Speech delay and 'statements'

[BlueberryPancake]

DS has a speech delay (currently in a special language unit in a nursery) and has poor social skills. It is very difficult to understand him and he struggles to put his ideas across. He is OK when one-on-one (we are very patient with him and know his special language) but completely shuts down when in a large group. He becomes ever so quiet and doesn't participate in songs/stories/etc. It's as if he 'melts' in the carpet. He doesn't disturb anyone, he just becomes 'invisible'.

Everything else is OK with him, eye contact, motor skills etc. He's quite bright with anything like numbers letters shapes etc.

He was assessed yesterday by a pedeatrician and she mentionned that he might need a statement when he starts school depending on his progress. I really didn't think he would need that, I just thought it's his personality. But if it's offered/pushed by his school (he is starting reception in Sept in a standard local CoE school) should we go for it? Are there any dissavantages to having a statement for such a low level needs? Obviously we would like him to get all the help available, but is there a downside? Many thanks!

BP,

There is no real downside to having a statement as far as I can see and my son has had such a document for years (speech and language delay). It has really helped him at school and he is not just coping there but thriving. There are plenty of downsides to NOT having one in place particularly if needed. A Statement will make a school hopefully sit up and take notice. Anything other than a Statement too is NOT legally binding, other plans too like School action plus are limited in terms of support actually offered.

There is nothing at all wrong with having a Statement for educational/social and or communication needs. If he needs 1 to 1 in school the ideal way to get this is via a Statement doc. If your son too is in a special language unit in nursery then that says a lot. His needs are being met but in school it will be a different story because he likely won't have the lang unit to fall back on.

Do not delay applying for such a document, its all very well for the paed to say what she did - but she was also towing the party line here. It is a large thing to get your head around but you are goin gto have to.

You are also his best - and only - advocate here.

Your son could really struggle at school without one of these documents being in place.

As these things can take six months plus to set up, time now is of the essense.

My guess too is that school won't apply for a statement straight away even if they do eventually get around to it. So preempt it and act now. You need to apply for it therefore and soon too. Plenty of people including me have gone through this process and come out the other side!.

www.ipsea.org.uk have model letters you can use.

I completely echo what Attila has said. My son is currently in year one and we have just had proposed statement through. It has taken a year and a half just to get to this stage (LA refused to even assess at first). My son went from a small montessorri (sp?) nursery (small group, lots of support) to MS reception and it was quite a big change for him. If I hadn't come on here and got the advice I did about applying, my son wouldn't be getting the support he is now. (his school have already put pretty much all the statement content in place).
Not sure if I have worded everything correctly but hope this helps.

The only way you can make sure you keep getting SALT is to get a statement. The NHS have no duty to provide it at all - only by getting on Part 3 of a Statement do you have any legal right to insist on it.

You should apply now because they can drag it out to well over a year if they refuse at various stages.

The only downside are your stress levels at having to deal with SEN officers who care more about their budget than your child.

only posting to agree-go for it

I made a few calls and I am meeting with his speech therapist at nursery and an Educational Psychologist will be there. We will discuss how to move this forward. And also I know who to call to initiate the process and have a template letter! We're ready! Many thanks for all your helpful and quick replies

This can be the early signs of Auditory Processing Disorder (APD).
APD is a listening disability,problems processing what you hear, and can affect early speech development.
UK Speech and Language Pathologists should now be fully aware of APD, which was first officially recognised in the UK 2004 by the Medical Research Council
You could also have a look at the Auditory Processing Disorder in the UK (APDUK) web site.
Most of these issues can not be diagnosed until after the age of maturation, 7 - 8 years old, when children stop growing out of these types of cognitive development problems

Hi Dulfrog, thanks for the info. I have read a few of the articles and it looks to me as if DS understands quite complex instructions and concepts. But when he comes to saying something, he has to think very very hard before saying it and when he does, his thoughts are muddled up and he cannot find/pronounce the words correctly. He also can pronounce sounds separatly but when in a word they get mixed up. For example, he can say ou (as in cow moo) but he can't say 'you'. However, he constantly says 'I wool' instead of 'I will'.

I will keep the links you sent for reference, and come back to them as DS progresses.

I was told this on Friday that DS would 'automatically' placed on early years action + and that although I can request a statement, it is very unlikely that DS will get one as the new policy from our borough is that if he needs more than 18 hours a week of extra support, he won't get one. His needs have to be 'very complex'.

I feel like giving up before I've even started!

I meant 'unless he needs more than 18 hours a week...'

Blueberry - you are coming up against a local authority that delegates quite a high level of funding to schools. Typically authorities delegate 15 hours, but it can be 20+. LA's put up the argument you raise all the time, but the code of practice is clear, you have a right to ask for your chld to be assessed. There is a good article on delegated funding v statements here
Don't be put off

BP

Do not give up re applying for a Statement and make your request to the LEA asap.

BTW Early Years action plus is truly not worth the paper its written on!!.

Who told you this crap re statements in your last post?. Ignore the naysayers.

"Very complex" is blanket policy and is unlawful if the LEA in question is saying that. Its all designed to put people off from applying.

The only criteria for a Statement is need.

Delegated funding schemes are bad news for children with SEN as well (look at IPSEA's website re delegated funding). Basically the LEA say to the school, "your problem so you sort it out".

There have been many complaints to various charities re such schemes, they are certainly not without their problems.

Blueberry Pancake...

I have a migraine, so won't write a hugely long post.

Let me ask you a question....Do you think that your DS's Speech difficulties will disappear for 12 hours per week?

Put another way, do you think your DS is going to be able to make his needs known, tell his teachers if he is upset, etc?

It is actually NOT common, NOT usual, and NOT low level to have a place in a speech unit at nursery age.

Don't let them tell you otherwise. Your DS needs the protection of a statement

Agree with the others about Early years action plus.

Dd2 has similar problems to your ds, she has severe language delay and high functioning autism, we had a statement in place when she started school in september, she has 30hrs a week 1:1 (TA), she couldn't have coped with out it and there was no way the school would have provided it without the statement.

It's certainly well worth starting the Statement ball rolling - my DS3 (S&L issues - verbal Dyspraxia) was Statemented with 20 hours a week 1:1. And it worked so well that at 8 (Yr3) we all agreed he should come off it - his speech is now so good, all social problems resolved etc, that it couldn't be justified. I know without all that intervention early on he would never have done so well.

Agree that the "complex needs" thing is bollocks. The Statement is basically there to say that without the additional help the school will not be able to meet your child's educational needs. Those needs don't have to be "complex".