Has anyone managed to get 30 hours on their statement and how was it worded?

[mumgoingcrazy]

DD2 4.0 yr starts mainstream with 1:1 in September, she is leaving a school for severe learning difficulties and needs full time 1:1. Her new teacher attended her AR and agreed she would need at least 25 hours, preferably 30 and that she would get this regardless of what was on the statement even if the school had to fund it. Obviously I would like it in the statement, but at the moment she only being offered 20 hours.

I also don't like the wording of this 20 hours either as it says "DD2 will have access to Teaching Assistant time for a total of 20 hours per week for individual, paired and small group intervention, working under the guidance of the class teacher and SENCO etc etc". The class teacher is Senco and a very good special needs teacher and the TA is special needs trained as well so happy on that front.

The physio/OT/SALT is all specified and quantified as that hasn't changed from the previous statement but this 1:1 section is new and I don't like it.

I know lots of you have loads of statement experience so if you have any tips I would be very very grateful.

DD2 can't feed herself, dress herself and isn't toilet trained and won't be for ages.

TIA x

Thank you electra.

I've tried sossen and ipsea but get engaged or no answer, but will keep trying. sossen helped me before which is why the therapy provision in her statement is good, but I think I have 15 days to reject this proposed amended statement.

Is it a case of changing the wording to DD2 will receive ....... rather than have access to.........?

Thanks

have pmed you

Dd2 her statement, it says:

30hrs ot teaching assistance, to be used under guidence of the SENCO and the class teacher, to develop xxx's learning needs as identified in part 2 of the statement. The teaching assistant support will be used in small groups, as part of the class and on individual basis for spacific programmes eg. individual programmes for spelling, reading, speach and language ect.

The school provides more than what the statement says and have exta funding to provide 1:1 for lunch and break times, most of her TA is 1:1 (she has her own TA).

Thanks ninja and marne.

Marne, does yours specify that the TA must be sn trained?

I'm hoping with only the hours being an issue on the statement the LA will just amend them rather than go to appeal/tribunal etc. What are my chances?

It says something like: the ta should have knowllege of ASD and PEC's and the school must have access to behavioral support and psychological services, SALT is mentioned and visual timetables. Also adults applying srategies using TEACCH eg. social stories.

Fingers croosed you can get it ammended without tribunal, we were lucky and got the 30 hours (as above) straight away (without appeal). Dd2's has just been reviewed and we are waiting for her new statement but it should be almost the same as the old one, we are hoping to get OT put on there as well as a few other bits but TA/1:1 should be the same (i hope).

We got 25 hours 1-1 teaching assistance (ie 5 hours daily) and 5 hours of lunchtime support.

The idea being that the other 5 hours (ie 5 lunchtimes) she doesn't need teaching, just support.

Thank you bdaonion and marne.

I'm putting together a rather large document now giving all my reasons as to why she needs 32. It makes pretty miserable reading actually but I've managed to speak to sossen now so hopefully it will be changed without an appeal.

Glad you got your hours without soo much hassle, there is hope!

Hope your DD2's statement is what you want marne.

Sorry cross posted sidge.

Who does your other 5 hours of lunchtimes?

Sounds like a good set up too!

We achieved 30 hours - wasn't worth the paper it was written on - the school provided untrained, unqualified assistant who just sat my son outside of the class and he played on the computer - all this with OT and Physio and input from GOSH.
I'm in no way saying this is common - just keep a very close eye on what and how they interpret the SSEN - our [ex- we Home Ed now] school took the funding and did bugger all with it as far as our son was concered.

Umm, I think the lunchtime lady is a TA rather than an LSA - my DD has complex needs including supervision around food, safety in the playground, toileting etc so Maggie (her lunch lady!) has her for that hour each day whilst her LSA has her lunch break.

Seems to work quite well.

Provision made by the LA:

"32.5 hours of 1:1 LSA support and additionally 5.5 hours of LSA time to assist with joint planning, resource preparation etc. etc."

Did take years to get, but those 38 hours are vital!

38 hours, wow.

The LA have regarded DD2's needs as 'severe and complex' so find it baffling only 20 hours are offered.

Sidge, that sounds like a good setup.

Thanks again everyone

Safety aspects (v violent at time and is a runner) were what created (eventually) acceptance that 38 hours were needed.

DS2 has 25 hrs, although the school is still providing 30 hrs as agreed. (well, 28 actually as he comes in 2 hrs late one day per week due to riding with RDA)

The senco was horrified when they initially told her they were looking at 15 hrs and asked her for some specific info. She bombarded them with more info and insisted they review the paed and OT's info and speak to them as 15 hrs was simply not enough. She was pretty convinced that they had not even gone through everything in the packet, as they weren't aware of some of the info that was clearly in the reports from the paed and the OT.

So we didn't attempt to get the 30 hrs, and took the 25 hrs on the agreement with the school that they would continue covering those extra 3 hrs. Had it been any other school, I wouldn't have taken their word, but this school has been nothing but supportive all along, providing 30hrs of 1:1 prior to statement out of their own budget and securing extra funding on their own to make sure he had the support he needs.

38 hrs is truly impressive!!!

Thanks...think it's mainly because he's borderline mainstream/ special school and so it's cheaper for the LA to chuck money at mainstream as they're shitscared that I will demand the only special school that can cater for him (60-100k, 1 hour away, would need escort and taxi to and from there every day!)

boldbanana, i take courage from your words coz am going in for the same option, hopefully they increase my hours in my statement esp SaLT which is absolutely a laugh. 4 hours per term! Dont know why they even bother.

boldbanana, i take courage from your words coz am going in for the same option, hopefully they increase my hours in my statement esp SaLT which is absolutely a laugh. 4 hours per term! Dont know why they even bother.