Could it be????

[pookie170]

I still haven't heard from the PSRG who decide on placements for kids with additional support needs in my neck o' the woods, BUT

 

I received an email today from the school I'm hoping we get.......

I'm not sure precisely what I'm going to hear, but apparently the school have been sent ' some paperwork' and could I get in contact with them ASAP?

I have been warned to expect an offer of a day placement, but no way will we accept that- my lad already has issues with a 20 minute journey each way, how the heck would he deal with an hour long journey each way? (Hmm.....that'llbe another point in my argument, methinks!)

Argh, I wish I hadn't opened that tonight, I shan't sleep well at all now.....

Wish us luck!!!

 

Esther x

[Kathryn]

Good luck Esther - keep us updated.

 

 

K x

[pookie170]

Darn.

 

It's as I suspected, a day placement has been offered.

Which isn't good enough-all the stuff Cal needs help with occurs after school hours.........

Which I stated clearly in my Parent's Comments.......

Which they've disregarded, apparently.........

 

Again.......

 

 

The sickening thing is, if I let my son run amok and cause havoc in the community, or if I ensured he had a season ticket to A&E, then he'd get the placement no problem.(That's a bona fide 'off-record' official stance, too!)

Is it me, or does that suck? Badly??!!!??

The terminology I would relish employing right now would shame a sailor, so I'll refrain and scream into my pillow for a while.......

 

I don't know why I feel so peevish tonight, I knew the odds of our getting this placement first try, but it's the thought of grabbing the same old brass ring AGAAAAAIIIIIINNNN!!!!

Argh.

 

Oh well, placement appeal system, here I come.

I just hope they're ready, cuz this here Pandora's leapt out of her box and she ain't going back gracefully!!

(For some reason, the 'Rocky' soundtrack is now running through my head....heheh! A happy thought, yay!)

 

I shall keep you posted, I'm going to try and call the Additional Support for Learning Manager in the morning. I hope they get supplied with ear defenders as standard Health and Safety precautions!!

 

 

Esther x

Edited March 11, 2009 by pookie170

[Kathryn]

Oh Esther.

 

Even if you were expecting this news, it's still a blow. Sorry to hear this, but once you pick yourself up from this, keep fighting as I know you will. I hope you have lots of good evidence to back you up and next time round will be better news.

 

<'>

 

K x

 

 

[bid]

<'>

 

Bidx

[pearl]

I'm sorry it wasnt the news you wanted <'>

[baddad]

Bummer

But okayish too...

get in your appeal, reiterating all of the 24hr curriculum evidence you already mentioned, but meanwhile do the round robin of professionals to make sure they are all putting the same thing IN WRITING...

 

Very best, and whatever way you look at it, the school is the right one even if the 'package' isn't.

 

L&P

 

BD

[pookie170]

[ if I let my son run amok and cause havoc in the community, or if I ensured he had a season ticket to A&E, then he'd get the placement no problem.(That's a bona fide 'off-record' official stance, too!)

 

 

Well......I spoke to the ASL manager, and she advised me to write a letter to her own manager. So I thought, 'What the heck, I'll phone instead and miss out on a week and a half being spent on letters in transit.'

So phone him I did. And he had no idea who I was, who my son was, etc, because he doesn't deal with actual cases as such, he manages. But he'd get back on the blower to the original ASL manager and liase with her over it.(I loathe that word, 'Liase', truly.....)

And then a couple of days after, said lady calls back again.

'I understand you called Mr X' sez she....

'Indeed I did- I hope that was alright?' I asked.

'Well, really, I mean, no because if you remember I did ask you to put it in writing' she sez

'I didn't intend to cause anyone any hassle, but I can't afford to waste time writing letters back and forth at this stage- I want to know what's going on, and get a definitive take on what's being offered and where we stand.' I replied.

'Well, we're looking at a day placement........'

(I can't be bothered doing the rest verbatim!) The long and the short of it is that they say they can't offer a residential package to a child who has no SS involvement. For the reasons I listed before.

So today I'm waiting on a call back from the school itself, as they say they'll look at having my lad on a day placement but they're not keen because he'll have a 1.25 hour journey each way every day, will miss out on some of the school day in order to accommodate the travelling and they're unsure as to how effective they can be at helping him when he'll miss most of the social skill programme and opportunities.

I want to weep!!!!!

They also said that other LEAs DO fund some pupils' residential placements entirely through the education side of things-no SS involvement.

