Are there any good LEA's out there?

[lisa]

I have two kids with Aspergers. Both have statements, one with 13 hours and one with 10 hours. Our LEA have decided to bring in this stupid new system of delegating funding directly to schools and are starting by targeting all kids with statements of 20 hours or less. I know I'd have a good case to fight it if they tried to take my kids hours away but we've already been through two tribunals already and the thought of having another, well, I can't describe. Things are finally going well for both kids. I don't think I could go back to the hell it was before they got their support, which, although no one seems to know for definite, it seems the LEA are proposing. They've held a meeting saying it was a mistake to statement so many children and that these kids should never have been given statements.

 

I know all the law surrounding it and what I'd have to do if they tried to change the statements but at the moment I feel like I've had enough and I just want to leave!!! If their statements were transferred to another borough who don't delegate the majority of their sen budget to schools then they'd stay the same and they'd still get their 1:1 support and I wouldn't have to go through all the stress and uncertainty.

 

Are there any good LEA's out there for AS kids??

[JsMum]

Hi Lisa, my first responce to your are there any good LEA's made my eyebrows raise and a giggle burst out my humour, I am sorry for my bodily functions reacting so ridiculus but I am afriad your LEAs policy is spreeding faster than the foot an mouth outbreak but no coverage on the national news as no one is interested in educational issues where its using blanket policy.

 

Our LEA are doing the same with new cases, from the fact you have lived throw two tribunals I guess that was firstly to get the assessment, then secondly to get the statement, if you have a statement then you are fine, but obvously you will need to monitor the annual reviews and keep collecting evidence that may conflict the LEAs intentions of reducing hours from already documented statements.

 

I really do hope that the move isnt entily on the lack of LEA provisions, but I do understand the cheer fed up phraise, but please next time dont make me laugh with comments we are suppose to take seriously, hopefully somewhere a LEA will function as it is suppose to, I will keeping my eyebrows on gaurd on this topic to see where the best LEA area is?????

 

You can cross East Yorkshire off your list.

 

 

JsMum

Edited October 18, 2007 by JsMum

[soraya]

You can also cross off West Sussex, apparentely we are right at the bottom of the list!!!!

[paulathomson]

cross off east berkshire.. particularly bracknell forest...

[Frangipani]

<'> <'> <'> <'>

[pumpkinpie]

Regardless of what they say your kids still have a statement and thats a legal document.

If schools start to sulk and say there isnt enough money then its up to them to approach the lea - not you.

I would view this as a lovley opportunity to look again at your kids statements to see if they are water tight and push for aNY AMENDMENTS YOU WANT! aFTERALL at the annual review they dont have to put things in and amend stateements but now you know the statement is to be amended push for the extras and remeber you dont have to agree the new funding arrangements - if you have a probelm object!

[Stella63]

Hi

 

You can also cross off Surrey, they introduced the new system in April, the 20 points on OJ's statement is now only worth 10 hours!!

 

This could be a very interesting and useful thread......

 

Stella x

[Kathryn]

Hi Lisa

 

Hertfordshire have recently brought in a similar funding policy, so cross them off the list too.

 

K x

[Bagpuss]

Hi, we are in Redcar & Cleveland...and we were told similar by lady from PP Those with 10 hours or less would have statement withdrawn as these costs are already met by school. So, I'd cross them off your list too!

[jlp]

I haven't had a bad experience with Gateshead - but there's a SEN review going on up here atm so expecting all to change here also.

[Cat]

There are no good LEAs because there is no such thing as an LEA anymore. The UK had a massive shake up in March 2006 and we now have Children's Services who reside within your LA and is ran by a Director of Children's Services.

 

I know I am being pedantic but I do know of a parent who wrote a letter to her LEA and had it returned to them because the LEA no longer exists.

 

As for good LAs well at a meeting with Lord Filkin Blackpool, Redbridge and Bournemouth all gave presentations to show that they were a head of the game and could share good pratice. Having said that I know parents who would not agree with this.

