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AIBU?

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Original poster

Pre school speech and language assessment

38 replies

fezzesarecool · 05/10/2019 16:56

Help and guidance needed please, any links to websites and documents gratefully received

I’ve posted recently about concerns about my 2 year’s behaviour and speech.

A quick background is that he is 3 next month, there is a definite speech delay and concerns over listening to commands and tantrums. He has been at preschool for 5 weeks now.

Since started at preschool I have seen excellent progress in all these areas and while he is now at the level of some children he’s definitely moved forward and I am happy that things will continue this way over time. I’ve also got a speech therapist coming next week to start sessions with him.

Unfortunately the preschool themselves are bad at communicating. Also I’m doing my best to document evidence of progress through my observations, videos, other people (such as his dance teacher etc) However they seem dismissive of having accessing to this information.

My point of view is that my son is a completely different child at the preschool which is normal but I know he’s learning from them already because of the changes I have seen.

My worry is that I feel that whatever assessments they are doing will not provide a whole picture of him. While I accepted they can only document what they observe themselves I do feel my information could help my son in that setting. I have even offered to come in so they can do a observation with me present as he will speak in that environment when I am there.

So right now I’m wondering how to find a code of practice or something similar that I can use to help my son.

I want to engage as much as I can but I just don’t have the support to do so.

TIA if you got this far!

Also posting here for traffic

OP posts:
LIZS · 05/10/2019 17:01

Is Salt observing him at preschool?

Original poster
fezzesarecool · 05/10/2019 17:02

Also very happy to hear if I’m actually interfering and shouldn’t be getting myself involved, I’ve never been in this situation before so I may be completely wrong in how I’m handling it

OP posts:
Original poster
fezzesarecool · 05/10/2019 17:03

SALT isn’t observing him. I’ve gone via the GO for a referral so that will take a while to come through.

In the meantime I’ve arranged for a speech therapist will be doing a assessment on him at preschool and then another day at home with me

OP posts:
DinoGreen · 05/10/2019 17:05

But why does it matter what their observations say? It’s not like his pre-school record will mean anything in future?

I can understand you’re anxious about it of course. My DS goes to nursery near full time and at his last “parents evening” his key worker said she hadn’t ticked off any of the maths milestones for his age bracket because she hadn’t observed him doing them, but isn’t worried because she’s sure he can do them - and I agree, I’m not fussed because I know he can do it.

Original poster
fezzesarecool · 05/10/2019 17:09

In my case, sorry to drip feed, there are concerns about autism. For example he’s not playing with other children and although I have videos of him interacting with other children they don’t want to see it

OP posts:
LIZS · 05/10/2019 17:09

Speech therapist is Salt, even if private. So they will form an opinion from both settings and any extra reports. You probably don't need to do more at this stage.

Haworthia · 05/10/2019 17:10

I think I remember your post - was it that the preschool were in favour of getting a SENCO (or some other SN professional) to assess him, and you felt it was unnecessary because their assessment of his delays didn’t match yours?

IIRC you were advised to just go along with it because any support is good support, and your son isn’t going to receive a diagnosis (for example ASD) by mistake.

Even if that wasn’t you, I’d still advise the same thing. Don’t panic about “a label” or a diagnosis like it’s a bad thing. I know it’s a lot to get your head around, and no one wants their child to have anything “wrong” with them or to have struggles in life. Just please don’t reject your preschool’s opinion of your child. It sounds like you’re really keen to disprove everything they say by providing evidence from home. Relax!

LIZS · 05/10/2019 17:11

Whose concern is autism? Preschool can only interpret the situations they see, your videos are in a different context.

Original poster
fezzesarecool · 05/10/2019 17:15

If it does turn out that there is some kind of learning difficulty I totally accept that and we can move forward knowing what we are dealing with

My concern is more that I want whatever assessment/observations they are doing to be a full picture.

I actually don’t even know what this assessment is that they are doing which is why I need guidance on what to look at

When I emailed them a list of regular words my son says at home, in hope that if it may assist them in what they could encourage him to say, I was told he may well speak at home but he doesn’t here.

I fully accept he doesn’t speak there yet as a settling in/comfort issue or something else but I thought it may have been helpful. Again if I am wrong about this then I ness to know. I’m so completely lost.

So there’s a lot being lost in translation so to speak.

OP posts:
Original poster
fezzesarecool · 05/10/2019 17:16

LIZS the preschool

OP posts:
fedup21 · 05/10/2019 17:18

think I remember your post - was it that the preschool were in favour of getting a SENCO (or some other SN professional) to assess him, and you felt it was unnecessary because their assessment of his delays didn’t match yours?

Is this true?

Who has concerns about ASD? You or the pre school?

Have you been referred for a paed assessment? Is the Area senco involved?

Why are you so worried the pre schools observations will be different to yours-does it matter? What is the worse case scenario for this situation for you?

