LEA refused assessment.more advice needed please

[Madprest]

In the letter they require further information from school as well as a detailed assessment report from Ed Psych. Do they not ask school for info before making decision? And that the report from ed psych needed..this is what we want to find out if she as a learning disability. A meeting is suggested with us, school staff and an SEN and Disability Officer (even though they don't say who and when this is). As anybody been offered this and what it entails.
Could somebody tell me what the education take notice of regarding grades, is it teacher assesssments or test levels? I find that teacher assessment grades are much higher than her test level grades.

I was very surprised when I received her school records that there wasn't much info in them. Only got IEP's, School Reports, Attendance and one test that was done for SENCO in YR 2 (she is in YR 5 now). This was not sent to Education as they sent me all copies what school sent them. Nothing sent from SENCO whatsoever. School make me feel I am over reacting.
Thanks in advance for any help and advice.
(Apologies if this is all mumble...too much going on in my head)

Oh they do all all club together when they disagree.

I have not been rude.

Lougle certainly was rude and unsupportive.

If you want me to be rude just watch this space and I can be very rude indeed if I put my mind to it.

Very disappointed with the lot of you.

Good luck Madprest, hope you are successful in your appeal, would recommend giving Ipsea a call f you haven't already :)

Wet! I know full well you can be rude when you want to be.

I think one of the good, and bad things about this board is that posters get to 'know' each other a bit, and whilst I do not entirely agree with Lougle on this either, I do know her well enough to want to state that she isn't spiteful and to want to come to her defence against such an accusation.

I 'know' you too, and am not happy that you are cross either.

I just want to say Wetaugust I truly appreciate all your advice and I have taken this on board and you have given me more encouragement. I did find it upsetting with some comments about me doing more. When you have never experienced or have no knowledge about special needs it is mind blowing. Like Wetaugust as said if school have no idea how can people expect me too. I've answered questions to the best I could...I just want help, that's it HELP. A mothers instinct is paramount simple as that..if she was my only child then fair enough. I know you all have your own opinions but it doesn't sway me one bit. Indigo you have gave me advice last year and you was the one to tell me to go for SA so was quite surprised with different advice this time. But anyway I am so sorry for the friction caused (but understand with some comments) and it will not change my mind and I truly hope (Wetaugust) that I can update with a good outcome. Most of you have more knowledge in this field but when you haven't any (like myself) it is lonely,frustrating and very upsetting as you do not know where to turn to and to whom. School have had no idea so why do people expect me too. I only want what's the best for my daughter especially before she goes to high school. If I was well in the know I wouldn't be in the position I am in now...like some parents you trust your school. Anyway hope I can post some hapy news in the future.

Madprest I'm not certain anyones comments were directed at you wrt doing things, rather to posters that could be suggesting things that you could do besides fight the LA.

And there are things you can do, but you are right that unless someone tells you/directs you it can be very hard to know what exactly, and the LA and NHS don't tell you.

Firstly, one of the very most important things you can do is organise yourself. That means making a log of every single contact or phone call you have with any professional. Include in that log any internet sites or books or support groups you come across that you simply don't have time to research right now, so that they are 'parked' but not lost.

In your 'log' include any quotes or promises that you can quote back (or ideally put in writing) i.e. On the 7th Jan at 3:15 when we met in the corridoor at school you told me that you would be arranging for an EP to see my child. It has been ax time now and I so I was wondering if you could please tell me what day you have arranged this for etc etc.

You also need to keep a diary of things that concern you about your child, and possibly video. Make sure you have plenty of examples.

Now you'll also remember that I up thread I suggested you had a go at rewriting the IEP and offered to help. I'm afraid that you will need to learn skills like this because they are your basis for negotiation and keeping focussed and direction.

You shouldn't have to be, but I'm afraid you DO need to be clear about what you are trying to get out of the process, because many opportunities will be taken to side-track you and fob you off. In short, you have to know what it is you are fighting for in order to ensure that you get it, rather than simply a lifelong battle round in circles.

And Mad,

I know you are upset but aside from the arguing there are other people here that have offered you valuable advice.

