Jump to content
Sign in to follow this  
skye

Statement due- still want to remove from school

Recommended Posts

Hi Everyone,

 

I have a huge dilemma and I know you out there with all of your experience can help me once again. My DD finally got her DX last month and her Statement is due to come in any day. From things that have been said DD will receive 17.5 hours per week one to one support in mainstream. I am still having major problems with the school she is currently in and to be honest, I can't see any mainstream being the ideal situation for my child. SO now it's the IEP meeting tomorrow at school. I really just want to sign her off of the register and Home Educate her. I am really worried that if for any reason she would ever need to go back into school then what are the implications of pulling her out now? It is my understanding that her having a statement of SEN could make it harder for me to home educate her, however if we back out of the statement now then what will happen in the future?

I know that so many people are fighting for a statement right now. I just don't see my DD getting the type of support that I think she needs which is in a specialist provision. I know that she will still have the issues she currently has in mainstream even with a one to one in place. Advice appreciated and considered. Thanks, Skye

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hello Skye, it should help the fact that your dd has a diagnosis now. Do the LA no about this as sometimes they can claim to have not been told. If things are really not working with your dd at a mainstream school you do have a choice about where you feel her needs can best be meet. Have you kept a diary explainning all the issues that you and your dd are dealling with. Im just asuming that you have not yet had the proposed statement, When you get it go through it very carefully and check every detail, if possible get help from a local ASD support group, they can also tell you about any schools there children attend, and if it works for there children. If your dd is getting 1-1 for 17,5 hours a week what/ who is looking after her needs for the rest of the week? Ive never really understood that part of my childrens statement and when i put it to the LA there statements were increased to 25 hours, so you never no it could happen to your dd. With full time support she may cope at school. Just dont accept the statement if your not happy with it.

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Julie,

You are right I have not seen the proposed statement yet. I am aware of two different possible outcomes but I have run out of steam. I can't keep fighting. I could focus all of this energy to somewhere positive, like home education and I wouldn't always feel like I am fighting a losing battle. I'll keep you posted on what happens. Thanks, Skye

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

 

 

Dont forget the whole reason its soo hard now adays to get statements/specialist schools is the LEA are hoping some parents run out of steam! to get a specialist school your daughter will need a statement, secondly to get a specialist school you have to prove that mainstream was not meeting her needs even with a statement and it usually means a period of full time support.

 

My own son had a statement of 16 hrs and we flexi schooled then the LEA increased it to full time statement, even with a full time statement it still wasnt meeting Js needs and he eventually went to a specialist school after going to tribunal though we never went as far as that as the LEA agreed to fund specialist school.

 

You do not have to agree to the statement as in draft format you can request more or add additional support, you only sign on the dotted line once you agree to the statement, otherwise you appeal and go to tribunal, but the tribunal will want to see evidence that mainstream education is not viable even with a full time statement in place so it is recommended you give a statement a go and let her fail, its horrible I know, been there done that.

 

JsMumxxxx

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Your dd is only 5 years old, she has just started in the system. It is very hard proberly the hardest and most tirering thing you have to do with regards to getting the right education. What is right for your dd is for you to decided. But as JSs said they want us parents to run out of steam. It might help you to no that when i went to tribunal for my dd1 this was with her first statement it was never running at her school as i disagreed with the school nammed as being able to meet my dd1 needs. It was very scarry and i thought i would pull out, but it proved to be the best thing i ever did. I think you need some TLC to help you to feel strong again, in whatever decision you make. >:D<<'> big hugs.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Whatever you do, dont run out of steam because that is exactly what the LA are hoping you will do. Many many parents with children with SEN feel their childrens needs would be better met in a specialist school and you have every right to want that, the trick is getting it !!!.

