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BusyLizzie100

Statement complaint - update

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I recently complained to my LEA using IPSEA's model letter that the full provision specified on DS2's Statement was not being made - namely the SALT had decided to reduce his sessions. At no point had the Statement been amended.

 

NOW, I've just had a phone call from the SEN officer to say that it was an oversight on their part and that they will now have to amend the Statement to take in what the SALT has decided, having just issued an unamended Statement Review... with me so far?

 

So now the Statement will officially show that his SALT provision has been reduced.

 

In one sense I am absolutely appalled, because his sp〈 difficulties are still enormous and totally underestimated, but on the other hand I'm tentatively jubilant because this gives me a chance to appeal against the amendments - and try to get some other stuff changed too?

 

Yes? :unsure: Are they allowed to amend just a few weeks after saying no amendments? The SEN officer said it was an oversight and they have to put it right...

 

Kathryn, my education guru, what do you think??! :unsure:

 

Lizzie :unsure:

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Hi Lizzie,

 

Thanks - I'm no guru, more of a rottweiler where education is concerned. :angry:

 

Technically there is nothing to stop them changing their mind and making this amendment. :wacko: As you've said, this is good-ish news for you, as you will now be able to go to tribunal and put everything you want on the table, so my thoughts are: make your objections clear yet again, then sit back and wait for the final amended statement.

 

The more written evidence you have of this tussle over SALT provision, the better - as it doesn't make them look good - and their "forgetfulness" in amending the statement shows that they haven't followed proper procedures.

 

You may need to focus your energies now on getting independent evidence of your son's SALT needs to fight this effectively, and to counteract what the NHS SALT is saying.

 

I'll pm you >:D<<'>

 

K x

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Hi BL, been reading about whats been happening (or not!) with your SaLT with interest. I have much the same problem. Dd's statement says 2 visits termly from LA SaLT. SaLT says she is making great progress and no longer meets the criteria to receive therapy (this despite dd still being on the 1st percentile in several tests) SaLT has so far refused to send me a copy of 'the criteria' for therapy, SaLT is discharging her. Dd has extensive tests and investigations at Great Ormond Street Hospital. They say she has a significant SPLC disorder as well as an ASD and will continue to need SaLT. LA therapist disagrees and says her language is what you would expect with a child with an MLD :wallbash::wallbash: she says she will not be told by 'outside' people her job. These outside people include a professor with years of experience in dealing with children with dd's condition. The HT writes to the LA expressing the concerns of the school, LA write back and say if the school and parents believe dd still requires SaLT it is up to us to sort it out! So at the moment we have SaLT on the statement, an LA who seems to think it is nothing to do with them, a therapist who is having a hissy fit, cos she don't know what she is doing and L.S.As using a programme of support for dd that is now out of date and the targets of which have been met ages ago. I wish you lots of success with this BL, really hope you sort it out, I am completely worn out with it.

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When I have used evidence that is INDEPENDANT then LEA say it is not evidence and it has to be an LEA body?

 

J has been discharged from our Speech and Language team, yet he has difficulties in communication and a language disorder yet they say he doesnt need any extra therapies, I was going to get him assessed independantly but I was told that the LEA wouldnt except it as evidence.

 

Can Independant bodies be used in a tribunal and would the tribunal be happy with an idependant using evidence?

 

JsMum

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a therapist who is having a hissy fit, cos she don't know what she is doing

 

What a state! That's the problem with DS2's SALT - I get the feeling she knows a bit about ASD but frankly not enough. She has said in the past that there comes a point when the visiting autism advisory teacher has to 'take over' but DS2 still has considerable areas of difficulty that need addressing by SALT.

 

Her last report said he had reached age-appropriate scores on tests done last year, so no testing now needed; our independent report showed huge areas of difficulty and yes, he is also on the 1st percentile in some areas. She says 'he continues to make good progress with his communication skills. There are no new targets and no new difficulties have been observed or reported by school staff.' The independent report shows the exact opposite. The independent assessment did much thorough testing and observation, both formal and informal, on two visits to home and a third to school.

 

The SALT intended to discharge him at the REview meeting in March, but since amended her report to include this Long Term Objective: 'To enable family/school to priovide appropriate support by becoming more aware of X's communication difficulties and have an understanding of how they can adapt to maximise functional communication in everyday circumstances.'

 

She included the following Short Term Objectives: 'To develop understanding of abstract maths concepts'; 'to develop inferential reasoning skills'; to develop narrative skills'. All of which is actually a pretty tall order!!!

 

I recently spoke to her on the phone and it became clear that her view of 'narrative skills' is learning how to put a story together; fair enough, but there's a bit more to it, like actually learning about sequences and how things are connected - in the independent assessment he couldn't put four picture cards illustrating a visit to a train station, buying a ticket, gettting on the train, and waving goodbye to family in the right order. He couldn't even see that the people in each picture were connected to each of the other pictures. Now THAT's where his narrative skills need to start - never mind the 'once upon time'!!!