Original poster
fezzesarecool · 05/10/2019 17:18

Sorry, can’t copy the name

The school haven’t said about SENCO yet.

I’m not looking to prove them wrong. Sorry I come across badly I just want to show what he is like in a comfortable environment.

Am I better off just letting my speech therapist providing their information and not input in that way?

OP posts:
LIZS · 05/10/2019 17:19

It is not unusual for behaviour to differ, professionals are used to that and can make their own judgements as to why.

Original poster
fezzesarecool · 05/10/2019 17:21

Like I said I’ve never been in this situation before and haven’t a clue what to do, or if what’s I
am doing is right.

My local autism centre said I need to make my own portfolio of information so that I have evidence based documentation but I could have interpreted this completely wrong

OP posts:
fedup21 · 05/10/2019 17:23

I actually don’t even know what this assessment is that they are doing which is why I need guidance on what to look at

Are the preschool using a speech and language assessment or do you just mean the EYFS profile?

Look at this-:www.foundationyears.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Development-Matters-FINAL-PRINT-AMENDED.pdf

Original poster
fezzesarecool · 05/10/2019 17:24

I’ve not been told.

Thank you for the link I will have a look and ask them.

OP posts:
Russell19 · 05/10/2019 17:25

I completely sympathise with what you are saying. But he needs to be able to communicate and speak in different settings and situations. If he can't then it needs investigating as to why and what can be done to help him.

The information from you may be useful but I don't think the teachers would need to see evidence because they are assessing on what they see themselves.

fedup21 · 05/10/2019 17:27

Unfortunately the preschool themselves are bad at communicating. Also I’m doing my best to document evidence of progress through my observations, videos, other people (such as his dance teacher etc) However they seem dismissive of having accessing to this information.

Does it matter what they say? They can only assess what they say and hear.

Are you trying to suggest he’s unhappy there?

Original poster
fezzesarecool · 05/10/2019 17:28

We’re definitely having the speech investigated, as I’ve said I’ve made arrangements for a speech therapist to bridge the waiting gap on the NHS referral

OP posts:
LiveRightNow · 05/10/2019 17:28

Honestly I think you'll get the best outcomes if you step back at this point with preschool. They need to deal with how he's progressing in their setting. It's not helpful to show videos of other situations as that's not what they are facing. I don't mean this harshly at all. I've been where you are and with your own child you worry & want everyone to see everything but actually you'll find you get better support if the right people see the right things. If they ask for strategies to help him cope (or if you have a useful strategy to share like he's better at the front at circle time etc.) then definitely communicate this but showing them videos of how he interacts with his younger cousin at home isn't helpful. If autism is a concern then come reception or via his gp you can see a paediatrician and to make a diagnosis they'll collect lots of different observations. Sounds like you are doing well keeping records and getting extra help. Try not to panic at this stage and just ask if the preschool is beneficial for him (which it sounds like it is) in which case just have faith in their process.

Original poster
fezzesarecool · 05/10/2019 17:32

I’m not trying to say he’s unhappy there. My daughter had the time of her life there which is why we pick it for my son and he knows some children.

He has only been there 5 weeks and I feel the progress he has made at home is definitely down to the preschool.

Communication wise I speak to a different teacher every time I’m there rather than his key worker and it’s a rushed 2 minutes conversation about their concerns and mine.

For example one day he wasn’t settling so it was decided that I pick him up early. On arrival they said they had taken him to to lunch room, which was great as he was happy but obviously bad communication there.

I have addressed this and now we’re starting a communication diary next week.

OP posts:
Original poster
fezzesarecool · 05/10/2019 17:34

LiveRightNow Thank you so much, this is just what I needed to hear (although now sure what you mean about a cousin?)

I will take a step back.

OP posts:
ChildminderMum · 05/10/2019 17:35

I would step back.

Let pre-school assess and support him in the pre-school environment. To an extent it doesn't really matter that he can play with children at home - if he's struggling with that at pre-school then the staff have to support him to do that there.

It does come across that you are concerned he might be 'accidentally' diagnosed with something - please don't worry about that, pre-school cannot diagnose anything. What they can/should do is look at what he is struggling with in the pre-school environment and put support in place for him there.

If he doesn't have any social or behavioural difficulties at home, then great! Keep doing what you're doing, it's clearly working.

Original poster
fezzesarecool · 05/10/2019 17:43

Thank you again for the advice, I will definitely step back.

I’m sorry if I could across as not wanting him ‘accidentally’ diagnosed. It’s really not that, it’s I just want to work together with the preschool and I just don’t know how.

But professional background always has been if it’s not documented/evidence then it never happened but I can see I’m going the wrong way about this.

I wish I could just sit down with someone and have them explain all of this process to me.

OP posts:
LiveRightNow · 05/10/2019 17:44

@fezzesarecool sorry it was just an example of a video that would be irrelevant to the preschool! Sounds like you are doing all the right things at this stage.