Starlight, Agnes and anyone else who has been following my saga

[Claw3]

As you know school gave me a OT referral form to sign and return to school. Ds was previously referred to this OT service by Paed and SALT, over a year ago, referal was decline as they did not have any sensory trained OT's.

So i phoned the OT service to find out if they now have sensory trained OT, they do. She also said that ds has only just been assessed, so they would not assess again for a least a year.

She said i do not need school to refer and if i wanted ds to be referred, i could fill out the form and supply copies of relevant reports and they could decide on Monday whether to accept the referal, but warned they would probably not accept the referal as they are overworked and are only accepting children with severe physical disabilities etc and their waiting list is long.

She said she would write me a letter, stating that school should accept the ind OT assessment, as theirs wouldnt be any different and follow the recommendations they have already been given.

What do you think?

I would accept that.

The only thing i am worried about is them accepting the referal. They are clearly overworked and wouldnt be able to follow the recommendations and i dont want this to result in them claiming 'no difficulties' especially with school influence, rather than provided the therapy.

I did tell her that the OT recommendations involved fortnightly therapy from OT etc and she told me they do not supply therapy, they just show school what to do and i would be better off instructing an ind OT.

Hopefully this should work in my favour though shouldnt it? ie that ds needs therapy from a ind OT.

I really dont want to bite off my nose to spit my face!

Sorry, I meant I would accept a letter from the NHS OT saying that school should accept the private OT assessment and recommendations.

I wouldn't accept the referral if you're already going private.

Well in order for them to write the letter, i have to refer ds and supply OT report, they write back to me declining the referal, stating they are only able to accept the most severe cases (she explained this me as children who could not feed themselves, could not walk etc) and stating that ds has already had a full OT assessment so this would be a waste of resources and the OT assessment and findings would be no different to theirs, so school should just accept the OT report and get on with it basically.

I suppose i dont have to accept the referal, if they accept anyhow, so i have nothing to lose?

Exactly - you have nothing to lose. :)

Seems too good to be true!

Yes. I would accept that too.

I would perhaps respond to their letter to confirm that a)they don't offer therapy, and b)they are too busy to take on cases like your ds. But only do this after you get the letter.

Do the school know how to do the therapy? Or would you have to send in an independent therapist.

The thing is, I can't see the NHS OT suggesting 'officially' that you should get private OT, because he either needs it or he doesn't. The secret is in whether or not it is a medical or education need.

If it is a medical need, then they can claim lack of resources, but if it is an educational need then lack of resources is no excuse, your ds should get it funded by the LA.

No school dont know how to do the therapy, SENCO claimed to have regular meetings with OT, there are only 2 OT's in this area and the OT service had never even heard of the school. Id like to know which OT she has meetings with!

She said that she would write a letter, along the lines of ind OT assessment is the same as theirs and school should follow the recommendations, duplicating work was a waste of time kind of thing.

I told her i was thinking of ind OT to go into school to do the therapy etc, you never know she might slip up. So i suppose i will hand deliver the referal and copy of reports and wait and see. Fingers crossed.

Sorry another question, the only reports i need to include is his dx and ind OT report isnt it? I have lots of reports, but i dont actually want them to accept the referral.

Yes they are only interested in OT