Statutory Assessment - Panel Met Today

[steelev48]

Hi. The school recently applied for a statutory assessment of my son's SEN. The panel were due to meet and discuss this today.

How long does it take for them to inform me of their decision and do I have to wait for a letter or can I call and ask?

Thanks.

We were informed the following day of the decision, this was then followed up with a letter a couple of days later, but LEA's may vary

steelev,

I was telephoned with the decision re my son's application a few days after the panel met. You should also receive a letter informing you of their decision.

If the LEA refuse to assess your son you as the parents must personally appeal their decision (school cannot appeal).

Just to add we are in the same boat - the SEN panel met yesterday to consider our daughter's application. We are waiting to hear as well. I don't suppose there is anything wrong in calling them up. Which LEA is it?

Michelle

I would ring your case worker today - they normally make the decision on the spot.

Thank you for your replies.

It is Sutton council. I will try calling them in a little while (they only answer the phone between 10 and 12).

Good luck Michelle. I hope you get positive news.

I have just spoken to the local authority. They confirmed that the panel did meet and discuss my son yesterday but say they cannot tell me the decision over the phone. So I do have to wait for the letter.

it looks like yesterday was the day for panel, my son went to panel to see if they will do a stat assesment yesterday aswell. we are in herts. no news yet, but his 6wk does not finish till next tues.

Well I haven't heard anything either, I did send them an email yesterday asking for an update but no reply as yet. All very frustrating. It took me 6 months to get all the paperwork ready and to get my child's nursery to apply for this so it feels like a constant waiting game. I think it is probably likely we are going to be turned down as Ed Psych thinks she is borderline.

Hope today brings news for everyone.

Michelle

Ask for an email then.

Bloody LAs.

You'll get the letter Sat morning.

Or, if you're going into half term on 23rd, you'll get letter on 24th.

Hi,

I did get the letter today which is amazing as they normally take ages to send things out and use second class post.

Unfortunately, they have turned us down. I need to speak to Parent Partnership but my throat is extremely sore and I'm feeling really unwell today so I may have to leave it until Monday. I feel quite shaken actually. How bad do things need to be?!!

Anyway, I hope the rest of you who are waiting to hear your decisions get your letters soon and that it is good news.

x

Steel, it isn't about things being bad. My DS is HF, verbal, well behaved, academically advanced and he has a statement with loads of provision.

It is steps in a process. Nobody should feel shocked about being turned down. Almost everyone is. Each step is designed to 'lose' about 20% of parents.

Don't get stressed by it. Just recover emotionally and plan your action if you believe it was the wrong decision.

And take what pp say with a pinch of salt. They are employed by the LA.

sorry to hear they turned you down. The whole phone thing with Sutton is dreadful, get an email address if you can and communicate with them that way, they are also less likely to lie to you when they email! Parent partnership is good in Sutton so I hope you can get through to them soon.

sorry about the decision, but like the advice of others say, chin up and start the appeal. we havent heard about the panel decision yet, but they said it was likely to be monday, very frustrating that someone has decided my childs chances of a suitable education and yet I wont know till next week. But I don know herts have a reputation of turning things down, and have prepared myself to appeal. for my son, its on his communication despite having a few mobility problems.
dust yourself down and get the request of the appeal in. i feel lucky to have found this site, it is healthy and reassuring to see others have won their appeals for their chilldren.

steelev

Sorry to read that you were turned down but am not altogether surprised at the LEAs decision. They usually do such things to parents (I was turned down twice at Panel).

You certainly need to appeal the LEAs crass decision; use IPSEA's refusal to assess pack on their website. www.ipsea.org.uk.

Parent Partnership are not always entirely independent of the LEA in question so use with a degree of caution. Infact SOSSEN would be of more use to you as they are in Surrey.

Sadly it does seem almost standard for statutory assessment requests to be turned down, though many of these decisions are reversed once an appeal is put in but before a tribunal meets. Keep going and keep fighting. IPSEA are really helpful as to how to go about all this.

Tbh I would download the forms now and start considering the rationale. You have to know what you want to some extent regardless of whether you are turned down or not so it is a good exercise.

Also, in seeing the appeal documents you are less afraid of the decision as the next step is a known quantity.

Mummytofive, Herts told me on the phone.

We were turned down initially for my DS2. We/school both wrote to the LA and LA reconsidered. We were told to expect around 15 hours provision. Turned out we got 20, so don't lose hope.

Keep your chin up, hope you feel better soon, and get in touch with IPSEA.

starlight, were you refused or granted on the phone, I only know 2 people who both, like me were looking for statement for speech and lang unit. the one who was refused were told on the phone, the one who got granted was in a letter.
sorry for side tracking of your original post, steelev48.

Granted, but I was a pita. Told them I had my appeal document already written and wanted to get it in the post that day if I'd been refused as my DS should not wait one more day for adequate provision. Head of SEN phoned me 5 mins after meeting had ended, which was impressive, even for Herts who are actuaaly good at the admin side of things.

Btw, I know that looks rather OTT behaviour but by then I'd had more than enough of their ineffective bullshit and lies.

it doesnt seem ott to me at all! we are only in the beginning of the 1st stage and it is already feeling like a huge mountain. school senco think the salt is being too optamisitc, yet when phoning the speech units in the county for visits, the teacher knew his name and off him and was expecting my call..., the paed said if he doesnt fit the criteria of who speech units are looking for then she doesnt know who will, but as always the wrong people are making bad decisions, or good as far as county are concerned as its cheaper for a refusal.
I am going to download my forms ready. excellent advice. thanks,

I have downloaded the forms and had a quick read of the IPSEA stuff as well. There's so much to take in!