What is being Statemented?

[tmf]

Hi,

 

I think i am being a bit of a div, but was wondering if somebody could clear something up for me please?

 

I have been reading some posta about 1-2-1 help/statements ect and what level they receive.

 

My Ds receives 11 hours 1-2-1 a week, however i have never received a document detailing his statement needs as such. Surely if he is receiving 1-2-1 he would be statemented would he not??

 

Do you know how or where i can find out about this please. I just feel my son needs a little more, or maybe that is just my maternal instinct kicking in. I just don't know where to turn as no-one seems to want to know around here.

 

thank you to any1 who takes the time to read!

 

xx

[Karen A]

Hi tmf.You are not being a div at all.I know there is a lot to get the hang of. <'>

 

It used to be the case that most children who needed 1:1 support had a Statement Of Educational Needs.

A Statement is a legal document produced after an official assesment of a child's Special Educational Needs.It documents the child's SEN,the help needed to meet those needs and specifies who will provide the help and how frequently the help should be provided it also names the school where the child will be educated.If you look in the information section at the start of this part of the forum you wil be able to find detailed information.

 

Previously LEA's used to issue a Statement and provide the school with money to pay for the support.However in the last few years there have been changes in the system.

There are now various levels at which support is provided:-

School action[sA] ,School action plus[sAplus] are the levels of support provided before the level of need is reached where a Statutary Assessment would be considered.

LEA's delegate the funding to schools for SA and SAplus.These levels of intervention cannot be appealed in the way a Statement can as they are not legal document.LEA's increasingly reserve Statements for cases where there is no other alternative ...very complex cases where everything else has been tried.

If your DS has a Statement I am almost certain you would know and would have been involved when it was drawn up.The money for the 1:1 support may well come from the school budget or delegated money-especially if it is less than 15 hours.

However at SA or SA plus you should have an IEP-a plan for your child's SEN support.

The first thing to do is to ask for the IEP.Speak to the SENCO.

If you are not happy you can then ask for a review.

Parents can ask for a Statutary Assessment but the first step is to find out exactly what support your child has and at what level.

[Karen A]

look here for more information

[tmf]

Thank you Karen for that advice.

 

He does have an IEP in place and is reviewed termly with myself by his teacher. I definately have not been involved in anything else so that clears up the fact on whether he is statemented or not.....I can now see he isn't.

 

If he is receiving 11 hrs 1-2-1, would it be that he receives either school action or school action plus??

Would it be up to me to request a meeting to see about getting a statement of educational needs??

 

Sorry for all the questions, i just feel like he needs more than the 11 he is currently getting. I don't like SENCO at his school, she is so unapproachable which is prob why i have not follwed it up, but DS is far more important to let this carry on ignored.

 

Thanks again

 

xx

[Kathryn]

With this amount of support he is probably on SA+. Have a look at his last IEP - it's quite often written at the top.

 

Good idea to ask for a meeting discuss statementing with the school, and try and get them on your side. You can apply to the LEA yourself for a statutory assessment, which is the first step to a statement. You don't need the school's permission or approval to do this, although it's obviously easier if you have their support.

 

K x

[tmf]

Thanks Kathryn,

 

I will look into this.

 

tina

xx