Draft Statement

[baileyj]

We have had Max's draft statement through, he is due to start Reception in September.

 

The bottom line is they have offered 20 hours "centrally funded " support for his 1:1, and the rest to be provided out of the schools SEN budget. THis is 7 hours.

 

Ive been to see the headmistress and she is saying its not on, and that they shouldn't have to pay it and don't have budget.

 

Ive spoken to LEA who have made a note, and are saying for me to have further meetings with school.

 

Is this right, should I be getting into budget arguments with the head mistress, surely not.

 

Ive been on the net and found their funds allocated for 2002/2003 to give me an idea, and its about �60k. Also their ofsted report showing underspend of about �60K, so surely they can afford to fund 7 hours.

 

I don't want to upset the headmistress, the school have been brilliant so far in nursery, but Kev and I fought long and hard to get Max's support funded via the pre-school panel before he actually started nursery, so they have had it quite good in that they haven't had to do it.

 

What should I do next, how can I approach it, I'm stuck, does anyone have any advise. So far Ive used lots of advise off here including the parental report, and we got the statutory assessment through straight away, and they issued the draft without even going to a panel.

 

So so far so good, just this last hurdle.

 

Sorry to go on and on, but I'm really at sixes and sevens and just want to get it right and things in place for Max.

 

Jo

[mossgrove]

It is the schools responsibility to provide the 7 hours.

 

It is out of order for the school to put the responsibility on you to argue the case.

 

They are legally obliged to make the provision in the statement and need to discuss any funding concerns with the LEA and not with you.

 

Our school tried to do the same thing with us. We refused point blank to discuss finances with them and said we would be raising the issue with the LEA. The school backed down.

 

You school wil have been allocated special needs funding. If schools are not used to having kids with special needs they can get used to fudging their budget and spending the mony on other things. If this is the case with your school thay only have themselves to blame.

 

Sorry to go on, but this sort of thing winds me up a lot. You have been through all the staementing and the trauma. You should not have to argue the case all ober again.

 

Rant over!

 

 

Simon

[Helen]

Hi Jo,

 

Congratulations on getting the draft Statement!

 

You should look at the document 'The Proposed Statement' by AFASIC - it gives some good advice.

 

http://www.afasic.org.uk/f_pub.htm

 

You should also get yourself an NAS education advocate asap to go over the proposed Statement for you.

 

The bottom line is they have offered 20 hours "centrally funded " support for his 1:1, and the rest to be provided out of the schools SEN budget. THis is 7 hours.

If the school has other SEN children, then it has to consider their needs too, and this is an arguement that the school could use to say that it cannot provide the outstanding 7 hours support. Does Max's Statement specify that the school ought to provide the outstanding hours or have you been verbally informed of this from someone within the LEA?

Ive spoken to LEA who have made a note, and are saying for me to have further meetings with school.

In other words, the LEA is trying to get you to do its donkey work... why should it be down to you to sort out the issue of extra funding. Your headteacher has already informed you of her position, the issue of extra funding should be a matter for disscusion between the LEA and the school, for them to come to some sort of arrangement.

 

Is Max the type of child who would need support during break times/lunch times? If he is then you would need to apply to the LEA for extra time on top of the hours that the LEA has already allocated for him.

Edited March 22, 2005 by Helen

[Helen]

Ive been to see the headmistress and she is saying its not on, and that they shouldn't have to pay it and don't have budget.

Jo,

 

Just another thought... the headteacher may not have the budget at this point in time, however, it'll only be a matter of days before the next financial year - why can't she make budgetry plans within the next fortnight or so for Max, so that he'll be able to receive the outstanding 7 hours next September?

Edited March 22, 2005 by Helen

[Kazzen161]

In my experience most schools are expected to fund the first 10 hours, so they are lucky it is only 7.

 

In our SEN Governor training the senior ed officer was very explicit in saying funding should never be discussed with parents. You just need to monitor that your son does get 27 hours of 1:1 (not 1:2). Who pays for it is not your concern.

 

I hope they have a good reason to have a 60K underspend - that money is for the children in the school at the time - not for future children. The recommended reserve is only a few percent.

 

Karen

[nellie]

Jo,

 

Well done on getting this far. I would take Helen's advice and look at the AFASIC site for information.

 

I agree with Helen, I think any discussion about funding should be down to the LEA and school to sort out. It shouldn't be the parent's job to sort this out. Who funds the provision shouldn't be your problem.

 

LEA's often miss out provision at break times if your son needs this I would ask for it to be funded.

 

Hope it gets sorted out soon.

 

Nellie xx

[baileyj]

Many thanks for you advise so far. Ive got a little further.

