! ) he's NEVER done this before it was FANTASTIC!!!

 

After not seeing an NHS Therapist for 1 year ( i said his last visit was june in a previous post,but actually it was april 2006!) she came to visit him at school and at home - at home she didn't even look at DS, he was in another room the WHOLE TIME and at school she observed him. But apparently based on this assessment she says he ONLY NEEDS 1/2 a days therapy ( which will be to see him, his SENCO, the teacher and his LSA ) per half a term!?!?!?! and that he doesn't need 1:1 SaLT

 

After this i had a meeting with the head of service for SaLT and DS@s SEN caseworker, HS for SaLT said he conceded that the assessment may not have been thorough but in his PROFESSIONAL?? opinion he still thought the level of service was accurate??? he also said theres NO evidence that 1:1 therapy from a speech therapist actually works for autistic children!!! when we got the minutes back from the meeting of course there was NO mention of the fact he had agreed the assessment wasn't thorough and when we challenged this fact he refuses that the minutes should be amended.

 

I've now been asked to attend a meeting with everyone involved and conSENsus because my solicitor has recommended we go to judical review, is it worth even bothering to talk with these people? I never thought we'd be in this position and i can't believe that they can be such bare faced liars - the NHS SaLT that carried out the assessment will be there - i actually thought she was pretty good but i don't think i can stand to be in the same room as her!!

Any advice would be welcomed cause i feel like i'm going mad!!

sorry for the long post!!

xx