Statement of special needs does it make a difference ??

[happyhour]

Have just started the process of tackling dyslexia,I feel like no one knows anything or is helping me,I have been told that it doesn't matter if my Ds has a staement of special needs as he will get the same amount of help and support with out it. Is this true i think not otherwise why have it in the first place,Can anyone give me any advise as at the mo the only person doing anything is me at home.

[AttilaTheMeerkat]

A Statement is a legally binding document which the school need to abide by. Other plans the school can put in place can have pretty limited scope.

Obtaining a Statement for dyslexia is nigh on impossible but it can be done. Have you also talked to the Dyscovery Centre?

IPSEA are very good and can advise:-

www.ipsea.org.uk

[Niecie]

I was also told that they are extremely difficult to come by and we wouldn't get one.

My DS1 has a dx of mild AS and dyspraxia and to be honest I don't think that it makes that much difference with a relatively minor SN. He is on the SN register and therefore still entitled to help, it is just that the school don't get extra funding for him.

He gets extra help from the school via the SENCO and the LSA and the OT and the SALT come in and see him and set up programmes for him to do in school and at home.

If you aren't looking for more than a couple of hours help a week from the school then being put on the register should be enough.

[TotalChaos]

a statement gives the school a lot less room to wriggle out of giving your child help. also it puts you in a good position for selecting suitable junior and secondary school.

[Seuss]

My ds' old school provided 1:1 and he was getting SALT so we weren't too worried when a statement was declined. However when the school realised a statement (and thus funding) was not happening they suddenly got a lot less co-operative! He is now at a different school and does have a statement but we learnt the hard way that without a statement schools can wriggle out of support all too easily.

[r3dh3d]

Hum.

It's interesting how often schools (I assume it's a school who said it?) tell you this. Cynically, I think that if your child needs a low level of support - say 1 hour a day - the school may provide it out of their existing SN budget but then be able to reallocate it to another child or share it or whatever. If they are statemented then that flexibility is lost because that one hour must go to your child and your child alone.

It's never quite that simple - getting a statement and then enforcing it is not an easy process for conditions where the LEA has a good chance of arguing against you. And I would say Dyslexia is one of them. So you may feel that the stress of obtaining the statement and the risk of not obtaining it isn't worth the benefit. It will all depend on the severity of your DS's need and how much you trust the school.

[hecate]

Yes! It's VITAL!! It gives you more power it sets out what they have to do and give and they can get into trouble if they don't do it! It also enables the school to get funding for the child, so the child benefits from that too - extra person, aids etc. You can also access other services more easily, which can be a godsend.

[happyhour]

Thanks to all of you for your info most useful! Will start pushing,I have actually been badly advised by all paid 395 quid to get him tested because i was told there was no school phsyco and then found that they do exsist my ds has now started senior school and is terrified so now am trying to get all the help i can so if anyone out there has any tips for me and my son please tel me.

[Romy7]

is he on school action currently?
what are school doing at the moment?
is he 'failing' in areas of the curriculum, or noticeably falling behind his peers?

if school are providing targeted support out of their SN budget and he is responding to this, it is extremely unlikely that the LEA will consider a statement. it doesn't stop you requesting an assessment, but it is very unlikely you will get much further than a letter saying, thank you, but we believe he does not require a statement.

if he has been on the school action register for some time and getting additional support, and still failing to meet the termly or six monthly targets on his IEP, then you may be able to use this as eveidence that a statement is required (or they will bump him to school action plus and request external support). if he is meeting his IEP targets the LEA will almost certainly say no statement is required.

i don't actually know anyone with a statement for dyslexia, but i'm sure that it would be possible eventually to succeed if his needs were severe enough.

fwiw, we received 1-1 support and additional LEA funding and advice without a statement, but it is very much a postcode lottery, and is not legally binding. dd2 now has a statement in place as we move frequently and wanted the support she needs quantified as a starter for ten for a new LEA. hers is a low incidence statement for pd and as such relatively easy to argue, in your case i suspect you ought to start saving for a tribunal do speak to ipsea and the sn bods at the lea before you go any further!
best of luck!

[happyhour]

The school seem to be dragging their heels at the mo i have had meetings with them and discussed an action plan but nothing has actually started yet.He is falling behind in all areas of the curriculum,and in the past has had some addtional support for maths and literacy. I think me and my son thought it would change once the psycho report was done and that he would get somwhere but how wrong was i.I was told last week by the ed psycho that it would be unlikely that he will get statemented as his needs aren't great enough, but that it wouldn't make any difference as he will still get the same support, i just need to go to the school and get his IEP sorted but thats easier said than done.I just wanted to make sure that i have done everything i need to do. Does anyone claim any benifits for there children with dyslexia too only ive been told i might be elligible for that too.

[Romy7]

ed psych report should clearly state that he needs an IEP and be on the school action register. make an appointment to speak with the school SENCo/ class teacher and head, and ask for them to explain what help he will be getting as a result of the ed psych assessment. wave the report at them. if the report does not state that, ring the ed psych at the lea and explain that you need it to say that so that the school understand. if school are disagreeing that he needs additional help, then you have an altogether different issue entirely, and probably need to sit down with school and the ed psych and go through it properly. either way, you need to arrange a meeting with school. if you are rebuffed, contact your governing body and ask for the contact details of the governor who is responsible for sn provision and go through it with them. schools are usually more likely to cooperate if you constantly defer to their innate wisdom rather than being bolshy if you get my drift ... flattery whilst steering them gently towards your desired outcome is generally more successful!
only after that has failed is it necessary to pull out the big guns...

the iep should provide targets termly or six-monthly and explain how the school are going to help him to meet his targets.

how old is he?

if the ed psych has said he won't get a statement as his needs are not severe enough, then i would guess it will be nigh on impossible to get one. an ed psych report is one of the reports used for statutory assessment. he would need tobe failingn at school action, or school action plus (ie with additional support) before they would be prepared to statment.

i've never heard of anyone getting benefits for dyslexia, but tbh nothing surprises me these days!

[isgrassgreener]

My DS goes to a private dyslexia school and there are some children there who have their fees paid by a statement.
I think getting this is very difficult and involved them going to tribunal with their LEA.
We moved him from a state school where he was on SA+ but not getting anything like enough help to allow him to complete the work that his classmates were doing and his self confidence was really low.
We had a private EP report, but it didn't make any real difference to the amount of help he received
It is very difficult to make any real demands about how you want extra help to be implemented without a statement.
Not heard of any benefits that you can claim for dyslexia.

[happyhour]

Thanks to all of you it's been a great help talking to you all.
I will press on with the school and get what help i can. I am doing toe by toe at home with him and it seems to be helping, trouble is everything is sooooo expensive the books and gadgets computer software you feel they should have these things but i just cant afford it then you feel guilty and not doing enough to help. Thanks everyone

[mumnosbest]

hi I'm a mum and SEN teacher. Statements help both kids and teachers, so both usually try hard to get one but authorities don't like giving them cos they cost! Apart from setting out your childs needs and schools responsibilities, the school receives funding for statemented children. It's a long process though and most children don't get 'statemented' untill about Year 3 (juniors), unless have very apparent SEN's