I feel like we're being discriminated against 1) Because we try to cope alone and are conscientious parents and 2) Because of the policy our LEA employs........

If one LEA in Scotland can fund such resi placements through education alone, surely others should be able to offer the same?

 

I'm considering contacting a lawyer firm who specialise in dealing with these issues- am I being hasty?

[pookie170]

Oh- Badders-

I'm hearing ya, and I agree to an extent, but when the school itself is telling us that they don't feel all his needs will be mat through a day placement, well......

I just don't think it'll work, and whats the point in sending him all that way when there are other placwemnets locally that offer just as much, academically speaking? As a day boy, my lad will not get the help that is the whole reason we specified this school.

My other worry is that if we accept a day placement, I doubt they'd change it ever. IYKWIM!

 

[Kazzen161]

You have to show an educational reason for the 24 hour provison in order for the LEA to fund it. Why should they pick up the tab for services which should be provided by SS?

 

Have you asked the school what the chances are of getting it changed to residential once he has been there a while? Usually they know what to say in order to achieve this.

 

If, as you say, there are other local schools that could meet his educational needs, I am surprised the LEA even agreed to the day place.

[pookie170]

You have to show an educational reason for the 24 hour provison in order for the LEA to fund it. Why should they pick up the tab for services which should be provided by SS?

 

I'm well aware of this, Kazzen, and I have shown that he has an educational need for a residential placement. The very fact that a day placement is on the table shows that the LEA agree that this school can best meet my son's needs- they're digging their heels in on who should fund a residential placement though.

I didn't say that there are other schools locally that meet my son's educational needs, btw. What I was trying to get across is that if all he needed was to be taught the usual curriculum, he'd be in a mainstream school. Of which there are many around here! They could meet his academic needs, as in they can offer subjects and the chance to gain qualifications that are appropriate to his academic abilities. But he needs much more than that from his educational placement, and as things stand, this particular school has a fab social skills/life skills type program, learning and personal support measures.....it's just the best place for him to be.

However, social stuff etc is worked on after school hours- school hours are focused on academic work and learning support, so my son won't get the help where he needs it most if he leaves at night......

We'll see how it goes though.

[westie]

I hope you manage to sort something, cant imagine what you going through as not been in similar situation myself but hope you find a way to get the residential place if you truly think this is best thing for your son, after all you know him best.

Your concerns about him missing all the social development stuff if only attending in day, as well as transport to and from the placement sound relevant to me..

 

Can I just ask, Am I understanding this situation correctly: LEA will fund day place but not overnight because they think that SS should fund it, but because you never have called upon SS then this will not happen????

 

I think some legal advice sounds like a good idea they may be able to help you investigate other options/ plan what to do next

 

Good luck

[Kazzen161]

 

I am trying to play Devil's advocate Pookie - from what you have written so far, you have not convinced me that he needs a residential placement in order to meet his educational needs. Obviously, you may have made your case more clearly to the LA.

 

eg:>>all the stuff Cal needs help with occurs after school hours

 

If these things are not part of the school day, then how are they educational needs? However, if you were to say that these things are then worked on and reinforced throughout the school day, then I could understand.

 

You mention that he would miss part of the school day due to the long journey - that is definitely a point for the LA to consider - he would not be accessing the full curriculum. If he is stressed/tired by the journey, he will not be able to make proper use of the full curriculum provided.

 

T's school had a 24 hour curriculum (later changed to a "waking day" curriculum ) - the social, emotional and behavioural stuff was done 24 hours a day - in school and out - not just after school. He needed all that stuff in order to be able to access the full curriculum (eg: he was not going to access the curriculum if he kept walking out). We got the LEA to pay for the residential aspect too, but they were not happy about it.

 

For us, SS refused to get involved (they knew it woudl cost them money!), so the LEA got lumbered. If you go to Tribunal, it used to be that the panel had the power to force the LEA to pay for a school, but they had no power over SS. Hence, if the Tribunal found that the residential school was an appropriate placement, the LEA was forced to pay for all of it. Even I feel that this was not fair, but if that was the way the system worked then it was not not my fault.

 

Are social skills/life skills stated as educational needs in your son's Statement?

 

I am not trying to upset you, Pookie. I have been there, and I know how awful it is - the worst year of my life. I still feel sick every time I see a letter from the LEA in the letter box, even though they are just about Governor stuff now.

 

You have got them to agree to a day placement, so that is at least a step in the right direction.