Two year s and l delay, no point appying for a statement?

[used2bthin]

DD had a paed assessment and it ages her for different areas. Her SALT said in our LA children need to be behind by a least two years in two or more areas to get a statement and that DD may therefore not get one because she is behind two years in s and l, one year behind in socail interaction, a year and a half behine in visual something or other and age appropriate for some other things.

On the one hand DD now has very obvious difficulties (as in I mean noticable, she is described in the report as having profound s and l difficulties. But her SALt and playgroup seem quite sceptical whenever I have mentioned statements.

We have been referred to an inclusion teacher to (in the words of the paed report) help with decisions regarding schools(dd has another year before full time school-she is four but spetember born)

I feel on the one hand that she is much more seriously affected by whatver this than I had realised and it is glaringly obvious now to everyone that she has sen but that playgroup havent noticed or someting! They also should have had a meeting with me before the end of last term about doing an IEPbut are now saying we may as well wait for the inclusion teacher referal to go through.

What I mean is surely when the report says this inclusion service will help with school decisions they mean about what type of support she will need? And whether she will attend mainstream school, statements etc etc but the SALT and keyworker seem to think she will stand no chance of any of that.

Ok thanks its so hard to know about severity isnt it. I am tempted to wait to speak to the EYSENIT as she may push the playgroup more on the IEP. DD can't say much that is understandable and mostly says the same limited phrases so I just can't imagine how she wil cope at school unless she does a lot of changing over the next year. Which of course she might. Or might not in which case she will be more than two years behind etc etc, impossible to know.

Anyway it is both good and bad to know that you had a simlar experience.

Interesting point about getting everything there is, DD has been having 3x weekly SALT but with the cuts I just can't see it continuing without a big fight and her SALT has warned me i may need to argue it, write letters etc to ensure she gets covered while she (the SALT) is on mat leave.

surely it's illegal to have that sort of blanket policy (see www.ipsea.org.uk). I'ld ignore SALT and playgroup, and apply for a statutory assessment anyway.

used2

This SALT person is talking unmitigated bollocks and BS. You cannot afford to listen ti, let alone being potentially taken in by such nonsense. Blanket policies as well are illegal in law; LEAs cannot state such things and they know the law.

TC is right. Apply for the Statement yourself to the LEA and ignore the naysayers; they do not give a monkeys about your child and after all you are your child's best and only advocate.

Thanks all, looks like I will have to pester playgroup for the IEP and get things started. I have started going to a sen group run by an ex inclusion teacher and she said if I need help with it she will speak to whoever so that should be good. Just can't understand why they would act like she isn't that severe when they know her so well and can see her with other children-thats when I get a shock about how big the "difficulty" is. Can't believe we are two years down the line from starting SALT and still no further forward in terms of how DD will progress and what the issue is.

I found out that on or below the 2 centile (especially the 1st) will get the lea to take note! Useful to know. Ds salt wrote a report highlighting the '1 and 2nd centiles! It worked. 2 or 3 years behind is a stupid rule IMO, we were told this too- ds started school almost nonverbal at rising 5 with the skills of an under 2 but couldnt get the LA to take note till it was expressed in centiles !!

Agree with others. Complete twaddle. Get a letter written today, using the IPSEA template, and use the report as your evidence.

Quote the SEN Code of Practice, too:

"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."

Thankyou good advice, its so complicated there seem so many variables.

t has got more confusing, DD attends two pre schools-one is our local one she goes three mornings and I have never been completely relaxed about it but they have ECAT funding so she gets a s and l group on a monday. Also she attends one day a week at the playgroup I had her in anyway to give me a bit of a break once a week. She has been there today-its a short drive away and she probablycan't go to the school there which is why I didnt justleave her there full time.

Anyway so I picked her up today and her keyworker said they have been to the school for a visit and she chatted with the teacher who had noticed DD and was saying she has a child who has one to one support who is leaving so would DD be going to that school asthe same support worker would then still be there but work with dd instead. The teacher had obviously noted that DDwas getting a lot of support from the keyworker. Anyway the manager then came in and said the keyworker is essentially doing one to one support with dd anyway and tey are ok with that but that maybe I need to think about applying for five hours one to one for her to have there prior to any statement that we mmay or may not get. Argh what is this then anyone know?

