SALT statement. Advice please

[1sockmonkey]

My DS (4yrs) had another speech assessment on Friday. The SALT has said that there is enough evidence for him to have a statement. She is going to make the calls needed and arrange a meeting with his school and myself.

What does this mean? What could the 'statement' look like? She was also saying about maybe getting him a short term place at a specialist school. Is this really needed?

Sorry for all the questions but have been thinking (worrying) about it all weekend. Thanks xx

The statement will say what his educational needs are (presumably speech and language related), and what sort of provision is needed to cater for them - in mainstream this would be saying what sort of speech therapy and teaching asistant support he would need, but if they are thinking of a specialist placement then it might not put as much detail on. Did she say she was thinking of a language unit? Typical this sort of placement would hopefully just be for a year or two, with a view to intensive input meaning he can then go to mainstream school without needing as much support.

I know that it doesn't feel like good news, being told your child needs a statement and speciaist placement, but it almost certainly is good news, that your child should get lots of input to help bring on their speech and communication, and specialist placement should mean smaller classes, better trained staff and more therapy for your child. If you see the news today, there are a lot of cuts to salt provision, so once he starts school, without a statement he might not get speech therapy at all, or it might be very limited, such as the speech therapist giving a program for school to carry out.

You don't have to accept the specialist placement, unless there are overwhelming health and safety type reasons you could insist on mainstream but I would take the recommendation for specialist support very seriously.

Thanks for the reply The LightPassenger.

Yes the SALT was thinking about a 'special' school (not sure what the political name is) with a dedicated language unit. I think it depends on what support they can get for him in the school he's at at the moment. She did say the speech therepist that covers his current school was very busy.

I know the statement is a good thing but it was just a bit well scary to hear it said. We have been taking him to the SALT for nearly 2 years now. So it does feel good that they are taking it seriously.

Thanks bdaonion. Thats sounds like a fantastic school. Must admit that a couple of things his current school have said have worried me a bit. One example was when I ask about his reading books (he's on the books with no words) I was told he wouldnt move onto books with words until he could say 'in the'. Erm he has speech problems and cant say 'the' even tho he does try to.

Will have to bring that up when I have my meeting with SALT and SENCO at the school.

I too was not best pleased when i found out my son was special needs and was so upset with the school he started in, for wanting to get rid of him, 8 years on it is the best thing the headmistress could have done, whilst the headmistress motives were not that of help or concern for my child, if she did not kick up the stink she did about him to the point of calling me a negligent mother I doubt he would have got all the help he did.

He went to a language unit, started year 1 mainly in the unit then each year introduced more into mainstream and he did well....until he started secondary. As bdaonion said at the language unit they tend to "get" your child, and going from a super supportive primary school to one that now is in breech of the equality act as well as not implementing squat diddly on his statement, Dragging the LEA to the LGO and appeals left right and centre, I dream of the days of the language unit.

Embrace it and get as much as you can out of it, as it is a rare gem these days that lots of kids with speech and language issues could all probably benefit from :-)

Thanks for all the messages of support. I was in the school on Friday to sign all the paperwork so the Educational Phycologist (sp) can come and observe him. So have started the long road to a statement. Hopefully should know more on and just after 6th feb.