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Brenda

Asperger children need a statement before they get to secondary

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My 8 yr old has just been diagnosed with Aspergers. As he has had no disruptive behaviour issues at school and has achieved his expected levels his difficulties have never been picked up at school. The referral was instigated by me due to concerns re social skills, difficulty with social integration, clumsiness, processing instructions, high levels of anxiety in new/ unstructured situations, The paediatrician said he will need support all through school in several areas of difficulty.

 

It's been suggested to me by a headteacher I know that he needs to have a statement to get him the support he needs through secondary.

 

As the SEN processes are all new to me, can anyone comment on their experience e.g. from diagnosis at similar age and support required through primary and secondary ?

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In most cases you need to prove a definite need over and above what can be provided at school action plus, to fit the criteria for even assessing for a statement we had to show that even being on SA+ FOR 6MNTHS my son made no progress academically.At the time he was 7 yrs old and fell into the bottom 3% of his peer group for maths and english despite having an IQ that put him in the top 80% of the population.My son has other difficulties including dyspraxia dyslexia social integration disorder, auditory processing probs to name a few.He was given 25 hrs in a statement when he was 7 yrs.However only at high school has he progressed.This is due to the ability to access more provision and a specialist environment ( he attends a high school ASD resource).This was all done over 8 yrs ago as he is now 15 and in yr 11.However it is now more difficult to get a statement and funding for SEN(school action and school action + ) is normally taken from the schools own budget anyhow.

If your son has just been dx you need a meeting with the school senco to go through the dx and he would need to be put on school action (if not already) for his social skills and anxiety over unstructured situations alone.An IEP will be drawn up and reviewed termly if he doesn,t meet his targets he would move to school action + , only after he has been on school action + for a term and failed those targets would you be able to be considered for an assessment with a view to a statement.However most local authorities now expect the first 12 hrs I think of a statement to come from the schools own budget.

I would think about which local high schools have a good track record of supporting children with autism

it maybe that they will be able to support your son just as well without a statement .

The first thing to do would be to make sure the pead has highlighted in the dx the areas of difficulty your son has particularly with reference to a school environmemnt then discuss these issues with your sons school and take it from there, best wishes suzex

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Hi brenda, due to your sons diagnosis he has a learning difficulty, in that he has difficulties in following instructions, social functioning and menatl health due to his high Anxiety issues so do not let the school/LEA fob you off that he doesnt need a Statement just because academically he is achieving and great potential in doing well in GCSES.

 

My son some how achieved a level 3 in Science and Maths and only did a month of school out of a year! in yr 6.

 

I would recommend you contacting National Autistic Society Educational Line as well as Contact A Family.

 

Here is a link to there info plus IPSEA and ACE.

 

http://www.asd-forum.org.uk/forum/Index.php?/topic/20381-special-educational-needs-advice/

 

Youtube also have videos made by Contact A Family which are really useful too.

 

 

Contact a family have produced easy to read and understand booklets on Statementing depending on where you are Im pusuming your from England.

 

Here is a copy but they can send you information in the post too, there very helpful.

 

http://www.cafamily.org.uk/pdfs/educatio.pdf

 

My son recieved a statement at 8yrs old, it was a long slog, I can assure you and he did have behavioural problems, its not any easier even when they are disruptive.

 

LEA tried to insist my sons needs could be met in a secondary school, it took 2yrs to prove them it would not and now part 4 of his statement states a Specialist Residential School.

 

any further advise let us know.

 

JsMumx

Edited by JsMum

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You need to meet with the SENCO of the school you think your son might go to and ask them what they can offer. I did this and the SENCO put in a bid for individual pupil funding (he's had no support at primary but problems were mounting). This was awarded at quite a high rate as a result of her reccomandations and thank goodness as the transition has been far more of an issue than we expected. There is a move away from statementing, but individual funding is available (I think it's national and not just our authority. I would advise you to push as transition really is a big deal.

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If an LEA refuses to assess because they say they don't do statements, that is illegal and is a blanket policy. Have a look on www.ipsea.org.uk website about this.

 

Yes, LEAs do not like Statements because they are legally binding. But without one the provision your child needs can alter and/or stop and there is nothing you can do about it.

 

If any child needs a special school or an SEN placement within mainstream or a place within an autism unit, they need to have a Statement. Section 4 of a Statement names the Placement. A child can still remain mainstream and have a Statement for needs which are not educational ie. lanaguage/social communication, emotional or behavioural difficulties, sensory issues, physical difficulties, dyslexia etc.

Edited by Sally44

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Hi I'm just beginning to go through this process too. It's taken a long time for anyone to agree my son has difficulties, like yours he doesn't have the behaviourial issues and achieves whathe needs to in school - he's also 8. Good luck with it all, and keep in touch:) Mishmash x

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Hi Brenda .. we are in a similar situation, my son was diagnosed in August with AS but he is passive, no behavioural problems. We are currently trying to secure some funding so he can have support within the classroom but the issue of a statement has never come up. I have spoken to his class teacher today who has informed me that the TA that normally works within the classroom has been off for over 2 weeks and that my son has been struggling .. primarily to record things when he is told. Feel very frustrated at the moment, just don't know what to do for the best. Is your son receiving any support at the moment? Has anyone spoken to you about statementing and when if at all this may happen?

Best of luck Brenda, I hope that you get the answers that you need but to let you know that you are not alone.

Sam

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My son is in year 5 and is also passive. He tries to comply and is a perfectionist and very judgemental of himself when he gets upset.

