Submitting statement request - what else do I need?

[farming4]

Hi - well after a lot of work and chasing reports etc I'm ready to submit the formal request for assessment for ds.

I am including copies of reports from Paed, SaLT, Pre-school profile, development assessment done by HV, intervention timetable from pre-school, anticipated intervention timetable for reception, last 3 IEP's and letter of support from the HT at school.

Anything else I have missed? Thanks

farming,

I would certainly use IPSEA's model letter if you are planning on making the initial request for statutory assessment www.ipsea.org.uk.

You need to bear in mind they are unlikely to want to read (or even bother to read) all these reports at such an early stage (these can be submitted in the event they ask for Parental Submission).

Good luck, do appeal their crass decision in the event they say no. You will need to write to the Chief Education Officer at your LEA (the council officers will give you that person's name) and give them six weeks to reply (mark that date on your calendar).

Agree, you probably don't need to send all these reports at this stage. I would just send the paed report and pre-school profile tbh.

The person who receives the initial request won't consider any report in detail, except to make a snap judgement whether there is obvious need to assess (or not). Save the reports to send with your own submission for the next stage, which is when they do the actual assessment and decide whether to give a statement or not.

My first letter asking for SA was just two-ages of bullet points of ds's difficulties.

Good luck. You sound very organised which will stand you in good stead for the process to come!

Thanks - I know I have a fight on my hands! School, pre-school, paed, SaLT and hv all support him having a statement - however the inclusion officer for the LEA has stated that he won't get one . HT at school has already said to be prepared to go to appeal at the very least but probably tribunal! so watch this space......I've a feeling I shall be posting on here for many months to come.....

so if the pre school/school are behind you why are they not requesting SA from my time working with the LEA request from agencies are looked at more seriously than those requested by parents.

Basically ds moves from pre-school to reception this Sept and the school says they won't have enough evidence to support the statement until he has been there for at least a term and as of the end of July hes no longer pre-school responsibility so from my pov I want the process started asap cos I know the earliest we will get a statement will be 2012 now. If I leave it until the school knows him and how hes getting on it will be the start of yr1 and thats if everything goes through without me having to fight them.

Also if I do it myself I shall know exactly what is (and isn't) happening!

utah , in some LAs requests are actually taken more seriously if they are from parents, supported by the school, as it's much easier to fob off a school than a concerned parent. Also parents have better appeal rights than schools, they don't have to wait 6 months between requests. Obviously, the more evidence from professionals, the better, but the SA itself is the place for the detail.