LA says will refuse SA, but will be sending Ed Psych to observe - what does this mean?

[LemonGoby]

Hi

I phoned LA to chase response to request for SA as 6 week deadline passed on Friday. They told me they will be turning down our request to assess, but that they will be sending in an Ed Psych to observe (presumably in nursery setting).

What does this mean? Why would they send in an Ed Psych if they are not going to assess? I thought an Ed Psych visit was part of the SA?

Does anyone know? I am hoping that it implies that they may actually agree to assess after all, but am confused... Thanks

[autumnsmum]

An observation doesn't necessarily mean a statement my ds with high functioning autism was observed by the ed psych but he wAsnt assessed for a statement

[AttilaTheMeerkat]

Appeal the LEA's decision not to assess regardless, do you know why they have they refused statutory assessment?.

[AttilaTheMeerkat]

//www.ipsea.org.uk is a good website to look at and has lots of information on it.

[LemonGoby]

Thanks for the link, Atilla. We are certainly going to appeal - have been expecting them to refuse to assess after all I have read on here. I don't know on what grounds they have refused, we haven't had their letter yet. I just got the news from someone on the SN team as our caseworker wasn't available to take my call

[StarlightMcKingsThree]

If 6 weeks has passed why no letter, and why sending EP now instead if in 6 week period?

[LemonGoby]

Starlight, does the EP normally go in before they decide to assess, to help then make their decision then? I had assumed, wrongly, I'm guessing, that they decided to assess based on letter of request/reports sent in, and then sent in EP as part of assessment to see what sort of statement you'd get...?

[babiki]

Same happened to us last year (also preschool), are you in Essex?

[babiki]

We appealed - LA used EP report to say ds is too small and things can change bla bla, we can do statement later, had bad luck with judge and lost - cost us place at SS, bastards.

[LemonGoby]

Oh babiki, I'm so sorry to hear about that, what a nightmare for you. We are in London. Are the EPs sent to assess totally in the pockets of the LAs then? Do you think an independent/private EP assessment would bear any weight in an appeal?

[MyCatIsFat]

Are the EPs sent to assess totally in the pockets of the LAs then?

Yes. They work for their paymasters - the LA.

Do you think an independent/private EP assessment would bear any weight in an appeal?

Yes. Because your independent report will be a lot more detailed than the cursory 2 sheets of A4 that they LA hack EP will produce. It will also enable you to identfy your child's strengths and weaknesses.

[LemonGoby]

MyCat, thanks for the clarification! Will look into getting independent EP to assess to counter the LA's.

[2boysnamedR]

I would appeal anyway. In our case the people the lea sent in actually found things that the lea could not refuse. The ed phyc may well say they should not have refused

[babiki]

Appeal for sure anyway, good luck

[LemonGoby]

2boys, sounds a bit more hopeful. Thanks all.

[Ahhhcantthinkofagoodname]

Hello, we had a slightly similar experience, this is what happened to us...

• at end of 6 weeks we got a letter saying it was a no but "we will reconsider when we have further info from pre school specialist teacher"(who is employed by LA)
  
• we instantly appealed to SENDIST
  
• two weeks later after they got report from pre school specialist teacher, LA phoned me to say they would do stat assessment but did not confirm in writing despite me requesting and chasing this up
  
• in the meantime they got an EP to do an assessment and write a report on DS. EP told me it had been flagged "urgent" by stat assessment team. EP wrote a comprehensive report on DS which highlighted his needs in several different areas and said he would need a lot of support when he starts school
  
• finally, just after the appeal paperwork arrived at the LA, they conceded the appeal and wrote to us to say they would do the stat assessment, 11 weeks after we originally requested it!
  

I think they were waiting to see if we had really appealed or not and in the meantime used the EP to see if that could be used as a reason to turn down our request. Maybe it's similar with you, they are struggling to find a reason to turn down your appeal but are hoping the EP will give them something....

Babiki, we are in essex too by the way and DS is at preschool.

Whatever their game, they are not complying with the SENCOP and as others have said, you should appeal. You can download the appeal forms amd its quite quick to do (we just recycled the stuff we had submitted to the LA as part f our request). look on IPSEAs website fr link to SENDIST stuff. I think the LAs see what they can get away with so the sooner the appeal paperwork arrives with them the better!

[Ahhhcantthinkofagoodname]

Just read my message back, I meant to say... "Struggling to turn down your request" (not your appeal) - I obviously have appeals on the brain, I wonder why!

[2boysnamedR]

We was refuesd, told in a round about way to get a good solicitor as we didn't stand a chance. A week after our attendance paper went in the case was dropped.

You just never know that maybe all it takes - to show your serious. Good luck.

[babiki]

Cantthinkofagoodname: I think you described the strategy well. But you were still quite lucky; I got hold of all paperwork regarding ds via acces data request and when they received our request for SA, one of the managers sent memo to all involved 'you can't consider this seriously, he just started preschool' .. Obviously need traininig in sEN Code of Practice...