Another Statement post 2.7 yr old with GDD - I am in a real muddle...

[spur]

Hi everyone,

Thanks for stopping to read I will keep this as short as possible. I am getting myself in a real pickle here.

DD is now 2.7 and has GDD. Her recent griffiths test score put her at 12 months for speech and 16-23 months for the rest of her development.

Paed appt last week concluded that dd will have sn although would not be able to say how severe at this stage. She also said that dd will not catch up her peers and that the gap will probably widen.....she recommended I start the statement process. It was a rough week really and hard to get our head around the info.

DD started nursery in Jan and I have already contacted the LA and had early years visit setting ieps.

We have had a July visit from an Ed psych... still no report....despite chasing...its been in the post for a few weeks now.

Nursery are happy and feel that they are coping with DD.

Here is my problem - DD is an easy, happy child with tons of personality. It really masks the fact that she has no speech yet and cant do very simple tasks such as drawing etc.

There is no speech and language unit for dd's age group in our area. We are currently having weekly 1-1 with New SALT this summer following bad experience with previous ( long story )

No therapists have visited the nursery yet so the Nursery have had no direct advice on supporting DD with developing her language.

I have lost my point now!!!!
Ahh yes should I be asking for a statement now or later....?

Anyway any advice would be welcome.

I spent last week having frustrating conversations-it felt like I was being fobbed off...here are some snippits

1- they said dd is fine at the moment... (so irritating)

2-she needs to show significant progress and be monitored over 6 week periods to be considered. This needs to be documented etc...?!

3- statements are a complex process and dd doesnt need one yet as she is coping with nursery etc.....

4- Speech being a real issue here. I asked about funding to send dd to a language unit for 2 sessions a week in addition to nursery. That apparently doesnt happen.

Is it me or am I being really dense but what DOES happen for these kids until they get to school? I thought that early intervention was a good thing with positive results...am I wrong?

Anyway sorry for rant - I guess what I am asking is what would you do.

I have found a private speech unit and think I am going to fund it myself (as suggested by ed Psych ) is that a good or bad idea?

Anyway many Thanks

Paed's advice is good and worth following. I would be applying for the Statement document asap in your circumstances. IPSEA have template letters you can use and adapt www.ipsea.org.uk.

What you are getting is not early intervention at all. They seem to be trying to put you off from applying for a Statement (due to cost), do not listen to their garbage!. Many IEPs (individual empty promise) as well are poorly written and are thus not worth the paper they're written on. Also it is not true that you need a mountain of paperwork prior to obtaining a statement.

Re this comment made by a person who spoke to you:-
"she needs to show significant progress and be monitored over 6 week periods to be considered. This needs to be documented etc...?"

Again absolute tosh and a delaying tactic!. To be considered for what exactly?.

She is coping with nursery - well just coping is not good enough is it?.

EP reports can take a long time in coming but chase at regular intervals all the same.

Re point 4 re funding to send DD to a language unit you would need a Statement in order to access such a place.

If you self fund particularly in the long term you can potentially make a rod for your own back (also LEA could note this and could wash its hands of you). Apart from anything else its going to cost you the earth in the long term, make the LEA pay for it!.

Never forget that YOU are your child's best - AND ONLY - advocate.

i had a passive dc with then Gdd at playschool who said he was doing ok , he was but not learning anything at all while there , did get 1-1 funded by early years team but she wa slovely but useless

So apply for that statement asap as will hold key towards language unit if needed when dd is older

Hi Spur, it's all a minefield, isn't it.

DD1 was assessed at 2.10 and got a very 'spiky' profile. She was 26-30 months for speech and language, Age-appropriate for self-help and independence, 18 months for social interaction and 26 months for gross and fine motor.

To cut a long story short, she is statemented and will attend special school in September.

I spent far too long believing that 1:1 in mainstream preschool was sufficient for her needs. Like your DD, DD1 is engaging and keen to interact, which masks some of her difficulties.

I had to work very hard to steer her Statementing process towards special school. In fact, the LA person was going to wait until December to start the statement process, and as it takes 6 months, it would have guaranteed that there would be no special school places left.

Your DD is showing a severe delay in speech. I am sorry to put it so bluntly, but a 50% delay in any area is classed as 'severe', and your DD has a 61.3% delay.

My DD1 at 3.1 had an officially tested delay of 7 months, which placed her on the 13th centile. Just 10 months later, she had plummeted and she was now 12 months delayed and on the 5th centile. In otherwords, in the 10 months between tests, the gap, instead of closing, had widened significantly.

You need to download and become familiar with the SEN Code of Practice. Then you can start comparing what you are told to the 'Bible' of SEN which ALL LAs have to adhere to.

For example, you say "2-she needs to show significant progress and be monitored over 6 week periods to be considered. This needs to be documented etc...?!"

That is blatently untrue. The SEN Code of Practice states explicitly:

"7:14 For some very young children with complex needs the LEA should accept as evidence
one over-arching report from the lead professional involved with the child. This approach
might also be appropriate for an older child who through an accident or ill health suddenly
acquires easily identifiable complex needs that require the LEA to assess and make
provision."

When you write your letter requesting a Statutory Assessment of your daughter's special educational needs, which I recommend you do straight away (you can find a template letter on www.ipsea.org.uk), include the above quote. They will know you mean business and won't be fobbed off. You will need your Paed's written report, which should follow your appointment within around 3 weeks.

Thanks for you replies...I posted late last night and was waffling a bit.

I will download the letter immediately.

I am not usually fobbed off easily but I am finding this all a bit

I read MN all the time and know from other posters that its a nightmare getting the right help.

I just didnt expect the first part to be like groping around in the dark.

They just have an answer for everything. The general impression is that I am mad for asking about a statement....because dd does not need one yet. Everyone is sympathetic to my concerns etc but there is nothing to be done til dd is school age.

How does anyone know how much a child will progress anyway? Surely without intervention its not even giving a child the opportunity to show potential anyway!

Yes did find the IEP a bit fluffy and as the summer holidays arrived we are back to square one again! Tried to get everyone in and they all insisted that they need to wait at least 6 weeks from start of term....bearing in mind its a small private nursery and term time is 10 or 11 weeks with a half term its going to be easter before they get a couple of visits in and the reports will take even longer......

I took starlights advice from an earlier post and have started a special note book writing everything down.

Thanks for reading- Looks like I need to get busy in writing then.

Spur, unfortunately it is getting increasingly harder to get the support our children need and IME coming across as a polite but assertive, articulate parent can really help.

If the process stalls excessively at any point, independent reports can be really helpful. I would also say to start looking at schools and seeing where you think your daughter will fit. Also look in neighbouring LEAs at their schools.

My daughter has GDD too and is now 12. She attends a non-maintained special school paid for by our LEA.