all those whose child has had stat assessment

[Flora]

Having been in contact with IPSEA regarding blanket policies I have a question for all of you who have a child who has been through statutory assessment or had dealings with seperate agencies regarding their child's education.

 

3 professionals, from 3 agencies, have told me during the assessment process that they are 'not allowed' to describe a type or level of educational provision in their advice. I am not talking about naming of schools or placements, just the description and level of support/placement. My son's child pschiatrist has told me very clearly that as a result of meetings with the LEA the director of CAMHS has agreed that they don't advise on the type or level of education. The community paediatrician told me exactly the same and so did the autism outreach teacher. The best they've all managed is a vague hint in their reports at what my son needs. The LEA then come back with the argument that 'none of the professionals have recommended.. this that or the other'. The COP is clear that all professionals giving advice are expected to describe a type or level of education, while it does say NOT to actually name a placement. IPSEA are going to get their legal adviser to contact me to find out if it is worth taking this on. The difficulty we have is that it is not a written policy, just a verbal direction from the LEA to other agencies.

 

Has anyone else ever experienced anything like this? don't name LEA's (although if you pm me with the name of the LEA I will mention it when IPSEA get back to me).

 

Flora

[Lynden]

I'm going through statementing at the moment, and our ed psych told me at our appt two weeks ago that whilst they'll never name a school, they will recommend the type of placement that will suit and the level of input he should have from outside agencies (SALT/OT etc), and her report does just that (basically recommends exactly where he is atm! )

 

Lynne

[Karen A]

Hi.I have had a quick check.No description of the sort of school.However sevaral recommendations re small group work,a named person to work on particular things,the need for firm but caring environment, secific input from specific pfofessionals.Karen.

[bid]

From the time my DS was given his dx his consultant said he could only recommend the sort of appropriate placement.

 

7 years later when he finally had a Stat Ass after a complete breakdown we were extremly fortunate in that this consultant and his CAMHs psych. went right out on a professional limb and both wrote me a letter in which they 'replied' to me, saying X school was the right placement for him and why.

 

The LEA EP, in her report didn't state he needed a special placement, but her very detailed recommendations were for support that was very obviously residesi in nature.

 

Good luck. Would the professionals do this for you, i.e. write in response to your 'question' about a particular school??

 

Bid

[Tjololo]

All the professionals involved in my son's Statutory Assessment recommended 1-2-1 in a specialist school environment, within their respective reports. They were quite specific in describing his needs and how they should be met. But our son is very low functioning so there was no need for a debate about which school system he should enter.

[elun1]

Hi Flora

We had to name the school of our choice but professionals involved were prepared to state the level of support required and I fought to make them put 'autism specific support delivered by professionals with expertise in working with children on the autistic spectrum is required in order to meet O's needs'

This is on his Statement now

xxx

[JenRose]

the ed pscy from the lea put a quite detailed report in her asessment, ie m requires small class sizes and specific teaching methods.

[Flora]

Maybe I'm expecting too much from them. From what I've read here there isn't any shortfall in recommendation in comparison to others. All the reports, even those from the LEA EP say that he needs specialist teaching, or other such wording of the same thing. That he needs to be in small, nurturing and supportive environment. The LEA EP even put that he needs supported social activities beyond the school day, modified and supported in much the same way that his education is...That's a badly put version of what he actually wrote but the meaning is the same!!!

 

I think maybe I've panicked a bit, and perhaps I'm just looking to cover every angle in preperation for the tribunal.

 

Thanks everyone for your responses.

 

Flora XX

[darky]

Well with all the assessments we have ever had, no "specific" recomendations have been made by professionals other than "R will need a high level of support" and "the curriculum should be suitably differentiated" The OT seems to jump through the schools hoops and tells me she cant force the schools to give therapy, so she gives activities the class can benefit from as a whole the SALT says more or less the same. It always seems like they dont want to tread on schools and LEA toes. No one so far has stuck up for us. I do think professionals are afraid and dare I say it, bullied.

[Flora]

I do think professionals are afraid and dare I say it, bullied.

 

That's exactly what the lady from IPSEA said... that the professionals were often bullied by LEA's.

 

flora