How important is parental.contribution to the appeal/court process

[Soumia]

Dear mums :)

I spoke to some parents and they all said they had to submit a statment document to the court so the judge reads it and support my case for mainstream + aba..

Statment is a log book of my hard work/progress achievements document that i explain in it why mainstream is a good choice for my son and why special.school is not... and also includes all the progress i made with my son...

They said as a mum.I am the best advocate for my son and no one knows him better than me and I must write that document...it has more weight

On the other hand I was told that EP...SALT....OT...Professionalz reports have more weight...

I am confused...plz advice thanks for ur help

[KissyThief]

It’s a bit hard to make any suggestions without any context for your post.

I assume that you don’t agree with the professionals sending dc to a special school? I assume that there are really big reasons for this and the professionals have told you why they think a certain place will be suitable?

I would just write a letter outlining your concerns about the professionals opinion because it is only an opinion and why you think differently.

[SJa11]

From my experience children do struggle a lot in mainstream as they get older the gap increases between the child and peers which opens the child to in detracted bullying. There must be a reason for professionals to suggest special school.

[Tonnerre]

It depends what stage you are at. It's helpful to put that detail into your appeal grounds, or if you are past that stage into a case statement which can also answer any points made in the council's response to the appeal.

You have the law on your side if you want mainstream, because the local authority has to meet your preference unless having your child in a mainstream school would be incompatible with efficient education of other pupils and there are no reasonable steps that can be taken to overcome the incompatibility. There is case law that says the situation has to be quite extreme in order to prove incompatibility.

Where you are more likely to have a problem is with ABA, which may be quite difficult to fit in with mainstream education. If your child is having ABA at home already and you can show progress, that may be some of the best evidence.

[Soumia]

Thanks for your message and info.

Do you know if it is easier to get ABA on a mainstream setting or Homesetting (EOTAS)?

[Tonnerre]

No idea about the stats on that, but I suspect home is easier just because most schools will be quite wary of having to work with ABA tutors.

[Soumia]

Hi tonnere...

That s what is striking me...

Why do schools hate or wary to work or have ABA staff on board???

Apart from cost...which will be paid by LA...not school srncos...why do schools hate ABA?

Are schools cooperating with LA somehow to avoid this high cost redolution??

[Tonnerre]

ABA tutors tend to be self-employed, and heads don't really like having people on site who are not directly under their control. Many don't understand ABA anyway.