The final statement has arrived, advice needed......... again sorry!

[mumgoingcrazy]

Well after causing a stink yesterday, and starting my thread about Surrey the final statement arrived this morning. I think it's mainly good but would love to know what you all think before going to appeal/tribunal etc.

DD2 goes to sn school 2 days/week and ms pre-school for 2 mornings a week. She will continue to do this for another year before applying to a ms school with sn unit attached.

Part 2 is fine.
Part 3 - DD2 will receive weekly physiotherapy by the physiotherapist who will liase closely with parents and staff.

DD2 will receive 15 sessions of OT/academic year. She will benefit from half termly blocks of weekly therapy with the OT for 45 mins duration.

DD2 will receive SLT directly delivered by SLT twice weekly for up to 25 mins per session.

DD2 will have access to 1:1 TA in the mainstream nursery for the 2 sessions she attends.

Obviously there's loads more on the statement but these are the important bits. My concerns at the moment are:

Physio - how long will the session be? However DD2 receives weekly physio for 1 hr and will continue to in sn school for the next year, it's after this I need this specified really.

SLT - UP TO 25 mins, ie this could mean none or 5 minutes. I've left a message for the SLT to contact me about this as this is the big worry of it all I think.

1:1 in ms - Access to 1:1 rather than 'DD2 will receive 1:1'. However I know the pre-school do right by DD2 and her 1:1 is amazing as are the other staff. I'm also about to become chair of the pre-school. Is it really worth causing a fuss?

Something else I wanted which they have left out is I wanted 1 hour per term from physio and OT to assess and alter DD2's physical needs and equipment.

Sorry for the long post, I would love to know what you all think. Good and bad!!

Thanks very much......... AGAIN

Part 3 - DD2 will receive weekly physiotherapy by the physiotherapist who will liase closely with parents and staff.

Weekly eh, same day every week?. How many sessions exactly and how many minutes will each session last?. This is not quantified properly.

"DD2 will receive 15 sessions of OT/academic year. She will benefit from half termly blocks of weekly therapy with the OT for 45 mins duration".

15 sessions in the course of the academic year is not much really. "She will benefit from" is not the same at all as "she will receive". Again this needs to be properly quantified so would reject outright.

"DD2 will receive SLT directly delivered by SLT twice weekly for up to 25 mins per session".

"up to" is not good at all. Again it is not quantified properly. Would reject that outright.

"DD2 will have access to 1:1 TA in the mainstream nursery for the 2 sessions she attends"

"Will have access to" means bugger all. Again it should read "she will have 1:1".

Would reject on the grounds it is not quantified properly (as required by law). SOS;SEN are Surrey based and are well worth contacting here along with IPSEA (they can be v difficult to get a hold of though due to demand for their services).

I'd prepare for them to dig their heels in on this, it may well end up at SENDIST.

SALT should also be in Part 2 of this document. If it is not there, then this is another reason to reject it.

Thanks Attilla, I didn't know SALT should be in part 2. No therapy at all is in part 2, it's just describing DD2's needs which they have done.

Why does SALT need to be in part 2?

I noticed the part 'up to' as well, because we had something like that in our proposed statement and had it changed to a more precise specification.
Having now a finalized statement and a school (DS starting reception in January) I am now paranoid about how to make sure that the school actually do what is in the statement...

www.ipsea.org.uk/apps/content/HTML/?id=123

The above details more.

Good luck with receiving a Statement that is actually worth the paper its written on!.

I think my only big concern re this next year is SALT.

Re Physio, I know she will get 1 hr weekly as this is the core amount in the sn school she's at already.

1:1 at ms pre-school, I know her 1:1 really well and I know she's not glued to DD2 every minute as I don't want her to be, she's often at a table with DD2 and other children which is what I wanted. She'll be there for the next year then onto somewhere else.

My question really is, as DD2 is only just 3 she'll get reviewed every 6 months, could I just get the statement changed to be more specific at the next review, or one after? Ready for ms school or ms school with unit?