So one pre-school has noted the issues and their linked school has a smart teacher and a trained LSA. and seems keen on getting statements. Plus they want to officially allocate her 1-1 cos they're unofficially doing it anyway... The other pre-school gives you a dodgy feeling about provision and assessments despite having far more allocated support.

Hmm. It doesn't seem hard to work out which option sounds better.

A two year delay at 4 years old is a very different thing to a two year delay at 14 years old. Such a rule has no meaning and would not stand up to any kind of analysis (either scientific or common sense). They're trying it on.

Am going to sound very cynical, but please don't listen to professionals who tell you to wait or to wait and see this team or that team. If your dd is going to need 1:1 support, apply for statutory assessment and push like mad for a staement. It is the only way to legally ensure support will be given.

Thank you, eclipse that is what Iwas thinking, her delay is half her age after all and it very much affects her at playgroup. She is very happy and sociable so tends to run around and be physical and not much trouble as long as she is left to it but I cannot imagine how she would cope at school as things are. She is lucky she wasn't born a couple of weeks early because she could already be there!

mariagoretti, I know, I regret moving her to the other one at all in a way. She is happy there and they do have a lot of experience with children with sen its more that I don't like the manager as much and they are not as good at communicaion with parents (and dragging thier feet over IEP!).

My worry is though that I am not convinced DD will get into the school without living in the village and am limited by housing as would be renting and barely anything has come up. My ideal would be to move there before the appication to school has to be in but time is running out.

Ah yes and I heard that if we get this early years sen inclusion teacher (which we should) then she can help get DD into the best school for her.

Only thing is though, would there need to be a reason the school was better for DD (ie good s and l experience or something)? Only because I love this particular playgroup and school but it is for reasons that are nothing to do with DD's issues really I just think they are lovely with her and a happy place.

Hi used,

re your comment:-
"Ah yes and I heard that if we get this early years sen inclusion teacher (which we should)"

This could happen but I would really like something in writing to say this will definately happen. What then if you do not get this particular person?.

"then she can help get DD into the best school for her".

I am afraid not and there is no such obligation on the part of these people. You need a Statement so you can name the school.

I mean an eysenit really rather than one specific one but yes fair point about whether we do. What I mean iswehave been referred to have one and DD's SALT said she will ring the service and clarify that her issues aren't limited to s and l ones (sometimes they turn down referrals if they feel s and l services can cover the needs) so I am hopeful we will be accepted.

Re statements and naming the school, would there still need to be a srong reason why the school is best for the childs needs though anyway?

'they are lovely with her and it is a happy place' =

staff have demonstrated their ability to recognise and adapt to dd's complex and changing needs

she is comfortable and confident in the setting, there is a culture of inclusion and outstanding emotional and pastoral care for all children

mariogoretti yes good points. I am guessing though that I would have to use that argument if we don't get a place if we appeal? I am clueless about all of this as have only just got the letter telling me to apply.

I am worried about moving DD there for the rest of playgroup (and away from our local one)in case she didnt get in to the school in which case she would be best off knowing some of the other children. I am looking to move in with my boyfriend too so we are looking for somewhere but nothing affordable yet in the area the school I want is in. know some famiies who have managed to get children into the school and live near me but I suppose it depends on intake. Or is there a way of guarenteeing her a place if she already had the support worker etc sorted out?

without the statement, there is usually a box on school application forms for medical/social reasons for a child needing a specific school, so if you could get one of the professionals involved with DD, say one of her consultants to write a letter saying she should go to that school due to their work with kids with SN.....

Thanks TC only problem is that I think there is a school in my catchment area which is integrated mainstream and SN so it is possible that they will say DD would be best off there. I am not catholic though and it is a catholic school so possibly that could help my case.

I am obsessng over this now and worrying Ihave made a mistake having DD in the other local playgroup at all, it feels so clear to me now that I want her to be at the old one.The website says they have a unit for chidren with mild-moderate learning difficulties though so this may be a good thing for arguing our case. Argh I wish I was rich (or even just had a permanent job!)then I would find a way to move to the area.

I didn't know there was a space on the form for that though so that will be helpful. I wish Icould know before may what will happen with schools as it is seriously affecting me making a decision on where to live.