Hours Cut As Off To Secondary School

[yorks]

Hello All Happy New Year.

 

DSS will be starting secondary school in Sept. Has been held back by LEA since he came to leave with my husband and I about 1.5 yrs ago. Depsite meeting the SENCAN Locality Manager in Sept 2011 at the Annual Review and agreeing that his hours would not be cut, we have just had the Proposed Statement and 8 hours have been taken out. Tried to speak to said manager today only to be told by a caseworker that a large majority of Statement hours are cut when transferring to secondary.

 

Is that true?

 

Also, am I right in thinking the LEA have a certain time limit to agree this Statement in the year of transition?

 

Many thanks for any guidance

 

Yorks

[Sally44]

The only thing you need to know and understand is that the Statement MUST contain each and every need your child has, and the severity of it in part 2. And section 3 MUST quantify and specify the provision needed to meet the needs identified in part 2. This includes things such as class/group sizes, 1:1 and group support provided by school staff, the amount of hours of 1:1 therapy from SALT, EP or OT AND the amount of hours everyone needs for admin ie. observing, assessing, laising with other professionals and parents, meetings, IEPs, Annual Reviews, note taking, writing reports from the AR etc.

 

It should also include any information about the kind of learning environment he needs, and whether he needs support during breaktimes or the provision of dinnertime clubs for him to attend.

 

You've been told a load of rubbish from a legal point of view, however it is probably true that hours are often cut. However they should not cut any hours unless the responsible professional has assessed your child, and has stated in their report, that a reduction of xx hours is recommended. And they must justify WHY. Has your son made progress, is that demonstrated in his academic work, IEP targets being met, social communication and relationship skills, emotionally has he made progress, is his behaviour improving, etc.

 

Whether you decide to tell the LA that, [which they do already know - don't be naive], or whether you just write to the professionals involved, and start the Appeal process is up to you. Once you have lodged your Appeal the LA can and often do start to give you some of the things you are asking to be reinstated or increased. But I would advise that you go to the Appeal because the Panel will word the Statement in such a way that it is legally binding on the LA. Then if they don't provide it you can use Judicial Review which would force the LA to fund the Statement.

 

Have you looked at all the secondary school placements available? Have you asked your LA for their list of maintained, Approved and Independent schools. What kind of school do you feel is suitable for your son. Is he average cognitive ability, is he doing okay academically mainstream, is he coping emotionally, is he happy and has friends in school etc.

 

For the Transfer Review it is usually held any time after October in year 5, and the LA have to have named the secondary school by the second week in February 2012 [i think - but maybe others will confirm]. That is to give parents time to appeal if they need to.

 

Local Authorities HAVE TO go with the parental choice of school UNLESS they can prove that it is not a good use of the LA resources or would be detrimental to the other students at that school. At Tribunals LA's often argue that it is not a good use of the LA's resources.

 

So firstly you need reports that detail each and every need and how that need should be provided for [which may involve having to use independent professionals], and then you need to prove that the school of your choice is the only one that can meet those needs.

 

Even if you cannot afford independent reports, and are happy with the LA secondary school the LA are proposing, you MUST still appeal about the reduction in hours of support.

 

Has he been re-assessed by the Speech Therapist and the Educational Psychologist. Have they produced any reports for this review and if so do you agree that they have identified every need and they have specified the hours of professional input needed at least on a termly basis eg. 6 hours direct 1:1 SALT therapy from a suitably qualified SALT, to be practised in school on a daily basis for xx mins by a suitably qualified TA that has been trained by the SALT and 9 hours per term for the SALT to carry out all the administration?

 

Does your son have any sensory issues, dyspraxia, or self help skills that would require input from an Occupational Therapist?

 

If there is nothing recommending a reduction in hours I would ask the LA to finalise the Statement so that you can Appeal.

 

You can write to each professional involved with your son and ask them to detail all his needs [if they haven't done so in reports], and ask them to quantify and specify provision as required by the Education Act and Statementing process which they probably won't have done eventhough they should.

Edited January 9, 2012 by Sally44

[Sally44]

I just wanted to add the following.

 

If, during the primary years, your son was recieving alot of input from SALT, but for secondary transfer that was removed and you were told that that was typical they are right in telling you this because "typically" SALTs do not go into mainstream secondary schools.

 

But if the Statement states xx hours per term of 1:1 direct therapy from a SALT. The LA has to provide it.

 

What you need to decide is whether the maintained mainstream secondary schools is the right school for your child because IF a child did need a high level of support, therapy etc, then the question is should that child be placed there as there is a high chance that they won't cope.

 

So then you need to look at all the other schools your LA funds - which they do. Your LA will be funding independent school placements for other children at special, specialist, approved and independent schools. They just won't tell you that.

 

The kind of placement your child needs should be obvious from the Statement and what it contains.

 

And logically if a child needed 20 hours support in mainstream primary, which is an easier learning environment to cope in, it is logial that the child will need at least, and probably more support in a secondary placement.

 

Placements often break down because the child is not coping academically.

Is not coping socially [has no friends and no social skills] or emotionally.

Is not coping due to the environment.

Loses confidence and self esteem and begins avoiding school or refusing school.

 

For a child with an ASD it is often due to problems with speech and language and social communication.

Specific learning difficulties relating to their ASD or a something like dyslexia or dyspraxia.

Sensory issues and environmental difficulties - ie. cannot cope in the larger classrooms, too many children/noise etc