Lesley Report post Posted July 5, 2005 Hello all Firstly I'm relatively new to the forum & would like to register my relief that 'it's not just me'!!!!!!!! After being concerned that our LEA SEN pre-school wasn't identifying our son's difficulties thoroughly enough to assess him (refused in March, tribunal case in post), we commissioned 2 independent assessments: 1) Independent Speech and Language Therapist who diagnosed speech and language disorder (The LEA claim his 'language delay has caught up) 2) Consultant Clinical Psychologist who diagnosed Asperger's Syndrome & ADHD (LEA sees no behavioural / scoial communication difficulties). The LEA EP has refused to see him based on the fact that she sees 'no cause for concern'. (This was after I provided 2 pages of 'odd behaviours' that I felt were probably linked to AS) We had our son's review on 21 June and none of his diagnoses were mentioned. They didn't even bring the psychologist report to the table! (I did though - then I had to write and ask the dx to be included in the minutes after they were omitted in the draft!) It appears that our LEA doesn't have to have regard for these diagnoses until our tribunal case which will be heard on 20 Oct. They refused a behavioural intervention service referral and a CAMHS referral. We finally have a CAMHS appointment through our health visitor for the end of July. Meanwhile our son will start Reception year in September without his needs recognised and I and my family continue to get bitten on a daily basis! Has anyone else had their LEA refuse to acknowledge independent reports? More importantly did anyone come out of the tunnel? Lesley PS What I don't get is this: I am myself a teacher in a special school for students with Asperger's Syndrome and related disorders! I happen to know what I'm talking about! Currently signed off sick due to stress - ombudsman complaint in the post cos the MP didnt get anywhere either. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kathryn Report post Posted July 5, 2005 Hi Lesley, I already posted a welcome to you on another thread before seeing this so - welcome again! I have a 16 year old daughter, late dx with AS in May 04. I can really empathise with that feeling. In answer to your first question, yes our LEA paid no attention to our two independent reports, one from a consultant paediaric neuropsychologist and the other from a Cambridge professor of child and adolescent psychiatry, both with an impeccable pedigree and much experience in ASD, so you are not alone. Our LEA paid more attention to their own Ed Psych who was on our side, luckily. After two refusals to assess and a tribunal appeal, all within the space of five months, they finally agreed to do it, just after I had spent all night writing our case statement . We are awaiting the outcome which we expect will be a statement naming a specialist residential school. So we have spent a long time in the tunnel but can finally see the light at the end of it. So don't give up, Lesley, you just have to keep on and on and on. I have been given strength to do so by all the wonderful people on this forum, and IPSEA and the NAS advice lines have also been invaluable. good luck, K Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hectorshouse Report post Posted July 5, 2005 Hi Lesley and welcome aboard, I'm probably preaching to the converted here but LEA's are generally more willing to accept the views of their own advisers but they must consider your representations and any evidence you want to give, including a private report (SEN Reg 11) this is taken from the ACE special ed handbook. Also, a speech and language disorder is a disorder, a delay in speech may catch up but that does not mean that the disorder has gone away!!!! what a load of bull and as for not recognising the dx at all I had my son's original dx done independently, if I hadn't I would've had to wait 3 years to be seen for an initial interview, the then LEA didn't like it and refused to assess, but we moved county and that LEA did accept it. They have to provide substantial evidence as to why they are not accepting this dx, and I would advise that you contact IPSEA/ACE and the Disability Law Service, as this is a clear case of discrimination, I've been digging through my COP but I'm sure I've read somewhere that they have a duty to recognise any independent report provided it is from a recognised body .. bit late now but I'm sure someone here will know more than me. Sounds like the EP has got his head stuck firmly up his ar*e!!! I'm sorry your suffering from so much stress, it affects us all like that at one time or another, but you are in very good company here. HHxx Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
phasmid Report post Posted July 5, 2005 I'd be asking the LEA 1 question: What medical qualifications in ASD diagnosis does the Ed psych have? If they are more medically qualified than the people who wrote your reports then they have a leg to stand on. In my experience I have never come across an Ed psych who is qualified to make, or dispute a diagnosis. I'd challenge them on that one if nothing else! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
