When to get referral to Ed Psych

[MollieO]

Ds is 6 and in yr 2. He was assessed in yr 1 as having visual memory problems and has extra support lessons with the SENCO twice a week. He is behind in his reading but improving.

What concerns me more and which doesn't seem to be addressed is his complete lack of concentration. He was disruptive in yr 1 and I was told at every parents' evening that he lacked concentration and needed to focus more.

Now we are in yr 2 the problem has multiplied. He is behind in all aspects of his work and seems to be kept in at break time to do the work he hasn't done in class (his teacher says he does 'nothing' in the lesson time). He also refuses to do his homework (he will do reading at a push but not spelling, writing or maths).

We have tantrums every evening so much so that I now only ask him to do his homework once. That alone can lead to a two hour meltdown by ds.

I discussed with the SENCO at the beginning of the year (Jan) about getting a referral to an Ed Psych but she said it would be a waste of money. At what point should I ask the SENCO to reconsider (private school so I would be paying as LEA won't get involved)?

I worry that if things continue ds will fall further behind and will then have real trouble when he gets into yr 3 (everyone says there is a huge leap between yrs 2 and 3). All of the work that ds is being set to do is well within his ability - at least he doesn't have any difficulty doing it when he is kept in at break time.

I am at the absolute end of my tether in knowing how to deal with him.

I allowed myself to be persuaded to leave it way too long. I wish I had pushed far earlier than I did.

We paid £500 for a private assessment (recommended by his new private school last year, having moved him after a hellish time with a spectacularly poor teacher at the local primary) and it helped. It helped his teachers target their teaching, it helped DS realise that there were hard physical reasons why he was better at some things than others, and it helped us to support him better.

Hello MollieO,

Are you sure that your LA Ed Psych service won't get involved? Have you telephoned and asked them this? It's just that I'm an EP and have seen several children in private (special and mainstream) schools when parents have requested an EP assessment/consultation (and clearly outlined concerns their concerns and they seem appropriate for an EP to manage). My manager took (now work in another LA, where there aren't many children at private schools!) the view that parents pay their council tax and so I have have as much right to see an EP as anyone else.

Just a thought.

Otherwise, in terms of when to get an assessment- sooner rather than later- a few good preventative steps are far easier (and cheaper) than undoing an unhappy school experience later on.

Good luck :)

Thx for your reply. I've only had a brief conversation with the Ed psych Dept of the LEA and it was a very clear no never under any circumstances.

Interestingly, after yet another nightmare week, he behaved impeccably at his activities today which included a 3 hour performing arts class. I asked the principal at the beginning of the class to let me know how he was and she said that all of his teachers (3) said he was very good. Makes me really wonder about school.

Mollie

With the private sector these fall outside the control of the LEA so they can basically do what they like.

It seems to me like this current school are not interested in helping your son at all.
You could have an EP report done but you will certainly pay around £500 upwards for the privilege; also the private school he's at may not take any notice of it.

Think its sad actually that they are keeping him in at breaktime; this should not be tolerated at all. It could be seen as discriminatory.

You may well have to move him out of this school (I would certainly consider this now) into a hopefully more welcoming state school (which will be then under LEA control). I would also suggest you apply asap for a Statement of special needs from him from your LEA.

You may also want to post your message on the Special Needs; children part of this website as that forum receives far more traffic than this one does.

Attila thanks for your reply. The school has a good reputation for dealing with SENs so I hope that they will take on board what is going on. I'm not happy about him staying in at break time as the threat of that punishment has no effect on whether he will do his school or home work.

I am going to email the SENCO and see what she suggests. When she didn't recommend seeing an EP before it was because the school had done the Aston Index with him and she didn't think there was much an EP could add. However we are 10 months on from that now and I'm not seeing any improvement on the issues that gave cause for concern.