Please advise, am in a tizz, namechanged

[Inatizznamechanger]

I've namechanged to keep my thoughts a bit private. Please don't out me...

I'm in a mess. I have 3 DD's under 4, and DD1 has SN.

I have just applied for DD1's Stat Assessment. She has been on EYAP for a year, gets full 1:1, has GDD as a result of her condition & epilepsy.

Her favourite people in the world are her GPs, my mum & dad. She adores them, sees them every day, phones them every morning. They adore her. I need their support.

They are at risk of reposession. A dear relative has offered to pay arrears to give time to sell the house. The resulting equity is not enough to buy a house where we live, and they have two big dogs, which means it would be hard to rent. Also, neither of them are in work atm.

However, the equity would buy a property outright in Scotland, my DF's homeland. My DM wouldn't move there without us. Miss us all too much. It could change their lives, lift them out of the depression that they have had for years as a result of the stress and worry trying to keep head above water.

DDDH suggested we could move to be near them. Great idea. His parents emigrated to the continent years ago. We could visit friends occasionally.

But, I am in a tizz about DD1. She starts school in 2010. She needs support. I have applied for her Statement, and am about to send in my parental submission to 'help' them see if she needs an assessment.

What would happen? If I move part way through, she won't get a statement. If the statementing goes very smoothly, and Mum&Dad sell within 6 months, we may end up moving just after it finalises. Scotland don't do statements, they do CNPs.

What would happen if she had a Statement for 1:1, but there wasn't time to get a CNP before the start of school year? How does it work? I obviously couldn't get a CNP in progress until she moves.

I think this could be a great opportunity, but am scared that I will stuff DD1 up wrt support. She wouldn't manage even an hour without support.

I am thinking that I need to plod on with Statementing anyway, in case it doesn't go through, etc.

I am scared that without her GPs, she will regress, they bring out so much in her. And it is their only hope of a secure future. But I am scared of what could happen to DD1 if I can't get support sorted.

Please help.

[anonandlikeit]

My only advice would be look at what is best for the entire family.
Your dd's education is just a part of that.

Have a look at the areas of scotland & what sort of provision they offer (whatever the formal process for it may be).

It may be that support may take a little longer to put in place BUT ultimatley she should get the support & you may all be in a happier less stressfull environment.

[glitteryb6]

we are in Scotland, just outside Glasgow and have a CSP (co-ordinated support plan) havent heard of a CNP?
Ours only took a few months to get together and was relatively simple, Educational Psychologist pretty much did it all and i changed some bits.
We got ds placed in a SN school in Glasgow that specialises in physical impairment.
Its outwith the area we are in (North Lanarkshire) as this area is more geared towards ASD and its worked out really well, ds loves it and they love him!

i'd say go for it but i'm biased!

[magso]

Can you contact the equivalent of parent partnership or the lea and ask them what is the proceedure for a child with a statement from england?
Just knowing the facts should help you make a decision.
Hopefully bumping for someone who has moved north of the border!

[FabBakerGirlIsBack]

I think it sounds a great idea to move and everyone will benefit.

Scotland seems a lot better at a lot of things compared to England so I would get all the info I could and try not to worry.

[Inatizznamechanger]

Sorry, sorry CSP, my head is all wooly. glitteryb6, that is particularly helpful. I really appreciate all of your input, all of you.

[glitteryb6]

things with school may not go smoothly with regards to moving to scotland but equally it may not go smoothly in school where you are but at least if you did move you and dd would have the support of your parents?

Also remmember in Scotland they start in Primary 1, we dont have the reception thing you have in England so depending on her age you might have another year to sort out CSP

[glitteryb6]

Are you on the SKitUK site, might get some useful advice on there as there are quite a few parents from different areas of Scotland...Orkneys, Ayrshire, Aberdeenshire, Fife, Glasgow to name but a few

[grumpyoldeeyore]

Ruth Glynne Owen www.autismsupportservice.co.uk is based in Scotland and I saw on ABA UK site is setting up an autism specialist nursery in Edinburgh. She has an autism consultancy service but also offers free tel calls and gave me some free advice a while back - I would suggest contacting her as I am sure she would be able to tell you about services north of the Border.

[glitteryb6]

you could also check out the council website of the area you think they might be moving to and get the contact details of the schools you might be interested in and ask them direct what would be involved in a move to scotland and what would happen with regards to the statement/csp

[Inatizznamechanger]

Thanks I am on SKIUK.

She is 4 in December, so am I right in thinking she can go in either 2010 or 2011? Would she go into P1 either way?

[glitteryb6]

from scotland.go.uk

"The usual arrangements for pupils entering P1 are that children whose 5th birthday falls between the start of March and the end of February start school together in the August in the middle of that period. For example, pupils whose 5th birthday is between the start of March 2007 and the end of February 2008 would generally start school in August 2007."

so if she is 4 this december she would start P1 in August 2010 although with a SN child with a late birthday you can usually defer them till the next year if you want and she would just have another year in nursery if you felt she wasnt ready

[TotalChaos]

good luck with your decision. I agree with glittery - Scotland is much more amenable to defering first year (p1) than England, so would imagine even with the December birthday you should have an extra year to get sorted up there.

[glitteryb6]

She would still go into P1 just at age 5.8 rather than age 4.8, one of my friends has just defferred her son who's birthday is on boxing day

[glitteryb6]

also if she was going into a SN school she wouldnt necessarily have to wait till the August as most schools with places will take admissions at the start of any term, so she could maybe go at christmas or the easter

[Inatizznamechanger]

wow, this is so helpful! Thanks all.