Dilemma

[Zemanski]

We have a dilemma.

 

Com had a very, very bad year last year resulting in him becoming suicidal, violent, wrecking classrooms, beating us up ........

 

finally, after a long and bitter fight, we have persuaded the school to cooperate and put in new provision which is working this term

 

his statement which is full time is extremely brief and vague - HH had this to say about it when I showed her:

 

... and I thought T's was sh*t

 

none of the new provision is in his statement

 

 

his annual review is coming up and it would be nice to get the statement amended to include some of the provision so I spoke to the advisor who said not to go for reassessment because she knows 2 AS kids who recently lost their statements in our LEA.

 

so I rang IPSEA who said the LEA won't amend the statement to such a degree without a reassessment even if everyone at the review agrees to it.

 

IPSEA said that we would probably need to go to tribunal but should win given that we have hard evidence that his needs are greater than those indicated in his current statement.

 

but

 

I'm not sure we can face it for the third time in 5 years - we are already struggling and have been under a huge amount of stress for which I am still seeing the doctor.

 

Any thoughts? - could really use some advice on this one

 

thanks

 

Zemanski

[bid]

This sounds a dreadful position to be in, and I'm afraid I don't have any experience of this

 

Are you happy with Com being in mainstream, or do you think the time might have come to look at special schools for AS??

 

I realise that this isn't for everyone, but it was the only thing that worked for my son...

 

I'm sure someone with more 'Statement Knowledge' will be along shortly <'>

 

Bid

[Hectorshouse]

Hi Z <'>

 

As the school are putting in place new provision that appears to be working, this needs to be recorded at the annual review, I am unsure about the advice that you received, if this is the provision that is working for com and has been recorded in previous meetings that it is different to and above that already described (or not) in Com's statement then is should be amended accordingly. The School will have a responsibility to get this across in the minutes of the review meeting very clearly to the LEA that this is what they are doing, and you will need to get your point across to that his statement needs to show this.

 

Although Com's statement is vague his support is full time (half the battle), if the LEA will agree to amend to the statement the LEA have to give you 15 days to make representations or meet with a SEN officer. If I am right you are happy with the full time provision but not the vagueness of the statement, and as the school are now cooperating I don't think that you will have too much trouble persuading the LEA to amend accordingly, after all its not really amending more .. clarification.

 

HHxx

[Suze]

He who dares wins.. ..............we pushed for more hours and more written into the statement.The hours were refused but they added a page referring to using a computer , social skills etc.I spoke to our LEA case worker and had a coffee with her, we discussed it and it went to panel and his statement was,nt ammended as such but a page was added.This was at his annual review only a year after he was statemented.I guess if your statement is very old and he has,nt seen the ed physch for a number of years his statement should be reviewed.I know that asd kids with around 5 hrs statement are having statements taken away , but don,t think this could happen in your case.........your too on the ball , and scary .Goodluck <'> Suzex.

[Suze]

Just read HH ,s post sounds about right to me............go for it Z .

[Zemanski]

I think you're right, we do need to try to change the statement

 

I think we will try to amend the statement and only go for reassessment if the LEA doesn't cooperate

 

we have what we wanted - the provision is as good as I've ever come across in mainstream, much better than most kids get.

 

we just want to make sure he keeps it!

 

there is no option in our LEA for a kid like Com - no AS provision (unit or special school) and no other provision that could cope with the high level he is at academically. There are also no specialist independent schools in our area and that leaves long distance boarding which we don't want because Com is happy at home and we're happy with him at home.

 

Next term Com's school will be opening an autism specific unit and Com will have access to support from it so things are actually likely to improve still further - he will have a place to escape to with people around who know where he's coming from.

 

He has had a new EP report this term which is stunning - all based around managing his anxiety so he can access the curriculum. It also states he is autistic (doesn't use the term AS at all) specifically to give him access to the unit even though he can't actually be attached (only Y7s this year). Again this is not in the statement and really should be.

 

If this provision doesn't work long term then it will be HE (or possibly education other than at school but I don't think that is a well managed option here) for us I think, unless the LEA gets it's act together and sets up a unit/school in the next year (can't see that happening here).

 

I'm only on the ball and scary when I'm fighting for someone else, Suze, when it's me facing the music I'm a bag of nerves!

 

thanks for the comments

 

Zemanski

[Hectorshouse]

Z <'> your not alone, I get soo scared all the time with this stuff. Keep up the good fight.

