 statementing process
Rebecca (1 Feb 2005 16:39)
Has anyone got any hnts and tips on speeding up the statementing process and actually getting the placement you want for your child? My LEA agreed to assess my son back in June (34 weeks ago), I still don't have the final statement and they are pushing for a place at a school which I don't want for Sept. They have already agreed that he needs a residential out of county placement, but seem very reluctant to agree to the independent school I have identified. I am in wales but think the rules here are generally the same. I have already complained to the ombudsman about the LEA going over the statutory time limits, but this takes time. Any other tips very very gratefully received. He has been out of proper education for almost 2 years now.
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Do you need some help?
shirley connor (9 Mar 2005 19:58)
Hi just came across your email whilst looking for some advice about speech therapists.
My job is supporting parents get what they and their children want from the statutory bodies.
Rather than just accepting what is given from these bodies... without them looking at the families overall needs.
anyway if I can help in anyway drop me a line at the above email address.
Bye for now
Shirley
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Do I need some help!
Rebecca (10 Mar 2005 9:31)
Hi Shirley, thanks for your reply. I have had the final statement now, which I am of course appealing against to SENDISTW! The problem I'm having now is my LEA are saying they can't request a place at the school I want as the head says there isn't a place available - the head is telling me that they haven't offered a place because the LEA haven't requested one! So I'm going round in circles. The LEA told the school they wouldn't be looking for a plcae before Sept anyway as he needs to remain in his current PRU until he can progress sufficiently to be able to move on to a long term placement. My argument is that he has been in 3 PRUs in the last 17 months and if he hasn't progressed sufficiently by now, he's not going to. In order to 'progress' he needs the stability and specialist help they can give him in the placement I want for him. If they leave him in the PRU whilst they wait for him to progress, I am certain he will actually go downhill further and will cease to be of compulsory school age (he's fifteen and a half now!). The statementing officer is due to speak to the head of the school today (was meant to be done yesterday), I just can't cope with all this waiting, it seems to be one hurdle after another & just when you think you're nearly there, something else comes up! I would be extremely grateful of ANY suggestions - I am so annoyed that parents have to go through so much just to get appropriate help when they are already dealing with a child with complex and demanding needs. Most of the time I cope well, but there are days when I feel like I'm in despair, which are becoming more and more often. If he doesn't get this placement, I won't have time to fight for another placement - it's taken me 2 yrs to get to this point, I really don't know what I'll do then, I need a back up plan but don't know if I've got the energy. Any help/suggestions/anything very much appreciated!
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Statementing!
Patsy (24 May 2006 17:58)
Hi Rebecca,
I've just sat and read what you have posted to Shirley ( would be great to hear who Shirley works for). I can totally sympathise with your situation. I work as a Learning Support in a local secondary school and also have a son who is currently being assessed By CASBAT. My son is due to move to a local middle school in September. The assessment is still not complete, so no transition plan and to be honest i'm not convinced that the school will be able to fulfill his needs!
I personally think that it's about time children with SEN received the support they so desperately need without their parents having to scream and shout to get something done.. Frankly it's apalling!
Judging by the new legislation about statements only being issued for children who require 15 hours support or more, I fear that things will only get worse. I wonder whether there is a group of like minded parents who are trying to make a stand over these issues?
Regards Patsy
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Do I need some help?!
Rebecca (25 May 2006 9:25)
Hi Patsy - can't agree with you more! I did eventually get my son into the special school of my choice (after 3 years of a huge battle). Unfortunately, it has come too late for my son - something I had feared would be the case and kept telling the LEA & SS about constantly over the 3 years. He started there in November and has just been permanently excluded, as his behaviour was too severe for them to be able to cope with. They said if they had had him just a year earlier, they may have been able to help him, but at nearly 17, it is too difficult to change the behaviour that has become his norm. He is now getting into trouble with the police again, taking drugs and constantly stoned. He has no direction in his life now and nothing I do is making a shred of difference to him.
I am FURIOUS that this has happened - it's what I tried to tell all the agencies was going to happen if there wasn't some intervention. I could see the road he was going down, but what do I know, I'm only his mother and the person who spends the most time with him and knows him better than anyone. These agencies, most of whom had never met him, kept sayong it was just 'normal teenage beahviour' and even disputed his diagnosis, despite the fact it was made by the leading authority on autism in the UK!
It is SO unfair that we are left like this and not listened to. I hear the same story over and over from parents - the lack of support is just terrrible.
Sorry for the rant, as you can probably tell I am SO angry that this had to happen and for all the other parents and carers who aren't listenend to and supported.
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Statementing
Patsy (25 May 2006 21:51)
Rebecca
Rant???.... You go ahead, you have evry right and after reading your e-mail, I feel extremely angry with you.
It seems that the system fails all the way through! A very good friend of mine has a 14 year old son, who is severely autistic and she fought a ten year battle through the courts as she believed he was MMR damaged.... and everyone fought back at her to the point where she had to withdraw. On a more positive note she had a fantastic solicitor who helped her get a placemnet for him at a special school/college in Doncaster. He is doing well there!
Is there absolutley no help you can get for your boy?? I think i probably can guess the answer to that one, but feel so sorry that children and parents suffer so terribly at the hands of a system that is supposed to be there to help!!
I had been thinking about persuing a career with the LEA in the area of special needs, but to be honest I'd get the sack as I'd want to help everyone!!
Sending you very best wishes Patsy
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Statementing
Helen (26 Jun 2006 12:11)
I am sorry to hear of all the problems others have been having with getting their children the help they need. I am experiencing some of thses problems too.
My seven year old daughter has recently been diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome after having first been diagnosed with a 'Social and Communication Disorder'.
It has taken me a long time to get the school to wise up to her needs as most of her problems are more acutely apparent at home. In addition, she is very bright and as she is getting high grades, the attitude was that there was no problem with her education. Her behaviour problems are to do with extreme anxiety rather than the disruptive behaviour usually associated with AS. When she looses it, it is in the form of hysterics rather than rage. She is currently on tranquilisers. Last week she vomited at the school gates due to anxiety and I had to take her home again.
The school has advised me to put in a parental request for a SEN statement on medical grounds. My daughter is not even on the special needs register at school and so they can't reqest a statement. I feel she badly needs one. She cannot face playtime and often sits outside the staffroom. She comes home with a full lunchbox when she is not coping well. She suffers from acute and prolonged panic attacks. At the moment, our GP wants to hospitalise her due to her not eating enough.
If anyone has any advice on how to go about the statementing process, I would be very grateful.
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Statementing
Patsy (26 Jun 2006 13:41)
Hi Helen...
Regarding your query on the statement process....
As i understand it The child has to have had at least 2 IEP's at School action plus in school with no or little progress made through these, before your local education authority will even consider statementing! I have also been informed that the sucess of a child receiving a statement of SEN when requested by a parent is far lower.. in other words the school making the request is usually the better option.
Have i understood correctly that your daughter hasn't been recognised as having SEN at school? Is she on School Action...School Action Plus? If she is on neither I would urge you to contact the SENCO immediately. It can be a lengthy process at the best of times but on a more positive note, the fact that your daughter has a diagnosis SHOULD speed things along. Useful contacts are a group called IPSEAhttp://www.ipsea.org.uk/index.htm
I'm sure they would be able to advise you.
I really do feel for you as i know how frustrating and worrying this is.
I hope this is of some help Helen
Regards Patsy
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