The road to Statementing...

[CinnamonPretzel]

we wrote our letter requesting an assessment for a statement for DS.
Letter received the next day and a pack was sent straight to us.
I need to fill in how DSs education is affected, his educational needs, what he's good at at school and at home, why we thing he needs a statement etc
The DS has to fill in his own one. What he likes, doesn't, good at etc... This in itself will be hard to motivate; it's dull, tedious and boring and he has to fill in the exact same document at school
Do all SENCAN LA send these out?
How much detail should I be putting at this stage? It's for them to decide whether to agree to an assessment.
Then when/if they agree then send out more forms...
Geez

It was my sons setting that requested for the statement so it was a bit different for me, but it is this document that will be used to decide if they will start the statement process. It will also be used in the appendix of the proposed and final statement and evidence of needs and provision. Mine was in the form of bullet points so lots of information could be added without loads of paperwork. If they agree they the appointment for the professionals will begin.

i think it was my ds sw who started this. i remember forms being sent to me and his dad. the form was quite detailed. what he was like as a baby, when he walked talked etc. theres so much paperwork. everytime someone added something i got another copy in the post lol.

Without wanting to be too miserable about it all, they won't pay too much attention to what you and your ds write anyway.

If he wants to write - 'Ain't filling in stupid bloody form', then you can just submit that as evidence that he finds unmotivating things difficult without support. Or perhaps he can just draw a picture of a penis!?

That last comment was meant as a joke btw.

What will happen is they will take all the reports and paperwork submitted and then decide whether or not to issue a statement. If they decide no, you can appeal, and THAT is when you have a better idea what to put, because you can ask why he didn't meet the criteria and then taylor your answers appropriately.

If they agree to do a SA, then you'll be asked for your comments/views again and you may have more of an idea based on the reports submitted by their professionals.

If you get a statement then you'll be issued a proposed statement, when you are able to comment on. At this point you are able to submit your reasons/explanations as to what needs to be changed/increased.

If they finalise without it being as your ds needs it to be, you can appeal and then you get to refine your information to the relevant sections that you are appealing about.

So, basically, what I am saying is don't put your whole life blood into the document at this stage as you'll have no energy left for the later stages when you'll be asked for your opinions again.

This is simply to decide whether or not he needs an assessment? Odd - ours was very brief at that stage. We put together a one page letter that went in with the paperwork filled out by the senco at the school. THEN once they agreed to do the assessment, that's when they sent the booklet with all the questions. I guess every area does things just a little different.

Best of luck - they're stressful, and it's always a huge relief when it's done.

We are just going through the same process and we also have reams of paperwork to fill in. A five page table format parental questionnaire going into everything, right down to whether he is up to date with dental and optician check ups!

We have also been told we need to submit a robust academic-style report detailing everything we can think of with evidence annexed and clearly referenced and to make sure everything is easy to find and identify.

I assumed we could just do the standard IPSEA request for SA letter, plus a supporting document listing our reasons for requestion - couldn't have been more wrong.

I have to say, its scared the pants off me and I spent half of last week trying to get it all straight in my head.

I'm hoping to get cracking and get it all done this week, the school are doing the same and then we're going to put together a final 'pack' betwee us combining both, which hopefully has no holes in it and which I will submit as a parental request.

It does seem to vary a lot from LA to LA. Is there anyone who's been through this before that you could ask about how much detail you need to go into - inclusion teacher, SENCO or failing that perhaps Parent Partnership?

I've found the input of our inclusion team invaluable - they've been through it all loads of times and have seen where applications have failed in the past, so their experience with our particular LEA is priceless.

Thanks all... and loved the initial response Starlight :o
I'll sit down tonight and start on my part but I had DS sit with me this afternoon to fill in his (he's 7 next month).
Its a 'My Views' work sheet and he has to fill in the exact same thing at school too

We started at 15:00 and I basically logged our discussions all the way through, his reactions, why he wouldn't or couldn't complete, what he did inbetween, such as distraction/attention wondering off onto something else etc. We finished at 16:40.

He had to write: "I like, I don't like, Outside school I am good at, These things are a bit difficult for me, At school I am good at, These things are a bit difficult for me, Its a good day when, These people help me, They help me by, What I think about the help I get, I don't need help with, I would like help with, These people could help me, These things could help me, They could help me by, Sometimes I am unhappy or worry about, People who know me say I am, I would also like to say"

It was like trying to get blood out of a stone. Enticement/reward was 1 pack of special cards per page and then the Wii if ALL was completed.
He wet himself, drew on my pillow and himself, had a break/drink, made a lot of sounds and fidgets and 'I don't know' was a lot of the response!

According to the sheet with it, we are not supposed to tell him what to write, so I tried my hardest to think of thought provoking things to get him thinking, but without actually raising areas I know he would say, I couldn't.

Instead, we have a few view details, a few blanks, a couple of I don't knows and an A4 page from me (a written commentary of events for that hour and half). :(

Oh well...

