LEA Meeting

[annie]

I've just received a letter to attend a Parent/Liaison group meeting with our LEA this month. I know there's only a couple of people on the forum from my LEA, but I have been asked to let them know the views of other parents and as we all seem to have the same problems whatever LEA we come under I thought I'd ask what problems you think are the worst to deal with or what changes could be made.

 

I could go on forever with everything that I can think of, but I would like other parents opinions.

 

The people at the meeting will be - the Head of Inclusion, the ASD specialist teacher, Parent Partnership amongst others.

 

Please don't all shout at once

 

Many thanks,

Annie

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Edited September 23, 2005 by annie

[phasmid]

Lack of communication seems to be a universal problem. LEAs are under an obligation to inform parents of support groups specific to their child's needs - this rarely seems to happen. A bank of reference sheets is all that is needed. These could even be e-mailed out. Parents taking part in my research also indicated that many times the school/LEA will refuse to recognise an offical diagnosis and will drag their heels as much as possible before doing so (if they do).

 

Just a couple of points to get the ball rolling for you.

[Tylers-mum]

I might be wrong but I think you might be in my area! Are you in Wales at all??

 

My 2 peeves are that they take sooo long to offer children 1-2-1 support and b/c of that, kids like my son have missed out on a LOT of schooling. In the years of nursery, reception and Yr1, I'd say he's missed out on about a year and a half of schooling b/c of the LEA. If I had done that, I'd have been locked up a long time ago.

Secondly, finally at the age of 6yrs old and entering into Yr2, I had to FIGHT for him to go fulltime and it's been approved BUT, they have reduced his 1-2-1 hours. Work that one out! His needs FULLTIME support andf although he will be getting that, it's b/c the school have done some resuffling of his LSA support worker and he now shares her with another child so although she'll be there in the room for the time she's with the other child, my son does not get the support needed if need be. Not only that but the head of the school says that this will happen every year now until he leaves. Every year after the annual review meeting, the LEA will decide that he needs less support even though the evidence says otherwise and they will reduce his support a bit every year until he has none! I found this out from his head teacher during an arguement I had with him on the last day of school in July. It sucks!

 

Another one, LEA prides itself on staying informed with the parents. Like hell do they! You get a form to fill in at the annual review meeting that they read but that's it! They speak to the school verbally etc but where's our phone call?? They don't call or write other than to send the amended statement out to us. Then it's up to us parents to chase them to fight our kids case! They should have someone there in the office that is totally there to support us parents and not be blinded by the guidelines and the contracts they have signed from the government that so clearly is prejudiced (sp?) to us parents and the needs of our kids. We as parents know our kids far more indepth and clearly than any school or teacher or LEA does!

[mrs q]

It needs to start at Nursery level

 

A good portage support and pre school teacher to lead on to the school

 

Listening to parents and support their decision

 

Good luck

[annie]

I really appreciate your replies. Thank you

 

I would like to go into the meeting with ideas from across the whole education age range. As my lad is going into year 11, I don't really know the set-up or lack of set-up for younger children. So your replies are really helpful.

 

Anything anbody can think of please add.

 

Annie

<'>

 

Tylers-mum - I'm in West London, though sometimes wish I wasn't

X

[phasmid]

God! Why I didn't mention this before I don't know?

 

Transition planning!

 

It needs to start well ahead of the transfer between schools. In fact it needs to start from when the forms are issued for transfer. LEAs could offer a guidance package to parents AND schools on what should be the best way to go about this. I can PM you with some of my own thoughts on this (though I am sure I have put them down on the board somewhere). It is a huge step for any child moving from one school to another...for those with ASDs it is a momentus one. There appears to be no heed paid to the CoP or ASD good practice guidance. We did it ourselves, and it would seem that we are not alone in that judging from some of the postings on here (and elsewhere). Too much is left to chance and goodwill.

[annie]

Hi Phasmid,

 

I had totally forgotten transition planning too.

 

That would be great if you could PM me if you don't mind.

 

Annie

<'>

[phasmid]

Done!

[oracle]

Do not wait until a child is failing until you put in a support structure. This was on eof the first things I ever heard Rita Jordan say and it has stayed with me ever since. Sadly we all know that it does not happen.

 

Also if a support structure is in place and a child is coping then do not remove the support structure. The child is only coping because it is in place.

