School Problems

[Jade]

Hi,

 

My son is 6 & has no diagnosis yet. School have implemented 'school action' and 'school action plus' & he is waiting to have the Educational Psychologist observe him in March. He is also on the waiting list to see the Clinical Psychologist following meeting with Paediatrician.

 

Despite having an Individual Education Plan and school staff trying to manage him more effectively, giving plenty of warning before change of activity etc., his behaviour is getting worse. I don't think he is generally getting worse, just that he is displaying more of his difficulties in school than he was before. Having said that, the incidence of aggression with the frustration & anger outbursts is increasing, & he's not shy of kicking or stamping on his teachers feet!

 

School had another meeting about him on Friday...when i went to collect him his teacher said he'd had a terrible day, hiding under the table for most of it, & only came out to kick her & to spend a couple of hours with the headmaster. She said she would "fight tooth and nail" to get him one to one support in the classroom.

 

My question is, would he be entitled to a one to one teaching assistant based on his behaviour difficulties as they are, or is this only available to children who have a SEN Statement? I've asked around & looked for information, including SEN Code of Practice, but can't seem to find the answer.

 

Just realized i have posted this in the wrong part of the forum! Would be grateful for any advice though.

Edited February 6, 2011 by Jade

[justine1]

Hi

 

My son,Sam is 7 yrs old,he had very similar problems at his mainstream school over a year ago.The problems started half way through yr 1,at the start of yr 2 he was getting excluded.

The school applied for additional funding,Outreach support,they got him a 1:1 and over 8weeks 2 teachers(who had special ASD training) from a special school came to show the school different things to help Sam.Behaviour support advisor was also involved.Despite all this he was only on part time education,he would come home at lunch time and then do his afternoon school work at home.

 

This continued while we were going through the statementing process,howver he still got excluded and overall the 1:1 made little difference,the overall environment was not suitable.When he was at school he didnt learn much he would often be outside of the classroom going to the pond or computer,I knew he was safe but not being educated at all.

 

Finally the SEN officer in charge decided to send him to an ASD unit, he started in the June of yr 2 without a statement,it had never been done before.

 

My point is 1:1 may work for some but not everybody.It is definatley worth a try and it will help with statementing as it shows even with 1:1 he is sstill havig problems.But the school have to be open to suggestions,to be able to make his class ASD friendly and work together with a 1:1 to implement these changes.

[Kathryn]

At School Action Plus, he should be getting whatever the school can provide from its own resources and the school should be calling in outside support as necessary, for example the behaviour support team. It sounds as though they are already doing things, and not doing what many schools would do at the first sign of physical attack, which is to exclude -sometimes unofficially.

 

Even a well resourced school is unlikely to have the budget to provide a large amount of 1-1 support: your son may get some if there is already a teaching assistant attached to the class or if there happens to be a statemented child with a learning support assistant. However this support may be taken away if it is needed elsewhere so it is never secure. If he needs more than occasional support, the school or yourself should be applying for a statutory assessment (the first step to getting a statement). It helps if you can show that the school have tried to put in as much support as they can.

 

It's possible that your LEA has a system of top up funding which the school can apply for to support an individual pupil. Ask the Senco about this. Although it's not as secure as statemented provision, it can help to fund a 1-1 assistant in the interim.

 

K x

[Jade]

Hi, thankyou so much for your responses, they are really interesting and very useful! It does seem that you have to know the system, and your rights within it to get things done. I think the school are actually trying to help but are coming from a point of little understanding of asd, even though there is at least one other child with aspergers, who is statemented in year 2 (its a small school of around 100 pupils).

 

I will be able to go in and talk with school tomorrow with a bit more knowledge and confidence now.

 

Thanks again.

[Kathryn]

Are you in touch with

 

Parent Partnership?

 

They might be as much use as a chocolate teapot, or they might be very helpful and supportive: it depends where you are. At the very least they should be able to provide more info about the SEN set up in your area and they may even provide individuals who can go to meetings with you.

 

Good luck for tomorrow anyway - let us know how it goes

 

K x

[flappyfish]

Don't know if this is national or just where I live, but it is possible to apply for 'individual pupil funding' (IPF) which is awarded at a range of rates depending on need. Ity's quite a process applying involving a lot of paperwork on the school's part and it goes to a panel, a bit like the statement, and it has to be renewed annually. It's not as time consuming or ecpensive as statementing though, and I think there was a national initiative to reduce the number of statements given, so it may well be that your authority does something similar. It would be worth asking your school's SENCO.

