Private assessment for ASD anyone?

[DeepDeepDown]

Hi.

I realise the local LEAs do their own assessments/diagnosis', but what if you're prepared to look further afield (out of your LEAs zone) for your child's education??

I'm thinking a private assessment (for ASD DS, 13) with someone who has a good coverage of schools/LEAs (whether mainstream/special/public/private) would be able to point us in the right direction (without bias).

Am I wrong? Has anyone had a private assessment?

Hoping someone can help and many thanks for any responses!

[IndigoBell]

The LEAs don't assess for ASD.

LEAs deal with education.

ASD is a medical problem, and is assessed by someone medical - normally a child development paedetrician.

This assessment has nothing to do with what school your child goes to.

The assessment will just give you a report saying your child has ASD.

[IndigoBell]

LEAs decide whether or not your child qualifies for a statement (ie a 1:1 teacher).

This assessment (a statutory assessment) cannot be done privately.

[DeepDeepDown]

Thanks, Indigo.

So, the statutory assessment takes place and then the statementing process can begin?

My son was diagnosed ASD age 3.5. Would he get another statutory assessment as it's been so long or would we just need to apply for a new statement from the LEA?

Really appreciate your advice.

[IndigoBell]

Statutory assessment is the first part of the statementing process. They are assessing whether or not he needs a statement.

It is nothing to do with whether or not he has ASD. What they are assessing is whether or not he can stay in a MS classroom without 1:1

Maybe this website will explain it to you - IPSEA

What do you think will happen if he enrols at your local school without a statement? Will he survive without 1:1?

Schools can provide 1:1 from their own budget while the statementing process happens.....

I would just enrol him at school, and let them sort it out - unless you feel this will cause him to refuse to go to school or something.

Most kids with ASD don't have statements.

[DeepDeepDown]

Hi again, Indigo.

We're actually abroad right now, but making plans to return to the UK.

Before we left the UK, his special's recommendation, if he were to stay in the UK, would be that he'd gradually be introduced into mainstream "with support". He needs a specialised learning approach, which we've struggled with here.

I have seen a couple of schools that I feel may be suitable, but they're in a different LA than we'd be moving back to.

Could I contact these schools directly and explain the situation or would I need to go through the LEA that I'd be moving to?

Sorry if I'm being a pain.

[IndigoBell]

First of all you need to find out if the schools you like have places.

If they have places they have to accept him.

If they don't have places they can only accept him if he gets a statement naming that school.

I'd def ring the schools you like and talk to them.

But first I think you need to decide if you'd be happy for him to attend the school without support while it's getting sorted, or if he needs support from day 1.

Also by support, do you mean he needs 1:1? Full time?

[beardeddragon]

You can apply for a statutory assessment yourself, which is always recommended by the charities like Ipsea, as schools can be unreliable and/or take a long time to make their own request. You would have to wait until you move back and have an address first. Your home address is the one which determines which LA you deal with.

If you are particularly keen for him to attend a particular school, it's worth thinking about moving to the LA the school is in, if at all possible.

It takes at least six months to go through a statutory assessment, so although you could get the school named on a statement eventually, you would be at the mercy of whichever schools have spaces when you first arrive back. The school can offer a limited amount of support without a statement, but it could be taken away at any time. A statement is a legal document and it would describe all the help your child should get, including the school he would go to.

Although you can't get a statutory assessment done privately, you can submit reports by independent (private) professionals (educational psychologist, speech and language, OT). This is more likely to result in better provision for your child, as NHS/LA professionals are told not to specify expensive provision in their reports, whereas private professionals will make fully independent recommendations unhindered by budget constraints. In our case, it means the LA pays for a private ASD school which was recommended by our EP - this would never have been recommended by an LA EP.

[montrealmum]

beardeddragon, can I just say....

That is excellent advice, of the type that makes Mumsnet truly valuable.