IEP?

[justine1]

Hi my son has a new IEP that I have been asked to sign tomorrow.I just wondered,as its only the second time I have done this,I am allowed to disagree and not sign if so,and prehaps make other suggestions???Thank you.

[JsMum]

 

 

I wouldnt sign something I didnt agree with however I would do it formerly, write a letter and explain why you do not agree with it, then put forward your suggestions, that way you have evidence that you are working with the school and not been uncoperative sometimes schools say oh mum didnt agree, and leave it at that, the parent cant stand up for themselves and over time in reports it can come across as though the parent is been obstructive and uncopertive so do explain your reasons also if they decline your suggestions you have proof that you asked for the stratagies you listed and they refused, how many times have asked for something and its declined then months later they want ideas and you say a suggestion and the reply from the school is well why didnt you say that before! when you say you did they cant remember and make out you are lying.

 

So put it in writing, cc it to the LEA SEN department and his specialist and GP.

 

That way others are informed of your decline to the schools proposed IEP.

 

JsMumxxxx

 

[Sally44]

Have you contacted your local Parent Partnership? They came with me to IEP meetings, which was very helpful because they made suggestions and also pointed out to me and school when they were not doing it right.

Do you have a meeting in school about the IEP, or is it just drawn up and handed to you?

 

 

[JsMum]

Have you contacted your local Parent Partnership? They came with me to IEP meetings, which was very helpful because they made suggestions and also pointed out to me and school when they were not doing it right.

Do you have a meeting in school about the IEP, or is it just drawn up and handed to you?

 

 

 

sally is your PP independant to your LEA, in our area they are employed by the LEA and are regularly assisting the LEA that Im suspicous of there motive when they are supporting parents?

 

JsMumxxx

 

[justine1]

Have you contacted your local Parent Partnership? They came with me to IEP meetings, which was very helpful because they made suggestions and also pointed out to me and school when they were not doing it right.

Do you have a meeting in school about the IEP, or is it just drawn up and handed to you?

 

Hi well I have to agree with Jsmum on this, I firstly dont really like asking "outsiders" for help I am in a good position in that I have two family members that work in the education sector so I can also ask them for advice,I just was not sure if I could make changes because I am still new to this but think its a great idea if I put it writing if there is a problem.I dont have a meeting I just go to the teacher and I sign it,then they give me a copy.Should I have a meeting?That seems for reasonable,I mean surely we should discuss the options first before its down on paper?This is I asked in the first place because its as if they decide things without discussing with me first!

[wasuup]

Hi well I have to agree with Jsmum on this, I firstly dont really like asking "outsiders" for help I am in a good position in that I have two family members that work in the education sector so I can also ask them for advice,I just was not sure if I could make changes because I am still new to this but think its a great idea if I put it writing if there is a problem.I dont have a meeting I just go to the teacher and I sign it,then they give me a copy.Should I have a meeting?That seems for reasonable,I mean surely we should discuss the options first before its down on paper?This is I asked in the first place because its as if they decide things without discussing with me first!

 

 

Yes you are supposed to have a meeting its in the SEN CODE OF PRACTICE (you can get a copy via the teachernet website). You are supposed to evaluate how his last targets were implemented and your sons progress with the teacher; Before drawing up new targets together in agreement with what those targets should be.

[justine1]

Yes you are supposed to have a meeting its in the SEN CODE OF PRACTICE (you can get a copy via the teachernet website). You are supposed to evaluate how his last targets were implemented and your sons progress with the teacher; Before drawing up new targets together in agreement with what those targets should be.

 

 

Thank you so very much for this I found another website called Kids source,it really opened my eyes.Not only does it say I have the right to a meeting it also says I have up to 10 school days to sign it,and I can also request an IEP meeting at any time during the school year.I also read on how my son should not be excluded from playtimes etc. which is what has happened because thats when he acts up alot.I really feel I have been treated like an idiot when I am not.When I met with the headteacher(also SENCO) on Tuesday she said I should be chasing up the place where he had his assesment so they can have a report,I was a little annoyed because (a)I had already given the center the schools details so of course they would have done this and ( why cant they help me by doing this???? She also said "shall I write down what you should ask them??" I was appauled as if I am a moron!I bit my lip and politley said "that fine" anyway in the end I called the center and they said as its only been a month they are still making the report and they will be sending it to the school.I am getting more,and more angry with the whole situation!Thank you all so much you are all angels <'>

[Sally44]

Yes my PP is funded by the LEA, and whilst I used them I was also careful not to give them any information that I felt they might pass on that I did not want the LEA to know.

However they do have to follow the legal SEN process and procedures. For example if you had involved the PP they would have told you that you were entitled to meetings, and they would have come with you and made sure that IEP targets were SMART and they would ensure that any failure to meet targets was recorded etc.

I also used them as note takers and witnesses. So if I was told anything that was not correct the PP would agree with me that that is what I was told - which was good evidence that the school and LEA were not following procedures as they should do. When you go into meetings as a lone parent you can be fobbed off with all kinds of inaccurate stuff and even blatant lies that someone from the PP is obliged to point out is untrue. The PP did this for me at a meeting with the school and LEA inclusion officer. They pointed out that the Inclusion Officer had lied to the school and me. That was worth its weight in gold.

So I would not rule them out. They can be a useful tool. I have heard from other posting that their PP were not particularly good. But you don't know until you try.

Although you have family members in education, they may not know all the procedures involved or what your son's rights are, and may not be able to attend any meetings with you. The SEN process and also additional SEN procedures that are just within your local LEA can be quite complex stuff. Many times I found that the head teacher or SENCO did not know what they could do or what the school was entitled to, because like parents, the school are not informed and what you don't know you don't ask for.

[Sally44]

Particularly around exclusion at playtimes. This is a difficulty that falls under his diagnosis. If he has problems the school have a legal responsibility to get outside advice from the Educational Psychologist. They may suggest something like circle of friends, or a dinner time club, or some other inside activity that is used by your child and another small peer group with a suitably trained adult. If his social interaction and communication is poor then the SALT should be involved to assess his social communication skills which may involve the school setting up a Social Use of Language Group, and for the SALT to include Social Communication targets on their therapy work (which again should be carried out by a suitably qualfied adult), and which should be practised in school and the playground. If needed he should have access to adult support in the playground to help him practice the social skills he has learnt and to help him join in. Success tend to breed success.

In may case I again found that assumptions were made that my son did not want to socialise and did not have the skills to do it. But he was telling me that he wanted to play and join in. So I ensured that that is what he was taught to do, and it is included in his Statement. He has made alot of progress from pacing up and down the fence line repeating TV dialogue to himself - he now joins in and plays with the other children. He even goes to the school football club which I never would have dreamed of.

[Sally44]

Having posted about my own son. I know of another boy at my son's school with AS who does not go out to play because his mum says he does not want to. He spends his unstructured free time either reading books, or helping the teachers set up the classroom in the autism unit. He likes to do that and it makes him happy. I don't know if I would do something different if he were my child. But the point is that every child is different and the school needs to be flexible to meet their needs. And whatever option is taken it is going to require extra hours from school and staff input.

As the process continues you may find that school can no longer meet those needs from their budget alone. That is when an assessment for a Statement needs to be done. If the child already has a Statement, then these needs and how they should be met should already be in it. If they aren't then they need to be added at the next review and school should get advice from the outside professionals on how to meet those needs and those professionals should put their recommendations in writing so that they can be included into the Statement. And their recommendations should be specific as recommended by the SEN Code of Practice.