NEED advice about applying for statement PLEASE

[OverflowingMum]

OK, so I know a lot of you on here have been through this, and there is a lot of very wise folks out there...so I'd really appreciate a bit of advice.
Our situation in a nutshell: DD3 is 6yrs and 3months old. She is in Y2 at school. I have been going into school since she was in the last term of reception to express my concerns about her lack of progress. In Feb this year she was diagnosed with Aspergers.Also at this assessment her WIPSE testing showed her to be above average on many of her scores, and they confirmed that as she was perofrming at the very bottom level of the class still she was way below her potential.Went back into school...she was put on school action plus. But IEP and targets given were rubbish, interventions tried were also useless and STILL she made absolutely NO progress for the whole of Y1
Went to see teachers at start of Y2 to exptress my concerns and disasitisfaction at lack of progres...was more or less fobbed off again...(teacher said she didn't think she could be "very severe" as she was "fine" in class grrrrrr)
THEN Finally she has had an assessment by the learning support service (was referred in March this yr, assessed a couple of weeks agao!) and the report is very detailed and states (amongst other stuff)That "R is a child of high average ability who is currently performing well below her potential and requires 1:1 support to catch up." It also states lots of suggested interventions and highlights specific areas where she struggles (verbal processing and discriminatin for example)
The teacher who passed the report on to me semmed really shocked by the report (although it is basically what I have been telling them for the last 18 months) and said they would be putting inplace a lot of the recommendations asap (eg moving her to sit with more able peers)but that "there were things suggested they wouldn't be able to do eg 1:1 support"
Soooooo I have had enough to be honest and am going to apply for a statement for her.
I have in the past been told by school that they don't think she needs one , that she is not "bad enough" etc....so I'm not sure it I will get any support from them.
BUT I do now have a report which clearly states:

1. DD is NOT achieving anywhere near her potential
2. She requires 1:1 support to catch up
3. Despite extra input over last 12 months to school she has failed to progress

and school have said they can't provide all that she needs according to the report....

sooooo what do you think? Do I stand a chance of getting a SA?

and how exactly do I go about requesting one and what evidence do I need to include? Obviously I have the Learning Support report, and all the anecdotal eveidence of her lack of progress last year despite being on school action+, but don't have any other supporting letters etc...
She hasn't had any ongoing input from the team that diagnosed her, although does have a pyschology appointment in a couple of weeks to look at certain aspects of her behaviour...but not really anyone who "knows" her that could write any letters...I do have her initial assessment report which might help....
will that matter?? What happens if they ask school about her and they do their usual of "oh, she's fine, no trouble in school...etc"

So what exactly do I need to start the process??? Is there a particular form to complete? or just a letter? who do I send it to??? How do I handle school? I was thinking of writing just explaining my concerns and explaining I am applying for a statement as the interventions suggested are quite extensive and I realise will be a stretch for their resources? what do you think?

Sorry for all the questions...I'm just so confused.... and I know you lot have great advice to give!!!

A good place to start is IPSEA's website which has the model letter you can use to request the Statutory Assessment initially.
The initial letter does not have to be very detailed, bullet points and a brief explnation are good (no reams of detail are necessary, besides they won't read it all!). The key here is to get them initially to agree to assessment. Once they agree (which can be difficult to obtain as they may well turn your request down. If this happens you must appeal their crass decision immediately thereafter) they will write for reports to all the other people who have had contact with your DD.

You will need to write to the Chief Education Officer at your LEA (the council office will tell you this person's name) and give them six weeks to reply (mark that date on your calendar).

www.ipsea.org.uk

I would inform them them you have already applied for a Statement (when your letter to the LEA is in the post) and leave it at that with school.

School have already stated they cannot meet her needs re 1 to 1. You have a good case here. You have an AS diagnosis and a report which states she requires 1 to 1.

Keep us updated and get that letter to the LEA in the post asap.

