Proposed statement arrived - advice please

[Shakirasma]

we have today received my DS proposed statement.

I am happy with the statement as it is good and strong, and is insisting on lots of provision for individual and small group learning which is exactly what my son needs.

However It does not specify anything about the number of 1:1 hours he should get. Is this normally stated at this point? Or does this mean the LA are leaning towards a special school for him? (which is what we want tbh)

Thank you

Hi, I'm sure more knowledgeable people will be along shortly, but I would say you need to know if they are naming a main stream school or a special school as this will make a difference. Is a school named in part 4? I believe that if it's a special school then it's not so unusual to not have stated hours, however , in a mainstream I would definitly what hours specifying.

My sons proposed statement had no hours stated, and when I challenged it was eventually proposed as about 20 hours I think. He actually got a statement for 32.5 hours although we had to go through tribunal to get it.
If you look on here it's not unusual for hours not to be specified as it is an easy way for lea's to say they are meeting the terms of the statement. (I.e if there are no hours specified they can't be challenged on not providing them).

As I say, I think special school may be slightly different but that's only going on what I've read on here, I've no experience of statements in special school. What I would say is I would approach it as if it's mainstream and push them to quantify hours. If you end up with SS which is what you want then it wont hurt to have hours specified, whereas if you end up in mainstream them it may be a hugh problem if it's not quantified.

Just one word of warning, it's fab that you statment has lots of provison stated. Just make sure that wording of this is watertight. Ie. X will take part in a weekly 'friendship group'. This will be four 1 hr a week with a maximum of x number of children and be delivered by a named person who will be responsible for delivering the programme etc etc.

Statements tend to say things like, x will have oppotunity to take part in, or x will have access to.... etc, which doesn't really say much at all.

HTH
Good luck

Mine had no hours on it. However it contained phrases like, highly sturctured small group environment with specialist teaching. Multi sensory environment. Staff trained in Makton, Paget Gorman or whatever specialist type teacing your child may require.

These kinds of phrases usually mean a specialist placement which was what we got.

How well do you get on with your case worker at the LEA, would you be able to call her up and ask directly.

How much provision for small group learning. How many times a week, and for how long? what is the maximum no. Of children, should they be a similar level or advanced of your ds. What is the small group provision for, what do the qualifications of the small group leader need to be?

Is this written in the statement?

Find out which way the LA are heading MS or SS.

MS? do NOT agree the statement and dont rest till you get the hours specified and quantified. They dont do it later on the final one. What you see now is what you will get along with a school named.

They will fob you off with "we dont do that anymore" and parent partnership will tell you the same (they did me) its not true and it is still illegal not to do it.

You may here 'We don't do that any more'. You will most likely hear them refer to a Government publication to justify this. Don't be intimidated. The law is the law.

Thank you all for your replies.

Starlight, none of what you ask is written into the statement, except what the small group and individual learning is for.

It does state how he should be communicated with, and that all staff in the school must be consistent. And it states that his learning environment must provide access to staff who have training and experience working with children with ASD.

If they are going to recommend Special school then I think it is a perfectly good statement, but if they want MS then looking at it, it is Rathwr vague and wushu washy

Wishy washy.

Oh and it does clearly acknowledge that the school environment itself is his biggest barrier to learning (noisy, busy) and makes significant provisions about this, but knowing how the classrooms are set up, particularly from year 1 onwards, I don't see how his current ms school can fulfil them.

And there is nothing in part 4.

It's hard to say what they intend from what you have written but you can write to them (best to write) stating that you cannot accept this statement if it is intended for a mainstream environment as it is nit specific enough so can they confirm they are intending to put x school if parents request it.

All staff having had training in ASD is nowadays claimed by the majority of schools.

Does it say SALT embedded in the curriculum?

Is there anything in part 5?

Hi Starlight.

It talks about SALT in terms of consultancy input and periods of intervention, including diagnostic therapy, direct work on a specific therapy programme, and demonstrating techniques and strategies to teaching staff.

Section 5 states "X has autistic spectrum disorder"

Section 6 states "X requires support from speech and language therapy.

Just been digging...

Statement says "the frequency and duration of these periods will be specified in the most recent speech and language therapy report"

Well that report gives recommendations for the SALT to come up with a programme and gives advice for my sons teaching staff, but it does not state anything about SALT sessions at all! In fact that was done in November and I don't think the SALT has been in to see him since! It says a further review can be carried out if required

Yet part 2 makes a big deal of the fact his speech is only at 2 word level with no expressive language skills.

Okay. I'm sorry then but I don't think they are planning to name a special school. And for a MS statement it is not a good one. ALL children get a mixture of 1:1 and small group work simply by having a low level TA in the classroom. The statement doesn't seem to specify anything extra or specific to your ds in part 3.

SALT in part 6 is usually a sign of a bad statement.

You need some expert advice on this. Visit the websites of IPSEA, SOSSEN and ACE and call their helplines after that. Plan your days and evenings to be available to call at every opportunity and be prepared to have to keep trying. Don't just plan for a one off.

Just agreeing with Starlight, look at the websites she's suggested. You need help here. SALT should be in part 3 as an educational need. If it's in part 6 the LEA have no obligation to provide it.

Thanks guys.

Looking through the reports now and it seems they have placed a lot of emphasis on what his lea specialist SN teacher from nursery has said (all good stuff but a bit non specific) even though she hasn't seen him since early July.

Yet his current school's report, which is is the main supported by the EP, which basically states they can't do anything with him except when he has 1:1 support and is screaming for more 1:1 provision, has been entirely ignored!

Looking at the websites now.

SALT needs to be in both Parts 2 and 3 of the porposed statement document. SALT being in Part 6 is meaningless.

Statement needs to be specified and quantified in terms of support (as per law) otherwise it needs to be rejected.

Do contact IPSEA, ACE or SOSSEN re this document and read parts 2 and 3 to them. They will tell you what it should say.