 

I did take my son out of school, after about 9 months of having a statement with 25 hrs pw support, I home educated for half a term, then a very dear friend of mine who is also an educational professional advised me that an appeal tribunal would look more favourably on DS case if he were in school, so I found another mainstream school, where he stayed for a term before I finally won the tribunal and my son is now extremely happy and his needs met fabulously in a specialist school. Sorry to keep banging on about my petition on exactly this subject, but I now have 180 signatures plus, so somebody obviously agrees with me (excuse plug and here is link http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/SE-NEEDS/).

 

Meanwhile, I would check the proposed statement very carefully and if you dont agree to what is proposed, dont agree to it. There is a bit in the

Interim Recommendations of the Lamb Enquiry which says about the "norm" for SEN provision being 1-1 TA support, but this not actually being appropriate in many cases. Maybe try and jump on that bandwagon ! Also, someone else said get advice from a local ASD group as to what is actually available in your area as an alternative to the school your child is currently in and maybe there will be another LA provision which would be more suitable which you wont have to fight so hard for.

 

Good luck - and dont run out of steam - one day at a time. :bounce:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Sometimes it helps to have a goal in mind.

As already mentioned 'running out of the steam' is what they want.

Home Education is always an option. But only you can decide 'when' and 'if' to use that card. I would not mention it to the LEA because it is like putting in an insurance claim whilst also saying that if they don't resolve it quickly you will withdraw your claim. What is their incentive to resolve it - none.

You say you cannot see mainstream meeting her needs. You need that evidence.

Have a look at other ASD specific independent schools if there is nothing the LEA has to offer. It is possible to get the LEA to fund a place there if nothing else is available. Obviously that takes time, plodding on, allowing your child to continue to fail in school until you have enough evidence to go for the ASD specific placement. Not nice, but it is achieveable.

Have you looked at other LEA schools outside your LEAs area, or independent/private schools?

It is horrible to be at the stage you are now. Nothing is certain, but there is still everything to fight for.

As already said you don't agree to anything you are not happy with. The NAS and IPSEA can look at Proposed Statements and give you advice. But also look at other schooling options.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

>:D<<'>

Sorry to hear things not going so well. Know the feeling!

I agree with the others that you should stay put for a while, but look into other things. What about the school you were looking round the other week? Was that no good?

It's so hard watching your darling child being unhappy. I really don't know what to say except >:D<<'> I'm thinking of you and feeling much the same way!

X >:D<<'> X

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi Skye

 

If you want to home educate you can do so even with a statement. The law upholds the right of a child to be educated in accordance with the wishes of his/her parents. You can simply ask the LA to specify home education in the statement so that in part 4, where a school is usually named, it will usually say something like "parents have made their own arrangements under section 7 of the Education Act 1996".

 

(Section 7 concerns the duty of parents to ensure their child receives “efficient full-time education, suitable to his age, ability and aptitude and to any special educational needs he may have, either by regular attendance at school or otherwise”. )

 

I think whatever you decide to do, home ed, sticking with the current school or looking at other provision, it would be a good idea to get the statement.

 

K x

 

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Well given that the goal posts are very probably going to be moving around in home ed in the not to distant future were it I about to be embarking on home ed at this time I would want to be doing it without a statement. But I would only say this if you are thinking about home education as a long term option. A statement is of no use at all to a home educator at the moment although the Badman Review has said that children should be able to keep the support that they had while they were in the system, which of course will mean that LAs keep their finger in your pie which the majority of us do not want.

 

When we gave up on the system 11 years ago now with the eldest of my two sons and 7 years ago with the youngest we were not particularly interested in letting the LA off the hook or giving them the best run for their money that we could. What Iwe were interested in was our sons and them being the meat in the sandwich while we went ten rounds in a ring with our LA. Going ten round with the LA also meant that we had to let our youngest son fail in a placement to prove that it was the wrong placement for him. Frankly that did not make sense to us at all because our son was going be the one failing while we did battle with our LA. It was never about running out of steam for us it was about putting our energies into providing an education that was right for our sons and meeting their needs. I can honestly say that I have never once felt that we made the wrong decision. Home ed was the right choice for us. We have been home educating our youngest since he was 5 years old. He is 12 now and is doing really well and he is also happy.