 

Cat

[KarenT]

I haven't had a bad experience with Gateshead -

... but I have!

 

I'm not even sure what 'the system' is in Gateshead, as we seem to have gone a completely different route to everyone else I know (including jlp). Whenever I tell J's story to another parent there are always raised eyebrows because it never matches their own experience.

 

And as for statements being legally binding - HA! Not around here they aren't. I don't know anyone who's got what's on their child's statement in place, and it's not for the want of trying and fighting. It just doesn't happen.

 

Karen

x

[Flora]

My LEA have had this in place since april 2006. It doesn't mean nobody gets a statement, but basically the information being given to parents is that once your child is at secondary school, if they don't need more than 15 hours support a week, then there is no need for a statement. Before Bill was signed off sick he was receiving 95-100% support at school, without a statement; this would have been fine if it was only adult supervision he needed, but his needs are far more complex than that and that's where a statutory assessment is valuable (in theory!!!) because it (supposedly) identifies not only the quantity, but the type of provision that is needed. eg, without a stat assessment it would be extremely difficult for a child to have CONTINUOUS access to OT or SALT. (or in some cases for them to have access to these services at all).

 

Flora

[jlp]

... but I have!

 

I'm not even sure what 'the system' is in Gateshead, as we seem to have gone a completely different route to everyone else I know (including jlp). Whenever I tell J's story to another parent there are always raised eyebrows because it never matches their own experience.

 

And as for statements being legally binding - HA! Not around here they aren't. I don't know anyone who's got what's on their child's statement in place, and it's not for the want of trying and fighting. It just doesn't happen.

 

Karen

x

 

True - I was thinking more of the statementing process not the schools in our area.

 

And you know my new found opinion on the statements actual worth! I'd still rather have one than not however and removing them altogether is very worrying. In my experience if it's not in a legally binding document then your chances of getting whatever you need are even less.

[mum23]

Count Devon out.

All schools are funded like this here too, but some schools are really good at supporting their students and others are NOT, which is the big problem with this system and the LA's just keep telling you well the funds are there you should get the support! I think I will get our schools 'books' and get my accountent to take a look at them see were all the money is going! Acctually can we do that for real?

Anna

[Neil Young]

There are no good LEAs because there is no such thing as an LEA anymore. The UK had a massive shake up in March 2006 and we now have Children's Services who reside within your LA and is ran by a Director of Children's Services.

 

I know I am being pedantic but I do know of a parent who wrote a letter to her LEA and had it returned to them because the LEA no longer exists.

 

As for good LAs well at a meeting with Lord Filkin Blackpool, Redbridge and Bournemouth all gave presentations to show that they were a head of the game and could share good pratice. Having said that I know parents who would not agree with this.

 

Cat

 

Interesting that the 3 LAs are all small. I believe that the presentations to Lord Filkin focussed on the challenges faced by LEAs (as they were LEAs at that time) rather than the LEAs saying they were ahead of the game. OfSTED and CSCI both noted the fact that Blackpool did not delegate the ASD service (and others) to schools but retained them as central services.

[smiley]

Add North Hants to that list......... I'm right on the borders of Surrey and Berkshire, who are playing the same game - so they can go too!!

 

As far as i'm aware - it's nationwide......

[Janey]

Cross Leicestershire off your list. We have the lowest funded LEA in the country. Schools in my area have been campagning for years to make the distribution of funding fairer. Children in Tower Hamlets are allocated double that of my children and even there SEN provision wasn't good enough for Ruth Kelly MP.

[teachermum1]

and cross Stockport off too...

