looked after child and SEN

[JsMum]

That astounded me, wow, nine time!

 

As my own son is now termed a Looked After Child I thought I would do some research, what I have found interesting too as well is that now J is now a Looked after child he has access to his very own independant educational officer who devises IEPs and Targets that are seperate to his Statement, J is now entitled to extra one to one Litracey and numeracey tuition sessions these are additional to what J already recieves in his statement and the Educational officer is sorting out his dislexia needs also, additional to what he already recieves in his SEN statement, what I dont get though is when a child living at home with thier families they are the ones who have to fight to get statements and educational needs recognised and met, now J is in care he gets all this new educational support on top of the statement that I fought tooth and nail to get in the plce in the first place so excuse me if I sound a bit peed of that now he is in care educational needs are enhanced.

 

They say that many boys especially enter care/justice system have a severe delayed reading age compaired to thier peers, again I fought for several years to get my LEA to take my sons Dyslexia and though it was identified at six he went undiagnosed until yr 7.

 

Anyway Im now researching SEN and Looked After Children and came across this, which Im sharing incase it is helpful to anyone other families here.

 

My sons Resi special school and seperate additional resi respite provision are both out of county as there is nothing near to our address that can meet ALL his needs, we are awaiting any time now for a placement in a 52wk out of county resi school, so J can recieve ALL his needs in one placement.

 

https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/standard/publicationdetail/page1/DCSF-00060-2010

 

JsMumx

 

 

also found this website which is a good resources, they have these publications available.

 

http://www.thewhocarestrust.org.uk/publications.php/41/who-cares...-about-looked-after-childrens-education-a-guide-for-foster-carers

 

x

Edited May 17, 2011 by JsMum

[Sally44]

You need to have all this extra provision which is now being provided on paper, to submit as evidence that the Statement was never an accurate reflection of your son's needs, and as you say, it has only been provided now because things have deteriorated to such an extent. I'm presuming that it is related to the budget provider. IE. the Statement is under education, but I presume Social Services are under Health, or a different budget anyway.

 

I seem to remember that you have someone supporting you now? All the costs of the professionals (including social workers, respite etc), and all the additional provision they are providing should be put on the table as the "total cost" needed to meet your son's needs.

[Kathryn]

what I dont get though is when a child living at home with thier families they are the ones who have to fight to get statements and educational needs recognised and met, now J is in care he gets all this new educational support on top of the statement that I fought tooth and nail to get in the plce in the first place so excuse me if I sound a bit peed of that now he is in care educational needs are enhanced.

 

Yes, it's a crazy system, but glad it's finally working in J's favour educationally, even if it's not the way you would have wished.

 

Sadly not all looked after children get their needs assessed and met so readily. Where the LA is the sole "parent", and also the body responsible for assessing, and providing for that child's SEN, the conflict of interest is obvious. There is no one to independently defend the child's rights and there are still many getting a raw deal.

 

K x

[Sally44]

I can see that where a child's needs are not being met whilst the child is at home, that that can eventually break down due to the pressure placed on the parents.

There is an even higher marital breakdown figure for families with a child with SEN or disabilities.

And when it is a 24/7 job, with no respite or support, parents can find themselves in a similar position to you.

What makes me so angry is that any family/child has to get to rock bottom before anything is finally done. It always seems to be crisis management and I'm sure that costs would be saved if the child's and families needs were met from the start.

[JsMum]

Yes, it's a crazy system, but glad it's finally working in J's favour educationally, even if it's not the way you would have wished.

 

Sadly not all looked after children get their needs assessed and met so readily. Where the LA is the sole "parent", and also the body responsible for assessing, and providing for that child's SEN, the conflict of interest is obvious. There is no one to independently defend the child's rights and there are still many getting a raw deal.

 

K x

 

 

What does it mean when you say SOLE Parent?

 

what care order gives the LA sole parent status?

 

SS have a section 38 and are fighting for a section 31, I have been told I will continue to have shared PR. so what situation would if be for SS to have Sole Parent?

 

am I right in reading along the lines that its still good J has me as a mum who can continue to fight for him? even though he is now in care?

 

what if something happened to me, like I died would LA have sole parent rights then?

 

JsMumx

Edited May 19, 2011 by JsMum

[JsMum]

I can see that where a child's needs are not being met whilst the child is at home, that that can eventually break down due to the pressure placed on the parents.

There is an even higher marital breakdown figure for families with a child with SEN or disabilities.

And when it is a 24/7 job, with no respite or support, parents can find themselves in a similar position to you.

What makes me so angry is that any family/child has to get to rock bottom before anything is finally done. It always seems to be crisis management and I'm sure that costs would be saved if the child's and families needs were met from the start.

 

 

 

The fight I had to get J respite in the first place was that he was at risk, that I couldnt cope and that I couldnt meet his needs with out respite, its the very same reasons that has now ment SS have a care order and J is now in full time care. Mad Hey.xxx

 

JsMumx

[Kathryn]

am I right in reading along the lines that its still good J has me as a mum who can continue to fight for him? even though he is now in care?

 

Absolutely, J's mum. Hang in there. <'>

 

Sorry I didn't mean to upset you with my comments, which were not directed at your situation at all but a disagreement with your general point that looked after children get all their needs met.

 

I don't know enough about the care system to answer your specific questions, but I know the lack of appeal rights of looked after children is something which has long concerned IPSEA. According to their recent figures there are about 12000 children in care who have no right of appeal. This might be children in, for example, residential care with no natural or foster parent or other person to share parental responsibility - I'm not sure what the figures include. If for whatever reason the child has no one independent of the LA to advocate for them, i.e. someone who doesn't also hold the purse strings, statutory assessment and statementing may not happen - the LA is hardly going to challenge its own bad decisions!

 

If PR is shared, as I expect it normally would be, even if the LA is making all the key decisions concerning that child, the SEN tribunal is not bound by what the family court have ordered. The parent still has the right of appeal and in some cases this right has been extended to foster parents and even other relatives without parental responsibility.

 

K x