Can anyone help with statements and home educating?

[macwoozy]

I am planning on home educating my 9 year old ds who has Aspergers syndrome and I would appreciate anyone out there who could give me abit of advice about statements and how far the LEA enforce it.

For instance, ds's statement includes his need for a structured reading, spelling and numeracy programme. Without any knowledge of specific programmes how can I show I am meeting these needs?

It is also stated he needs support to develop his social communication and interaction skills and that he will benefit from a social skills group. Will I have to force him to attend clubs for instance, so to keep the LEA happy? And is this even enough or do they expect a whole lot more?

Also states that he needs to work on tasks that will improve his concentration and listening skills. Other than working 1-1 with him and keeping him on task, how can I show I'm developing these skills?

Finally, it states that he will require an educational setting with some 1-1 support with staff skilled in providing programmes for social communication and understanding, what type of programmes can I provide for my ds?

My ds is deeply upset about going to school, he is very anxious with very low self esteem and home educating seems to be the way forward in helping my ds, but with his statement causing obstacles I feel terrified that I will deregister, only to be told I am not fulfilling his special needs.

BTW, I hope that in a year or so he will be in a better position to go back to school, and so need to keep his statement going. If I do get it right and comply with all his needs, will they eventually withdraw the statement anyway?

I would think that you wouldn't have to worry. A statement is a statement of obligation on the part of the LEA not on your part.

Would the LEA not have an advisor who could confirm this with you? Or a local home ed group may have experience of this, or hopefully someone on here may have been through this - really not sure of the legalities of keeping a statement going for a child who is not in school.

Thig is, personally, I think some special needs come about because of school and the very fact he's not having to go will make some of them just disappear! With social skills for instance, if you're not having to negotiate the jungle that is the playground, then your social skills are not so key. I'm not saying he doesn't need them but a) life will be easier for him and b) he can develop them at his own pace through all sorts
of things.

Again, concentrating and listening is a hell of a lot easier to develop at home in a calm environment than in a class of 30, when you have what your DS has!

good luck, hope you get someone more knowledgable along, I just hope you and your DS have a lovely time learning at home. I am jealous!

Thanks

I am planning to join up with the local home ed group shortly so that might give me an opportunity to ask, but it'll be my first time there and I'm not so confident to start chatting about my concerns straight away.

This is the thing, if it's the LEA's obligation to enforce the needs on the statement, then if they feel I'm not fulfilling the criteria, I can only presume they will declare home educating unsuitable.

I thought getting the statement in the first place was the answer to my prayers but currently it feels just an extra burden. Saying that, I really don't want it to be taken away either!!

Hi again, just found this on the National Autistic Society website:

"If your child has a statement of special educational needs, the SEN Code of Practice (Code of Practice, 2001, section 8:95) states that:

"...it remains the LEA's duty to ensure that the childs needs are met. The statement must remain in force and the LEA must ensure that parents can make suitable provision, including provision for the child's special educational needs. If the parent's arrangements are suitable the LEA are relieved of their duty to arrange the provision specified in the statement. If, however, the parents' attempt to educate the child at home results in provision which falls short of meeting the childs needs, then the parents are not making 'suitable arrangements' and the LEA could not conclude that they were absolved of their responsibility to arrange the provision in the statement. Even if the LEA is satisfied, the LEA remains under a duty to maintain the child's statement and to review it annually."

Which I read to mean that:
By law the statement remains in force despite him being at home
And that if you are not able to provide suitable opportunities for him then the LEA will have to.

However, I really wouldn't worry. I am sure that with a little thought, you can meet his needs easily enough and in ways which will make him happy Good luck

on your OP concerns, I would say

• structured reading, spelling numeracy programme; well it doesn't state a particular programme, so you could state that your 'timetable' includes daily sessions. That is a programme.

• Social skills/group - identify something you can do together so that he is not anxious, that involves talking and listening to others. This would be what I would see as absolutely fine, particularly as he will not be needing skills to be 'artificially' good so that he can cope with being in an environment with 400 other kids screaming around him etc. Good enough for daily life is good enough, imo, for now.
• concentration/listening; I would have thought that pretty much any learning activity you do could show this
• setting with skilled staff re social skills; weeelll, I wouldn't take this too seriously. My DS' teacher told me at our last meeting that my ds is having two sessions with his literacy 'specialist' a week, this turns out to be the LSA who works in the co-op. Of course she may well be very knowledgable about what she does but in terms of the LEA I doubt they are talking in terms of specific qualifications; perhaps the autistic society run courses/groups or advice that you could access on this subject, to show you are addressing it?

Will stop now - am I a frustrated home educator, or what??!!

get yourself onto the HE-Special email list: here and they will be able to advise you both about legalities and practicalities

Also found this on the Education Otherwise website -

Q. Do I have to provide what is in the statement?

A. No. The statement is not enforceable on a parent. The parent must however ensure that the child's special needs are met, according to section 7 of the 1996 Education Act. In some cases this will be in a very different way to the provision outlined in the statement. In other cases the parent may actually be providing what is in the statement more effectively than the school were. Either way, the statement must be reviewed and it is important that the parent can demonstrate that the child's needs are being met.

HTH. x

Cirrhosis, you have been so helpful, thank you very much, I am feeling more relaxed about it now, (well slightly more anyway!)Thanks

Thanks as well ommmward

Ds is off again today so it won't be long before I will have to de-register.

Well good luck with it all, mac. It's only once you start looking into all this, that it strikes you how institutionalised we all are and how we feel this very strong duty to have them at school. Also that unless we are a SAHM with no paid employment, we 'can't' home educate. I've done alot of reading on this recently which has brought home that it is our social conditioning which makes us even think this - kids don't need 9am - 3pm to be educated. They do when there is one adult teaching 30 of them, yes! But not at home.

It's something I am starting to think about if the school DS is in don't or won't or can't help him more.

Hope you enjoy your time at home with Ds, if and when you get it!

Macwoozy, have a look at BT Better World website for free social communication tools. I borrowed a dvd from ds's SALT and found there are loads on the site for free, you just pay postage. Lots of online resources there too.

As far as structured support is concerned, you might find that it comes much easier than you think once he's out of school. School in itself is such a stressor that it can prevent/limit learning. Structure really (as far as the LEAs are concerned) means having a plan and working towards goals. As Cirrhosis said, a simple timetable demonstrates that aim.

Children with SENs have a lot more to fit into their working day than those that don't (therapeutic as well as academic work) - this applies to those educated in school as well as those who aren't. Because you'll be working 1-1 with your son you will probably find that you'll get more out of your time and achieve more.

You could also have a word with professionals involved, eg SALT etc, see if they can come up with programmes you can follow at home. They may also be able to offer social skills groups but really you can teach him those skills yourself out there in the world. But it's early days, take some time to settle in and make some plans, get your head (and his) around the idea of HE before you start worrying too much.

Good luck, I'm sure it'll be far better than you think.

Totally agree Cirrhosis, it's hard to break out of that way of thinking but I'm slowly getting there.

streakybacon, thanks for mentioning that website, I've checked it out and there is so much there, I imagine it'll come in very handy