Parents' views for SA

[debs40]

This will have to be quick as DS is screaming!

School is applying for SA.

Have sent home bit of form that relates to my views.

How detailed does this have to be?

Shall I set out all the stuff I was going to put in my own application?

My Parents' view document was 5 pages, set out in 4 sections:

Background (Birth to present)
Present difficulties (Broken down into sub-sections, ie. Gross motor, fine motor, s&l, etc.)
Considerations for assessment (Impact of dx, lack of predictable prognosis, lack of detailed assessment, health and safety concerns)
Supporting document list (Type of report, professional name, date of report).

I also sent in all the reports I had to date (18 in all).

My report for the actual Appendix A of the Statement of Special Educational Needs was 17 pages long.

For the initial SA document, the stage you are at, I tried to keep it fairly succinct, but over-arching. Enough detail to warrant SA, but not so much that they couldn't see themes and patterns.

You'd be welcome to see mine if it would help?

Hard call. I would make it as detailed as you can manage, taking into account the time and energy you feel you can give it at the moment. Mine was epic!

ReasonableDoubt, was your initial response epic? Or did you save that for the actual "Parental Advice"?

My 'views' document attempted to be detailed but assertive. Reading it now, I suspect the person at the LA got a message "just try to say she doesn't need an assessment and see what happens"

Am I right in thinking that if the LA grant a SA, they will ask for parental views?

This is just a part of the application that goes with the request for an SA.

I think I like the idea of succinct but overarching and not emotionally draining!

Lougle would love to see yours if you don't mind. I shall CAT you.

Yes, that is kind of my point. This first document is your trying to pursuade them that you need them to assess your DS.

When they decide to assess, then they will ask you for a document which will form Appendix A of any eventual statement, called "Parental Advice". That is your killer document.

I had 7 pages detailing his issues and used headings from Sencop such as cognition & learning,communication & interaction etc.. I don't believe the lA read any of it either as SA has been refused. Now busy getting them to clarify all their reasons for refusal and asking what evidence they have as I cannot find any in the paperwork that I read!

I have done one that was so they would agree to a SA...Oh noooooooo this means i will have to do another now they have agreed to a SA?

pucca, oh yes. And remember that the next one is one that everyone involved in the statutory assessment process (your paed, salt, physio, OT, etc) will get to read. So if you are totally scathing, they will know about it

Lougle...Ooh goody haha! Only joking. Not looking forward to do another though.

I agree, TG. There will always be very deserving, very well written requests that are turned down.

There are categories of children also, who are more likely to get a SA at the first cut, regardless of the quality of the initial request. I think that it is quite obvious that the more 'global' your childs needs, the more the initial request will stack in your favour. Also, if you have a child who will disturb the education of others, you are more likely to succeed at the first cut. Or (and this will be denied by LAs, but will certainly be true) if your child has a dx that traditionally warrants SA.

But, additionally, like all of these things, there is a 'decision makers guide'. For SEN it is the SEN COP. And within the SEN COP is the criteria for SA, and subsequent Statementing. Writing requests is formulaic.

I see it a bit like an essay. You get the question. You get the marking scheme. You realise that the higher marks are given when the essay includes consideration of race and disability issues, etc. So, you drop in a sentence here and a sentence there about those things. You ace the essay. Another candidate may have a thoroughly better argument, with a much more solid foundation, but if they didn't line up with the mark scheme, the marks can't be given.

Lou, I have CAT you for sight of your draft. Hope that's ok.

Following the headings in SENCOP seems a good idea too.

Can I ask, would you include all the sensory processing stuff under 'sensory or physical needs'? Is that a daft question? It looks like the section applies to sensory impairments like blindness etc

Also, in cognition and learning, his grades are pretty good, but it looks from SENCOP that this includes working memory, processing, organisation etc - would you put all that there?

No, no template at all. I'm trying to invent my own!

debs, can you email lou031205 at gmail dot com? CAT seems slow tonight.

I would just adjust the headings to suit your DS. Don't be pointing out strengths! I used Gross motor, fine motor, speech/language, social, attention/concentration, sensory features, obsessions, behaviour, sleep, medical features.

Ooh, thanks, yes will have a look if you don't mind. Will CAT you.

Will have a lokk at your thread too in a bit!! I'm intrigued.

Would you quote any law etc (e.g. cut and paste relevant bits of info from reports) in your 'parental views' or did you do it simply as a description of needs??

I didn't quote overtly, but referred to excerpts from reports to make my points, with date references.

WRT quoting law, I'm not sure. I didn't. What I did, however, was to ensure that I used key phrases and terminology from the SEN COP to cue the reader in to the criteria. For example: "it is unlikely that any school can meet DD1?s needs without employing extensive additional support", which is a paraphrase of the criteria in the SEN COP.

Duly cut and pasted comrade!

CAT still hasn't come through, sorry.

Just trued again!