[Sally44]

I would also suggest that you go and visit other schools. You need to see the different types of provision that are available.

Look at LEA maintained primary special schools that also have children with autism. But remember that he needs to be in a suitable PEER group. So if he is cognitively able, then a Moderate Learning Difficulty school placement is not suitable.

Look at any primary schools that also have autism units. Look at the units and the peer group. Look at the mainstream section of the school if they also have a high proportion of ASD children mainstream.

 

The truth is that a Statement of Special Educational Needs is the ONLY legally binding document. Whatever that Statement contains if what your son has. So if he was assessed and the EP said he did need 1:1 support throughout the day, then that is what would have to be included in the Statement.

 

But as well as the adult support, you need to consider the educational environment, the teaching approaches, the sensory issues, the social interaction and play skill side etc. By visiting those other schools you should get a much better idea of the type of school or type of environment he needs.

 

The SEN approach is a graduated one. It sounds like the current level of support is not working. Whatever professionals say he needs, and put in writing, is what he will get when it is in a Statement. Without a Statement nothing is legally binding and although everyone might agree he needs 1:1 whilst on school action plus, that will not happen due to the school not being able to fund that amount of support via their delegated funding budget.

[Sally44]

To get a list of your local schools contact the LEA and ask them for their list of LEA maintained, approved and special schools for primary age. They should send you a list. Or you could ask them via the phone for the name of a primary school that has an autism unti and visit that. Then ask that school which other schools you should consider that are in the area.

 

I would like to point out that LEAs do fund placements at independent and approved schools as well for children whose needs cannot be met within their own schools. Many times this is capable children who have complex needs but who are cognitively able. But those kinds of places are rarely funded at primary age, and it is usually at secondary transfer that such a request would normally take place and which would definately involve an educational tribunal which the LEA would fight fiercely against.

 

What you need now is for professionals to carry out Standardised Assessments. These give baseline readings of skills and abilities eg. reading age 5 years, comprehension 7 years etc. Although classroom and observations based assessments are good and useful they do not give these age related results from which you can measure progress. So I would advise you to speak to all professionals your son has been referred to (EP, SALT, OT etc) and ask them verbally and in writing to carry out standardised assessments.

 

Once you get the diagnosis, and in some cases before that if things have deteriorated, and have 6 months of IEPs you can request an assessment for a Statement from the LEA yourself. You do not need the school or any other professional to agree before you do it. But it sounds like school will be supportive.

 

Many LEAs automatically refuse the first parental request to assess for a Statement. Appeal that decision. Most LEAs do agree to assess on appeal.

[Jade]

Hi, thanks for all the advice, this forum is such a great resource!

 

And Thanks Sally44, i just read your email.

 

Am feeling a bit more positive about it all right now, I really feel the school are trying to do the best they can by my son. This has been greatly aided by the Parent Support advisor in my area who is a fantastic woman (used to be head teacher of asd school and her son is aspergers). The head teacher told me yesterday that they realize and accept that he is most likely on the spectrum...he has agreed to the Autism Advisory Teacher coming in to give advice and says they are going to have a teacher training day on asd (although I know that doesn't make an awful lot of difference if minds aren't open!). EP is booked in for March 15th and the Head says they have written a very detailed report to her on his behaviour difficulties, and she will be coming to assess, not just observe, so that application can be made for assessment for Statement. I'm meeting a Play Therapist tomorrow...with all the cutbacks she has only been booked for 6 sessions but has agreed to do this in a consultory role to report on his emotional state etc.

 

The Paediatrician we saw was useless and confused my sons anxiety as being related entirely to tension between his dad & I, whereas actually the tension arises (apart from the fact that my ex is a *****) from the difficulties my son has and his fathers inability to accept it or deal with it. No idea when we will see her again, though had a second CAF meeting a couple of weeks ago, once the action plan from that is typed up it will be sent to her and the doctor, along with the schools assessment of him to try to speed things up. No idea when we'll see the clinical psychologist yet either!

 

I have started making enquiries about other schools in the area. There are a couple with special units, and I think you make a good point that it would be useful to see how things are in those schools.