statement in pre-school?

[Jimjams]

Just wondered whether anyone's child has been statemented whilst still at pre-school. I'm about to request one from the LEA- mainly to attempt to safeguard DS 1's one to one help he gets whilst there (they're currently threatening to reduce it from 15 hours to 7.5 hours per week), but also to try and pin down responsibility for SALT and OT. The nursery are in agreement- they say they can't cope with him without one to one (and I agree - if his one to one was cut he'd have to reduce the hours he went there- currently 16). He's 3.5 at the moment and I would like him to stay at the nursery until the term after he's 5. I'd be very interested to hear of anyone's experiences. (BTW they're trying to reduce the hours as they have to make half a million worth of cuts from the education budget next year- his needs haven't changed at all).

Thanks kylie- I thought that might be the case _ I may try to get certain types of situation specified as needing one to one iyswim. The way I understand it nothing is guaranteed anyway as the money goes to the setting. HOwever whilst he is at nursery it's not really a problem as I trust them- the statement will hopefully just secure a bit of extra funding- although who knows it may just mean they don't fund an unstatemented child. In which case we're in the same siuation. Hmmmmm

No I don't think of you as one of those people- you're too interested in the children! You would be shocked by some of the comments I've heard.

On another positive note the Ed Psych made contact today and she seems to keen to understand his needs. She's going to make to observational visits to the nursery - which means it'll be abit late on the timescale thing - but I'd rather that then squeezing something in.

Oh and finally I GOT THE BLOOD TEST RESULTS!!!!!!! Only took 10 days to track down- and they were all negative which is great. I was stunned that he is getitng enough iron in his diet- my supplements must be working as he definitely doesn't eat enough.

should read two observational visits - and I'm thinking of HE!!

Thanks Kyliebump, I have copied your post into a file to sit and read later, just in case something happens to mumsnet!! This site is a mine of information isn't it?!

Jimjams good news about the blood results .

Lou33 another quick thought - another option to talk to the LEA about on the timing of the assessment would be if the assessment could start when ds2 joins ds1's nursery, with them putting in interim funding to the nursery whilst the assessment is ongoing. It could be that it would be seen as more useful for the assessment to be carried out whilst ds2 is in an educational setting to see what support he needs there, rather than before he joins. Some LEAs do this - other don't, so it's just another idea to throw into the pot!

Jimjams - The EP sounds good and its also good that the LEA are flexible enough to 'allow' going over the timescales. I've had to write several statements where key reports (such as SALT etc) are missing as the LEA is more keen to meet the timescale (due to performance targets etc) than to get a full picture of the child's needs. I hope your contact with the EP continues to go well.

Crikey - why am I thinking about statementing on a sunny Saturday afternoon - when ds (and dp!) are both asleep??!!! Must go out into the garden!!

Thanks for thinking of me on this lovely day Kyliebump!!!

Well now I don't know what to do!

We have just had a home visit from the special needs teacher of the larger nursery. She was very nice and has put my mind at rest about a lot of issues I had. With regards to the size of the place, she said if ds went to an afternoon session there would be less children. She said that if it took months to settle him in then we could stay there months, it would be entirely up to us, and also said that although the place is there for him full time, we could use it part time if we wanted, or think about sharing the place with another child. So basically they are willing to let him come when he wants and have us stay as long as we want, and even arrive or leave early if we need to for other school runs.

Now I have 2 nurseries wiling to give him as much time and attention as necessary to make him happy, and don't know what to do!!! I guess I should be thankful I am in this position really, but either way I will start the statementing off earlier than next year.

Thanks everyone for your help, methinks I will be calling upon you again in the future!

Does anyone know the rule about the maximum weight staff can lift at nursery/school? I've been told it is 16kg for female staff, which could cause me to have another think about what nursery ds2 will go to? Anyone who can clarify this for me please?!!

I don't know the answer but you've got me thinking- will ask someone on monday though if no one else has replied by then as we have yet another appointment....hth

Hi Lou - me again . Just to let you know that I hve an appt on 29 April with ds's nursery and the local sen coordinator to talk about pre school statementing for him (2.5 yrs)- will post how it goes.

Thanks Mabs and Chatee, I'd appreciate that.

lou it looks as if I'm heading towards your sort of choice.

DS1 had his assessment with the paed for statementing last week. The paed said he will recommend a very high level of support for him- and commented on how well behaved he was. He seemed stunned actually so I expect that will make it into his report! He also said he thinks he has verbal dyspraxia which I have been saying for 2 years. Worst thing about verbal dyspraxia is that it doesn't get better without intensive speech therapy and lots of it (US sites recommend 5 times a week)- and it has to be very specific SALT from someone who knows what they are doing. Can you see us getting thaton the NHS? Not a chance! I have faxed the dr asking him to mention verbal dyspraxia in his report- so we'll be able to get iSALT specified in his statement.

And now onto the choice. I had kind of ruled out mainstream as the local school is crap with SEN- even LEA employees have told me that! The next nearest school is very good, but is oversubscribed and we're outside the catchment. However today we were offered a place at another mainstream school that I know is very good, very flexible, sounds great with SEN kids (i know a boy there who is statemented- and they have been great with him)- BUT it is in a different LEA (not necessarily a problem- the statemented boy comes from our LEA), and I'm still not totally convinced by mainstream.

