Ed Psychologist and ABA- what do I ask?

[mompa]

Can anyone please advise what to ask Ed Psychologist I am meeting for first time at home tomorrow? Early Years coordinator for action plus has said her report will be crucial to get one to one funding for my DS who is 3 in a couple of weeks. Also I am starting to think Speical school might best suit DS. Will this be harder to get than mainstrean with one to one. Also there is an ABA school called Jigsaw not that far away. Does ayone know of this and benefits of ABA in general. Can I specify one to one is ABA trained. Very sorry for all the questions hope someone can help

[discodad]

I don't have personal experience of Jigsaw, but I know of them, and I believe they are considered one of the leaders in terms of provision for early years. They have some heavyweight backers (eg Speaker of House of Commons, Bercow)

ABA has the most evidence behind it of any intervention. I think Jigsaw is informed by ABA, but offers something slightly different (lots of direct SALT for instance, and involving the parents to a much greater degree than usual). Their website is very informative. It is certainly head and shoulders above anything else I have heard of, or anything offered by my local authority.

If you are offered a place I would snap their hand off if I were you.

My DS is on an ABA programme and it is excellent. If you want your LA to fund an ABA programme you will most likely have to fund it yourself for 6 months or so (and demonstrate progress) whilst you take them to tribunal. You will not be able to specify a TA with ABA training. (Again, this would need to be directed by a tribunal.)

At tribunal you would have to demonstrate the provision the LA gives is inadequate/inappropriate and that the provision you want (ie ABA) is.
They will not fund willingly. Going to tribunal is a whole other subject in itself.

The LA Ed Psych is not allowed to specifically recommend a setting or type of provision. S/he will probably have to use a form of words such as "likely to benefit from specialist teaching" for special school placement. It is then down to an sen officer (with no specialist knowledge of SEN) to make the decision, after referral to a panel of LA experts. (The panel usually consists of Ed Psych, Special School head teacher, someone from social services etc). The panel can only make a recommendation, and it is the SEN officer that has the final say. Often SEN officers hide behind panel recommendations.

In my case our LA Ed psych was lovely, we had an open an honest discussion that started with her asking what do you want? She backed us in terms of special school / ABA which got her into trouble with the LA, but came in very useful at our tribunal.

Ed Psychs, though, are often "fettered", in the words of Brian Lamb, and only recommend intervention they know the local authority can provide, rather than what the child needs. I suggest start by asking what the Ed Psych thinks and take it from there.

[mompa]

Thank you both so much. Yes I did wonder about whether to mention ABA at this instance and I will tread carefully. I have e-mailed Jigsaw this am and will wait and see what they suggest. Can I pick your brains re Linden Bridge school which is a special school.

How does your ABA program work in proctice discodad- is it home based? Do you receive direct funding? I work full time and share care with DS dad who does not work and has DS 2 or 3 night a week.

This is all so new to me and not sure whether to go special school (Linden Bridge/Eagle House/Freemantles or ABA or mainstream with support which is what I get the feeling they are pushing me towards. If his nursery inclusion is anything to go by I.E. NO inclusion I will be fighting for appropriate support.

[silverfrog]

mompa - are you around the Linden Bridge area then? Pm me, I can give you some info if you like.

I used to live near there, but don't anymore - we moved, to put dd1 into an ABA school.

We looked at jigsaw too.

Have you looked at rainbow? depending on whereabouts you are, that might be near-ish too, it's in Wimbledon.

[mompa]

Sorry to post again. Starlight how did you do ABA programme? Did you find tutors yourself and was this funded? I thought I could perhaps make the point that if they pay for early intervention now (DS three in Dec) they may save themselves money in the future since he currently has very little functional language. has serious behavioural problems and is unable to attend even in small class of 5 at speacialist nursery for more that 5 mins - and this has taken lots of work. Have just read Here my voice - any other recommendations?

[mompa]

Sorry - "let me hear your voice" fraudian slip!!

[silverfrog]

mompa - is the specialist nursery near Linden Bridge? is it an Eagle House one?

if so, I htink dd1 went there. they are not particularly ABA friendly (if it is the same one)

[mompa]

Hi Sliverfrog. Yes Its called The Little Group - I have (tried not done it before to PM you also. Did your DD1 benefit from being there? DS been there for 2 sessions since Sep

[silverfrog]

I have replied to your PM. I think it is probably best not to say what I think of that pre-school here. If you search some of my threads form last year, you will find some of the stuff we went through; particularly threads form about April onwards, I should think.

[mompa]

Thanks all - yes was thinking last night that I should video DS. Seems cruel (but necessary I know) to video him during one of his all too frequent spectacular meltdowns

[mompa]

I am starting to understand what you mean Starlight. If another person tells me my DS can link words because he can say "all gone" or "big bub" (or anything more to do with bloody bubbles)and attributes it to their helping DS's progress -when he has been saying those things for a year and a half after lots and lots of work from me -I will scream.He says little else about from lables and echolia and certainly cannot ask for anything. Settings seem so keen to say he is making progress and I am lookng for it but cannot see it. Where is the honesty? This is a little boys future at stake here.

[discodad]

Our ABA programme is based partly at home, partly at ABA provider's offices and partly in early years setting. The LA pay - directed by tribunal.

There is a lot of taxiing around, and my other half and I both work part-time. There is no question it is very limiting in terms of what we can do. Have other children as well so the ability to work is reduced.

Hopefully things will ease as DS progresses through the programme and into school

[mompa]

Hi Starlight - DS was notified to Education as result of multidiscliplinary meeting where Paediatrian gave diagnosis of ASD on 2nd Novem (after waiting 6months). I also wrote to them including SLT reports both NHS and Private - both citing Severe speech lang and communcation problems. NHS SLT have signed us off (after one session)since DS gets SLT at specialist setting.Specialist nursery are applying or statement and for funding for their setting which am struggling to pay. Assuming nursery are succussful in getting statement - what will it provide for given that DS is only 3?
Having problems with Montessori nursery too since despite meeting with, speakng to her, involving Early Years staff they still haven't done IEP's and only just started home school book - the contents of which are laughable, Both me and DS dad are convinced he spends the day running about outside (which he loves) since his little face is always red and chapped when we collect him. They freely admit they need one to one also for his safety (eating inappropriate things. climbing dangerouls etc) but I think it is a question of funding. I seem to be going round in circles. Apparently Ed Psychology report can help with funding. Will keep record of everything