I'm surprised I told you to go for a SA last year, but it's perfectly possible.

Based on advise on this board I applied for a SA in July. And I didn't get it. And I regret applying.

So I might well have advised you like that near July, but with experience my opinion has changed.

Star's given you good advise. Everyone here started out not knowing anything. And over years we've learnt.

You need to get your head round IEPs and communicating with school.

This is absolutely crucial.

I'm also not at all clear what your DDS main problem is, and what you think might be the cause of it.

Is her main problem academic? In which case you need to talk to school about seeing the EP and post for more advise on the primary board.

Or is her main problem social / anxiety? In which case you need to be talking to the paed. Is it possible she has Aspergers? Or even ADD-PI?

So you need to do your research and work out what you think might be wrong and then push for the right professional to see her.

Once you know whether you think she has dyslexia or aspergers or ADD or something else, then the next step will become clear.

I think the reason people get so upset with disagreement or challenge on here is because there's so much in real life. Wet and lougle.... I still think my numbers are ok

Because:

• it didn't help my relationship with school (especially my relationship with the SENCO)

• it didn't help DD

• it created more work for school

• it caused me stress

• and DD doesn't need one.

• a 1:1 TA would have been bad for her - at the moment I'm fighting for her to get less support.

And I was in a fairly strong position when I applied. I had an EP report. I had evidence that school had done lots and lots and couldnt be expected to provide more and I had evidence of inadequate progress.

But since then I've found a therapy that is really helping her (and DS1 and DS2) and she is now doing really well. I expect her to fully catch up this year, and come off the SEN register.

As well as finding the right therapy, working closely with school has been key. DD reads to someone twice a day. (as she did last year).

This is exactly the right amount of up support for her - and doesn't require a statement.

But school could never ever have helped her if I hadn't found a therapy that helped her, and changed her diet etc. all school can do is teach her - but her problem wasn't bad teaching.

This is why dyslexia is very different to ASD.

"Because:

• it didn't help my relationship with school (especially my relationship with the SENCO)
• it didn't help DD
• it created more work for school
• it caused me stress".

Inidigo, I just wanted to say that if the above are the consequences of you applying for a statutory assessment then I think they really shouldn't be.

They are (in my humble view) indicative of the problems which are potentially inherent within the statutory assessment process itself and the behaviour of professionals who sometimes have very little understanding of what parents are going through.

Individual parents are absolutely not responsible for the adversarial nature of the process which, in my experience and the experience of others who post on this board, is magnified by the manner in which some professionals behave.

What is it exactly that "didn't help your relationship with school"?

I suspect you were doing what you thought was right for your child - what professional (with any understanding of the system or of the efforts required to survive it) would hold this against you, whatever the outcome?

What was it that caused you stress - could it have been the response from professionals at least in part?

It's great to hear that your child is making such progress, for many of us our children won't do so without the provision that they need which is only enforceable through a legally binding statement of educational need - and even then only through judicial review in some circumstances.

Madprest, in my experience, its really hard to parent children with additional needs whilst LA's often seem to me to spend their finite resources fighting you and preventing provision being made. The costs of tribunals and judicial reviews deplete their resources and it seems illogical to me that the adversary (which is inherent in the SEN system) is so wide spread as this really does not help. I sincerely wish you the very best in attaining what your child needs through whatever route you choose to take and that you receive the support you need from others in order to get through the processes, we all need this, I'm sure.

I have this morning received a copy of a fab letter written by a very understanding consultant with a conscience which holds nothing back in supporting our request for provision and accurately reflecting our experiences of local services - these people do exist and I have learnt that when you find one it's best to hold on to them for as long as you can!

I guess the real reason I regret applying is becsause DD didn't need a statement and I feel like i was an idiot to apply.

There is absolutely no way she needed a statement. And so I was an idiot to apply.

She was 2 years behind academically though at the time.

Yes, that is the difference. Your children did need statements.

