Independant special schools

[wasuup3000]

Just out of interest and have an early annual review coming up. Has anyone got an independent special school place for their child without going to tribunal? Would it be enough for CAMHS to recommend it or another professional or have most parents/carers had to battle?

DS goes to an independent SS and we got there via tribunal, but I know other parents there who didn't go to tribunal. But they either had to appeal (then LA agreed before hearing) or they'd had very serious breakdowns, either trying out lots of other schools and failing there, or being at home or even psychiatric units. It's always been very much a last resort.

Thanks sugarcandyminx. My dd is on the verge of a 3rd cycle of being unable to attend school because of the schools lack of understanding despite their best intentions iykwim.

She has already done the pru thing and is with CAMHS under the complex and long term difficulties tier.

It's tough to get her out to school even with being as calm as possible and getting her up early so her delaying tactics of getting dressed as slowly possible and eating as slowly as possible don't work. Then claims that this is hurting thats hurting she feels sick shes going to be sick a few mins for her transport arrives.

Just wondering what to do for the best - whilst in school she is constantly telling them she is ill to try and get home again and once home she gives me a load of earache.

Poor thing .

We did get evidence from CAMHS and it helped our case, but it wasn't enough on its own.

It depends on what is available in your area as well. Actually, DS would still have ended up in an independent SS placement if we'd lost at tribunal - but it was a BESD school so totally inappropriate. What are the options in your area? Is there an LA unit or special school?

Does the current school think they can meet her needs? Getting them to admit that they can't will make a difference.

We were offered the MLD special school at first (that's all that's on offer unless you have a child with severe ASD in our area) but there's a chance in the next year or so that it might be mixed with a SLD school and there were no GCSE qualifications on offer. Whilst DD has a NVLD and a SPLD we did feel that she might be capable of a couple of GCSE's at least. She does have areas which she is bright in academically. So we opted for a smaller mainstream secondary school and it's not that they are not lovely it's just dd is complex and it's difficult to understand her difficulties for them.

I am considering tackling the school about if they are able to meet her needs at the review meeting and see what they say.

We are considering Summerhill school for our DS. It's not a SS though.

We're hoping it's approach may suit our DS - he has ASD but no learning difficulties.

Happily, it's fairly local to us.

Goodness knows how we will afford it though Will have to take it to tribunal, I suspect.

not for the faint hearted.

Best of luck at the meeting

Thank you Spinkle! It is wearing she is not my only child with SEN so it's getting me down a bit atm.

It's one fight after another to get the best for them, isn't it?

Yes and the paperwork! Currently got dla renewal to do, and statement which has taken 18 months to get after 2 SEND appeals (which the LEA backed down from at last min) for the said other child is due in post any day now to go through and adjust! We also have paperwork for the review meeting to complete as well!

It's a full-time job. The filing, phone calls, meetings, notes, forms and appointments.

I have no idea how I would manage if I worked full time.

I'm already dreading the DLA renewal...

Keep fighting though wasuup - it's so important to keep morale going.

Thanks Spinkle _ I will try yet another appointment hard earned OT one though this afternoon to go to now for my son....

Our DS is at independent SS .lEA finally agreed after appeal went in ,so though we had a date for tribunal ,it was all agreed before .
Like sugar DS was offered other independent SS ,but they were not suitable -DS has severe language impairment -so he needs specific teaching throughout the whole school day.
The school also does GCSE`s.
Existing parents have previously gone to primary independent through LEA .
Yes it is a battle ,wish you luck

Hi, having browsed through many posts on mumsnet I do seem to be the only person I can see who has had no struggles at all with this process! I am very grateful having read some of the nightmares and tribunals people go through getting statements and appropriate places for their sn children and my sympathies are very much with them.
In my case daughters school said they could no longer accomodate her extreme behaviour (caused by her severe adhd and oppositional defiance disorder)the ed phyc agreed that she would be unable to cope with a future high school environment, but that a school catering for learning difficulties wouldnt be appropriate either and what she needed was a school specific to behavioral disorders. As the only provision in my county from the lea is a boys only provision they just sent me a list of independant special schools and I chose one. (A steiner school specialising in SEBD) My daughter was in the school within a couple of months, no fuss, tribunals or anything!
Although it may sound great however the downside is that she now is educated 225 miles away. What a crazy system!