LA have referred DD to nhs SALT without our permission

[bjkmummy]

They wrote us a letter and asked for our permission. We responded and said before we agreed we wanted them to explain why a 3rd salt report in 6 months was needed and did they agree that by asking for it now after issuing a NIL they accepted that they hadn't fully assesses her in the first place.

We heard nothing more until a letter arrived today saying that the day after they got our letter they referred her anyway! So they were clearly going to refer her withnornwithout our permission. I would have given permission but am angry that they have behaved like this. They referred her nearly a month agomsomwhy not tell us then why wait until now? I know why it's becausetheybare due to respond to tribunal next week and I guess they will be calling the nhs salt and their response obviously is going to mention that they will be challenging MS report. Heard nothing yet from the NHs salt

[choc0clock]

Has the NHS salt seen your Dd yet or is it only at the referral stage?

[bjkmummy]

Just at referral stage. I guess the salt when they see us will ask us then for formal permission

[fairgame]

Be wary. SALT might go in without telling you. When my LA referred my DS to OT (albeit with my permission), they arranged to go in without telling me. The school rang me to let me know as i had asked them to make me aware of anyone going in that i hadn't told them about. Then the cheeky buggers sent a report back to the LA and didn't even have the decency to send me a copy! I only got the report in the final evidence from the LA.

[bjkmummy]

thanks fairgame - that is something I do need to be aware of and I fully intend to be there when she is seen. she gave her views to PP last week and there was an awful lot of 'leading' her going on in the questions. as it was just her views I wasn't overly concerned and she has already made her views quite clear! I didn't think actually that the SALT could go into school - last time with her brother we had to take him to a childrens centre but that was all arranged after we had won the tribunal so I didn't take him as he was by then in school and getting salt at school. LA have never come back about it.

I want to see the referral form to see under what guise they have asked the referral for - I was planning on doing the data request at the end of the week anyway. I will speak to school on Monday and will send in a letter as well saying no one is to see her in school without our express written permission nor is anyone to observe her either. all of this just for a NIL - its ridiculous , the amount of time and effort they are putting into this - I know why its because they are terrified about losing for a 3rd time.

[fairgame]

You'd be surprised at what the LA can persuade the NHS to do when there's a tribunal. I was sat quite smug when the asked to re-refer to OT as i thought there was no way they would get in to see DS before final evidence deadline. Wrong! The LA managed to get the apparently overworked OT in within 2 weeks. The OT didn't really know why she was assessing DS so i would love to know what the LA put on the referral form. It was a good job i was there so explain everything to the OT or they would never have been able to write a report for the LA that actually went in my favour .

[bjkmummy]

reminds me of last time with her twin (will they ever learn??) again we had indie OT , LA instructed a NHS OT who then wrote a good report which identified even more needs than our report!!! they still dragged us all the way to tribunal but the NHS OT refused to amend her report so the LA just didn't call her in the end. I suspect we may be on a similar path here as well. the paed our daughter saw a couple of weeks ago in London says that no NHS SALT will be able to do such a detailed report so its just all smoke and mirrors - we do have our SALT ready to attend if needed but its just the additional cost of yet another witness for a NIL appeal

[2boysnamedR]

Nhs salt will never be as in debth as indi. I can easly discredit ally nhs ones as they are all part tests - testing the parts they like! Make sure you check the age range for the test and what sections they do. Eg a part pre school celf was trumped by a more full and age appropriate one in my case (I hope it stands up on the day!)

[bjkmummy]

think this definitely wobble sunday - find it all just too much today and could easily just walk away and home school here. the stress is awful and ive got months to go yet and the fact they are fighting so hard for a blooming NIL also makes me fell sick knowing that there will be yet another one even if we win! its madness and whats upsetting me know is my dd is also picking up on it all and its start to impact on her. last night I was even dreaming about it all so I just cannot switch off. with 3 on the spectrum I am really struggling with the absolute stress of it all and I think my LA would be happy to see me have a complete and utter breakdown

[bjkmummy]

well an update - last week we were called to a meeting with the LA - they opened the meeting saying they were not changing their position and then went onto show me a letter they had had from the NHS SALT - basically it says they cannot accept the referral as they NHS SALT is not commissioned to do reports for sen tribunal so that's the end of it - the LA are not getting a SALT report and seemed quite smug with themselves for some reason......

[Ineedmorepatience]

Its all just a ridiculous waste of time and money isnt it bkj!! But at least you know your indie SALT report will be the only one that the tribunal gets now!