Hi, it's been suggested to me that I come here for some advice please.
DS is due to start school in September. We've just been allocated his first choice of school.
He has additional needs at the moment. He has had cancer and been through some really hard treatment. He's now finished treatment and is recovering, but it is taking time. He stopped walking for a while, but is now able to walk short distances. He has a wheelchair but, for instance, we don't take it to nursery because he can manage during the morning (he doesn't stay all day yet) with limiting how much walking he does if he doesn't feel like it. He has had some damage to the nerves in his hands and feet and finds it hard to feed himself. He can't yet dress himself. He is in nappies although sometimes is able to get to the toilet in time and use it. Perhaps once every couple of days. He is also fed through an NG tube and needs to be connected to this for 1 1/2 hours during the day, as well as not really drinking so also has water down his tube.
Although he can walk as I've said, he does have problems with balance, can't climb stairs unless he has a rail to haul himself up with. He can't walk in a straight line.
I spoke to his McMillan nurse last year about starting school and we agreed to apply for him to be statemented. That has now finally got to his nursery who have contacted the LA (I think? The relevant people, anyway). I have a meeting with them tomorrow and they are going to look at DS and see what needs to be done.
The nursery said to me over the phone that they and the LA had thought there was no need for DS to be statemented as he is NT (which he is) and that it would be easier and faster to simply apply for additional funding for him.
The only difference I know about statements is them naming a school on, which obviously is not something we need, but is there something else that DS would be missing out on if we went down the additional funding route rather than a statement?
Obviously, at the moment he is improving but his cancer has an 80% relapse rate and if he does relapse then his needs are only going to increase.
Any help or insight is greatly appreciated. Thanks.
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Statement vs. application for additional funding - advice please!
8 replies
Trazzletoes · 22/04/2014 12:22
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