A local mld school os changing provision to become a centre for children with severe communication disorders. Now I was told unoficialy that it will still lean a bit towards mld (my son does not have learning difiiculties- quite the opposite- in pure academic terms he is very bright)- and i'm not sure what "sever" means. My son has severe language problems, (especially speech) but he is compliant, well behaved blah de blah. SO I don't know what to do. I had ruled out mainstream in favour of HE/flexi/ or special and now I'm thinking well maybe. Of course even if the new place was just right for him- he still wouldn't be guaranteed a place.

Help someone! Advice please!

severe even.

Oh Jimjams it's a nightmare isn't it?! I still haven't decided what I am going to do. The tiny nursery ds1 currently attends has said that they would be willing to ignore the weight limits supposedly imposed, as the staff are also the owners of the nursery, but I told them I would need that in writing if he does attend, so I don't get sued for a bad back. Maybe we should get our own school set up tailor made to our kids?

good idea lou- I've thought of that.

Just rang the mainstream school and they were lovely. I was out straight through to the Head. I told her I wouldn't want him to start full time- she said "no problem, he can do a couple of monrings and the rest of time at his nursery- or sometimes children with severe language problems go to a language unit for a few terms and then join the school when they're ready". She said they would arrange for the SENCO to go and see him at nursery next term. I said he didn't have behavioural problems, or learning difficulties as such but that he had severe language problems and needed to use PECS- she said "fine no problem" other children are using pecs. WOW!!!! I also like the fact that the mum I know is in the classroom loads of times each week- there's none of this "parents stay away" attitude.

So anyway I'm going to accept the place and take it from there. If the Ed Psych recommends a special school initially I would be happy with that- but I think when he moves into mainstream I would like it to be this shcool. And if he has a chance of coping in mainstream I have to give him that chance I guess??? He does well at nursery at the moment, he likes other children, he likes being out and about and I suppose if it all goes horribly wrong I could remove him and HE then. eek. This is a total turnaround for me - mainly because I thought we'd only have the choice of one mainstream school where I know I don't want him to go!

lou- good idea to get the weight limits stuff in writing. Are they legally allowed to do that?

I went to an AFASIC meeting recently and some nursry staff were there form a local nursery- they said they were loaned lifting equipment from OT (eventually after a long long wait and a number of cock ups). WOuld that be a possibility? Surely the LEA have to provide for your childs needs wherever he goes?

I don't know tbh Jimjams, the owner said the laws may not apply to them as they are technically self employed. I'm still not sure though if it is a good idea. There isn't that much lifting to be done, but the other nursery would have none at all because it is all on one level.

Jimjams - the mainstream school sounds like they have a great attitude to inclusion (how refreshing!) and I don't want to put a downer on it, but if your DS goes to special for a few terms, I'm wondering how the school can be sure that there will be a place available for him when you want him to transfer. I would be surprised if they would be able to keep a space open for him and it would be terrible to come up against the 30 class size limit at that point. As I said, I don't want to create problems, but it might be worth checking out.

kyliebump- the school would reserve a place for him. I think they can even reserve a place all through reception for him to start in yr 1 if I wanted. I've accepted the offer there- and figured I'l fiddle with the details later. We can always decline later if it's decided that he definitely shouldn't be in mainstream. I know this LEA are happy for kiddies to do part time in special and part time in mainstream- not sure I think that's particularly good for ASD kids (too much change) but at least they're flexible I guess. I'd still like to look at the special school so I'll have to hassle the ed psych for a visit.

Thanks for the tip though. The real problem here semms to be getting a place in special school- you can be told you're getting a place only for the panel meeting to decide there are no places!

We've just been through the panel process for dd to have a place at the local special school nursery. I think it's been approved and passed onto the Education Officer (next cog in the bureaucracy). The nursery seemed great with nearly constant one-to-one attention (hydrotherapy pool, sensory room ...) and with the older reception age kids they had some children doing part-time mainstream, part-time special. No idea if dd will be up to mainstream school yet, but as with you the LEA seems very flexible.

It's great you've found this helpful mainstream school jimjams, long may the helpfulness continue!

Just to give you a bit of hope - we decided to fight our LEA's decision about schooling and statementing and we went to a tribunal in London (50 miles away) last July. We represented ourselves (no legal training) and it was a nightmare but we won - our LEA now have to pay for our dd to go to a private special school which is fab! If anyone needs advice on where to turn I can try and help - we got support from IPSEA - a charity run by parents that gives independent free advice - it was just great to know they were there.

well quick update. Visited the school today. They seemed very clued into autism. They have quite a lot of experience already and they certainly seemed to be asking all the right questions without any prompting from us! They want to arrange meetings with the nursery and ed psych. Looks like he'll start school part-time in September (gulp) More than I initially thought (he'll probably start with 5 mornings)- which is a bit scary! Although the head teacher did ask me straight away 'does that worry you'- nice that she could read my thoughts. DH was very pleased with it- he's still been quite keen on home ed- but I think he could see that this school may just work out.