Grrrr. Silent SENCO

[PrinceRogersNelson]

My DD is in nursery and is on SA+.

She has an IEP which we have reviewed once and needs to be reviewed again before the end of term. The school want to apply for a statement and need to have the paperwork before they do so.

I have:
Cornered SENCO in playground and asked her to e mail me to arrange
Asked DD's key worker to help arrange
Asked DD's support worker to help arrange
Y'day I e mailed the SENCO and offered 2 possible dates to meet before the end of term.
I have had no reply.

Last meeting we had was about 4 weeks late and only arranged because I pushed for it.

When we arrived she spent the first 10 minutes trying to find the EP report. She didn't have anything ready for us and we had to come back at another date to complete.

Is this just par for the course? Should I be raising it with HT? She will be DD's SENCO next year as well so want to have a good relationship, but I am a bit fed up with being the only one pushing things.

[Eyesunderarock]

No it isn't par for the course, or acceptable in any sense and so you need to keep pushing.

[PrinceRogersNelson]

Thanks for the reply. I will try and remind people again and will then find then head. She is proving to be a bit useless which is disappointing.

[Eyesunderarock]

Keep a paper trail, emails and the like. Back up conversations with an email repeating the points discussed and agreed so there are no 'misunderstandings'
You've started on a long trek that isn't easy, but there are a lot of people here who can help with all sorts of stuff, and will offer or a when required.

[claw2]

Could you not apply for the SA yourself, with the backing of the school, seen as you are the driving force?

[PrinceRogersNelson]

It's about gathering information to support the application. I don't want to apply for a statement without enough evidence to back up the need for it.

At the moment they are able to provide the support she needs but reception may be a different story.

I know people would say apply now, but I know I will find it stressful and want and I want to have all my ducks lined up in a row so to speak.

I just hate being ignored. It is so insulting. Having to see her and smile and ask again for the review to happen before the end of term and she'll say yes and then forget about it again.

[claw2]

Well if both you and nursery feel that your dd needs a statement, all statutory assessment will do is add to the gathering of info/evidence to support it. It is a very long drawn process. I applied for SA in May last year and have only just received the final statement (it could have taken another year, if i had appealed instead of accepting)

However, I understand you do not want to apply and prefer to wait.

[MumuDeLulu]

SA may mean the ed psych starts bugging her. More effective than 'mum'.

[MumuDeLulu]

If she's useless, her evidence will probably be sh**e so the LA will have nothing useful to go on and outcome will be a refusal to assess anyway.

Plus these days most LAs seem to simply refuse stat assessment to (almost) everyone as a first-line defence anyway. Gives them 6 months of avoiding the risk of top-up funding. Many (not all) LAs also then routinely refuse to issue a statement, so that appeal means another 6 months delay. Then a third appeal and extra 6 months to get the contents right.

If you apply now (and you really don't need to do a great job on the application), the 'refusal to assess' won't come till September anyway. You can then hang about for 2 months or bung in the appeal straight away. The tribunal date will be about 4 months after that, unless the council change their minds meanwhile.

So you continue to gather evidence for 6 months just as you'd planned, but with the clock ticking already.

[MumuDeLulu]

However it is very stressful. Worth it if she needs a statement, but not if you're fairly confident that her future school will be able / willing to give her enough extra help without one and sustain the help long-term.

[nennypops]

Completely agree with MumuDeLulu. Either the school will produce a decent report, or it won't. If it's going to produce a decent report, then it will do so after the LA contacts it following your request. If it isn't, then delaying matters will achieve nothing. Either way it's pretty likely that the LA will refuse. so you may as well get a move on and make your request now.

[MumuDeLulu]

You can do the 'I know you're so busy so I thought I'd relieve you of a little of the paperwork burden'

[ReginaPhilangie]

I agree you should apply for the statement yourself. The LA should make her get her arse into gear and will weigh on her more heavily than you can. I have to say though, if the SENCO is that bad are you sure it's the right school for your DD? DD's SENCO is very good and I'm pretty much on a first name basis with her now we've had so much help off her over the years, (DD1 is in year 5).

[lougle]

You apply now for a statement. They will be sent an Appendix B form. They have to complete it. That means that the LA will be pressuring them, not you. Job done.