Good news, they said YES, YES YES

[daniels-mum]

Good evening everyone, I just had to share my my good news as I am so excited, I dont think family realise the importance of it!

When I got home from work there was the brown envelope through the door and they have agreed to go ahead with statutory assessment, I dont need to tell anyone on here that it has been bl***y hard work but to get this far. I really was despondent this week but this has cheered me up no end, im not complacent though as I know there is still a long battle to come.

I have also got a copy of schools contribution which was supportive to my case so I am going to take that with me when I go back to CAMHS to discuss my request for second opinion.

Thanks for everyones advice over last few months, it is appreciated x

[Kathryn]

Great news - and rest assured many of us here recognise the importance of it, even if no one else does!

 

 

Hope the assessment process goes smoothly - keep us posted,

 

K x

[Sally44]

That's brilliant.

Now you need to make sure all his needs are in the Statement in section 2, and all the recommendations by professionals to meet those needs in section 3. Get yourself a copy of the Code of Practice and the SEN Toolkit - ask your local parent partnership where you can get these from.

I don't want to bring you down from your high, but the LEA will try to put together a vague Statement that cannot be enforced and which doesn't really add up to anything significantly more that they currently do.

Now the LEA/NHS SALT and Ed Psych will be asked to put together reports. You can try to get them to be more specific in their reports by sending them a letter outlinging what you feel are your sons difficulties and asking for them to make assessments and recommendations for these needs. So, if you think your son has good expressive language, but poor receptive language state that, if you think he has difficulties processing language state that, if you think he has auditory memory or auditory process disorder state that. If you think he has Semantic Pragmatic Speech Disorder state that. If you think he has Dyslexia and school have not assessed for this, ask for an assessment, or take your child to your local Dyslexia Action and have him assessed their and submit their report with your paperwork towards a Statement. In that way you have (a) evidence that you recognised a need in your child that the LEA/NHS professionals did not assess for, or ( they do include it in their report, but maybe don't specify and quantify how that need should be met.

Get help from the National Autistic Society. That is what they are there for. They can read through your Statement and the reports and can advise you. You don't have to agree to the proposed Statement when that comes. You can get private reports if you feel it necessary. You can go to tribunal if the NAS feels you have a case to do so. The NAS do have a Tribunal service and an education helpline.

The biggest thing to remember is that you need written evidence of need, not just your word, although parents opinions are taken into consideration.

 

In the 'Proposed Statement' for my son, the LEA said that "XXX will need regular access to a Speech and Language Therapist." That means absolutely nothing. It isn't worth the paper it is written on. It is illegal. It doesn't say what kind of SALT will assess my son, how often the direct therapy will be (or even if there will be any direct therapy - there wasn't any prior to the Statement), that a dedicated TA will carry out the therapy on a daily basis, how much time this will all take, how often it will be reviewed. And there is no mention of the areas of difficulty my son has, and it doesn't say that the SALT will advise on IEP/MEPs and it doesn't say she will write an updated report prior to the Annual Review.

 

If I had agreed to the above Statement I would not have been able to prove if the school/SALT were doing what my son needed, because it doesn't actually state what he needs.

 

My Statement that the LEA agreed to after 5 minutes into the Tribunal Hearing (just for SALT, there is extra provision for Social Skills and supports during Playtimes and Dinnertimes) is:-

 

"Provision for XXXX in school will include:

 

XXXX will receive a minimum of 6 hours direct Speech and Language Therapy each term from a fully qualified and experienced Speech and Language Therapist, reviewed in line with the SEN Annual Review process. This equates to approximately twelve 30 minute sessions per term to be delivered weekly or as agreed with XXXX? parents and school staff in order to best meet XXXX? changing needs.

 

XXXX? Speech & Language Therapist will compile a speech and language therapy programme to be delivered by a Teaching Assistant throughout the week on a daily basis, with the Speech and Language Therapist adjusting the programme as required following the speech and language therapy session that she has delivered. This session will be observed by a Teaching Assistant who will be delivering the programme throughout the rest of the week.

 

In addition to direct therapy the Speech and Language Therapist will do the following:

 

? Observe XXXX? functional communication outside of therapy sessions;

? Liaise with school staff and parents;

? Be invited to attend the Annual Review and provide an updating report beforehand;

? Write notes, reports and treatment programmes;

? Contribute towards the MEP targets.

 

This should take approximately 9 hours per term.

 

XXXX? Speech and Language Therapy support will focus on the following areas:

 

? Speech - through auditory discrimination

? Extending Yiannis? Semantic development

? Developing his understanding of different sentence structures

? Extending narrative skills.

? Developing his Verbal Reasoning

? Developing his phonological awareness skills

? Social communication skills"

 

I don't need to explain to you the difference between the Proposed and the Final SALT input. Obviously every child is different and has different needs and therefore requires different supports. But don't be afraid to go to Tribunal. It costs nothing (unless you get private reports), and find out exactly what the NAS can do.

 

 

 

[wasuup]

Really pleased for you well done!

[Karen A]

Good news.Have a break before the next bit.Karen.