No more statements....

[superfantastic]

www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-12677259

No sign of the green paper yet but :O

Has anyone seen if our kids will still have any kind of enforcable legal protection?

Yes - it appears that the new 'plan' will have the same statutory requirements as a statement - I think - have not read it all yet!

They did that about 3 years ago with record of needs in Scotland, DS had one but what they introduced in it's place meant he had nothing because they need to have input From more than one place and all his needs where met at school as its a special school, he leaves in July and we get more help now hes under adult services than we ever did from CHAD.

Mine is due to be finalised on the 26th March - I'm terrified too!

have just skim read the green paper(as need to get ready for work)

statements are not going 'today' things will change but not today so do not allow your la to implement their own 'by laws' on this document

glad to see they want to build on the foundations already laid from 'aiming high' with short breaks and parent forums but sad to see that money is not ring fenced especially in schools where a child might not be on a statement but school action/plus.

40% of responses were from parents- we now need to respond again to the green paper(we have until 12 june to do this)
do not fail to respond unless you are not bothered about the changes and your voice being heard.

will check back in a couple of dys when i have had time to fully read the document

It won't happen yet - there is a four month consultation period and then a trial run form Sept 11 in a few areas and it will be may 2012 'at the earliest' before any legislative changes.

Electra's right.
Statements aren't effective and paly no part in changing the SEN system at a systemic level.
Even if you get a statement, you have no guarantee that what is on it will be carried out by people who know what they are doing.

As someone who works in the SEN system, I welcome the changes. A quick flick throguh the Green Paper has been a very pleasant surprise.

We can't go on as we are doing.
It's all an absolute farce.

Leonie, don't be down.
A statement is the best option at present and your tenacity in fighting for one means in sall probablility, people will know not to mess with you in future as it won't be worth the hassle.

Best tip I can give anyone is to become acquainted with all the dull papers. The code of Practice, the bercow Review, the Lamb Enquiry and so on.

Then qoute them back to the professionals you work with,most of whom won't have read them.

'It is envisaged that instead of a child undergoing many separate assessments on separate days, everyone involved would meet together at the same time.'
hmm - the professionals that work with ds can't manage that at the moment when it's supposed to happen so what's going to change?

its scary my final is due in a couple of weeks too but whats this getting one assesment mean ? in stead of so many different appointments and assesments , wed love that the idea is fine but in reality can that work and who would do it as atm you need to see the OT the EP SALT ect ect to cover specific areas of need or have i got it all wrong

ahh ty cross posted you answered me cornsilkee

Just read through the report - yes it seems that statements are being scrapped and will be replaced with an Education plan which covers all agencies including access to NHS services. It also states that this plan will have the same legal protection as a statement and will also be reviewed annually (cannot direct anyone to the relevant passage as cant remember exactly where it is, (somewhere in middle if that is any help). Need to have another read with my highlighter pen to hand.

I have mixed views, certain parts read well on paper but others I feel cannot be properly enforced/can be easily abused by LAs.

I am sure others will come along and post additional points/issues during the course of the coming days once it has been properly digested.

Sorry, forgot to add that none of the new proposals will take place now, they will be in place sometime between 2012 and 2014. Until then its business as usual!!

have been sat here all morning worrying about this. even though the new proposals will not be in place until 2012/14, will whatever is in place replace the current statement or will the old statements run their course - I don't think I could bear to go through another round of fighting with our LEA or whoever will administer the assessment. it took everything out of me to get my son's current statement and brought our family to its knees.

LaydeeC - I know what you mean as we are going to end up going to appeal for our statement and the thought of having to go through it all again in the next year or two does not bear thinking about. Unfortunately, if I have read it correctly, the statement will transfer to an Education Plan and requirements reassessed. I am hoping someone will come along shortly to either confirm that this is the case or to correct me.

IPSEA response:

www.ipsea.org.uk/Apps/Content/News/?id=342

I really don't know what to think yet, it sounds better for us if it works.

We don't have statements in this area if kids are in mainstream.

My ds is on SA+ (along with 15 others in the school)they would all have a statement if we lived in a neighbouring authority.

So if they get rid od SA and SA+ what will happen in our area?

The school do have a LOT of kids on SA. They seem to put them on SA at the drop of a hat. (I know that is true as my eldest foster child is on SA and she is just mildly behind, plus this has happened to many of my previous foster kids)