Hi Moosemama,
X post. School are good re: being supportive etc. SENCO apparently has been on the statement panel before but DS is also meeting academic targets so although backing us on the request, feel he won't get it. If he does through tribunal, thinks he might not achieve any more hours than he'd getting.
I'm working on my own really, don't know many people with SEN kids, and not friends with any or many people to get support from.
Pushing on.. we'll get there - I'm just going to do what I usually do, and detail as much as possible that relevant to the questions and wait for the next batch of paperwork :)

hello,ive just joined today,but just wanted to say that last week my son got his statement,are the forms the yellow ones? i had help filling this in with the class t a -just wondered if they could help you?.also on the part where it says childs views,i just wrote that due to x age and condition he was unable/didnt want to fill in this bit.hth. some other advice i got was (although it can be hard) you need to kind of focus just on the negatives (or as i was told dont paint a rosy picture!) gd luck

My DD has done these at school recently - they simply took her aside and chatted to her and threw into the conversation things like "What do you like at school?" and recorded her answers for her. They did this on 3 or 4 occasions with her so they could show she wasn't just having a bad/good day and I think on one occasion they tried to do it with her doing a little drawing about things she was good at, things she didn't like etc and adding notes to her drawings. At least one of the questions she would just say "don't know" on each occasion and it was quite revealing that she didn't think she was bad at anything at school when to the adults around her she is clearly struggling.

Thanks.
I think I will type up my notes tonight along with filling out my form and then tomorrow, do similar - ask the questions and say I will scribe and see what response I get. DS is completing school one on Tuesday so I don't want that to affect his home responses. I suppose having to complete it in to different environments is to see the varying response?! Will be interesting to see how they do it and what answers he gives.

Okay - So I did DS on his own, reading through the sheet together and him aswering himself.. didn't get much tbh, but have typed up a report on what he said, how he acted each step of the way.
Following day, I asked him the questions, he answered, I wrote that plus running commentary of actions etc.

I've just fnished typing it all up - 2500 words approx... I'm exhausted from working late last night but I now have to fill in MY form. I need to send it off tomorrow, so I can't go to bed yet.

Questions
What are your concerns about your child's education?
Why have you asked for a statutory assessment?
How has the school helped your child?
How often have you had meetings about your child's progress at school in the last twelve months?
What is your child good at doing at home?
What is your child good at doing at school?
What do you think your childs special educational needs are?
How do you think your child can best be helped at school?
Is there anything else you would like to tell us about your childs difficulties?

Brain swirling, whirling, whizzing {vomit emoticon required}

:(

Okay - I'm done... I've done it... its bed time... sleepy time {falling aleep emoticon now needed}

That statementing form sounds a nightmare :( Well done for completing it! :)

Thanks - I'm still tired... Still had to get up for work.
DS completed the worksheet in school today too (3rd attempt overall), SENCO scribed and he completed it in 20mins :( it took 1hr plus on his own at home, then again the following day with me scribing.
I went on a bit in my part, but this is only for them to agree for an assessment!! So not overly fussed she lies :)

Bloody hell, my request for statement form had a box size of 1/2 a side of A4 for the parental contribution 1. The actual Statutory Assessment parental contribution 2 ran to 9 pages. Your form seems designed to put people off applying, or am I being cynical? Hope you kept a soft copy, I expect you'll need something very similar for your next stage!

It all seems duplicated. The questions although different, you can't help but recap using the information your supplied on the previous for some of it. They asked the same information on the start of two of the forms and one of the forms asked me for my view on their assessing DS. I just wrote for them to refer to the letter I had originally written for them to start it, stating I was the one who had requested it so wanted them to get moving.
I copied everything before I sent it, and also sent it special delivery as its due tomorrow. Just want it done... exhausted

Keep off the and an early night for you, then young lady!

Am I was I supposed to send in the OT and Psych report with my questionnaire for the panel to decide whether to agree to assess for a statement?
Believe they told the school they'll meet on Thursday so I have time to copy and drop it in. I thought that was for the main assessment that I send it in?
HELP - little panicky now
So stressed typing up ny bits that I forgot the rest and even then I'm now not sure I answered the questions properly :(

I'd send copies in, they should be asking for new reports for the SA so anything already completed will only help your case for them to start SA.

Thanks Ellen. My bits had to be there yesterday but might adjust my questionnaire, copy all my reports and resend everything.
I have so much to do on top of this, my head feels like its about to explode. Fingers crossed all will work out. :)

I re-read, re-typed, re-jigged etc.. I added reports, minutes of multi-review meeting and also received OT report yesterday - JUST in time. Sent everything into SENCAN. Arrived today and the panel meet on Friday :)
Toes AND fingers crossed :o

Sending you the (rather naf) good vibrations. ~~~~~~~~~~~

I phoned SENCAN at lunchtime for the answer. I was told 'they were unable to say yes to an assessment at this time and would like to meet to discuss further' :(
Basically, once I got more info... they said they had reviewed and taken into consideration all the paperwork, but didn't feel there was enough information from the school to show what support they are giving DS on SA+

I was sooo disappointed and angry... obviously to start with I started to blame SENCO, although I should know better I didn't go into school guns blazing, but DSs teacher could see my annoyment was pointed in that direction and I REALLY didn't mean to point fingers at them, but I was so frustrated, I AM frustrated.

Everyone is being soo understanding/helpful and I know that, but it doesn't stop the stress in my head. I feel dizzy, tired, slightly numb, fed-up, stressed, nothing is letting up. The pressure in the base of my head... the tears are burning behind my eyes but when I try to cry they go again!

I have a few people, but feel alone in this battle - not just the Statement!
Why isn't there a crying, screaming, hands thumbing, heading banging emoticon

"They said they had reviewed and taken into consideration all the paperwork, but didn't feel there was enough information from the school to show what support they are giving DS on SA+"

Sorry to hear this Cinnamon.

Unfortunately this type of scenario does tend to happen quite frequently; infact someone I know is having the same set of problems at present. This also happened to me.

They will indeed offer to meet you further to discuss this.

Tell school to get their additional paperwork in asap, offer to take it to the LEA yourself if you have to. It needs to be there to meet their next panel meeting.