More statement advice I'm afraid!!

[mumgoingcrazy]

I have just received DD2's final statement and she has been given 25hrs 1:1.

I submitted a long document when I rejected the proposed amended statement as to why DD2 needs 32 hrs, her ms school also submitted evidence as to why they also would like DD2 to have 32 hrs.

Also, it is worded "DD2 will have ACCESS to TA", not even 'receive'.

The rest of the statement is fine as nothing has changed, all therapy provision is specified and quantified in part 3 etc.

So I know I need to appeal to get the hours increased but how do I do this? Also, I already told them in my evidence what I wanted the wording to be and they've blatantly ignored it.

DD2 is 4 and starts reception in Sept.

Any advice greatly received x

You need to submit the appeal request into SENDIST (they have a website).
I think and I will stand corrected on this that you will need to finalise the statement first with the LEA and then appeal it, others hopefully will be able to advise you further.

LEA's are ones for ignoring evidence I am sorry to say no matter how well worded it is.

The whole statement will have to be rejected out of hand anyway because you have the mealy mouthed, "DD2 will have access to TA".

I would also try and speak to one of the charitable organisations out there who deal with this sort of problem like IPSEA, ACE, SOSSEN etc.

Thank you Atilla, as far as I know this is the final statement so hopefully this means I can now appeal.

I've dealt with sossen up until now, but I called today and they aren't back from the summer break until Sept 5th.

I'll look at the sendist website, thank you for all the tips
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Does it actually say 1:1? 'have access too' is not good enough , we are having the same problem, dd2's statement says '30hrs of TA per week to be used in small groups, as a class of 1:1', she was getting 32 hours 1:1 at her old school even though the statement was vague, now she's starting a new school in 2 weeks and the school have cut her 1:1 to 20 hours and the rest will be TA as a class (covered by the TA which works with the whole class), i am now fighting for full 1:1, her case worker agrees she needs full 1:1 but is refusing to put it on the statement. I'm now waiting for the 6th of September (when she starts) to arrange a meeting with the school and i am ready for a fight, LEA have told me to discus it with the school, if they wont listen then they will get involved (i'm not holding out much hope for this). Good luck xxx

Make it clear in your appeal that you and the school are unclear on how many hours of 1:1 she should receiving as it is unspecified and unquanitified.

Don't get hung up on the 32 hours. I mean that is very important of course, but access to a TA for 32 is hardly an improvement. All children have that if there is a classroom TA.

And do you know that you can delay the start of your child at the school until a term after their 5th birthday? You might want to delay it until after the tribunal.

Thank you for your comments, and also I can now see it isn't 1:1. It actually says:

"DD2 will have access to teaching assistant time for a total of 25 hours per week......".

As you say starlight, all children have access to a TA for 32 hours a week.

Even more rubbish than I first thought.

My contact at sossen isn't back until Sept 5th, but I have to sort this statement out. I'll contact sendist but all I can see happening is me saying "I want it worded like this" and the LA saying "no".

DD2 actually has a place in a sn unit attached to a mainstream so she will be fine as the ratio is 1:2, however the LA don't know she has a place here, they think she is mainstream. However, I still have to sort out the statement as the view is for her to be mainstream with full 1:1 hopefully by the end of infants so the statement needs to be tight now so I start as I mean to go on. Also, principle too, how dare they leave her high and dry like this.

I've just had an email from DD2's statement to say 1:1, and would I like a meeting with the statement writer as what I am appealing about is wording more than anything else?

Is this because I asked them to send me information on tribunals so I can appeal?

What shall I do? I'm so new to all this fighting I have no idea what I'm doing. Thanks
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