Draft ABA letter? Anyfeedback?

[RedNoise]

Dear Mrs X,

I am writing to you in response to some of the things that were discussed at DC?s Statement Review and to ensure that you have correct information as it appears you have been misled somewhat.

Attached is the Tribunal Decision that you mentioned at the Review meeting. If I remember correctly, you told us that you had been ordered not to engage with any ABA as the Tribunal had ruled against it.

Our interpretation of the Decision is that the tribunal agreed that ABA was working and properly monitored but that there were some concerns about DC?s social skills development given that until that point ABA had been done in a home environment and not a peer setting. You may be interested to know that we had never claimed that ABA in isolation from DC?s peers would adequately meet his social skills needs.

The Decision was also based on the fact that no Local Authority report had recommended ABA, which is what you would expect and the reason for the tribunal. However, please read the document and make up your own mind.

Another issue I wanted to raise was that you and several other school employees witnessed both of the Local Authority representatives claim that the number of one-to-one hours should not be quantified and specified in DCs statement, and that this cannot be done in the new format of statements. I expect that you are aware that 8:37 of the Code of Practice states that blanket policies should not be made; however, you may also be interested to know that there is case law about this, which I would find incredibly difficult to believe that Local Authority employees who specialise in this area would be unaware.

Returning to the issue about non-engagement with anything ABA, I would appreciate your reconsideration of this, given that it is the default intervention in Ireland, and North Wales (spreading to South Wales), the ASD Good practice Guidelines that suggests that schools should work together with home-programmes in an attempt to glean what is working well to use in the school environment, the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum which ........ and finally the General Teachers Code of Conduct which suggests open to........ .

As you can see from above, the Local Authority?s instruction and recommendations can be unreliable, mislead and are out of line with general best practice and even unlawful. I find it incredibly difficult to believe that the instructions to refuse to engage with any alternative education that DC has received has been done in DC?s best interest or for educational reasons.

I appreciate that any intervention that the school is unfamiliar with has to be at the discretion of the Head Teacher and Board of Governors and that I appeal to your professionalism and your outstanding rating as a school, reflective practice as well as your passion as a teacher to give DC a chance through the sharing of good practice, expertise that has already shown to get results (as you can see from the Decision which I am guessing you have until now not seen).

As a mark of my integrity and honesty in this, as always, I am happy for you to share this with anyone in the Local Authority that you deem appropriate if you feel that this is in DC?s best interest.

Yours RedNoise

(I doubt this will make any difference but I can't help but point out where the school have witnessed the LA lie to us)

It's a brilliant letter!.

Thank you. I hope I have pitched it right. I don't want to make it too emotional in case it looks like I am trying to emotionally blackmail, or am myself emotionally unhinged.

I doubt it will have any affect, but it is a record at least, that the LA did say those things and that there were 'professional' witnesses.

Just add in that blanket policies must not be made not to specify and quantify. To clarify that bit. Otherwise, cool!

Thank you. That's helpful. I just want to challenge their own integrety rather than throw my weight around.

The school has been on a steep learning curve since I've been there for sure but I think they will agree that I am far from deluded, even if they are still suspicious.

I am writing to you in response to some of the things that were discussed at DC?s Statement Review and to ensure that you have correct information as it appears you have been misled somewhat.

Attached is the Tribunal Decision that you mentioned at the Review meeting. If I remember correctly -TOO EMOTIVE AND SUPPLICATING-, you told us that you had been ordered not to engage with any ABA as the Tribunal had ruled against it.

Our interpretation of the Decision is that the tribunal agreed that ABA was working and properly monitored but that there were some concerns about DC?s social skills development given that until that point ABA had been done in a home environment and not a peer setting. You may be interested to know -DITTO- that we had never claimed that ABA in isolation from DC?s peers would adequately meet his social skills needs.

The Decision was also based on the fact that no Local Authority report had recommended ABA, which is what you would expect WHY SAY THIS? PLAYING INTO THEIR HANDS. CONFIDENTLY ASSUME SOME DO AGREE and the reason for the tribunal. However, please read the document and make up your own mind. TOO SUPPLICATIING AND TOO CASUAL

Another issue I wanted to raise was that you and several other school employees witnessed both of the Local Authority representatives claim that the number of one-to-one hours should not be quantified and specified in DCs statement, and that this cannot be done in the new format of statements. I expect that you are aware YOU WILL BE AWARE that 8:37 of the Code of Practice states that blanket policies should not be made; however, you may also be interested to know that there is case law about this, which I would find incredibly difficult to believe that Local Authority employees who specialise in this area would be unaware. TOO VAGUE, TOO EMOTIVE. STATE THE POSITION., UP TO THEM TO DRAW CONCLUSION. NAME THE RULING

Returning to the issue about non-engagement with anything ABA, I would appreciate your reconsideration of this, TOO SUPPLICATIONG given that it is the default intervention in Ireland, and North Wales (spreading to South Wales), YOU NEED TO NAME LEAS AND GET THEIR WRITTEN POSITION ON IT. FOI IF NECESSARY the ASD Good practice Guidelines that suggests that schools should work together with home-programmes in an attempt to glean what is working well to use in the school environment, the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum which ........ and finally the General Teachers Code of Conduct which suggests open to........ .

MENTION RCSLT PLANNING & COMMISIIONING DOCUMENT WHICH SUPPORTS USE OF ABA

As you can see from above, the Local Authority?s instruction and recommendations can be unreliable, mislead and are out of line with general best practice and even unlawful. I find it incredibly difficult to believe that the instructions to refuse to engage with any alternative education that DC has received has been done in DC?s best interest or for educational reasons. TOO EMOTIONAL

IT'S TOO WORDY IN GENERAL. SHORTER, PUNCHIER,MUCH LESS EMOTIONAL AND PLEADING

I appreciate that any intervention that the school is unfamiliar with has to be at the discretion of the Head Teacher and Board of Governors and that I appeal to your professionalism and your outstanding rating as a school, reflective practice as well as your passion as a teacher to give DC a chance through the sharing of good practice, expertise that has already shown to get results (as you can see from the Decision which I am guessing you have until now not seen).

As a mark of my integrity and honesty in this, as always, I am happy for you to share this with anyone in the Local Authority that you deem appropriate if you feel that this is in DC?s best interest.

Yours RedNoise