 

It is true that there is a great deal in the pipe line with the Lamb Inquiry due to report back any day now but even if Brian Lamb has a jewel studded magic wand it is going to take quite some time, perhaps even years for the changes to bed in and make a difference to the children already in the system.

 

Home ed is not right for everyone and yes the state should be providing the right kind of education for every child. There are some parents who believe that educating their children at home does not mean that we failed in our battles with our LAs it means that we invested that energy in our children instead.

 

I do not know if you are familiar with this group http://www.he-special.org.uk/content/joinhere.php but they have a mailing list which is a really good list to ask any questions that you have about home ed. There are some really knowledgeable parents on the list some of them home educating their sen children with statements and some like myself home educating them without them.

 

Cat

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks again for everyones advise. I actually printed out a deregstration letter the day before yesterday. I decided to attend DDs IEP meeting yesterday to see what was being said and think on it. They seemed very positive about DD, however I am seeing a different view of what is going on from where I am. A woman who has been allocated to DD from the ASD team attended the meeting. She of course had loads of good input. Even with all of the positives I cannot help feeling like mainstream is not the right place. The proposed statement will be here in the next week. I guess I will get it and read through.

We have visited the ASD unit in a mainstream in our area. Unfortunately there are only 6 places available in all of Calderdale and only 1 open place currently. I am not hopeful about this place and the next intake meeting for the place isn't until February. I have been informed that it is merely an assessment unit and the aim is to have the children back into mainstream sometimes as quickly as one term. I am just not sure I can cope with that or DD for that matter. The only other option available in Calderdale is a special school which I would be happy with, however my friends son who has AS currently attends there and my friend is trying to get him partially into mainstream for fear he is missing out on some vital components of his education.

It's just a bad situation all around. What would we all be doing if we did not have to fight every step of the way for our kids? It is just one of those things in life that is wrong and so unfair. Not everyone is so strong and unfortunately there must be tons of ASD kids falling through the cracks of the education system.

I do really appreciate all of the comments and help. I don't post here as much as I should as right now I am barely hanging on. Keep up the good fight! Tomorrow is another day and unfortunately for most of us another battle. >:D<<'> FIGHT THE POWER!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Thanks again for everyones advise. I actually printed out a deregstration letter the day before yesterday. I decided to attend DDs IEP meeting yesterday to see what was being said and think on it. They seemed very positive about DD, however I am seeing a different view of what is going on from where I am. A woman who has been allocated to DD from the ASD team attended the meeting. She of course had loads of good input. Even with all of the positives I cannot help feeling like mainstream is not the right place. The proposed statement will be here in the next week. I guess I will get it and read through.

We have visited the ASD unit in a mainstream in our area. Unfortunately there are only 6 places available in all of Calderdale and only 1 open place currently. I am not hopeful about this place and the next intake meeting for the place isn't until February.

 

Hi.

If you did decide that you wanted to push for specialist provision and you wanted to have the ASD unit named in the Statement I think that might overide any delay until February for the intake meeting.I don't think you would have to wait until February.I think that if a place is available and the LA name the school then a place should be offered although I am not absolutely certain.

Hang in there. :)

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi.Just to say Good luck in what you decide.My friend's daughter was absolutely wild at that age(ASD ADHD) and she has just started secondary school and doing great so far..there's been a lot of ups and downs but she's socialised well and even caught up on the academics;I started full time with a yr1 boy as his TA(the parents were at the interview to help choose me on personality match not just qualifications)and we went through A LOT(!).By y5 he was finally able to go to the loo sensibly most the time(just1example) but still needed close monitoring and lots of support.He left Y6 with levels 5,4,5 happy and knowing all the local kids.. who now stick up for him at secondary if he runs into trouble.He took a lot of conditioning to integrate into school life but he did it with support.I can't see into the future so who knows what's best for your daughter,but it worked for these 2 so thought I'd share.xxx

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Hi Skye

 

If you want to home educate you can do so even with a statement. The law upholds the right of a child to be educated in accordance with the wishes of his/her parents. You can simply ask the LA to specify home education in the statement so that in part 4, where a school is usually named, it will usually say something like "parents have made their own arrangements under section 7 of the Education Act 1996".

