Quick question about statements

[Stradbroke]

My DD has a statement which is dated, well actually I can't see a date, but it was issued in July 2014. We had a statement review in July 2015 where her needs were discussed, but the statement was not looked at or discussed at all.

I have just heard from DD's SALT that essentially the core offer has now changed and therefore ongoing SALT is no longer offered and that school will have to buy it in.

I am waiting to speak to school to see what they will do about ensuring they meet what is on her statement.

I have pulled her statement out and the wording is this;

"I must receive one contact one contact every half term from speech and language therapy for the first year. One must last three hours and the other 45 minutes."

It's the first year bit that is worrying me. Will they argue that she is no longer in the first year and therefore they don't need to provide it?

The SALT was at the review in July and has written a very thorough workplan for DD for this term and therefore there is no doubt that she still needs SALT.

Thanks

[AttilaTheMeerkat]

I would talk to IPSEA about this matter.

Was the part you wrote in quote marks beginning., "I must receive one contact..." in Part 2 or 3 of this document?.

The funding is not an issue for you as the parent, the main concern for you is ensuring the LEA does their statutory duty.

Their web address is //www.ipsea.org.uk; they have a callback service.

[Stradbroke]

It's in part 3.

The SALT I spoke to seemed to think that it was school that needed to ensure that it was provided rather than the LEA?

I need to talk to school to find out what their plans are.

Thanks for the reply.

[InimitableJeeves]

I'm afraid there is a very good chance that they will rely on that "first year" thing. After the annual review, you should have had a formal letter from the LA saying whether they propose to make any amendments to the statement. Have you had that letter? If so, and if it said they weren't going to amend the statement, it should also have given you notice of your right of appeal, which was 2 months from the date of the letter. You should exercise that right immediately to appeal for SALT provision which equates to what the SALT has advised. I would suggest the wording also needs to be tightened up, as "contacts" is close to meaningless.

If the letter says they are going to amend the statement, they should be consulting you about amendments and, again, you will have a right to appeal if you disagree with the amendments.

If they haven't sent the letter, you should contact the LA and say you haven't received the formal post AR decision letter and ask them to get on and send it. If that doesn't work, contact SOS SEN or IPSEA.