Childminder seeking advice

[LingDiLong]

Hi, I hope you don't mind me posting here. I've only been childminding a couple of years and haven't had a large turn over of kids so I just haven't happened to have any children with SENs on my books. I've just taken on a lovely little boy who has also just started school nursery. I won't go into detail about him because that obviously wouldn't be professional but the school are apparently going to get a statement for him and I just wanted to ask some questions about the process.

So, from what his mum says they knew he would need a statement before he started and she feels this should have been done before he started? Is that usually the case? After 2 weeks of school they've said they can't take him until the statement is sorted. Is that standard too? Also, how long does a statement usually take? The school haven't seemed to give her a lot of information, she doesn't know who the SENCO is, wouldn't she normally have met her and had a chat with her about the process?

Thanks!

Hi, statements don't longer exist, they have been replaced with Education Health Care plans. The whole process should take up to 20 weeks since the school or parent applies.
I would recommend the mum to check out the following Independent advisers websites : IPSEA and SOS!SEN. They have plenty of information about the whole process. Both charities have free helplines which I have used recently and they are very, very good. If she can't get through IPSEA they have a callback service and she can book a suitable time slot, details on their website.

This board is very quiet but it might be worth reporting in special Needs: Children, where plenty of posters have the relevant experience. And try to get the mum to post herself as it would be helpful to have the right information in order to give the best advice.

Yes, they could and probably should have got the statementing process started before he went to school.

If he's 5 and therefore at compulsory school age, the school can't just refuse to take him. Even if he isn't 5, if the norm in your area is for every child to go to school full time in the autumn term of the Reception year, refusing to have him would be discrimination and a serious breach of the Equality Act. The mother might be well advised to get advice from a solicitor specialising in Education Law - there are some suggestions here