I think indigo meant from her own experience she found her child didnt need a statement on hindsight due to finding therapies AFTER applying.....(and you know what if I found something that worked for my son I would be over the moon rather than battle LAs)

And people are right it is stressfull EXTREMELY stressful. But so is not knowing what is going on with your child that schools can be very blind too. Everyones experiences are different and are volountered here to help someone new come to a choice of their own. I dont see the point in people trying to prove one way or another that there view/experience/opinion is the best path to follow which seems how quite a bit of this thread is going. For a start none of us know the OP school, the child or even the mum for that matter

Except valuable time and energy which could be spent pursuing the right sort of help for your daughter this I have to say I felt was an unfair supposition really? As it implies that the OP is channeling everything on this one route. And clearly she has concerns and is seeking as much advice as possible. Now we all know our skill is multi tasking. Far better suggestion might have been to go with your own instincts and appeal if you feel that your dd is being failed but at the same time it may make sense to pay for a private proffessional to spell out your dds issues in the meantime and then research help therapies available should the appeal be refused again......in other words keep all options open :)

Good luck OP I hope it all works out well for your DD x

I don't know, I think valuable time and energy is something which can be 'used up' on chasing a statement which might not happen. Though I know that lots of people are able to chase diagnosis, private help, self-help, kicking the school into touch on SA+ etc while fighting for a statement, lots of others aren't.

I made a SA request because I know ds1 needs a statement (not for full-time 1-1, but for way more input than the school can give on SA+). The LEA said no, 'local resolution' failed and I chose not to appeal. Because the stress involved would mean the collapse of our home life and more than undo the benefits of an 'adequate' education.

Interesting that those who consider that Madprest should not appeal or consider that appealing would have been too stressul are those who have applied and been refused SA themselves.

We should look at posting advice that is dispassionate and not project our own experiences onto another OP's situation.

Yes Leonie. I well remember your first posts on here and the sheer frustration you were facing.

Mariamagdelana - you actually were correct in not appealing against the LA's refusal to assess, as you say your child was already receiving an 'adequate' education - and that's all they are legally entitled to.

Indigo knows her child's problems stem from dyslexcia and has strategies to support that without a Statement - so again no cause for appeal.

Madprest (whom I really dislike writing about as she is not active on this thread) has a child with chronic learning disabilities for which no satisfory explanation has been received and for which her present school has no effective strategies.

That's why in her case, the advise is to appeal.

His education really isn't adequate, it's just not so inadequate that the fight for additional help wouldn't have been worth the trauma at this stage. I'm sure we'd have got SA eventually, then fought note-in-lieu, then rubbish statement, then reasonable statement, finally decent statement, then threats of judicial review for failure of school/LEA to actually provide said provision....

So he has 30 hours a week of less-than-adequate education while I build up additional evidence and get my head around reapplying and getting ready for tribunal in the future. Or say F* it and plan for homeschoool .

I don't know if madprest should or shouldn't appeal; I guess for most people it comes down to a risk-benefit balance: the chances of meaningful external help v. the time and effort the parents have to divert into the fight. I'm aware of the dangers of projecting one's own situation which is why I didn't post till there was a big enough spread of opinion that the OP would be able to pick and choose who to listen to.

The problem with settling for a less than adequate education is that by the time you have overwhelming evidence that it has prolonged the period your child is receiving an unsatisfactory education.

It also becomes more difficult (I think) to obtain a Statement towards the end of junior school as the school knows they will be rid of that child in a relatively short period and just as difficult at the start of secondary school with new teachers and no 'class teacher'.

I certainly wouldn't fail to apply / appeal because it would be stressful / interfere unduly with family live / upset the school etc.

These are vital years in a child's education. Years that are going by with less than adequate support and resulting in shortfalls that cannot be made up.

Time just has to be found.

"Interesting that those who consider that Madprest should not appeal or consider that appealing would have been too stressul are those who have applied and been refused SA themselves."

I applied myself, and got to a final Statement naming an excellent Special School within 20 weeks (normal timeline is 26 weeks)

"We should look at posting advice that is dispassionate and not project our own experiences onto another OP's situation."

Wet, you should know I hugely respect you, but on this occasion I rather think it is you who projects.