Statement application

[windylou]

Hi, I posted on here before about filing out an application letter for a statement for my son (long story as to why I am still doing it!). I am really struggling with the section on what my sons needs are? Could someone cast their eye over this and tell me if it is rubbish?

 

XXXX was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome (ASD) in Jan 2013. His difficulties revolve around social, emotional, and communication areas and he also has some sensory sensitivities. Below is a list of difficulties from my own knowledge of XXXX (and from observations of XXXX completing his homework) which I believe cause significant problems within the classroom.

 

 

• Difficulties with concentration skills, XXXX needs to be constantly re-focused onto the task at hand if it is not of interest.
• Concrete, literal thinking.
• Overly fidgety.
• Difficulty differentiating relevant, irrelevant information.
• Difficulty generalising and applying learned knowledge and skills across different situations, settings and people.
• Difficulties interpreting others non verbal communication cues, or others intentions be that good or bad, socially naïve.
• Poor organisational skills (also in terms of organising his own thoughts), extremely poor concept of time and difficulties with personal care.
• Difficulty with changes of routine, this could be something as simple as a line being read out wrong during a concert.
• Very low frustration levels, especially where written work is involved.
• Sensory sensitivities, causing difficulties with learning in large groups.
• Fine motor difficulties. XXXX is currently awaiting an appointment with the Occupational therapist (referred by the paediatrician) due to symptoms of Dyspraxia.

• Unable to make and keep friends due to his communication skills.

I have a habbit of waffling on (as you may of read in previous posts) and I want to be sure this will be enough for now, I can gather the evidence for a later date.

 

[Sally44]

This is a link to a booklet that is very good http://www.ace-ed.org.uk/Resources/ACE/advice%20booklets/GettingTheStatementRight%20Mar2011.pdf

[Sally44]

You may like to add more about speech and language difficulties ie. difficulties with comprehension, infernece, sentence formulation. Just say difficulties with receptive and expressive speech and language.

 

Dyspraxia is not just motor planning, it is also mental planning such as sequencing, organisation [as you have listed] etc.

 

Sensory issues impact on all aspects, not just large rooms. It can involve smells, tastes, textures, touch, sight etc. Sensory processing of all modalities maybe affected as well as, balance and co-ordination.

 

Specific learning approaches maybe needed that are ASD specific such as TEACCH.

 

Specific social programmes maybe needed to improve social interactions and support them during unstructured time.

 

Does he have problems with short term or working memory?

 

Could he have a speific learning difficulty such as dyslexia?

[Sally44]

But don't put "maybe", I've said that because I don't know your son. You need to detail examples of those difficulties and then state "xxxx has difficulties with x, y and z and WILL need provision for those SEN.

[windylou]

Hello, Thanks sally. I have taken a look at the link, very intersting thank you. Will take on board your other suggestions.

 

This is what confuses me...will my own information (which his school never seem to agree with) be enough? The dyspraxia in all honesty I had come across when looking at my sons symptoms while waiting for a CAMHS referral, which did read similar to my son in many ways but at the same time I was also looking up asperger's which pointed out similar symptoms so that was put to one side.

 

I will give you a litle more background.Since my sons troubles began and I was constantly being called into to school I started to try and make sense of the same reasons he was giving me for not completeing his written work (excluding "I don't want too" and "I'm lazy" because I think this was him repeating what he had been told.) and also what I was seeing when he was reading/writing.

 

Long story but he has a bad squint..his right eye was close to shutting off...had patch therapy...improved greatly...I thought it may be down to his prescription not being strong enough...was told it shouldn't make a difference. so that kind of put an end to that.

 

He had assessments by the educational psychologist last year his working memory was low average, processing speed average (thats from the top of my head so if I have written it on another post and it's different...sorry I distinctly remember the working memory being lower than everything else) so in a nut shell I was told he was capable just lacked motivation...which I have said so many times before I believe is rubblish my son loves to make people happy in any way he can so for him to get into so much trouble just didn't/doesn't make sense.

 

Shortly after the assessement I still had a gut feeling that something was still amiss so I looked at his reasons again and came across dyslexia (did an online parent questionnaire which came up as moderate-severe for all areas affected by dyslexia)...I emailed the school everything I had noted and asked if he had been tested for dyslexia and again I was told they did not see a problem. So that went to one side too.

 

Now he has been referred to an OT with poss dyspraxia and this seems to have the same symptoms as dyslexia?? I feel like I am going around in circles, I really do, although now I do feel like others (bar school) are taking note of what I am saying, I have spent the best part of 3 years unpicking info my son has given me because noone else seems to take any notice.

[Sally44]

If you're asking for the LA to assess for a Statement they should ask the SAlT, and EP to see and assess him.

 

You need to speak to them about your concerns and put it all in writing to them. Ask them to assess using "standardised assessments". Only those assessments give a percentile, standard score, or age relating result from which you can measure progress.

 

Specifically ask that he is assessed for Dyslexia and SpLD with short term and working memory.

 

Then put it all in a letter and send it to them respectively and keep a copy yourself, so you have the evidence you have asked for it.

 

A Statement is supposed to identify each and every need. If you don't ask for them to assess for specific things they may not do so, and that might be deliberate because the more they find the more money will be needed to fund his Statement.

 

My son's school also kept saying they had no concerns. Right up to the Tribunal they continued saying that eventhough he had been out of school for a year, had attempted suicide, could not read or write. Again they are either blind, or doing it to avoid doing what they should be doing, and involving who they should involve. It all costs them time and money.

 

I too spent a long time unpicking my own son. In the end I did have to get some independent reports. But I would not suggest it now. Wait and see the assessments they carry out and what the Proposed Statement looks like.

 

What is his reading age?

 

My own son is also average cognitive ability, but with SpLD borderline average for short term and working memory. But if you think how much you have to use short term and working memory, if you have those difficulties you won't be able to function in a mainstream class where alot of information is given verbally and where you need to keep a number of things in your mind at the same time and sequence those thoughts and motor planning [which is where Dyspraxia also kicks in], and then try to record your answers on paper [where dyslexia kicks in].

 

Think of it like a running race, and some kids have no hurdles, some have one or two, but our kids might have many hurdles, some too high to get over. It isn't that they are not cognitively able, it is the degree of the difficulties they have that all impact one upon the other to make it impossible for them to complete many classroom based tasks.

 

In the right learning environment, with the right supports there would be much more improvement.

 

What key stage level is he at. Is he keeping up with his peers?