I would never have thought that my son would deteriorate as he was not the disruptive, explosive type. But he has. We have recently been referred to clinical psychology, and now referred on further to CAHMS for a mental health assessment. It is a horrible place to be in. And I am 100% sure that if he was getting the support and professional provision he needs, then this referal would not have been needed.

I no longer feel he is capable or even safe going to a mainstream school.

And even at this stage we are being refused access to certain professionals because attending his current school means he no longer fits the criteria for access to these professionals.

A Statement is not a guarantee that your son will not deteriorate, as mine has one. But without a Statement I am sure I would be home schooling by now.

I have just sent in my appeal to be attending an educational tribunal about his Statement for the second time.

Getting a Statement is not the end result, it is actually the beginning.

Edited by Sally44

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This can be a difficult issue, but I have to agree that I have found it difficult twice now to get even adequate provision without a statement.

 

My eldest daughter (Asperger Syndrome) who is very bright had great anxiety issues, but the school fought all the way to say they could school her satisfactorily. Eventually she had a near breakdown, and being a school refuser. We eventually won a statement at appeal and also won funding for a residential priory school. She is now at a priory college and is studying for 4 A levels. She would have deteriorated so much more had we not got the correct help for her.

 

I am now fighting for help for my 13 yr old daughter who has unspecified ASD... she also appears on the surface to function well in school although the school have identified problems in certain areas of learning. I have been turned down for sta assessment for her, but when I went to speak to someone at the LEA he has told me she wont have a stat assessment but she will be assessed by the Ed psychologist and also by the SPLD which may mean she will need a statemnt. doesnt make sense to me. I do know however that as things are standing now, she will not fullfill her potential.

 

It is all very frustrating. Good luck with your son...

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I have been turned down for sta assessment for her, but when I went to speak to someone at the LEA he has told me she wont have a stat assessment but she will be assessed by the Ed psychologist and also by the SPLD which may mean she will need a statemnt. doesnt make sense to me. I do know however that as things are standing now, she will not fullfill her potential.

 

 

I agree, it doesn't make sense! If the LA thinks she may need a statement, then they should do a statutory assessment! Have you got this in writing? You could use it as evidence. When was the stat assessment turned down, it may be worth appealing.

 

Alternatively if you get more evidence from the psych and the SPLD then you could apply for stat assessment again... Bear in mind that even if you do get such evidence, it doesn't mean a statutory assessment is in place - you still need to apply and get the formal yes/no from the LA.

 

All the best

Lizzie x

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Happy New Year to you all and thanks so much for all your feedback.

 

I spoke to another parent in the hols whose son received no support at primary school but is now in a high school with an autism support unit and doing well. Although I can understand the need from the LEA's point of view for a school to prove a child is under performing, I can also see the reasons for pushing for a statement now once a diagnosis has been made, especially as it takes 26 weeks, by which time he will definitely be struggling with the expectation of increased independant learning. i'm going to visit a school with an autism support unit to understand what specialist help is on offer. I know that primary schools can access specialist support but assume they would need a statement in place to do so.

 

Interesting point in IPSEA "There is no requirement that a child must progress through SA and SA+ to statutory assessment, although that may happen. A child may need help immediately at SA+ and may proceed immediately to statutory assessment."

 

Sam, you asked what support he's receiving so far (no IEP in place yet) - he's receiving support with checking he's understood instructions and they've done some role play on social inclusion at playtimes. Good Luck with your son at your school. will keep you posted. Good luck to Mishmash too.

Edited by Brenda

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All schools have a budget for Educational Psychologist and Speech Therapist time. The school decides how to use that budget. It is usually used on children on school action, school action plus and Statements. But I don't there is a restriction.

The budget is not huge ie. 6 hours per term for a school with a high percentage of ASD pupils is usual.

Where a Statement becomes essential is that it has to quantify and specify (by law) the amount of time and staffing provision to meet each need.

In my sons Statement it says that the EP will review his progress and the supports and approaches being used twice a year. She has to attend the Annual Review and write an up to date report. If the Statement did not say that, it is very likely that the EP would not see him at all and would not attend the annual review and would not write an updated report every year.

 

You would think that to have it worded in the Statement was enough. But I have found that she simply says she believes that everything is okay.

 

All children have to make academic progress. Even those with moderate learning difficulties are capable of achieving around level 3 in secondary year (according to government reports).

 

You need assessments that give you a baseline from which to measure progress. If you do not know your childs reading age, how do you know if they have made any progress within the year?

 

When a child does fall behind the school is supposed to contact the EP again, or if experienced they may introduce a programme they have already used. This should be an attempt at remediation, to allow the child a chance to catch up. It should be appropriate for the child, and it should demonstrate progress. If that does not happen the school again has to contact the EP or use another approach etc.

 

So when a child is not making progress the school should ask the EP to look into this. That is what should happen, but often doesn't. Or if the EP does look they don't often recommend anything different.

 

But Sir Jim Rose (who wrote the government report into dyslexia) said that often 'phonics alone is not enough' for children who are struggling to learn to read and write.

 

So your child should get access to outside professionals if school feels it is necessary.

 

You can phone the EP or SALT service and discuss your concerns if school do not think they need to contact them. They may give you some advice, but they cannot force their way into school. They have to be invited by school (as it comes from schools budget).

 

But in the Statement it is different. You can get SALT, EP and OT hours allocated in the Statement and then the LEA is bound by law to ensure it is provided. It isn't easy to get it in. And it isn't easy to keep it in. But the Statement should quantify and specify, and you should appeal any finalised Statement that does not do that.

 

There are organisations that can help you ensure a Statement is worded correctly and contains everything it should do. But wait until you are at that stage, because you have a way to go before that yet.

Edited by Sally44

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