Query about SEN needs classification by LEA

[Peaceflower]

DD (13) has a diagnosis of AS. She received a statement in Dec 2010 which I am appealing, and have a tribunal hearing in July. I am appealing against her placement (existing mainstream school named). She has not attended school sine June 2010.

She has already been through two school placement panels as I want her to have a specialist provision. Anyway through a Subject access request I received the minutes of the panel meetings. It said her need was BESD. Now I understood this to refer to children with challenging behaviors (I hope I'm not offending anyone by saying that, I don't mean to).

I queried this with the Education Officer, who said that she had other issues apart from AS (high anxiety and school refusal) her needs weren't classed as SCD/ ASD as she didn't meet the requirements.

Is this just a ploy to set the scene for a future placement in a BESD school?

I should add she wouldn't say boo to a goose and her school says she is the most well behaved and polite child.

I wonder what their requirements for SCD/ASD are if having a diagnosis of AS isn't enough?!! Sounds a bit odd to me! You could ask to see their criteria for the categories...

mullymummy thanks

I was told you are classed as SCD/ASD if those are your ONLY needs . If you have other needs, you fall under the catch all Behaviour, Emotional and Social category

BESD school is not the right place for DC with AS. Really fight this. Can you get some kind of behavioural report for your DD to support your case? How can they say that anxiety isn't typical of AS? It's classic AS. Sorry, but really for you.

Hmm... but surely her other needs are linked to the AS. You could certainly argue that high anxiety and social phobia are manifestations of her AS and therefore all fall under their ASD category. This must be really frustrating for you!

EllenJane1 In your opinion/experience, what would the typical profile be of children at BESD school?

Somehow I don't think such a school would be suitable for a shy, well behaved girl, diagnosed with AS,with many sensory difficulties, and traumatised by her mainstream school experience.

I just think that the children who benefit from a BESD school normally have deep issues due perhaps to difficult upbringings or behavioural disorders which require very firm boundaries. There is likely to be children there who have very challenging behaviour. Children with AS lack social understanding and need good role models to help them improve their social skills. They may get quite upset seeing these challenging behaviours.

Now this is only my opinion and the criteria may be different in your LA. If my DS was recommended to go to a BESD school in my LA I'd be really worried. I would recommend visiting the school concerned as you really need to make up your own mind.

I have to agree with Ellen and mullymummy. Anxiety and social phobia are symptomatic of AS and not separate from it.

I have always been told that BESD units or schools are absolutely the wrong environments for children with AS, who are extremely vulnerable to inappropriate influence and need good social role models.

A friend of mine is a learning mentor in a BESD and while it is true there are a couple of boys there who do have ASD, they also have deep seated issues relating to their upbringing and family situation and are highly reactive and aggressive. Despite this, my friend firmly believes that the unit is not the right place for them, as they will never learn to model 'good behaviour' (for want of a better phrase) if the only peer group they are exposed to are also out of control and aggressive - it effectively normalises their behaviour.

As you say, if mainstream traumatised her, a BESD school or unit would be the polar opposite of what she needs.

Is there any change you could get an independent Ed Psych report done?

You definitely need to fight this.

Thank you for all your replies.

Of course I'm jumping the gun here . I'm going to tribunal because a mainstream school has been named, the LEA are saying mainstream is appropriate.

I have asked for a specialist asd provision.

I was being very suspicious of the BESD classification because I think that's what the LEA will go for if tribunal rules in my favour .

I wonder if I should make a big deal of this and insist on her classification being changed?

Yes! Definitely, just in case.

Any BESD issues are a symptom of the ASD.

Sort out the ASD and the other stuff goes away.

This is all bollox. It won't be that hard to convince a tribunal. The trouble is, for every 10 that they write off, only 1 ever fights back so it is in their interest to push you.

I would. If nothing else it will be one less thing for you to worry about when the tribunal comes around. At least you'll know in advance that no matter what the outcome of the tribunal, they won't try and send your dd to a BESD unit.

Since SCD is also a symptom of ASD, I'd just go for ASD.

ASD doesn't come without SCD!

I agree with the others that you should try to get it changed. DS was also given BESD as his primary need on his first draft statement, he has ASD but with associated behavioural difficulties. We had a meeting with the LA officer to discuss the proposed statement and fortunately it was changed without too much fuss (although we had many other changes we later had to go to tribunal for).

Our LA consulted with a number of schools including ASD and BESD schools and I think the primary need definitely coloured the view of the HTs when deciding whether they could meet his needs or not. A few BESD schools refused to take him by saying that they weren't trained to deal with behavioural issues linked to ASD, and that his anxiety would be triggered by the unstable environment in a BESD (he gets anxious at unexpected changes and they need to change things all the time to manage behaviour outbursts).

I think it's fairly likely that the LA will look at BESD options if they concede that mainstream isn't suitable, before looking at ASD schools - as it would probably be cheaper.

If you're going to tribunal anyway, you should add it as one of the changes you want to make to part 2. The LA often agree to some of the changes before the hearing anyway. I think it's better to focus your energies into fighting all of the changes you want at tribunal, as the LA don't seem to be willing to negotiate with you.

sugarcandyminx as usual, you put it so well . Thank you for writing.