Advice needed should I apply for a statement?

[hotmamalovespavlova]

Hello all,

Generally looking for advice around the chances of obtaining a statement for dd 3.6, due to start primary September 2011.

As some of you know we got a dx of AS in October, she is currently at pre school 3 days a week 9-3 and has funding for 1:1 for only 5 hours.
I am considering applying for a statement but having read many threads am just wondering if she would meet criteria?

She is a hugely excitable child who does not understand social boundries and frequently invades others personal space.
Inability to concentrate on given task as she flits from one thing to the next.
She can not sit for even short periods of time and it was recommended at md that she be given frequent movement breaks.
She forgets instructions as soon as the have been given as her attention has been drawn to something else.
Her behaviour can change instantly from happy to aggressive and violent to those around her without provocation.
If something is not on her agenda she will become extremely anxious leading to a meltdown.
Although dry requires nappies for bowel movements and will become extremley distressed or hold herself if encoraged to use the toilet.
Seeks out danger-knives,scissors climbing up at windows or on furniture.

On the flipslip she presents as a very happy able girl (when not kicking off), and her intelligence in areas such as maths/logic is already at 1-2 years above her age.
She has days where the whole day is a problem and others where it is just a few instances.

My concern is her left to her own devices in a class as she is not able to conform to the rules without guidence and she will lash out at hurting others or herself.
Also she needs to be guided at what is normal play and the thought of her being left to cope at playtime makes me nervous.

Would you apply?

Thank-you if you made it this far, sorry for the mass of typo's she also doesn't sleep so I am tired on top of work today.

I would certainly apply- she sounds as though she will need support to cope in class-and if she can't cope,she won't learn-good luck

You have nothing to lose from applying for a statement. Have a look at IPSEA and SOS:SEN websites for a lot of helpful info. You can only stand to gain for your DD if you get somewhere. You can always reapply in due course if necessary (or appeal if you have the energy!)

It does seem that most of you have had to battle for each statement.

She is already on early years plus and I know the school provide the 1st 15 hours without a statement but can this be 1:1?

Will a primary change a nappy without a statement if a dx of special needs has been given?

It's very frustrating that we will not find out her school allocation until May as it used to be March.
Doen't give us much time to work with the school

Apply now If you apply now, you could have a statement by June. Don't leave it another day. Go to www.ipsea.org.uk, copy and paste the template letter, then adjust it to suit your DD.

It depends greatly on area, evidence, etc., but my DD sounds very similar in many ways to your DD, except that she has LD, so isn't ahead of her peers in the slightest. But all the sensory things, personal space, inability to play without support, etc., exactly the same.

I applied for SA in September 2009 and didn't have to fight at all. Every stage went smoothly, and I had a final statement naming our Special school in 20 weeks (statutory timeframe is 26), so 6 weeks early.

Post your letter today, then mark the date 6 weeks from now. That is when they have to decide whether to do a SA by.

Thank you for all your comments as always MN is far more informative than any professional.

I visited the deputy head of the school at her pre school setting and she basically said that without a physical disability a statement is impossible to obtain-think that has been my main reservation.

What are the stages of application 26 weeks seems a long time.

She certainly didn't fill me with confidence the head was on an extended holiday for 3 months .
I may make another appointment now she is back.

The school wasn't going to be my first choice, but it is my catchment and dd is very settled and happy in the preschool enviroment so I think it will make the transistion easier as they intergrate with the foundation class during playtimes.

We are very lucky all the local schools are 'good' but this one is smaller and has more experience with SN.

hotmama,

re your comment:-

"I visited the deputy head of the school at her pre school setting and she basically said that without a physical disability a statement is impossible to obtain-think that has been my main reservation".

This person has lied to you no question about it. Ignore such nonsense!!.

1:1 at school tends not to happen unless there is a Statement in place.

Make the application for the Statement personally and if not today then asap. Use the websites that have already been given to you, IPSEA have model letters you can use.

You are your child's best - and only - advocate.

I will post it on Monday-thank you all

hotmama- the deputy head is lying. i have just received a statement of 13 hours a week 1-2-1 for ds2 who is 9. he does not have a physical disability, he has dyspraxia and possible HFA/AS. this is on top of the 15 per week that he already receives from school.

can i ask what this 15 hours a week provided by the school is please? my son is on school action plus and im appealing against the LA saying no to an assessment, he doesnt get any hours of support. is there an obligatory amount a child on action plus should receive?

sorry for hijacking your thread

hotmama-i'm in a very similar situation with DS2, although no dx here yet, but we also are going to apply for a statutory assessment next week, as we also have major concerns about DS2, and have posted on similar threads. will watch with interest, and I agree the deputy did lie, I work with teenagers in educ, and many have SEN, and statements, and only a few have a physical disability.

Cherry- can you explain what High functioning AS is and how it presents itself, I see the term alot on threads but don't really know what it is-I am new to all this my older child dd 12 is nt.
Did the school provide 15 hours from the start and was this 1-1 or shared between a small group?
Do the help you ds over lunch and playtimes.

Brandy-The school provide the first 15 hours of support through there own budget-if you son is on school action plus surely he is provided with additional support most likely in groups-he should have individual learning targets which are reviewed between you and the Senco to monitor his progression. Not sure if it is obligatory but each school is provided with funding for it so if he requires support shout and stamp your feet until you get it.
My eldest couldn't read at 10 and this was missed by the school as she was coping in most areas after my tantrum insistence she was given extra support and had caught up to national average within a year.

Diet-how old is ds2, and what are you concerns. I have lurked on many statement threads trying to take the best advice most of what I have seen is a long hard fight.

thankyou hotmama, i will definitely bring this up at the next TAC meeting as my son doesnt even have an IEP, i was told he is on school action plus "because of his medical needs", learning has never been mentioned even though he has severe trouble with learning. Good luck.xx

Morning hotmama, i agree it's a BIG learning curve for us!
My DS2 is aged 3.5, he is behind his peers in many aspects of his development, possibly ASD, but no dx as yet. Still babyish in many ways with behaviour and understanding. Speech problems and we start speech therapy group in 2 weeks, poor eye contact and does not interact with any other children at nursery (but does with DS1). He is not toilet trained, has runny poo so difficult to train. He is getting support from early years service, but like your DD is due to start school in sept and I have no idea how he'll cope ,with the way he is at the moment but he may make progress in some area, we're hopeful he will. He cannot sit, would need support at lunchtime to ensure he eats and struggles to understand instructions.

hello again sorry for hijacking i to have been told to apply for a statement my son is 5 and has higher functioning autism has anyone got one for this?

Diet-what is it with the soft poo dd is the same-she will ask for a nappy so knows she needs to go,and then goes straight off to do it- we have managed to get her sitting on the toilet in her nappy to do it but any suggestion of taking it off sends her into complete meltdown.
She is completely dry day and night and has been in knickers for well over a year pooing in the toilet is just a big no almost as if she is very scared.

No one has answered if school will change a nappy without a statement yet.

Are you waiting on a Paed appointment for a dx or haven't got that far yet?