You will have a annual review to look at the transition from nursery to reception. Theres transition reviews are 'big' annual reviews and that is the time to get what you want for the year after next, ie school, whether SN, MS or ms with unit. Get the statement right for this year, especially part 2. The ot, physio and salt provision is paid for from different budgets in the preschool years so it will all need looking at again next year depending on where her placement will be.

Hope that makes sense! Please you got it though, it's a step in the right direction!

Agree with the others though, get it quantified!

re -read your last post. I agree with your summary there. I would get SALT quantified though (they are always the trickiest!)

I would write the letter saying you want it all quantified etc but accept only SALT, like you say physio etc is part of the core service.

Then do it all again this time next year....

I'ld also get it clear that SALT is to be delivered 1 to 1 rather than in a group setting (assuming that you would prefer that!)

Thank you all, I knew this would be the best place to go!

I've just had a chat with our SALT. She says what is in the statement re SLT provision is fine and not to worry about the wording ie twice weekly therapy for 'up to' 25 mins. She said she will do an IPA which is also legally binding and specify exact times.

She agreed re physio as well saying whilst DD2 was at sn school she will get the therapy etc that she needs so doesn't really matter that the statement isn't more specific than weekly. She suggested in the next annual review to put in to get amendments done to be more specific ready for when DD2 changes schools.

Also re 1:1, the SLT/OT/Physio have all visited DD2 at ms nursery and say how wonderful her 1:1 which I agree with and I know that the year she is there she will do right be DD2. (Helped by me becoming chair of the pre-school too I think).

So after all this........ now what do you all think?? Good and bad please. Thank you!!

Can I also ask what should be in part 2? I thought Dd2's was fine, they have listed all her needs thoroughly and made the changes I want.

Should therapy be in part 2 as well?

It is mentioned in part 6 but I know that section means nothing.

No need for therapy in part 2. If therapists are happy with it then I'd go with it tbh. Do get the IPA's done though.

My experience of this area has been all good and DS has had real help rather than just talking and I'd accept it now and save your fight for the next thing!

Thank you!!

When and who does these IPA's?

I saw your DS1 today as I was helping at school. He seemed very happy and relaxed!

Thanks again
x

He's loving school, it's just the perfect place for him! He was so disappointed about the cancelled trip though!

IPA's got done as part of the statement process but Mrs. S the unit head did it all this time as they are a fairly new thing! (It's so great to have the support so I don't have to do it all myself!)

DD1 was disappointed too, it's being rearranged for Tuesday though

I'll see if DD2's sn school will sort the IPA's then.

Feel a bit happier about the statement now, although it seems the fight starts in 6 months after the next annual review

oh is it? I didn't know that, DS will be pleased!

It may not be a fight, have the school your DD is going to at the transition AR, delay it a bit if necessary so you have confirmation of where that will be. This will really help, esp if it's E as they will get the statement right!

I think as long as enough parent helpers go etc. They were asking for volunteers in the playground this afternoon. Bit hard when you have a younger one and I'll have DD2 all day tue.

I need an annual review before Jan which is when they decide who will even go to panel for E, the panel will meet in March and then they decide. Is the transition AR after this then ie between the March panel and before starting in Sept 2011?

Yes, transition review will be about this time next year - try to get it for late May / early June so there's enough time to get things sorted before the holidays start. Don't worry too much though, ours wasn't finalised till Feb this year but DS had all his support in place. Review in Jan will probably be a formality unless there is a problem, it will be used to decide where to 'apply' for. (I love the idea that us parents have so much choice!!)

I'll get in touch with school - I could probably pass DS2 over to my Mum on Tuesday - I'm not CRB checked though, they might not want me!

I'm pretty sure you need to be CRB checked, E are really hot on that.

Thanks for all your help, there doesn't seem to be anyone in real life (incl schools) that tells you all this stuff.