 

JsMum, that's a good point about independent reports, but at no point (as yet) has the LEA said we cannot count this evidence. The Ed Psych has referred to it in her report (or at least that he has been 'working' with her) so in a sense the independent report has been accepted.

 

Re the issue of deciding to amend the Statement - the Review document states: 'The decision is that the current arrangements for X continue to be appropriate and no changes to the Statement are necessary.' Four weeks later, the LEA is now saying oh dear, we missed the SALT's bit (that's despite me forwarding copies of all her letters to the SEN officer) and it was an oversight and now we really have to include her bit.

 

Yeh, I think they were trying to pull a fast one because they probably suspect we will appeal if amendments are made - and we will!!! We know a lot more than we did three years ago when the Statement was originally written, so it's probably about time it was updated. I for one have undertaken postgrad study to try to understand autism a bit more, so I'm a bit more sussed than I was!! (On that note, it's incredibly frustrating to hear all about good practice and not see it done for your own children.)

 

So, I am now waiting for this amended Statement to drop on to my doormat - I want to write and say 'further to your phone call we understand you are amending the STatement, we expect to have it by xxxx.' Any ideas as to how long is reasonable??

 

MEANWHILE a senior Ed Psych with expertise in ASD is due to visit DS2 at school on Tuesday - my stomach does a flip every time I think about it. I suppose the LEA may want to wait until her report is available to amend the Statement - is that reasonable?

 

The point of her visit is because we requested a move to special school and the Provision Panel turned him down in May, although they were concerned about the distress he is exhibiting so want this ED Psych to take a look - she may yet recommend an alternative setting. We've already waited nearly 3 months for the REview report to come through, so it does seem kind of unreasonable to carry on waiting. I guess I've answered my own question, but any advice would be gratefully received!!

 

Sorry for the long post - it's just all I can think of at the moment and it's just aaaaggh. LKS, I'm completely worn out too!

 

Lizzie :unsure:

PS thanks for your PM, Kathryn, in fact thanks all for being there. >:D<<'>

Edited by BusyLizzie100

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Hi Lizzie,

 

I still think you should push for the amended statement to be out as soon as possible (give them two weeks maybe?) so that things can move forward - especially as the holidays are looming. You know the statement is not going to have what you want in it, so the sooner you get the appeal in, the better. It doesn't stop you talking to the LEA and negotiating if new information comes in, and you will be sending out the message that you are not about to be messed around.

 

'The decision is that the current arrangements for X continue to be appropriate and no changes to the Statement are necessary.' It will be interesting to see how they intend to explain their about turn on this one. :ph34r:

 

K x

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J's mum. It is interesting to know what the LA actually consider to be independent advice. Is it any advice that doesn't come from someone within the authority, or just advice that parents have been forced into paying for :rolleyes: My LA have not included anything from the report for my dd from GOSH, although they said of course they will 'take on board' any advice supplied, they must be guided by the SaLT from our authority! BUT my dd is under the care of GOSH because she was referred there by professionals from our authority who needed their input. Dd is due to go to secondary school 2008. We recently started to 'do the rounds' of some schools. She went to spend a day at a specialist school for language and communication disorder and ASD. Again staff there did some very thorough assessments on her (including head of SaLT). I submitted their report for everyone to see at dd's yr 5 transition annual review. The LA SaLT turned round to me and said 'Oh well they are bound to say those things because they want your dd at their school'. I could have bopped her one I was so so angry. I have complained about her to her line manager, but we are stuck as she is the only SaLT working with children in mainstream schools. So you can imagine what our relationship is like now!

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J's mum. It is interesting to know what the LA actually consider to be independent advice. Is it any advice that doesn't come from someone within the authority, or just advice that parents have been forced into paying for :rolleyes: My LA have not included anything from the report for my dd from GOSH, although they said of course they will 'take on board' any advice supplied, they must be guided by the SaLT from our authority! BUT my dd is under the care of GOSH because she was referred there by professionals from our authority who needed their input. Dd is due to go to secondary school 2008. We recently started to 'do the rounds' of some schools. She went to spend a day at a specialist school for language and communication disorder and ASD. Again staff there did some very thorough assessments on her (including head of SaLT). I submitted their report for everyone to see at dd's yr 5 transition annual review. The LA SaLT turned round to me and said 'Oh well they are bound to say those things because they want your dd at their school'. I could have bopped her one I was so so angry. I have complained about her to her line manager, but we are stuck as she is the only SaLT working with children in mainstream schools. So you can imagine what our relationship is like now!

 

 

Hi LKS.I thought I would drop a note as if my understanding is right the response of your LA confuses me. :rolleyes::rolleyes: I thought following personal research that there are specialist centres for assessment of ASD in more complex cases-where the local Camhs cannot decide and need expert input.The unit mentioned is the one we thought we might be referred to.

Hence for the Salt localy to appear to have more say than a regional specialist centre sort of defeats the purpose of referral in my books. :rolleyes::rolleyes:

I also wondered whether perhaps the Salt funded to work in mainstream may be less than enthusiastic about parents wishing to push for specialist provision.

It is very difficult for any professional to be impartial when the outcome has financial implications.Karen.

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