Stunned

[Minx179]

I went to a multi agency meeting yesterday.

Child coming to end of year 10; has been written off since the age of 5. Given some help in years 3 and 7, but he obviously didn't make the progress so was left to flounder. Though recently found out that one school was advised to have him statemented in yr3 . We'd been refused parent request in yr2.

Alledgedly he never needed (met the requirement for)OT, SALT etc, one OT even informed us that she had done a second assessmnet when she hadn't! However, recently info'd that he should have had both.

4 Schools have lied and withheld information over the years, three of those schools have manipulated his SAT's to meet their own ends. This has also had an impact on his GCSE predictions! Highly inflated after the school bumped up KS3 results to next level. The head also admitted they give children predictions at the 'upper' end to inspire children (or shut parents up; child must be doing ok hes predicted X in all subjects).

So years of no help, arguing with schools etc. Now CAMH are demanding school applies for a statement before end of term. Paed is going to get a strongly worded letter to school by Mon. They want him to be given a laptop, want him to drop some GCSE's in order to concentrate on fewer lessons. Have 1:1, in order to help processing etc. Can't decide whether to be or .

SENCO not too happy, as she has spent the best part of two years trying to tell me 'he's not that bad', in fact last July the only problem he had according to the school (head of KS3, SENCO and Eng teacher)was his spelling (never been a problem) and a need to proof read!

Head stated in writing that he doesn't expect anything new to come out of seeing the EP', verbally that he has 'never seen a good EP report or recommendations' (one way to get out of putting in place what is suggested). We only got a referral to the EP to shut me up! I certainly didn't expect the outcome we got, and I'm sure the school weren't either.

Realistically, as he's going into Yr11, I'd be surprisied if my son gets a statement let alone an effective one. Even if we do, (I have enough evidence of his schools failures and lies, especially current one, in marginalising his difficulties to put in parent statement), I also cannot see the head agreeing to what the other agencies are suggesting, other than maybe the laptop. Especially as he has tried so hard to prevent me getting the info I ask for; under the umbrella of school beng reasonable/helpful, parent unreasonable.

His teachers concerns are also sanitised before they get to us, which suggests the school are not giving them the necessary support either.

I'm not too sure why I'm writing this really. Just need to let things out to people who might understand and have an idea of what I'm talking about.

That sounds disgraceful. How can it get to the point that your child has a multi-agency meeting yet has never had any help from school? Can't offer any helpful suggestions but certainly feeling angry on your behalf.

its all so famiular! schools like to blame the parents and then say they are supporting you and your child. your not alone im affraid they do this to make you feel small and stupid so you go along with them rather than stand up to them. go for a statment yourself and do it now send in as much evidence as you can even if you dont think you need to. no one else is going to look out for your child other than you most schools certainly dont they dont want to spend any more of there budget than they have to.show them your incharge not them!

What kitty cat said.

Apply fo a statement yourself.

You MUST apply now. I think (and if not someone will be along to correct me) that if your child has a statement before the end of Yr 11, then the statement has to be continued into the 16-19 education.

A statement can carry past the age of 16, but only if education is continued in a school and not in further education (eg college). Even then, LAs try to withdraw the statement at age 16 or try to get students to transfer to a college so the LA won't have to maintain it.

Problem is at this stage, the LA know that if they drag the process out long enough, the child will finish school before a statement is issued. It takes a minimum six months to issue a statement, but it can be much longer if they refuse to assess and go all the way to tribunal, issue a note in lieu first (so second tribunal) etc. I don't want to put you off, Minx - just saying that realistically time is of the essence and it will be a fight.

I agree with others that you put in a request as soon as possible. There is a model letter on the Ipsea website. Type it up today and send it recorded delivery tomorrow. You don't have to be too detailed at this stage as they will ask for more information later.

Thanks. For your messages.

I did suggest that I apply, but the SENCO said it will be better coming from the school! However that does worry me as she said she would do it at the end of next week! Once the holidays have started and I have no way of chasing it up). I think you are all right, I will submit my own request, at least the LEA will have two requests then.

Understandably, my son currently has no intention of staying on at school. He says he's joining the army the day he finishes school! However Connexions were saying that although statements don't apply in HE colleges, they do take the recommendations from statements into account. Connexions have apparently been in discussions with the local college re son since Nov 09 (first I'd heard, though we are meeting over the hols to discuss options) and they have in place a live S1398 which is used to identify and meet SEN, but she did say that these are more effective if the child goes to college with a statement. If we can convince him to stay in some form of education this S1398 will apparently enable him to access educational support until he is 24, even if he comes out of ed for a few years. Unfortuantely after years of lies I'm not too sure I fully trust that this is what would occur in reality.

Hi Minx

My DS obtained his (2nd - but that's a long story!) Statement just 2 weeks before his 16th birthday.

The LA refused to make suitable provision for him to enable him to remain in 'school' so he was effectively forced to leave school to study at FE College in a heavily supported placement.

Many LAs have a blanket policy of not statementing so close to the end of statutory education (at age 16) - although such policies are illegal. And yes, they did try to draw the whole process out so it became a race to see whether we could force them to issue a Statement before son's 16th birthday.

Having said that, and although the Statement was only in force for a fornight!!, it was worth doing because it documented his difficulties, it justified the need for his specialist FE placement and with a Statement Connexions must remain actively involed up to age 25.

