STATEMENTS

[sylvm]

I remember reading somewhere that if it is the school that applies for the statement then the parents don't have any right to appeal. Does anyone know if this still applies. It seems to me that if the school are "on side" there are lots of advantages to letting them apply, but obviously this is overridden if the parents can't appeal if the assessment or statement is refused.

[bid]

I'm pretty sure I read that although this was the case, it has changed so that parents can now appeal if the school requests the Stat Ass.

 

Bid

[Kathryn]

Hi sylvm,

 

Just checked my trusty ACE handbook - parents do have the right to appeal if the school made the request.

 

K

[sylvm]

Brill - thanks a lot.

[helenl53]

Hi Kathryn

 

Is the trusty Ace book a good one - I want to try and get as much independent information to our parents in the support group and this book could be one for the library.

 

Souds like an Amazon thing "Be the first to review this book"

 

Best wishes

 

HelenL

[Kathryn]

Hi Helen,

 

Yes the ACE book is brilliant: (mine is well thumbed and underlined!): it covers everything from approaching the school for help right up to statementing, tribunal etc, basically everything you could want to know if you have a child with SEN. It doesn't just tell you the procedure, it gives lots of advice in very parent friendly terms. It tells you what the law says and what the implications are. I'd definitely recommend it - as it was recommended to me by at least two people on this forum. It's the ACE Special Education Handbook, available from their website (sorry don't know how to do links, but I'm sure it's been recommended on here somewhere.)

 

Whilst we're on the subject, an essential resource for the tribunal stage, (and even before), is the IPSEA "Sent Ahead" guide, this de- mystifies the tribunal and clarifies the legal issues involved, giving clear step by step advice on how to present your case. I couldn't have done without it. The Ipsea website has an address to order this from.

 

K

[nellie]

I agree, the ACE book is brilliant. Taking Action is a great book. Its written by John Wright and David Ruebain. Described as the essential guide to SEN law for teachers, parents, advocates and advice workers.

 

http://www.ipsea.org.uk/takingaction.htm

 

Nellie xx

[helenl53]

Hi Kathryn

 

Many thanks.

 

I think that in view of my current experiences, that I need to get this sort of information into our library.

 

I may be being paranoid, but I have not been able to contact the Parent Support that is paid for by our LEA for over three weeks now and also they were not able to help me check the statement!!!!!!!!!!! I think I will encourage our parents to become a self sufficient Parent Suppport.

 

Best Wishes

 

HelenL

[nellie]

Helen,

 

I think that's a great idea. Parents have just set up a group in my area, I'm hoping they will become informed and empowered. They can support one another and they can be helpful for parents who can't cope with the SEN process for one reason or another. You could get a parent (or two) to work for IPSEA or the NAS, the training is superb.

 

Parent Partnership have to be impartial, they don't necessarily fight for what the parents want. I believe some are 'influenced' by their LEA. I think they should all be run by private organisations.

 

Good luck with your fight Helen, I hope you manage to get things 'sorted'.

 

Nellie <'>

[helenl53]

Hi Nellie

 

Thank you - I will keep fighting.

 

I have posted in "Wisdom Needed" about how Naughty I think my parent support etc have been.

 

I have been a little more open about it in the Campaim forum - but a less angry version here - the Parent Support lady helps me run the Parent Support Group and she was not able to check the statement for me - two days before the deadline, she emailed me and said she had been too busy - and she let slip at the Parents meeting that perhaps she may be able to help "when the LEA don't support parent choice of school at part 4" she very quickoy corrected herself and said "if they don't support...." She has been unavailable since - and I tackled LEA today about the fact that I have not been supported and therefore was not aware that we would have to provide additonal representation to support our choice of school.

 

I would eventually like to start a school Nellie and a local Councillor has shown an interest inbecoming my mentor in this venture. I need to be at a calmer point in my life though and I also need to finish my studies which will take me till Jan 2007. I am doing the Birmingham Uni Cert in ASD's and next year is the Education Modules.

 

I would like to do something like IPSEA and may talk to you about options for this sort of thing later in the year when I have had my 19th nervous breakdown!!

 

Thanks Nellie - by the way - are your ears burning - I have mentioned you in a Topic "Home Tutoring"

 

Love

 

HelenL

[Kazzen161]

I do not feel our parent support is independent - they seem to "information gather" (ie: find out what your plan of action is) but not actually help you much.

 

My friend did the training to be an independent parental supporter - she didn't think the training was very in-depth, and has only had one referral in nearly two years. Maybe it's because they know she knows her stuff and would be truly independent in the advice she gives.

 

Karen

[bid]

I have to say that while my PP rep. was a very nice lady, she told me back in May that there really wasn't any point going for a Stat Ass because at nearly 15 my son would never get a Statement!

 

If it hadn't been for this wonderful site I would probably have accepted her opinion.

 

But I didn't, and 6 months later not only did my son have a Statement, he was in a special residential school for AS!!

 

It scares me that if I hadn't been told about this site by Simon Mossgrove who found me lurking on an American site, who knows what would have happened.

 

So, sadly, I have a dim view of PP

 

Bid