 

(Section 7 concerns the duty of parents to ensure their child receives “efficient full-time education, suitable to his age, ability and aptitude and to any special educational needs he may have, either by regular attendance at school or otherwise”. )

 

I think whatever you decide to do, home ed, sticking with the current school or looking at other provision, it would be a good idea to get the statement.

 

K x

 

As a Statement is to secure certain input by certain professionals and to identify all needs and how they should be met, am I right to assume that even if a child is home educated that the SALT and Ed Psych and OT etc can still be involved and their input in terms of hours of input can be specified in the Statement?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

LA's can and do fund home based provision although this is very rare, as the LA needs to accept that home ed is the only suitable provision for the child. Most LA's will of course argue that a school can meet the child's needs adequately and so will only name home ed on the understanding that the parents are responsible for it.

 

I've heard of home based ABA, 1-1 dyslexia tuition and -yes, even SonRise- being funded through a statement but not without a fight. I haven't heard of SALT, OT and EP input being funded when a child is home educated but I suppose it's possible.

 

Although the LA still has a duty to ensure the child is receiving a suitable education which meets his /her needs, there's no obligation on the LA to provide any resources for an elective home educated child - (who knows whether this may change following the recent consultation?). So as Cat says, the statement is of little practical use in a home ed situation, except maybe as a guide to what the child needs, but the parents very likely know that anyway!

 

K x

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I feel that is very unfair, as many parents resort to home education simply because they cannot find anything suitable within the state school system. And the very children that are not coping mainstream and no other suitable placement can be found, are the very children who may need professional input.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

We have visited the ASD unit in a mainstream in our area. Unfortunately there are only 6 places available in all of Calderdale and only 1 open place currently.

 

 

I would request that part 4 name this ASD unit, if that is what you feel would be right, if they do agree to place him in the unit and then after a term they transfer him back to a mainstream appeal, at least that way it will give you time to look more into private/independant specialist schools that are more apropriate for his needs.

 

If there is a place open, then I would go for it.

 

JsMumxxxx

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks for all of your great advice and comments. I love it on this forum! Anyway, just to let everyone know DD is now officially home educated. I feel like a huge weight has been lifted. I am really happy and excited with the prospect of home ed. I know that it is the right decision for our family. WOOHOO! Freedom!

 

<<<<BEEP>>>> the SYSTEM! Two fingers in the air to bad schools and no provision for high function children with ASD!!

 

:P

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Thanks for all of your great advice and comments. I love it on this forum! Anyway, just to let everyone know DD is now officially home educated. I feel like a huge weight has been lifted. I am really happy and excited with the prospect of home ed. I know that it is the right decision for our family. WOOHOO! Freedom!

 

<<<<BEEP>>>> the SYSTEM! Two fingers in the air to bad schools and no provision for high function children with ASD!!

 

:P

 

Welcome to my world >:D<<'> :thumbs:>:D<<'>

 

Cat

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Thanks for all of your great advice and comments. I love it on this forum! Anyway, just to let everyone know DD is now officially home educated. I feel like a huge weight has been lifted. I am really happy and excited with the prospect of home ed. I know that it is the right decision for our family. WOOHOO! Freedom!

 

<<<<BEEP>>>> the SYSTEM! Two fingers in the air to bad schools and no provision for high function children with ASD!!