 

Carole

[mom on a mission]

i think that the lea need to remember that altough several children have a diagnosis of the same disability they are in no way the same, each child is unique ,each child copes with there disability differently , no child fits the text book and every child is able even if only the smallest of achievments are reached they have still achieved , and of course believe in the parents , dont make parents feel that its them against the world because from my experiance of schools and lea you trust no one belive no one and lose faith in yourself and your ability as a parent and we have the lea to thank for that , and last but not least inclusion does not work for every child and after all what does inclusion mean i hope to think it means to be accepted , happy , content and to feel you belong without having to change who you are ! can that really be provided for autistic children in a mainstream school (maybe for some but for the majority no)also just because our children have asd i does not mean that they are abused , neglected ,unloved or unreachable so i suppose all in all the key is to accept each child for who they are despite disability (they may come under the same heading but are not the same child)and listen , respect and work with parents .

please feel free to use any of my postes for examples of parents feelings and wishes.

AND GOOD LUCK

[call me jaded]

My internet connection is playing up. I did a long reply and it's disappeared. Here's a quick summary of what I know doesn't work in our LEA and hear similar things about neighbouring LEAS.

 

How does the Parent Partnership meet the minimum service set down in the Code of Practice.

 

Transport. My friend's daughter did not get back til 7.30pm one night. What plans are there in place to communicate serious delays?

 

Transition Y6 to Y7. How does the LEA communicate options to parents, etc. Can schools access funding to facilitate smoother transfer of information on SEN pupils.

 

The DFES recently published stats which show 1 in 100 pupils diagnosed with ASD. What are the LEA's long term plans? What training do staff have? How do they access it? Is there support available from the SEN department for teachers and TAs who have a child with ASD in their class? Can schools access CAMHS?

 

 

************

 

There was another one but it escapes me

Edited September 3, 2005 by call me jaded

[mrs q]

Support also for sibling....

 

R is between the boys and she often want to know what is going on when I been in meetings for the boys.

[Tylers-mum]

Bumping fao 'call me jaded'.

[Kathryn]

I don't know if this applies in other areas but Stat Ass and statementing decisions - the whole process needs to be made more transparent and accountable. Who sits on the panels and what are their credentials? Why are there no minutes? In our area head teachers and sencos sit on them, how much experience do they have of ASD?

[UltraMum]

Carole wrote:

Do not wait until a child is failing until you put in a support structure.

 

J had an IQ of 140+ when tested at age 6 - he coped with school work due to this until he got into Y3 - on this basis all his social needs were ignored - we were told off the record that he had to be behind by at least 2 years to access any help.

 

LEA's fail the HFA/AS children (IMO) by letting them 'cope' until it starts to fall apart, as long as the academic standard is ok. I get fed up of hearing 'early intervention' from everywhere except LEAs. :angry:

 

Kathryn wrote:

I don't know if this applies in other areas but Stat Ass and statementing decisions - the whole process needs to be made more transparent and accountable. Who sits on the panels and what are their credentials? Why are there no minutes? In our area head teachers and sencos sit on them, how much experience do they have of ASD?

 

Hear! Hear!

 

My bugbear:

 

Why do LEA's write the first proposed statement to include as little that they feel they can get away with? AND ignore the law realting to SEN unless it's shoved under their noses?

[annie]

Thank you everyone.

 

The meeting is not for another couple of weeks so ................

 

Keep 'em coming

 

Annie

<'> <'>

 

ps I will report back the answers my LEA give, if any

[LKS]