phasmid Report post Posted July 5, 2005 You can present your reports as parental evidence under sect 8:30 of the CoP (p151). Wave that at the Ed pysch! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mossgrove Report post Posted July 5, 2005 (edited) Lesley I understand where you are coming from. Our 5 year old has a diagnosis of ASD and had major speech and language delays. His school have never accepted that he has any difficulties at all, and believe he is developing normally. This is despite the fact that after 9 months he only knew the name of one other person in his class, would run away or burst into tears when anyone asked him to play with them, was frequently to be found in the corner of the classroom with his hands over his ears, had meltdowns every day before and after schools and never at any stage lasted more than 2.5 hours there. Many professionals visited the schhol and confirmed he was not coping or behaving normally. He is currently not in school. The school response was to refer us to social services for refusing to send our child to school full time, and to inform anyone that would listen that his limited bad behaviours were caused by his parents refusal to send him to school full time, disregarding his ASD diagnosis, the opinions of two educational psychologists, a clinical pschologist, a Pediatric Conultant, his GP, his portage worker, the CAMHS support staff, the head of the Educational Psychology service at the LEA and two speech therpists, the self-harming behavious and the fact it was impossible to get him into school without using physical force. They also suggested that we might wish to consider parenting classes as he was compliant at school and had meldowns at home which meant we were evidently not as skilled as them at mangaing his behaviour. As a teacher in a special school you will understand just how ignorant that comment was! There was MUCH more but I won't continue as I have made my point! The only reason I am telling you all this is to say that there is light at the end of the tunnel. You will find much ignorance, intransigence, contrariness and refusal to listen as you progress through the system. But there are also some wonderful professionals out there who will give you time, patience, insight and support, and iff you can find even one professional like that it can make all the difference. There is also much to be gained from other people who have been through it both locally and on this discussion board. Ultimately the schools opinions were disregarded by the statementing panel and he will be starting special school in september along with our 7 year old (Aspergers) who did have more support from the school for the simple reason he was disruptive and could not be ignored. We are sill at the beginning of a long journey with our children, but I just wanted to say that if you hang in there it will be tough at times but there is light at the end of the tunnel and it can work out OK in the end. Coming here often is a vital part of finding that motivation to keep going. Simon Edited July 5, 2005 by mossgrove Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lesley Report post Posted July 6, 2005 Just wanted to thank you all for your help and support Our son seems to defy those who think they know about AS: He's always trying to be sociable but his idea of hello is a thump in the chest 'cos of course the other kid knew he was about to be a power-ranger....(his obsession is being a superhero) I think he appears sociable but it's not until you look closer do you realise he has little idea of how to go about it. This has confused those teaching him as he's not a 'text-book' case. I can now see that when we taught him Makaton because he couldn't say sorry it was very cute at the time that he adapted the circling the heart motion to do it on the heart of who he was saying sorry to - the only hitch was that the word 'gentle' isn't in his vocab.... Anyway I've digressed - We had an email yesterday - the LEA have told the global mediation people they have changed our officer who is attending - at the same time as telling us the original will be representing their views on the independent diagnoses.... The saga continues... Lesley Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bevalee Report post Posted July 6, 2005 Hi Lesley I had independant reports on my son, diagnosed As/ADHD Dec 03. The LEA did acknowledge them just before going to Tribunal for a statement. He is now in an independant school especially for AS. But Camhs still do not believe he has anything wrong except behaviour problems! They have even telephoned the school to ask thier oppinion! The whole system 'SUCKS'!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
UltraMum Report post Posted July 8, 2005 (edited) Hi Lesley We had an independent SALT report on our son which gave a diagnosis of severe pragmatic disorder but the LEA preferred a report by the NHS SALT who had discharged him from their service as they did not have the resources to run the SULP program that he may have benefitted from. The Parent Partnership officer suggested that we write to the NHS to query their report in light of the report from the independent SULP. Result? A complete about face and a confirmation of the Independent SALT's views. The LEA then had to sit up and take notice. Edited July 8, 2005 by MotherEve Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