 

:P

Hi

 

I'm just embarking on the same journey with a 13-year-old. Good luck to us!!!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

HEYHEY! I am like a new woman. So many exciting prospects for my little girl! I have gone Ikea crazy in the house and organized everything and I do mean everything I could. After visiting the ASD unit I realize how organized everything was and how at ease the kids were with it. I have spent an entire week getting everything ready for school to not start this Monday! WOOHOO!! Off to Eureka science museum, the library, Leeds Armoury and swimming all this week. Next week is a "positive news" class set up at the local library for home edders and then home ed climbing in Rochdale and a meet up at Yorkshire Sculpture park. We are going to pack in as much as we can right now and stay busy. I can't wait to go to museums and shops while all of the other children are in school. Rock on! Skye :thumbs:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

im so pleased for you both, i hope it all works out. My friend home eds her dd and its brilliant, they are both so much more relaxed and enjoying each others company. I wished i had the confidence to do the same.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

QUICK UPDATE: I received the statement. The SENCo asked for 17.5 hours and we were actually rewarded 32 hours. The SENCo couldn't believe it. She says the LEA never offer a full time statement like that. I have had to completely reconsider my game plan. I feel like we really are going to have to give it a try with full time support. I am afraid if I keep her off and for any reason it doesn't work we would have to start back a square one and maybe never receive a full time support offer like this. So thanks for everyones advice. We are still doing home ed at the moment and are working with the SENCo for DD to come back at about 2 half days per week until the support worker is hired. Probably won't start back full time until after XMAS holidays. Anyway, Thanks for all of the replies and help!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
QUICK UPDATE: I received the statement. The SENCo asked for 17.5 hours and we were actually rewarded 32 hours. The SENCo couldn't believe it. She says the LEA never offer a full time statement like that. I have had to completely reconsider my game plan. I feel like we really are going to have to give it a try with full time support. I am afraid if I keep her off and for any reason it doesn't work we would have to start back a square one and maybe never receive a full time support offer like this. So thanks for everyones advice. We are still doing home ed at the moment and are working with the SENCo for DD to come back at about 2 half days per week until the support worker is hired. Probably won't start back full time until after XMAS holidays. Anyway, Thanks for all of the replies and help!

 

 

Ensure you see the statement first sorry for been paranoid, anyway glad you got your dd support, the transition for new year can start now though, ensure there is an IEP done before christmas and transition plan in place as soon as possible.

 

What about her attending some of the hands on lessons such as Art, Science ect that way she will feel more comfortable and maybe just in small groups is there any learning suites for special educational programmes it may be that she could access some lessons in there?

 

I did part time school for over a year, it nearly killed me especially as J didnt even attend the part time scedule and managed just 29 days in a year, so know how you feel, it is full on.

 

What about getting some additional support with in the home for christmas too, for example sessional work, activties for children with special needs, respite ect.....community care is the name, contact a family have further advice if you ring their helpline.

 

Let us know how things develop, glad you got the statement.

 

JsMumxxx

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi Skye,

 

This is good news - 32 hours is very generous, and although it means rethinking your plans, I think you're right to give school another chance to see what they can do for your daughter with this amount of support. This is a personal opnion and I know not everyone will agree - you have to do what you think best.

 

If after a period of time school still isn't working out, you will be in a stronger position to argue for a specialist school because you'll be able to say that everything possible has been tried in mainstream. And you can always return to home ed at a later point if you want to.

 

I agree with J's mum - even though you have the hours, check the statement carefully to ensure all your daughter's needs are detailed in part 2 and the provision is clearly set out in part 3. Also check that the 32 hours is dedicated 1-1 support.

 

K x

 

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi Jsmum and Kathryn,

 

Got the proposed statement in my hand today. It sounds really good. They propose 32.5 hours one to one support for the term after XMAS and then 22.5 hours until the yearly review. Part 2 and 3 look really good. They seem to have taken everything into account. I think we have to give it one last try and I also just found out that there is an ASD independent school not extremely far away. I am going to try once more with the mainstream school and like Kathryn says if it doesn't work we will be in a very strong position to change the provision to special and possibly even the ASD school. Whew, I am worn out with all of this! I am trying to hang in there and go this last little bit of the way, but it's hard.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
Sign in to follow this  

×
×
  • Create New...