Statement for Speech and Language problems

[Mumtoprem]

We have been trying to put in a request for statutory assessment for months for our daughter and have been waiting for reports and nursery to do their paperwork. The request and reports are now with the LEA and we expect them to consider it on 13 March.

I am not totally impressed with what the nursery have written and don't think it is very convincing and the EP thinks our daughter is borderline however her report suggests daughter is 1-1.5 years behind her peer group in speech. We also have speech report which diagnoses specific language impairment and has her CELF Preschool results which are low.

I feel fairly convinced our request for statutory assessment will be turned down.

Can anyone tell me what the appeal process is like and whether it is worth going through an appeal? Is it like going to court?

DD is 3 years 9 months and due to start school in September which is why we are applying now. We want her to go to mainstream school with extra help. She has been on Early Years Action for just under 2 years and has recently started receiving an inclusion grant so she gets 1:1 time at nursery with keyworker. She has a long history since birth of being developmentally delayed and has been seeing Paedatricians and OT since birth and SALT since she was 2. This is down to her prematurity - born at 25 weeks. She does talk but her speech is unclear to strangers and even to us at times, it is difficult to have a conversation with her and she mixes up her words. Her understanding is better but still delayed.

I really don't know what to do and whether we should see how things go in September or if we should fight the LEA over this.

Any advice appreciated.

Michelle

Hi Michelle,

Do appeal the LEA's crass decision in the event you are turned down.

Have you yourself seen and received recent reports from the likes of the paed and SALT?.

Use IPSEA's refusal to assess pack via their website www.ipsea.org.uk if this happens. Their website too is very useful.

Keep posting on here too.

Your DD should have been on Early Years Action Plus throughout the last two years rather than Action alone if she has been seen by outside people like the paediatricians, SALT and OT since birth.

Re your comment:-
"I really don't know what to do and whether we should see how things go in September or if we should fight the LEA over this".

You need to fight now; don;t wait till September. It can take months (minimum six) to set up a statement document anyway.

Hi,
I agree with Atilla, for I've been there myself. The Statutory Statement of SEN should include what is called a PARENT' REPORT which is your chance to put into writing anything you feel is relevant to the SEN of your child. Include all documentation from your GP, (you might want to request him to give you a printout of ) the times you sought his help or advice regarding referrals, times when she was poorly as a preemie-baby, had exhibited delayed speech or language development etc.
Your input is vital and the LEA will consider it, and rightfully should, simply because, as parents, you know her best.
Make it like a letter, and pour your heart out, girl. I did, and my DD's SENCO @ school says it was the best piece of writing and achieved what no report, by itself, could have done...
Also, don't give up. Contact your GP (if he's not yet involved, as there's no mention of it in your post) for possible auditory perception referral, SALT referrals etc... Paeds must have seen her by now- if not, get chasing!!
All the Best!

Sorry she is on Early Years Action Plus and has been for ages. We have contributed twice to the request - once on the form that nursery completed requesting assessment and once directly on another form the LEA provided. We have also submitted SALT report, Ed Psyc report, Speech and Language programme and reports from Paeds (both medical and regarding development - she sees two one at Hospital and one as part of the Child Development Team.) The GP hasn't been involved much as there hasn't been any need - daughter has seen occupational therapy, medical paed, developmental paed etc since birth. They have then referred on to portage, SALT, physio, dietician as required.
We have seen and have copies of recent SALT report and Ed Psych report. The developmental Paed has seen her fairly recently but no report was sent.
I have seen the IPSEA document but wasn't sure what it was really like to go to the tribunal.
Thanks for your replies.
Michelle

We applied for a SA on delayed language grounds but included reports from all the specialities with our letter of application for a SA to give a fuller picture of our Childs complex educational needs. This was 2 years after having a SA refused, applied for by nursery with no right of parental appeal so we were wiser to the system and applied ourselves. The SALT suggested the grounds of language because she had worked out that the low centiles( 1 and 2 ) would make the LA sit up and read the rest. Once past the goal post of getting a SA started then the complexity of needs ( which is so hard to quantify with doctors preferance for wait and see, to a disbelievingLEA hellbent on saving money) was obvious even to our LEA.
So my advice would be to get as much solid evidence as you can to go with your application. Our son ( who is now acknowledged to have ASD and mod/ sevLD so well needy) had to start school without support because I had not known I could apply myself and the original evidence was not adequately quantified.

prem - www.afasicengland.org.uk

This organisation (SpL support) were a great help to me. They do charge for some of their leaflets, but I understand they have to make money some how.

They helped me see I needed to apply for a statement ASAP, how to do it, and not be put off by the wait and see mentality. When speaking to the helpline, they gave me the straight talking I needed to move my son (much older than your DD though) to a specialist speech and language resource unit (in a mainstream school), which is the best thing we did.

If your DD is 1-1.5 years behind in speech, you must realise that is a big chunk given her age is only 3.9. Roll your sleeves up and fight all the way. When you hit the 'paranoid/over anxious/pushy mother' comments, you'll know you're on the right track!! I bet there isn't one poster on here who hasn't had that at some time or another.

Our request was turned down initially, but we requested an urgent meeting with the EP, he added further information and DS was given 20 hours per week. Don't take no for an answer.

This forum has a fantastic set of people with a wealth of information, so stick with it!

We too started out with a request for SA turned down but the LA, but appealed, and then they backed down rather than take it to a hearing. We are currently in the situation of a Note In Lieu having been issued and are waiting to hear from the LA if they are going to fight us at tribunal over this or back down. I would look at how much speech and language therapy he is getting and if at all possible get the therapists to put this in writing as needing to be ongoing as it will add a lot of weight to your arguement for a statement. Speech and language provision once your child is in school becomes a much bigger fight to get than at preschool age in my experience. Keep records of everything and ask people to put things in writing if you discuss them informally. Be prepared to keep pushing and pushing here and good luck.

hi, I am very much where you are. we are only in week 3 of waiting to hear if they will agree to assesment of my son. he will be 4 this month.
his speech is on the 1st percentile, but non-verbal assesment by the ed psyc has placed him as above 90th percentile. I am hopeing that this will mean they will assess him, but school feel the salt is being optamistic.
we would like him to go to a language unit, but to get a statement in place is going to be a struggle as our lea are known to be tricky (herts) I dont know what i am doing. His speech report looked good to me, but after 'watching' this fantastic site, I am not so sure if it will be good enougth yet.
i know i am not giving you any help, but am pleased to find this site.