 

HHxx

[Zemanski]

Thanks

 

Z

[call me jaded]

We had a big problem this year at a special school I'm a governor at. The SEN Panel moved the goal posts and removed 1 to 1 funding for 4 pupils, without 'due process' of calling an early review of the statements. It's been resolved without tribunal but only because the LA were able to perform a face-saving exercise which involved new/additional ASD specific provision, so lots of setup costs this year and a complete revision of the SEN funding formula which comes into effect in April 2006. If they hadn't committed to the April 06 changes we would have been very, very, very persistant about the support they'd cut. (Oh and don't they look as if they're 'pouring resources' into SEN because the new money adds back the �80K they took off us.

 

The Ed Psych report is a very good basis for getting the statement amended. For me it would be peace of mind, otherwise you might have to deal with a similar scenario above.

[Zemanski]

this is what we're afraid of - all this provision is there because we have manipulated the 1-1 time to Com's advantage and pulled a lot of strings (and made a fair number of threats). If they change certain things they currently do the lot won't work and we have nothing in writing (well, not coherently, just bits and pieces as it's come together over a long period).

 

the other thing is, what happens if Com moves school or we move house, etc? - the battle has to start all over again; HH's experience of moving LEA doesn't bode well does it? At least if we have it in a statement, fully there in black and white, there's a chance of keeping it, if only a small one.

 

Got his academic review next week, that should be fun - his targets for some subjects in Y9 are now below his Y7 attainment!

plenty of amunition when we get to his statement review

 

Zemanski

[Kazzen161]

>>the other thing is, what happens if Com moves school or we move house, etc?

 

That is an important point. Or if later on the school was not working, and you did want to consider a specialist school, you would need to prove the school had done everything possible - you need some record of what they are providing.

 

Karen

[Zemanski]

As I said, we do have records but they are not coherent because things have changed over time.

I do everything in writing and keep daily records on the outlook calendar of any discussions, incidents etc. - learned that a long time ago and it's why Com got most of this provision in the first place: very useful being able to unroll a calendar with a year's worth of incidents, etc

 

incidentally, should I ask our responsible officer to come? - haven't met her yet (in about 7 years) or spoken to her and she hasn't answered a letter since our last tribunal 2 years ago (which she didn't turn up to)!

 

Zemanski

[barefoot wend]

Zemanski

 

I think you should go for it.

 

I always read your posts with admiration. You are obviously very knowledgeable and articulate and have strong family support. You also have lots of evidence of what works and I think they'll realise that you've done your homework - and some - and they'd better not cross you.

 

Barefoot

[call me jaded]

What you really need to do (and I'm sighing for you) is ensure that the statement accurately records the level of need. My LA are only removing statements for Levels 1-3 and Levels 4 & 5 stay as they are. Your LA will be doing something similar, so it's getting Com recorded as low incidence, high need. It will help your school to do it, so it's the Panel you have to convince.

[phasmid]

after all its not really amending more .. clarification.

 

Exactly! You need things clarified. I think HH is spot on.

[littlenemo]

thanks everyone, my confidence has gone up a couple of points and I'm going to sit down and write up a statement for the review, once he's had his academic review, asking for amendments to clarify his needs and support.

The review is just over a week away, I'll let you know how it goes

 

Zemanski

[Hectorshouse]

Good luck Z, we're right behind you ... all the way!

 

HHxx

[Helen]

Good luck with the review, I hope everything goes your way.

[witsend]

Zemanski - just wanted to say good luck and as you often say stay strong

Take care - luv Witsend.

[littlenemo]

thanks for all the support, everyone

 

the meeting was this morning and it went really well

 

I gave them an amended version of part 3b of Com's statement - (thanks, HH, T's made a very good model)

 

They didn't query any of it and the EP suggested we amend part 3a as well as 3b

 

now we just have to wait and see if the LEA will ratify it

 

Zemanski

[Zemanski]

did it again - sorry, nemo

 

Z

[Hectorshouse]

Great news Z, fab that they are actually going to request further amendments as well <'>

 

Keeping everything crosed and that the LEA will ratify.

 

HHxx

[Guest hallyscomet]

Hope it all works out for you, its just another of those merry-go rounds, take a deep breath, and say to yourself "I'll handle it" and before you know it it will be all ironed out.

 

Wish you all the best

 

Hailey