Trying to convince the LEA

[Mother in Need]

Hi, I've finally managed to visit a special school and would LOVE my son to go there. too many positives to write about, and it definitely seems the right place for him!

 

Now is my question, how does one secure funding for this? Especially when his present school keeps saying he is coping. Well, yes, he is coping being in school part time while only taking part in the odd lesson and having someone with him all the time; he is not actually receiving much of an education at all. He is also not receiving any social training, and certainly not life-skills training. Medically he should be on 4 injections of insullin a day (he is diabetic also) but as school can't administer this, we have kept it at three. This MUST change soon though, or we're talking risk of long-term damage to his health. I can't go up and down every day, already I've been forced to drive him in every day. So that's his mainstream.

This special school has it all, small groups, high ration staff:pupils, medical staff, social skills training every morning, lots and lots of life-skills and independence skills, apart from the traditional intellectual skills. He can still take 10 GCSEs if he wants, so the sky's the limit there, but it's all the other skills and medical care that mainstream is not giving. and then there are things like happiness, friendships, understanding and feeling understood, that can't be put under any educational heading but are so important for once well-being.

 

Sorry to ramble on, my question is basically: HELP, how do I go about convincing the LEA my son needs this school while mainstream is, well, not very forthcoming with the truth and the whole picture...

I have requested a meeting with the LEA regarding the draft statement (total cr*p), and will have to use that same meeting to convince them. How am I going to do that?

[Paula]

To be blunt god knows mother in need.

 

When my son was in mainstream he was allocated 15 hours a week one to on help but in reality this didnt happen as the school were that gratefull at an extra body they used her for all the kids.

 

Luckily i didnt have to fight for funding and the head teacher at the mainstream place agreed hed be better of out of the school as they couldnt cope with him.

 

Thing is my sons special school like and i could be wrong most special schools ahve extra funding anyhows.So i personally dont see why cost comes into it.I also had no problems with transportation for him either this was automatically available.

 

I realise weve been very very lucky in this and not all parents have it as easy.

 

I hope you dont have to fight for what youre son needs and should be entitled to.

 

Good luck

Edited April 7, 2006 by Paula

[Kazzen161]

>>Thing is my sons special school like and i could be wrong most special schools ahve extra funding anyhows.So i personally dont see why cost comes into it.I also had no problems with transportation for him either this was automatically available.

 

The point (from the LEA's point of view) is that the place that your son took, could have been used for another child (who may then have had to go to an independent school and therefore cost more) + transport costs are usually far higher than the cost of the school place.

 

Mother in Need - you have already given us lots of good reasons why the special school woudl be more appropriate to your child's needs. If you coudl back it up with some "lack of educational progress" evidence, you woudl have a good case (eg: NC level last year vs this year, increase in reading age/spelling age).

 

I woudl expect the LEA will say that things will improve once the statemented provsion is in place - but you can argue that it will not change various things (eg: small classes, environmental factors). Make sure the statement says your child needs all the things that the special school can provide, and that mainstream can't (social skills. independence skills, SaLT, etc).

 

Karen

[Mother in Need]

(who may then have had to go to an independent school and therefore cost more)

It is an independent school I am talking about. There is absolutely no other provision around.

 

Thanks Kazzen, I will do that. I have been thinking about how to get some evidence of various needs and that they aren't met, the educational one will be the most difficult as school is so non-cooperative. I'll do all I can though!