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Jade

Does my son need a SALT report?

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Hi all,

 

I am currently gathering reports for my son aged 9 to make a case to the LA that he needs a place at special school. I have reports from paediatricion, GP, OT, an independent autism specialist, and school are backing up the referral. EP is assessing him and will provide a report, and a "communication and Interaction" specialist is going to assess him and provide a report also.

 

My son has never seen a SALT, and no mention has ever been made that he should be assessed. I know there is massive demand for their services, and am wondering if I should make a referral myself or get a private SALT to assess him, which presumably would be a lot quicker.

 

An interim review of his Statement is set for Thursday June 26th to gather all the information together to be sent to the LA to make a decision about special school and I am worried that I have enough evidence to show that it would be the best possible setting for him.

 

He is really struggling with school now, and its impossible to get him in before 10am. He increasingly follows his own agenda and won't conform, doesn't respond to rewards, suffers from severe travel sickness, and school have admitted that they don't know if he will cope in year 5 come September. He's been having some major meltdowns lately and been very aggressive to teachers (it took 3 of them to restrain him for 20 minutes the other day, and he headbutted his teacher in the face during this.), and been trying to escape from school to get home.

 

He really enjoys language and seems to have a good grasp of words, but that doesn't mean he understands the dynamics of communication and interaction does it?

 

Do I need a SALT report and what is the best way of going about it?

 

 

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What kind of special school are you seeking.

Do you have a specific one in mind.

If so is it LA maintained or independent.

And what is that schools criteria for entry.

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Yes I do have a school in mind, its an LA maintained school for aspergers and ASD children and its in my county. Their entry criteria is that the child will have a statement of special education need citing autism spectrum condition as their significant problem area.

 

It would be ideal for my son and all the professionals agree that he would hugely benefit from being there.

 

My son has always had a very negative view of school and I so want to do the right thing by him so that he has the best possible future.

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So does he fit the criteria for entry to that school?

 

And if you are seeking it as a placement remember that you have to be saying "it is the only school that can meet his needs" and not would be "beneficial".

 

You need to include all the problems he is having with school currently. Is he making progress, is the gap widening between him and his peers. His current school have said [in writing?] that they don't think he will cope year 5.

 

Do you have in writing each and every incident and how many staff members were needed to contain the situation?

 

You need to ask that LA special school for a copy of their entry criteria, and you need to ensure that you son meets that criteria.

 

If, for example, the school is for children working on Pscales and he is way above that, that would probably exclude him from the criteria.

 

If it said the criteria was that the child must have a speech and communication disorder then you might need a SALT report. If the criteria is a diagnosis of autistic spectrum disorder, then you already have that.

 

What you would then need a SALT report is to detail how much 1:1 therapy your child would need on a termly basis and how that would be delivered each day inschool, how many hours a week to practice the therapy programme, detailed on his daily timetable, and who would deliver it.

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Does he have a diagnosis of ASD?

 

Note that if it is a maintained school then the LA ought to give you a placement there if he meets the criteria, it is not the same as applying for an (expensive) independent school so you should need less evidence than you would for a independent.

 

Given the timescales involved you won't get a report before the review. I would suggest you go into the review asking for your preferred school and get a SALT report should you need it for an appeal if they refuse.

 

It sounds as if there is agreement that the current placement is not working so there is a good chance they will offer you your preferred school if there is space.

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Yes he does have a diagnosis of ASD.

 

I have visited several schools now and this maintained school would be the best for my son in every way, their aim being to guide them to hopefully be able to cope with mainstream by 16 but continued support to find the right setting if not.

 

I was panicking about the whole thing yesterday, but your replies have reminded me that I need to focus on being strong and direct and "be a pushy mum" as the head of the special school told me, to get the best for my son.

 

I spent some time today going through the admissions criteria and going through my sons reports to write my own account of why that school is "the only school that can meet his needs".

 

Thanks both for your replies.

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Well the principal told me there aren't any places, but I have been told by someone who has helped to get a child in there previously that as the principal has told me a couple of times to be a 'pushy mum', that perhaps means they could have a place!?

 

I'm hoping that is the case, but if not, that he could be placed there by the start of year 6. He may just scrape through year 5 if his present school continue to be patient and use the interventions that have been recommended.

 

I just want to make sure I do everything possible to help things go through smoothly. I am aware from reading your other posts that you need to be very much on the ball and not expect the professionals to think of everything or that the LA will see things my way.

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So this is still a local authority maintained school. Is it mainstream or special needs? And what cognitive ability are the children at this school.

 

Remember that places are always limited. So if there is any hope of the current school working, the LA will push for that. So you need to be saying and proving that XXXX school is the ONLY one that can meet your child's needs.

 

And if they are saying it is full, start looking at independent ASD schools, they are much more expensive, and the LA would prefer to pay for a maintained school placement, rather than an independent one.

 

Just wanted to ask, are you being realistic about your child being reintroduced mainstream at 16? Usually things get harder as they get older. And if your child is not able to reintegrate, what are the schooling options then? Sometimes it is better to argue that xxxx school is the only one that can meet your child's needs, and they can remain at that school up to age 19. Remember that transitions are very difficult for our children and it can take then years to settle in to a new school.

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