Statements do cease when the child leaves school however if they stay at school the Statement continues up to age 19 if necessary.

Best wishes

One thought - your son has fallen through the net (big time) and been failed very badly.

If you have documented evidence that school was advised but failed to apply for a Statement in Year 3 then you could have grounds for suing the school / LA for educational negligence.

A good starting point is to obtain an entire copy of his school file and see what evidence there is in it.

At age 16 he can bring his own case against the school / LA. That's what we did. Son was legally aided so it didn't cost us anything - and we won.

Thanks Wet August.

I'm glad to hear you were finally successful
in getting your son statemented. I think it's such a shame that these children are knowingly failed. Gives me some hope that I'm not being led down a false route, though I am expecting the run around.

I have evidence that schools were negligent and that his SAT's were upped.

I am picking up a copy of his Eduactional file tomorrow which has some of the supporting evidence I need. I'm also going to contact an educational solicitor to see where we stand legally.

minx - suggest that the school provide him with a laptop immediately out of their own funds - they can juggle around later.

i worked with some yr 10s and fought for laptop provision for some who had effectively been ignored. it really made a difference to the students in question, who were able to engage a bit more particularly with the english syllabus as a result. it can make quite a difference.

re joining the army - ds still needs to understand that if he is given additional support at this stage then he needs to make the most of it, whatever his long term plans are. the army (although traditionally not overly fussy lol) are likely to look at his difficulties and judge whether he would be able to fulfil the obligations of basic and trade training etc. any gcses he can get will open up more opportunities.

good luck x

Thanks NickOT

Re laptop - we know it can make a difference; he has used an alphasmart since yr5 (after some resistance fm school)but he stopped using it towards end of KS3 due to the alphasmart being interferred with by other pupils.

SENCO has gone from he doesn't need one, to
'we'll buy one in if necessary'.

Son currently states he doesn't want a laptop, because 'nobody else has one' (in his classes). He 'needs to practice writing', even though it hurts his hand and it visibly impacts on his processing and output. I think he also worried that if he has one the 'retard' comments will start again.

What is frustrating is though the SENCO recently acknowledge he needs a laptop, I was informed at the meeting last week that she has been waiting for me to say he'll use one! I despair.

They are so contradictory, last year they withheld teachers concerns, to support their 'nothing wrong' stance, then bumped his Maths/Science SAT's up as a 'motivational' strategy. His GCSE target grades are based on the Fisher Family Trust upper range predictions as another 'motivational' strategy. They can't explain to me how his NC levels were achieved in English, so presumably these are motivational as well. Yet they can't encourage a child to use a laptop, or prevent in class interference, without a parent giving them the go ahead

Re Army - We have tried to explain that he would be better remaining in ed, but he doesn't want to listen. Though he told Connexions and EP he is planning to stay at school, he can be good at guessing what people want him to say; they realised this is not his intention.

I know this sounds horrible but we are hoping if he does go ahead and applies for the army he either realises the jobs he is interested in really do expect A-C equivalent (F's on mocks) so changes his mind. He won't be accepted or doesn't like the 3 day taster due to co-ordination difficulties/social interaction issues. He currently goes to cadets, and his co-ordination is their major concern, esp where the weapons are concerned.

EP thinks his insistence on joining up may be connected to the fact that he has always hated school, has had little support throughout which contributes to his low self-esteem and sense of failure. Whereas in cadets he gets support, he's accepted for himself and achieves.

he wouldn't get the support in training though - basic welfare back-up, but not additional training re weapons/ co-ordination etc. how much additional support are cadets giving him? (esp on the range etc - assume he's used cadet rifle for live fire, what about bigger stuff on longer ranges?)

so tricky. are connexions giving him any additional support?

dd2 used an alphasmart recently but we're switiching to a laptop - she's young enough for everyone else to want one though - but she'll use it all the way through though. in her case, she won't be allowed to join the military in any case. as she has a physical disability she won't get in. so we can condition her early enough that it isn't an option - so tricky for other young people whose issues are more borderline.

(that sounds a bit odd unless you know that both dh and i are either mil or ex-mil, and i used to be a recruiter as well as an LSA, and the mother of a child with a disability... which hat indeed...)

hope it all sorts out x

Not odd at all. Hubby and myself are ex army. So we know he wouldn't get the support he get in cadets.

Can't see a trg instructor going to his room to teach him map reading to get him through the test. Or tucking his trousers under his elastics for him, or letting him walk round with trousers/shirt half in half out .

We are supposed to be seeing Connexions over the summer hols to discuss options - one of which is getting him on work experience with a variety of companies so he can see/feel he could achieve in other areas. Which may allow him to explore other options. But this is probably going to be dependent on the school reducing the number of GCSE's hes taking.

How old is your dd2? Did you have any difficulties getting her school to accept the Alphasmart and/or laptop?

school found an alphasmart in the cupboard after the OT had been banging on about it for ages - but she has a statement which had laptop specified from the start. she's still v little - only yr 2 , but we've already had to explain 'no, you won't be allowed to join the army darling' lol

exploring different work experience a really good idea - all sorts of kids do really well in the army, as you know, even some quite severe adhd type issues can be miraculously ironed out (!) but as you know it's not going to be the answer for everyone.

good luck for the statement stuff though - and really keep putting the pressure on about support and IT. one of the reasons i stopped learning support was a sense of frustration about the lack of impetus to actually do anything.

but it's never too late!