just a quickie

[kittyfu]

does your child have to be in a school to apply for a statement, as a friends child currently can not get into suitable school, and she is planing on waiting till he is in one to apply for a statement

Nope, statementing starts in time for school sometimes, ie the child is at pre-school.

And some schools can only accept you on the basis of a statement!

thanks, just wanted to check, as it never came up when i was doing it.

Usually you start 9 months before the school start date.

Children can be statementsed from age two I beleive. My son in in pre-school and has just got a statement.

From the age of 2 they can have a statement even if they have never left the house.

Sometimes it is easier to get one if a number of agencies are NOT involved as there is no conflicting information or advice etc.

Having a statement can mean jumping the queue into the school that you want too.

The statement is about needs and the parents have the right to name the school where those needs can best be met. They are more likely to get a place where they want him to be this way as the LEA has to have a good reason not to go with the parent's wishes on this.

My DS's statementing process started when he was 2.5 and finished when he was 3.5 BUT he didn't go to school until he was 6! We ran a home-based ABA programme which the LEA funded (those were the days!).