You are your child's best - and only - advocate. No-one else is better placed than you to fight her corner for her, besides as you have already seen no one else will do it.

thanks attila - I will get on with it asap - hope to have letter in the post on Monday.
I'm just so fed up with all now...should have applied ages ago (as advised to on here )but you live and learn hey! So much for giving school the benefit of the doubt!
Also, there is an Autism Outreach team where we are and school have refused to refer dd to them ...why???? they work in schools to help support kids with Autism/Aspergers....sure they would be helpful???? Anyway I have emailed them myself to refer DD....not sure If I can do that but I have!!

good advice here and suggested wording for letter the advice there would be relevant to children with other difficulties, not just autism

Hi - I'm not too sure how to apply for a statement as parents - we were so lucky that DD's school applied for her statement.
Does your DD's school have an Education Pschologist (?) that could come in and acess your DD? I know if you could get them to agree that your DD has problems you should almost certainly get more help for your DD.

I have just done this and I just sent off a letter to the SEN Dept at the LA. I got their standard reply within days for my parental advice They are under pressure to keep within strict deadlines, so the school got their letter quickly too. School won't request as they feel the LA won't agree to assessment as dd is 'not sufficiently far enough behind', which is laughable as her 6yo brother (who has AS) is overtaking her in all core subjects - four academic years should be enough I feel!! They have been supportive though and feel I may have a better chance if the request comes from us. I feel their hands are tied - it's clear as day dd isn't progressing and in fact as her self esteem dips further and further, I feel she is actually regressing!!

I sent my evidence in last week. I fully expect them to refuse (again), but this time we will appeal - dd is in Y6 and has ADD dx and can't read write or spell with any competence! Current support not working - no progress in a year, so I hope they will at least assess her (even if I have to fight for it to be so)! I won't accept a note in lieu - I want any support she is given to be safeguarded legally!! Big, big issue with what secondary school to sent her to!!

If it's any consolation, I find it all totally confusing too!

thanks for the rplies.
It is soooo frustrating isn't it , to watch your DC clearly falling behind and not achieving what you know they are capable of, and for no-one to seem to listen to you or want to do anything about it.

Aero, good luck with your process. What exactly happens after you send the letter? Do they write back to you asking for further information/reports etc...and do they ask the school then for their opinion? Just still not quite clear about how the whole process works!

Hi

It's actually a 2 stage process: Stage 1 is when the LA consider if there is enough evidence that may warrant a full assessmnet and Stage 2 is the full assessment that may lead to a Statement being issued.

To get the ball rolling....

You write the letter (model letter on IPSEA site) to the LA requesting that they make an assessment that may lead to the issue of a Statement. Provide a copy of the report you already have with that letter, as that will show them that there are existing concerns.

The LA then consider whether or not to undertake an assessment. If they agree they will ask you to nominate people they should contact for additional reports etc for a subsequent full assessment. If they refuse then you have the right to appeal their refusal to assess.

Hope this helps.

It's pretty much as WetAugust says. In answer to your question, they will send you a request for further information when they receive your letter. You fill it in and add as many additional sheets as you feel necessary.

They will contact the school - they only get 10 days to respond in our area - and there is space on the forms to add anyone else you think the LA should contact that is involved with your child.

OK, thanks both.
have just about finished the letter, and will check out name of person to send it to tomorrow, and hope to get it in post on Weds.
Then will just have to hope and wait....
Have drafted very brief letter to school just to say I have applied and with a rough outline why and will drop that in once letter sent.

Did have nice email back from Autism Outreach Teachers that I contacted at the weekend. They have apparently contacted the school and got them to do the necessary to refer Riona and they will go in and assess the situation after half term....still don't know why school have been refusing to refer her before...odd...

Get hold of the SEN code of practice, it's free from the government stationers. There's a whole section about the rules about statements.

It states there the reasons for issuing a statement. Something like... other intervention has still not led to any progress.

And don't forget that you can appeal against the decision of the LA.

OK...quick question, is it the LEA of the school that DD attends that I contact...just that we live in one LEA but kids actually attend a school in neighbouring LEA IYSWIM.

I think it's the one where you live. Which could make funding an issue as they don't like to fund out of area. Also be warned they will not statement unless school has put in all resources they should have and still not enough most likely they will say school is at fault for not seeking support or putting in 1:1 and will put it back on school. Find out how much 1:1 the school must put in before will statement here schools have to put in first 20 hours from sen funds the council delegates. You can ring parent partnership of LA and ask.