consent to assesment for 13 year old.

[hoxtonbabe]

hi, i posted this in the SEN (education) but advised to move here. Many thanks.

There is is qute a long back story regarding my childs SEN, the current stunt the LEA are trying to pull is assesing my child this month They did one just 6 months ago and are planning on reasseing the same thing and maybe a bit more from what I have gathered. On the surface it seems pretty simple but it is not by any means.

From past experience I have always been asked consent before professionals are allowed to see my child. This recent person is a SLT who is not attatched to the school, but to the SEN team in my LEA, school and LEA in different boroughs (i hope I am making sense)

I have seen in the Dept health code of practice that consent should be sought from parent (unless life or death situation which this is not)

The publication in the link also states consent should be sought as it is a legal requirment:

www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_4007005

This is not a statutory assesment by the way, as I know parental consent can be overidden in such cases. However the SLT has clearly said regardless of consent she will be doing the assesment as the LEA have requested it, the email I was sent basically says the SLT has arranged with the school (no liasion with me or indication they were even thinking of going in by the way) to go in on xxx date.

For numerous valid reasons I do not want this assesment to take place and would like to know if the whole statement of "we can if we want to" can stick?

Also on a side note, I have been looking for Language and communication independent schools in London.

Centre academy is not an option, and going to see Paray House next week but I can not seem to find anything else. My child came home and told me they had received a detntion for not doing well in english?!? This has got me fuming, but I know my child has a tendency of omitting certain things, so asked to speak to teacher, but teahcer gone quiet, if this is true I am at a loss as to how they can justify giving a child with speech, language and communication delay detention for not understanding the work, especially as they have not been implementing the statment as they should, surely this is discrimination?

Many Thanks in advance.

This is difficult as different LEAs seem to make up their own rules. Of course you always have the option to refuse intervention if you feel that is the right course of action.
The Borough in which I live tend to withdraw speech and language therapy as soon as the child starts secondary school, even if they have a Statement of SEN. It is very rare for this service to continue into secondary school.
The Access Co-ordinator (or Special Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO)) at the school should have made all teachers aware of your childs needs and work should be being differentiated appropriately by the teacher/s in order that he can access it. If this is not the case then you need to contact the Access Co-ordinator to talk things through. Good luck:)

thanks Sender,

I agree, most LEA's will TRY to withdraw speech Therapy at secondary, however if you can prove this is needed they have to provide, I have sucessfully (because I could prove he needed it) kept this on into secondary, I do find it bizzare that LEA's seem to think that once a child starts secondary the needs suddenly vanish, or the need is less.

Anyhoo, my gripe at the mo isn't about the provision its where I stand with consent..oh the joys :-)