 

Spoke with the headmistress yesterday, advised I'd spoken to LEA and advised them of her position, and that from now on this was between her and the LEA. She agreed, and said funding was not my issue but hers. So, so far so good on that one.

 

I asked her if she had had any success in the past resolving these sort of issues with the LEA, she said not really, and that the school always ended up finding the extra funds themselves. So I said, what about in Max's case if the LEA say no, she said then yes, the school would fund the extra hours, and that Max would have full-time 1:1. So I think thats a victory...we'll see. Ive agreed to speak with her at the end of the week, but as far as I am concerned I don't care what her and LEA say, the statement says Max to get support, I will ask the statement officer to update it stating 20 hours centrally funded, and 7 hours school funded rather than school to provide rest without specification.

 

The head has asked if Kev (my house-hubby) can come up to school at lunch-times initially to help Max with his lunch, this is because Max has eating difficulties and will only eat sarnies in 1" squares (he won't bite), and has never had a lunch at school before. She said it would only be initially until Max gets used to it. The school don't have a canteen as its a small village school, the children eat their sarnies in the classroom with a dinner lady present. Ive said yes initially, but now I think Ive done the wrong thing, its just her trying to penny pinch rather than pay for someone at lunchtimes. Max will need the lunchtime help, but should be able to manage play times (I think).

 

So thats whats happened so far, what do you think folks?

 

Jo

[helenl53]

Hi baileyj

 

As schools and the LEA harp on about being in partnership with parents, then I would say yes to hubby initiallyhelping, but only for a very short period and with him acting in a training capacity for the lunchtime support person who will take over from him.

 

I have heard that schools will take advantage of parents being available to supervise lunch and playtimes.

 

 

Good luck

 

HelenL

[mossgrove]

Well done for sticking to your guns.

 

I think asking a parent to be present during a transitional period is OK, as long as the school don't abuse it. If it becomes a long-term need the school need to employ someone.

 

Simon

[baileyj]

update for you folks, lots has happened since I last wrote. Its been ages since ive been the site, new job and alot of research for Max's statement later.

 

I got alot of info off the Afaisic web site, (thanks Nellie for that advise) and also contacted the NAS, as I wanted to find out how I stood legally. I was put in touch with one of their educational advocates, you have to wait about 2 weeks for a call back, but well worth it, what a great lady, she was local to me, it seems they put you with someone that knows your own LEA.

 

I sent her Max's draft statement, and also told her what I'd done, (I had written a report taking quotes from all Max's reports, advise from Afasic). She sent me a list of points that I needed to get into the statement, and said it was a very loose statement, and told me to get a meeting with Max's statementing officer. She also pointed me at case-law and judicial rulings to use if I needed to.

 

So, off hubby and me went to our meeting with LEA, I was armed with my report, and rulings etc. The chap was actually very nice and very open to what we were asking for, I showed him my synopsis, and said we were only asking for what the expert reports recommended and nothing more, and that we wanted things quantified, including school funded hours etc, and requested lunchtime support, we had an OT report that supported that. We also showed him the rulings, and asked for his interpretation on them, that seemed to show him we meant business. He said he would do his best. It made us laugh though, he said we were the first ever parents who had been in touch via email, can you believe that in this day and age. lol.

 

The outcome was very good, we have just accepted a statement that gives Max 20 hours centrally funded support, 7.5 hours school funded support, 2.5 hours centrally funded lunchtime support and 2.5 hours school funded support, plus alot of amendments with specific programes for Max.

 

So, we are well pleased so far so good. I was very scared, but its definately paid off going in well prepared, and the NAS were fab. Max's current 1:1 will go into reception with him, as the nursery he is now in is attached, and he has alredy been going in and out of his new classroom, and he's been on his first ever school trip...his 1:1 was great, can you believe it eh, things can work out.

 

So my advise to anyone is try and perserve, show em you mean business. Its all wrong, and we shouldn't have to do it, but it seems we have little choice.

 

Best wishes to all

 

Jo

[phasmid]

Congratulations and well done to you and your husband. Had I been on here when you first posted, the advice you recieved is exactly the same as I would have given to you. It does show that it is important to do your research and to go in prepared.

 

I would however caution you not to resist attempts to include 'other children' in sessions with his 1-1. After all it is impossible to teach social skills in total isolation!

[nellie]

Congratulations Jo! You have done a great job!

 

Nellie xx

[Kathryn]

Well done jo. It's great to hear such good news! You've worked hard for this and you're an encouragement to us all!

 

K

[CarerQuie]

So pleased that everything got resolved so well.xx