proposed statement - am I correct assuming that this is a load of bullshit?

[chocjunkie]

OK, DD (4) is due to start reception in Sep. she has autism (mod-severe and her s&l is about 2 years behind).

statement suggests a mainstream setting and otherwise does not specify/quantify a lot. full of

• "DD requires access for individual/small group work"

-"access to Salt" -"staff that is experienced with autism" -"DD should receive 8 hours of support by LSA" (8 hours )

part 3 is just 1 page long.

will try to reach ipsea later but I am right in assuming that they are taking the piss?

It needs to say must and will not should or requires. SALT OT programs need to say who is carrying out the program, how often and how long for.

thanks wasuup. when I request changes, do I ask LA to quantify or do I suggest how often/when/etc.

really starting to lose the will to life. every thing is a battle, everything little thing :(

It is educational law, case and SEN code of practice that it is worded in a legal way, specified and quantified and written in such a way which leaves no doubt to what is being provided.

Write what you want included included hours of 1-1 support if you'd like more and you have reports which agree that you should have more for your child and yes basically spell it out to the LA.

thanks.

oh, still cannot believe they came up with this crap. was hoping for once that things would go smoothly... :(

If support is neither specified or quantified then the proposed statement needs to be rejected. You need to reject this from them, the LEA are taking the michael here; LEAs know the law here and there is no excuse.

SALT needs to be in Part 2 as well as 3. "Access to SALT" means nothing; that needs to be properly quantified and specified.

What you have received is completely insufficient and needs rejecting by you.

If you were to speak to one of the charities out there like for example ACE or SOSSEN they should be able to tell you what Parts 2 and 3 should state.

Parts 2 and 3 are the most important parts of the statement so they need to be bang on.

I remember your posts about this, leonie.

DD is really quite severe. S&L e.g. on the level of 18 - 24 months etc. she is just starting to link words (at 4). most of the time she is in the land of the fairies. even her nursery give her a better support package now. how on earth is she supposed to cope with 8h?

anyways, she will not cope with 8h because she will get FT support by the time she starts school. LA just don't know it yet. bastards.

You have to be careful rejecting it as they will make you wait ages for an amended statement. Ring the case officer up - say that you'd like some changes made to the proposed statement and ask that they be done within 15 days and send those changes over in an email. If there is ANY delay and over these tell them to finalise now as you have waited long enough and that you will appeal to SEND instead for the changes to be made.

*wasuup", they sent a paper in with 2 boxes to trick

1. agree with proposed bullshit statement
2. disagree

are you suggesting that I should not fill in this paper and rather ring the case officer to request changes (per email)?

should I ask them for an electronic copy of the statement into which I write the changes I want?

Tick the 'disagree' box and submit with this a document which details exactly what you want to see on the statement. Use whatever reports you have (Ed Psych, SALT etc) to back you up - ie whatever the professionals have recommended in their reports for Statutory Assessments should be included in the statement. If they have eg recommended 5 hours a week direct SALT this must be specified in part 3.

Make sure you do this within the 15 days deadline.

You could alternatively request a meeting and do this in person - but if you do this be aware that the timeline will change (they will count the meeting as the beginning of the process) so if you're in a rush best not to do this, but do it in writing. You can also always request a meeting at a later stage.

Have you spoken to Parent Parternship? They might be helpful. Also check ACE guide.

You're right, part 3 must be specified. Stuff like 'access to' is totally unacceptable.

If they don't budge after this, you will probably have to appeal.

neither salt nor ep quantified hours in their reports. they just keep stressing "high levels" of support

Unfortunately you are right in thinking that at the moment the statement is a load of bullshit.Unless you have specific hours for SALT etc. it means nothing,

You can think of it though as being the first stage to getting what your DD needs.
You will have to go through the statement (photocopy it) cross through all the woolly words and put in the words that mean someting eg should receive will receive.
I got my LA to rewrite with the changes I wanted ,so it can be done,but they will try to wriggle first !
How well do you know the SALT ?Could you ask them to quantify 'high levels of support' ?
I know it varies,but the parent partnership person was helpful.
Good luck. Persevere

Salt has requested high levels of support.....
Has the salt prepared a report detailing exactly what interventions are to be implemented?

I realise it would be difficult in the sense that your dd has not started school but has the salt started stratagies in the nursery that can equally be implemented in school? If so these should be down as eg.."WILL receive daily blah blah therapy for periods of no less than 10 mins twice per day to be delivered by the SALT or can read to be delivered by the TA whom the salt has trained?? iyswim

thanks for all the replies. will talk to PP and ispea/sossen/ace (whomever I reach). will go through all the reports when I am calm on focussed.

just did not expect that. I feel so stressed and alone with all this shit. I blubbed an hour ago and sat on the sofa crying and DD came with a box of tissues to wipe my tears away. bless her.

It is the first step. My LA took a year to finalise a statement so I could appeal it so just don't give them too many chances and too much time to waste. My tribunal hearing for my son is in the morning. I am not even asking for ABA or a special school or full time 1-1.....such is the crappiness of my LA. Just that the statement is written properly ect...

My dd brings me random objects she thinks I will like when I cry. I don't even get tissues.....

Good luck wassup. Sorry you're being out through this.

My DS tells me to man up!

Good luck wasuup! x

all fingers & toes crossed for you, wasuup!! x

Thank you!! Just been working on the Bundle making sure I know where everything is!