[aro]

Wales as a whole is reviewing it's policy on statementing but it's too early to say if it will be a good thing (the cynic in me says it's bound to be a cost cutting exercise )

 

A x

[Pippin]

Wales as a whole is reviewing it's policy on statementing but it's too early to say if it will be a good thing (the cynic in me says it's bound to be a cost cutting exercise )

 

A x

 

Mind you, being the Arsembly, they might just do something different just to stick 2 fingers up at Westminster. They've done it with prescription costs and elderly nursing funding. I'm not holding my breath but......Nye Bevan WAS Welsh and they still worship him out here

[LizK]

Leicestershire, fab autism outreach service if you can get it, poorly resourced LEA similar policy re reducing statements and trying to tighten up further and lots of tribunals. Derbyshire still statement along the old' lines I believe

 

Liz

[Faithnomore]

Forget Oxfordshire too. DS1 has now been out of school for a year, we have been offered a school place but we are not entitled to transport. Without transport he cannot go back to school, there are no schools within walking distance and he has to be supervised which ever method of transport is used.Of course I am expected to supervise him, impossible task when I have 2 kids in primary school and I can't drive. Lea have said they will only provide transport if he has a statement, they will not statement because he is not at school and now they are giving schools extra funding so they can avoid statementing!! We are also planning to move to a part of oxfordshire where the schools are within walking distance of our home. I am at rock bottom with our Lea now

Forgot to mention we have a fab autism outreach service who I feel also despair of the LEA.

Edited October 23, 2007 by Faithnomore

[teachermum1]

A good idea would be to go to the SENDIST website and look up their last annual review which, last time I looked for it (last year), had figures for each LEA on appeals etc. - if you looked to see how many were for appeals re: statements as opposed to exclusions/disability discrim, it may give you a good idea.

 

I think they're all b@st@rds, but there we go. I have the joy of being employed as a specialist teacher by the same f*ckers who mess my son and his Statement around every time they possibly can. Still hate them...

 

Good luck!

[Karen A]

A good idea would be to go to the SENDIST website and look up their last annual review which, last time I looked for it (last year), had figures for each LEA on appeals etc. - if you looked to see how many were for appeals re: statements as opposed to exclusions/disability discrim, it may give you a good idea.

 

I think they're all b@st@rds, but there we go. I have the joy of being employed as a specialist teacher by the same f*ckers who mess my son and his Statement around every time they possibly can. Still hate them...

 

Good luck!

 

 

Oh dear.Not good when they don't even look after their own staff.Karen.

[DaisyProudfoot]

It's always the same things have just got sorted and they're swimming along nicely and along comes another review.

 

You could always moved to Newcastle Lisa. The LEAs no better than anywhere else but it's a lovely place to live and good value for money

[teachermum1]

Karen, it's not even that I expected special treatment, but you would think they wouldn't LIE to people who they employ...they tried every trick in the book, even told me the SEN panel had turned it down, but my colleague is on the panel and told me it'd never even been sent to them, just turned down by an admin member. Makes me wonder how many people they try that with who DON'T have a colleague who can tell them the truth!

[Suze]

Gosh think I,ve been lucky here, my Lea have been really good, they upped the hours without need for tribunal when we rejected the proposed statement.My son also has a fab placement, but this could be due to his fab teachers and not the lea of course.Were in Cheshire .

[mum23]

Gosh think I,ve been lucky here, my Lea have been really good, they upped the hours without need for tribunal when we rejected the proposed statement.My son also has a fab placement, but this could be due to his fab teachers and not the lea of course.Were in Cheshire .

 

I think their could be a mass run on houses in Cheshire as we all relocate there!!

[V1971]

We have an excellent provision in the London Borough of Barnet. When my son was diagnosed at the age of 3 he received 6 hours a week of 1:1 early intervention at home and one speech & language session a week. This year he started school (reception) and he got 34 hours in his statement. I couldn't ask for more, I am very pleased.

[mossgrove]

The Wirral have been good with us, both of our boys on the spectrum are in an Autism-specific special school.

 

The downside of the excellent special school provision is a tendency for some heads to see children with special needs as a problem to be moved on rather than supported properly where they are.

 

 

Simon