SmallWhiteCat

[StarlightMcKenzie]

What do you make of this?

www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/applied_behavioural_analysis_9

Not one single child???

Well I don't believe it, but I believe it of some Authorities, - just not this one.

Its extremely strange that there isnt one single child that was given ABA as a result of a Tribunal. I suppose I can understand no ABA being automatically given.

Had you queried them on the TEACH programme? Maybe that is what they are putting forward instead.

Star did you ever find anything on Derbyshire? I know they throw the full weight against at Tribunal but there are often advertisements for ABA facilitators about around here but most probably not LEA funded.

Derbyshire were one of the few that refused to answer the question and used some daft irrelevant law to back up their claim. I have requested an internal review and have on my side the fact that the majority of other LA's DID give me the information.

Star, I would be fascinated to find out what all the answers were. I know there is a lot of talk on another website about how bad Wandsworth, London is - there is apparently one person in the LA's SEN dept there who is so virulently anti-ABA that he has made it his life's work to take poor beleaguered mums to tribunal in order to rip the ABA from their lives!

I tried a FOI request to the tribunal service to find out how many people are going to tribunal to win ABA this year, as opposed to 3 years ago. They said it was too much work and I haven't gone back yet with a more manageable request.

I have a FOI in and it's coming up to the deadline. I fully expect them to either miss the deadline or come up with some excuse as to why they can't tell me tbh.

Herts have that same remit. Every single family that has or is wanting ABA is being hauled to tribunal EVERY ANNUAL REVIEW. The reality is that it can cost more to take an LA to tribunal for ABA than the cost of the programme for one year. It does for us.

It will cost us more than the price of the programme to take the LA to tribunal for an ABA programme that costs LESS than the ineffective provision they want, plus their expenses on solicitors and their own tribunal costs.

But it is the principle they are fighting.

Yes, Derbyshire are a bit yuck, but it is North Yorkshire and Hammersmith and Fulham that have got my blood boiling.

A few refused to respond but as a result of me pointing out to them that they are nuts they have overturned. NY and H&F are sticking to their guns with talk of 3-step tests that are more rigourous than the law and other such nonsensical arguments for not providing it.

I suppose they are fighting so a precedent isn't set so not only fighting that case also fighting to protect themselves in future cases.

Did you go anywhere near Cornwall Star?

Yes, H and F have made life hell for several pals, not least because they think their TEACCH school Queensmill (with its OBE-crowned head, Jude something) is the bee's knees. I thought it was awful.

This is why we need councils to open their minds to getting the best bits of ABA into our mainstream special schools and units. They would save themselves (and us) a lot of money and heartache. But the prejudice runs deep.

Well the trouble is that our model is cheaper than theirs. They are already running scared wrt redundancies etc.

Big Society is all about parents/charities/community doing what the LA does but cheaper and better isn't it. Terrifying for them. But they have the power to release megabucks in solicitor fees against those that might be able to demonstrate their incompetence.

Yes, and I guess they can sit back and think they are doing good because nasty ABA is so cruel, so really they have the moral as well as financial highground in their little heads.

Coff:

Although Applied Behavioural Analysis is recognised by us it would be just one of the strands of our approach to supporting pupils. We are not aware of any formal requests by parents currently, neither have we assessed it as necessary for any of our students at this time.

Here you go, for ammusement - H&F

sickof Wandsworth have been very good. I think perhaps what has happened is that the ABA programmes (11 in total and only 1 of them as a tribunal win) are seen as an easy quick financial hit. If you can get rid of 10 ABA programmes in return for nothing or mainstream with delegated funding rather than LA you have 'saved' around £300k in one year possibly.

They make it clear that they are devising policy wrt ABA

Gosh, Wandsworth's reply is as helpful as H and F's is not! That Wandsworth reply would provide a good template for those seeking to get ABA funded, as it pretty much tells you what you have to say to get a "yes" from this LA at least. I am in awe that you have done all this Star! Anything from Richmond or Kingston LAs?

Richmond

Cagey but no leg to stand on.

God, it is small isn't it - only 7 out of the whole of massive Richmond Borough. No wonder they give in to a few, just to keep them quiet/stop them from being noisy and getting their message through to others that ABA is good/can be funded. Kingston?

I don't think I did Kingston. I got confused between boroughs and counties a few times.

I think a lot of LAs have the strategy towards ABA - keep it small, keep it quiet, or everyone will want one. So they avoid going to public tribunal, but just give the ones who shout loudest the funding (or at least they fund ABA till about age 7, when they start jumping around and saying "all kids should be in school by 7" - an unlawful blanket policy line which was used on me.)

It is very interesting that it has stayed so small, it is hard to get ABA more in the public eye.

And because most newly-diagnosed mums' channels of information are controlled by LAs, the word about ABA never gets out, except on an open forum like Mumsnet.

Thanks Star.............hmmmm so Cornwall sat on the shelf really

Reading between the lines they are saying yes we know about it but will go right round the houses with any other programme BUT! And obviously their numbers with ABA are zero. I just might put a spanner in their works when my DS gets his dx then and be the first formal request