When things go wrong between you and the school I would like to see the SN officer take a far more active role. I have had parent partnership support me in the past but they were there to mediate. They have given some very good advice but sometimes when you think the school are not doing as they are supposed to be doing the LEA should show more interest and not tell you for example to let the school get on with educating your child Our headmaster told me once that the 15 hours of L.S.A. support per week stated on sons statement did not mean that they had to provide 15 hours of support EVERY week The lea seemed to back him up on this and said that if son was managing ok in class the L.S.A. could be deployed elsewhere. Result most miserable year. when my daughter was due to transfer to juniors and the head said he would personally look into IT support for her as she had poor speech poor handwriting and couldn't read and this didn't happen the SN officer said it wasn't fair for her to have more IT time than anyone else. I wonder just how much interest the LEA take in childs progress. I know they were supposed to receive a regular I.E.P for both of my children but didn't. They need to remember that the statement is not the end of their responsibility to the child but rather the beginning. Also how much input do the LEA have on children that are at SA and SA+ There was a boy at sons school who has ADHD. Apparently it was so bad that he was not going to be allowed on the 1 week residential trip because of health and safety reasons. O. K. a very good reason maybe but this school had done absolutely nothing to help manage his behaviour during his time there. He spent large chunks of his day outside the class. He had no behaviour management plan no I.E.P no extra support in class, nothing. The mum was told he had no chance of being stat.ass. and because she knew no different she didn't pursue the matter.Its going to be really hard in this meeting annie without resorting to too many personal stories. This is supposed to be about every child matters, not according to our LEAs criteria for stat. ass. though, which seems to lump all children with a particular condition together. I also complained to IPSEA about this. Also our director is director of education youth and leisure and while these catergories are all related it does seem rather a big brief to have. Sorry this has turned into a rant again

[annie]

Well, we had the meeting yesterday. The person who chaired the meeting, Head of SEN, Inclusion etc. was very open and very willing to answer questions raised honestly.

 

A couple of things that she explained that the Government are wanting LEAs to do which will affect everybody with SEN children.........

 

IEPs are going to be phased out.

 

Funding is going to be directly given to schools instead of going to them via LEAs.

 

and........

 

Schools will become like 'businesses' (my word, not her's), with LEAs not getting involved with them at all.

 

ALARM BELLS !!!!

 

Trusting schools with a pot of money for SEN children .........If schools don't always use funding properly NOW for children with Statements, how are SEN children going to receive help if many schools refuse to even accept that a child has problems even with a DX without the safety of a Statement?

 

The Government cannot keep an eye on what LEAs get up to,, how are they going to keep an eye on what schools are up to?????

 

Annie

XX

[oracle]

Yep Annie we have talked about this twice this week at our local meetings. Claire (she who is much clever than I) is very worried because she firmly believes that Academies are going to replace all secondary schools. This will effectively privatise schools. The worry is, for those of us who have SEN kids, these Academies will indeed be run as a business, and they will not be too keen to take any child with an SEN. It will be results they are after. In our Authority they are trying to bid for their own LEA Academy and it really is a case of better the devil?

 

I remember that Helen posted here a few weeks ago about a National Children?s and Young Peoples plan. http://www.asd-forum.org.uk/forum/index.php?showtopic=3297 (hope that works?)

 

These plans include a Common Assessment Framework. This ? we fear ? will replace Statements within a few years. Of course we are being told no it will not. My guess is, and it is only my guess, that we would then have to take any issues and concerns about our children's education, to our Director of Children's Services. So everything would be done at a local level, which would be wonderful if we were all playing on a level playing field with some fixed ground rules, ie legislation. It's not going to happen and that is why I believe that the DFES are fudging these issues at the moment

 

A very good friend of mine has been telling me that this was going to happen for years now. Richard my friend you were right.

 

Be afraid - be very afraid. The future could actually be much worse than the here and now. Now how do I get parents to believe me and join me?

 

Carole

[smallworld]

Quick reply,

a group of local parents in our area have recently overturned the council's decision to turn a secondary school into an academy (another Vardy Foundation one )

Just goes to show that with enough support (they had lots ), parents can effect change in the decision making process.

wac

[annie]

Hi Carole and Wac,

 

We already have 2 new academies in our Borough. 1 was an exsisting school which is now an academy with a focus on sports, the other was a very old school with a terrible reputation, the new academy which has been built from scratch and has just opened, the old school is being knocked down. Another school was closed a few years ago and rebuilt but without 'academy status'........Lots of money spent on new schools, but cutbacks on SEN hmmmmmmmm.

 

I have the same feelings regarding schools or academies not wanting to take SEN children. It seems that there will be no place for them. Special schools are closing and as you point out Carole, results will be everybody's main target.

 

We have special schools in our Borough which are NOT going to close for severely disabled, but we have another one (ASD/Autistic specialist) which the LEA have said that they are no longer funding for children with statements, so, without statements what will happen there????

 

Our LEA are all for 'inclusion' which as we all know, is not SEN friendly......the outlook is VERY scarey.

