Help with an IEP please help!

[Nattynoos]

Hi everyone.
I am new to mumsnet - i log on everyday to read the threads but have never posted anything until now!
I have a DS who is 6 and has been diagnosed with ADHD. He does not show his anger in school, he controls it very well but when he gets home it seems that all hell breaks loose. He is under an OT and a Child Development Centre who are assessing all of this, but this morning i left school fuming. DH and i have asked for an IEP to be put in place at school and he is having difficulty with his pencil skills, concentration and focussing but was told by the SENCO this morning that we cannot have one, her exact words were 'what exactly do you expect me to put on this IEP'! He has been assessed by a Child Phycologist who seems to think that he needs one, so why do we seem to be having all sorts of problems with the school? We have had endless meetings with the SENCO and his class teacher but seem to be getting nowhere - he is now in year 2 and the problem was picked up in foundation, why do they keep putting brick walls in the way - surely anyhing that will help my DS and make their life easier would help us all, or am i being unreasonable?
Can someone please help me?

Is your son statemented or on School Action or School Action+? If I recall correctly he will need to be before an IEP would be put in place.
The Child Psychologist should be able to liase with the school if he is saying your DS needs an IEP, have you asked them to get involved?

Hi scubawoman.
We saw the Child Psychologist before Christmas and we have had a consultation summary through the post from him. It has aims and targets on it but no mention of an IEP although when i spoke to him after the meeting in a phone call that he asked me to make to him, he asked me if my DS had an IEP and when i said no he tutted in disgust.
We hace spoken to his Clinical Psychologist about this and she also thinks that my DS should have one.
We are really unsure where to go from here.

Who referred him for these assessments? I am guessing you did as to get a referral through school he would have to be school aciton plus.

I would suggest you make an appontment to see the head if you have already had meetings wiht SENCO and classteacher which have not led to an IEP being written. However if he is making progress in class you may not get one!

Hi Nattynoos
It could be worth while getting in touch with your Parent Partnership Service. if you ring your local Council they should be able to give you their number. Although they are funded by your council they offer 'independent information, advice and support regarding special educational needs issues' (according to the blurb I have in front of me!)
All the best

I would request a meeting with the head and take in with you the summary from the Ed Psych and say that you feel the details on that should form the basis of an IEP. As I understand it if a child has an outside agency involved, ie CDC & OT in the case of your DS, then they should be on School Action Plus on the school's SN register and there should be an IEP in place. If you find that the head is as utterly rubbish as the SENCO clearly is, then ring IPSEA who will be able to help. You are most definitely not being unreasonable.

Nattynoos
Telephone the DFES publication Centre 08456022260
ask for a copy of "special educational needs (sen) a guide for parents and carers the ref is SEN 050

This is a small book which tell you what the SEN code of practice says and how LEAs and schools should follow the code

The mention of IPSEA reminds me - there is also ACE www.ace-ed.org.uk (sorry, new and dont know how to do the link ups) who also offer educational advice

This is a quote from the guide...

You should be consulted at each step
Different schools will take account of the Code of Practice in different ways. However no matter how the school chooses to take account of the Code, if you child has SEN, you should be consulted at each step.
You have the right to see the schools SEN policy and to receive a copy of the schools annual report, which will include a report on that policy.

Your childs teacher is responsible for working with your child on a day-to-day basis but may decide to write down the actions, or help for your child, in an Individual Education Plan IEP.

Sometimes the school will not write an IEP, but will record how they are meeting your childs needs in a different way, perhaps as part of a lesson plan and will record your childs progress in the same way as they do for all the other children. But the school should always be able to tell you how they are helping your child and what progress they are making and explain why they have not written an IEP.

Remember - it is how your child is helped that is important and not the way in which the school writes it down

Sorry that was so long but it seemed relevant.
I have two boys one at SA+ and one with a statement and I would advise that it is always worth pushing the Senco for an IEP, so that you have something to focus the support on and some commitment from the school to help in some way.

It means that you can set small achievable targets and monitor if they are working or not.

Request another meeting, if the Senco won't help send a letter to the head or the governor in charge of SEN.

Good luck

Quote from newsletter to Bristol SENCO's:
"INDIVIDUAL EDUCATION PLANS
It is now government policy that IEPs are only
one method by which schools can plan for pupils
with SEN. They are not statutory and are merely
one way of planning and recording the additional
or different provision for a child with SEN and
recording outcomes for individual pupils. Where
schools have arrangements to plan individually
for all pupils and record their progress as will
become more common with personalised
learning- then IEPs may be unnecessary. The
DfES will be promoting this view in order to cut
down on unnecessary paperwork and
duplication."
Also ?There is no statutory requirement for schools to
prepare separate IEPs for all pupils\with SEN as
long as they have sound arrangements for
monitoring their progress in conjunction
with the child and their parents."
If your school follows this policy you might need to concentrate on getting them to show that they have the 'sound arrangements' mentioned in the second quote.

Where are you located geographiocally? Its just that some areas (eg South Wales) ahve advocate and info services that can help with this soty of thing, someone here might know

Also Ipsea- absolutely, it can take awhile to get through but it is well worth iyt

Good luck I too am stuck with a school who couldn't give a (insert ehatewver you want LOL), we're at staementa ssessment stage now, its taken a lot to get this far

Hi everyone.
Thank you all so much for your replies.
We have done everything that we can to help our DS. His problem was picked up in foundation where the class teacher thought that he was of the autistic spectrum. We referred him to the CDC as the school siad that they would get it followed up and did nothing. We are now in year 2 and still fighting for help for him. He has now got a diagnosis of ADHD. I have been in touch with the Parent Partnership Service in Plymouth who said that they would attend a meeting with DH and i regarding an IEP and once i got a date from SENCO to let them know - judgeing by what she said to me today i dont think they will need to attend as it looks like he wont be getting one!
I will definately ring some of the numbers that have been posted and thank you all so much for all of your help, but i cant help but feeling that DH and myself are fighting a loosing battle with the school on this one

Are you in Plymouth????? Start a thread entitled help for SN in or near Plymouth- don't want to out anyone but I know there's someone there who knows a LOT

Thanks Peachyclair i have posted a new thread on special needs