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SEN

Here you'll find advice from parents and teachers on special needs education.

Original poster

Annual review and saying provision not suitable for upcoming year

28 replies

Lesley25 · 27/08/2024 07:08

My DS is almost 16.
This has been a long time coming and I had hoped I would get to residential college at 18, but it’s obvious we can’t cope at home with social services saying they cannot increase respite as there is no availability , and Ds current educational provision hasn’t had a SALT since January. Combined with the fact DS refuses carers and has regressed in skills, isolated at home , and I can’t do this for another 2/3 years.

all the therapists involved with DS are all aware of the failings I’ve mentioned above, annual review is October, do I have to start saying now on the paperwork that I will be saying the current provision isn’t suitable and name a residential school?

OP posts:
EndlessLight · 27/08/2024 14:36

provision needs a team so have to recruit yet I’m expected to cope on my own!

I understand! Professionals go strangely quiet when you point that out. They can’t get off the phone/finish the meeting quick enough.

If SALT is detailed, specified and quantified in F, it can be enforced. If the LA does not have anyone who can provide it, they must commission an independent provider. Send IPSEA’s model letter to the DCS. If that doesn’t work, you need a pre-action letter.

The social worker is also fobbing you off. Resources are stretched, but there is more they could do.

You don’t need to tell everyone now. What you do need to do now is start gathering your evidence and think it about what further evidence you require.

Personally, yes, I would be looking at booking independent assessments. Anyone good will have long waiting lists. EP, independent social worker, OT, SALT and physio if you can. If you can’t afford them all and many people can't, so don't panic if you can't, look at what evidence you already have and see where the weakest points are. Parents in Need may also be able to help.

Evidence wins appeals. If it is a choice between representation and independent assessment, you must choose independent assessments. Representation isn’t essential, you can do the appeal yourself and the best representation in the world can only work with the evidence they have.

Make sure everyone relevant is invited to the AR and submits their advice nearer the time.

Original poster
Lesley25 · 27/08/2024 08:37

Salt is specified and detailed in section F , there just isn’t a salt in the LA that can deal with the complex children provision my sons been in. They keep saying they follow targets but that’s not good enough.

i have everyone involved , LDT , Social worker, respite provision yet they are all saying we simply don’t have the resources to give you:

extra repsite (provision needs a team so have to recruit yet I’m expected to cope on my own!)

no physio - this isn’t quantified inspection F yet as the issue only arise in the last 6 months
On waiting list

Another reason that makes me want to push for residential school now- which I would hope could meet need, (that needs an assesment ) is that they have a further educational provision at 18 and ds finds transitions extremely difficult (respite has been going on weekly for 4 years yet still has a meltdown on the day) so I’m hoping that would be easier to do at that point.

let’s be honest, it would take probably 18 months and I’d have to go to tribunal , shall I line up an EP now ? Shall I recruit a solicitor too? I’m worried about cost but it’s a cost I suspect I’d have to bear at 18 now.

Ds provision is till 19, birthday is mid sept when he will 16 which means i could be in this position to care for him for another 3 years with the way education falls in September, and I can’t cope- there’s little evidence for that except paediatrician letters detailing aggression.

I can detail regression in food, sleep, quality of life.

is there anything else I can do or is there anyone else I need to make aware - SENDO (who never turns up at AR anyway and I managed to make them amend after 4 years at last AR with a fight ).

Do I have to let everyone (educational provision , social worker, LDT associate, SENDO) know now? It’s almost 6 weeks before AR.

OP posts:
EndlessLight · 27/08/2024 07:59

It is a good idea to line up your evidence showing the current placement can’t meet needs now. You don’t have to name your preferred placement until you receive the draft with the amendments if the LA propose to amend following the AR.

Is SALT detailed, specified and quantified in F?