 

The Chair of the meeting also spoke in great detail about the Children and Young People's Plan. We all asked that we be told when we (parents) will be able to add our input, she is getting back to us with the answer. She did give us a leaflet about our LEA's Children and Young People's Plan which was great as up until she handed these out the whole thing appeared to be a huge secret. On the leaflet is says that our present Director of Education, Youth & Leisure is going to be appointed as the Director of Children's Services including schools.

 

Carole, I agree that it looks like any concerns with our children's education will have to be taken up with the Director of Children's Services. In an ideal world, this would be great, but we don't live in an ideal world, do we? If we can't get help from LEAs and a Director of Education NOW who supposedly only deal with education issues, what hope will we have when a Director of Children's Services covering ALL of the children's services areas.

 

Just to add, parents REALLY DO need to join together NOW and get involved

 

Annie

<'>

Edited September 23, 2005 by annie

[Kazzen161]

I am going to a consultation on the CYPP on wed (think I might be the only parent going, so shoudl be fun!). Our SS and Ed have already become childrens services - and the Director is from SS (as is our local district children's services person) - which is a bit worrying.

 

If they phase out IEP's - how will they monitor progress?

 

I found this web-site which gives examples of the CAF, etc.

 

http://www.everychildmatters.gov.uk/

 

I still cannot see how it is going to make any difference if there are not enough SW's anyway.

 

Karen

[Tylers-mum]

I CANNOT believe they can do that!!! My son's Head teacher is already under scrutiny for not spending the funds on my son's education that the LEA are giving them! What on earth is he going to do now that he's being given in on a red cushion and wrapped in gold???

 

Where is the sense in that????

[bid]

This is also my fear post 16.

 

The criteria for funding places at residential special FE colleges is being tightened. The LSC, the funding body, wants the majority of young people with special needs to go to their local mainstream FE college. The mainstream colleges will be given extra funding to support these youngsters.

 

BUT, it's the mainstream colleges who get to assess the special needs young people...mmmmm. Now, I wonder if they will say that of course they can provide adequate support when there is a pot of money beckoning?

 

Where are the safe-guards to ensure that this extra funding will be spent on the young person in question.

 

And how do mainstream FE colleges suddenly have the expertise to assess youngsters with special needs?

 

And of course, when funding comes from the LSC, the young person's Statement ceases to exist as a legally binding document

 

It's scary...

 

Bid

[Kathryn]

And the average FE college lecturer will know sweet Fanny Adams about teaching young adults with ASD. Where is the training going to come from? Who is going to support them in an environment which is far less structured than school?

 

Scary is right.

[Helen]

I CANNOT believe they can do that!!! My son's Head teacher is already under scrutiny for not spending the funds on my son's education that the LEA are giving them! What on earth is he going to do now that he's being given in on a red cushion and wrapped in gold???

 

Where is the sense in that????

TM,

 

I took this from the TES website:

 

The Welsh Assembly Government Education and Lifelong Learning Committee is carrying out a review of SEN. They have already completed the first stage of the review, focusing on early identification and intervention., and published a report in November 2004.

 

They are now proceeding to the Second stage--examining the statutory

assessment framework for special educational needs in Wales, more commonly known as the statementing process.

 

They want anyone with an interest in this subject to give their views. They

are keen to hear from PARENTS, SIBLINGS, and OTHER RELATIVES AND YOUNG

PEOPLE WITH Special Educational needs, and professionals involved in the

statementing process in Wales.

 

They have therefore set up an on-line consultation which will run for 3

months from April 11th 2005. In addition to this interactive on-line

discussion forum, there will be a written questionnaire survey.

 

The Education and Lifelong Learning Committee would therefore like people

to give their views on the following questions. Further related topics may

be introduced during the consultation, depending on the responses received:

1:What are the advantages and disadvantages of the current assessment

process ?

2:Should statements of special educational needs be scrapped- why or why not

?

3:If the statementing process were abolished, what should be put in its

place ?

 

Interactive discussion forum on line from 11.April at:

http://www.wales.gov.uk/senforum

 

I'm unsure if the forum is still up and running, I didn't post there, but I did complete a questionnaire that is relevant to the above, it was supplied by PP during an information session last June.

 

Parents of all catagories of SEN children in Wales are being encourage to complete this questionnaire.

 

If you haven't contributed but would like to, then contact your local PP branch for more information.