Wow just got report back from Paediatrician

[bedheadz]

Got the report from paed, it states that he thinks ds has Asperger Syndrome and just need the ADOS to confirm.

More importantly there is a letter enclosed to the SENCO "I would appreciate if you could kindly arrange some 1-1 help, maybe full time if possible"

Have any of your paeds requested anything like this and did school comply?

[thebeansmum]

Was it something you weren't expecting bedheadz? The poss Asperger's I mean, not the 1 -1.

[AttilaTheMeerkat]

More importantly there is a letter enclosed to the SENCO "I would appreciate if you could kindly arrange some 1-1 help, maybe full time if possible"

With regards to the above I would ask you if your DS has a Statement in place. Such a letter to the SENCO written by the paed will have no effect whatsoever, a statement is the surest way to ensure any real level of support.

[bedheadz]

@thebeansmum we know he has AS, so no surprise really, just that it is there in black and white for the first time, all other proffesionals have just talked about social comms and sensory processing difficulties.

@Attila, ds doesn't have a statement, there are two othe dc in his class who both have a full time 1-1 each, one of them is deffo unstatemented the other I don't know about.

[streakybacon]

I second what Attilla has said - the written request won't make the slightest difference. Very often paeds have no idea of how things are done in Education and think that if they just ask nicely you'll be given all the support your child needs (bless them and their naivety).

In the early days I had so many similar comments from CAMHS that suggested help and support would just fall into place because the paed/psych said it was necessary. It doesn't happen like that and you may well find (like many of us) that you are constantly having to argue your case for support. It costs money, schools don't like to give it, and it's an ongoing battle.

Apply for the statement. Even with one support isn't guaranteed, but help will most likely be extremely limited without it.

[AttilaTheMeerkat]

bedheadz,

Goodness alone knows what the paed was thinking when he wrote such a letter to the SENCO. I agree with Streakybacon's post, your Paed is being very naive here. This person clearly has no idea about the educational side of things.

You can personally apply for the statement yourself and to do this you will need to write to the Chief Education Officer at your LEA. You will need to give this person six weeks to reply. //www.ipsea.org.uk have model letters you can use in case you are wondering what to write. Unlike anything else offered, a statement is legally binding.

[IndigoBell]

School won't be able to comply to a request like that - without a statement.

What it is, is evidence you can use when applying for a statement. So it's good news.

You can apply for a statement yourself, today. And you might as well.......

[EllenJaneisnotmyname]

I have to agree with the others. Paeds can be very supportive when it comes to Statutory Assessment, but it's the Educational Psychologist's report that carries the most weight. Your current request from the Paed doesn't fall within the system, unfortunately, but having the DX won't hurt.

Reading between the lines, you seem quite chilled about the DX. Remember someone is always here if you need some virtual and (((hugs)))

[bedheadz]

I have been contemplating applying for a statement, There have been a couple of incidents when I have thought if he had a 1-1 that wouldn't have happened.

I don't think he needs a 1-1 full time but as he is moving into the juniors I think this is going to be a whole new ball game.

The reasons I think he needs some 1-1 or statement off the top of my head are-
He doesn't speak unless asked a direct question, although he sometimes interrupts to share facts about his interests (unrelated to what the teacher is talking about).
He doesn't mix with the other children either in the classroom during group work, on the playground, dinner hall etc.
He doesn't understand when the teacher directs them to work unless she specifically says his name.
He becomes distressed if he doesn't understand the work, makes mistakes etc.
He finds it difficult to get the work from his head onto paper.
The noise in the classroom gets too much for him. He struggles to eat in the dinner hall because of the smells or other childrens habits (eating with mouth open)
He becomes scared in class for numerous reasons and hides in the toilets.
Things like sports day, pantomines, fire alarms, anything out of the norm create anxiety for weeks afterwards.
He was a school refuser from nursery up until the Y2 which was the first year I didn't have to carry him kicking and screaming (still hates school but is compliant).

I am not sure were to go from here, do the things I have mentioned sound serious enough to warrant a statement? Academically he has done well in the infants above average in his levels but I am aware in juniors that the quantity of work expected from him will increase which is were I think he may start struggling.
He is very passive in class so doesn't cause any bother, although over the last few months his behaviour has turned more from emotionaly critical of himself to angry outbursts which we haven't really had since he turned three.

[IndigoBell]

There is no harm in applying for a statement. And with a report like that from the paed, coupled with how you describe him, I would.

[AttilaTheMeerkat]

bedheadz

I would definately be applying direct to your LEA for a statement in the circs you describe re your DS and asap. He clearly needs more help and support in school if he is going to be able to manage in such an environment. Junior school is a very different ball game from Infants and you also need to think longer term (secondary school).

Where the funding or resources actually comes from is actually not an issue that should unduly worry you. LEAs still issue statements. Your main objective now is to get the LEA to agree to a statutory assessment.

[AttilaTheMeerkat]

If he is also passive in class he is more likely to be overlooked as well.

Do apply for the statement and asap. Use IPSEA's website that I detailed earlier.

[EllenJaneisnotmyname]

As a 1:1 TA to a passive child, I have to agree that they are often missed and left unsupported. The DC I support has 15 hrs on his statement, so gets support (me, mostly prompting him to stay on task) most mornings, but produces very little work in the afternoons.

[streakybacon]

Mine was a violent, aggressive chair-chucker when he was in school, and he didn't get any classroom support either. He was very good at Maths though, so clearly he was just being a naughty boy when he acted up .

But I agree, your child is far more likely to be overlooked if s/he isn't presenting with significant behavioural problems.

[insanityscatching]

I have ds who from his entry into nursery with a statement was disruptive and aggressive and so has had 1 to 1 support at all times not least to guarantee the safety of his peers and teachers but also because if he wished he could disrupt a whole school.
I then have dd who has 20 hours support on a statement secured prior to her entry into nursery. Dd is passive and not at all disruptive and I know that there is no way would I be able to secure a statement now if I needed to not least because she is academically able but also any difficulties are invisible unless you know what you are looking for.
Her current SENCO is amazed she has a statement because if she entered now she wouldn't even make the criteria for school action tbh but we keep it through having a very lax LA who don't routinely reassess unless asked and by playing the game and both school and myself supplying reports that justify the need to maintain the statement.
In my experience the more disruptive a child the more comprehensive and quicker the support is put in place at least in our LEA anyway.