Arghhhh!!!! SS refused by LA

[Triggles]

We just received the notice that the LA has refused to send DS2 to the local SS, basically as they want us to give him more time in the MS school (and because they think as he is not behind academically, then he is coping sigh).

I guess this means we go the appeal route. I expected it, so not surprised. But very aggravated as it is so incredibly obvious that DS2 would do well at the SS. And DH is dealing with a recurrence of depression, so this has completely stressed him out and he's not coping well at all.

I am not certain of exactly the best way to go about this, but I will schedule a meeting with the SENCO at the school to discuss what to do now. She and the school have been supportive, so I'm happy to take some advice from her as well.

I suppose at the very worst, we lose the appeal, and DS2 goes to his current infant school for one more year, which is at least a tolerable solution. But there is no way we will send him to the local options for junior school as he'd NEVER cope, so we'd be requesting the SS again next year. We're expecting his academic level to plateau or fall somewhat this coming school year, as it's more reliant on skills that he has difficulty with, rather than simple memorisation (which he's quite good at, just can't apply the knowledge he's learned).

The SS prefers to get the child in sooner rather than later, as (like us) they see no point in allowing the child to struggle to cope in MS when they don't have to. I am going to make it clear that if he has to remain in MS next year that we are going to insist that they find funding so that he has a 1:1 available to him for afterschool activities, as he is at present unable to participate in any at all.

If you can prove that the level of support required in ms in order for him to be adequately educated there is more costly than a place in the SS, then that may help!

Also, make sure you get a baseline assessment of his ability/level so that when you redo it you can show the level of progress made or not. Make sure this includes things like adaptability and social skills as well as language and independence.

Star - thanks. I will look into that.

Oh shit, Triggles. I'm so sorry, more stress. Everywhere is strapped for cash so maybe the LA are trying to weed out those parents less knowledgeable or less committed to save money. Do appeal. Star gives good advice.

EllenJane - thanks. Yeah, DH ranted for quite a while this morning. Now he's just cross and irritable. Going to be a shitty day all the way around now.

The school also asked for them to (if they refused the SS) up the hours to FT (it's 5 short of FT, but the school provides FT 1:1 anyway as he needs it), and they didn't do that either.

Get them to do P scales for Personal and social as well - i.e. score it now and just before tribunal. Or score it yourself. Social skills are always the ones mainstream can't make any inroads into.

See if you can get the school to count key episodes e.g. how any tantrums, or any spontaneous interaction with peers - try doing a daily feedback / score sheet which lets them just tick a box if this happens so you can monitor if for e.g. behaviour is improving / worsening or peer interaction is improving. Try and pick a few key things which you can get the school to watch for and score (i.e. not too time consuming) and which you know will show up that they are not achieving improvements.

We set very specific targets to show for e.g. that nursery+SALT were not teaching DS any new language so we let SALT choose 3 words to teach and then we tested if he knew these and after 9 months he still could not use these words (as he just memorised them he could not apply them to a different situation). We then videoed him not being able to apply these words. So try and be clever about what goes on the next IEP which will help your case.

Our LA is the same. The special schools and social services want the kids to get help early; the SEN officers see it as their job to delay provision as long as possible, keep the child in m/s as long as possible and get the child out the other end of education as cheaply as possible - then dump the bill on their colleagues in adult social care. It does not seem to occur to them that its the same council picking up the bill.

Agree with Star look up costs. Look at Section 251 account should be on website or any minutes about costs - mainstream TA will have add on costs e.g. pension, holidays etc and compare to cost of SS place. If transport is the deal breaker you can always offer to waive your right to transport - not saying you should, but if transport is not a big issue for you then you can try and do a deal. Ask the LA for breakdown on costs - but check this out from their accounts don't just accept what they say.

Agnes - Transport isn't an issue. I have a car, and am happy to drive him to the SS. In fact, I would absolutely not let them put DS2 in a taxi (which I was told was the most likely method of transport) due to his particular issues as he would literally fall apart.

sigh I feel completely out of my depth with this, most likely because the school has been so cooperative, I haven't really HAD to fight much.

one stept at a time triggles.

You have both the current school and the ss onside, - you are at a distinct advantage.

You might have to work with the current school to ensure that the LA doesn't 'know' they are helping you as they will apply pressure on them.

Another thing you need to watch out for is the radical reduction in recommendation for provision if you make it clear to early you are comparing costs.

For example, our LA started saying that ds didn't need ANY 1:1 or SALT despite agreeing to both, once we started to bring costs into it.

So our provision was more expensive than their non SALT and 1:1 iyswim.

So ask them in writing to specify and quantify what it is they think they are recommending and get that in the final statement. Then you have a good basis for comparison should you need to appeal. At this point they 'might' try and make it look like good provision in order to win you/tribunal over which will amount to a higher expense.

Look online for TA jobs in your area to get the salary. If the TA is going to implement OT and SALT recommendations insist that the minimum the TA will need to be is higher level or with certain qualifications as it is a bigger responsibility.

SALT and OT is roughly £90 per hour of contact time on the NHS. If the special school have either of these inhouse then that will be considerably cheaper.

Oh Triggles ....
I am sorry your saturday has turned into such a shitty day.
Think positive and take this great advice. You will get there they are just building silly little walls to make it harder but it will get sorted the more evidence you have.

coff33pot - thanks. DH & DS3 are napping right now. DS2 is on laptop, and I'm just struggling to stay awake. Usually when I'm overstressed, I can't sleep, but today it's the opposite - difficulty staying awake. Can't go to sleep though as God knows what DS2 would get into. Now THERE's incentive to stay awake!

Triggles, Just wanted to sympathise - it's a horrible position to be in. We were also turned down for ss initially but with the head of the ss on our side LA gave in before tribunal. hope it works out the same for you. Have you asked for the minutes from the SS panel meeting where they turned ds down? When we saw ours, the "arguments" put forward were so patently illogical and inadequate, they ultimately provided further evidence for us IYSWIM.

Really sorry to hear this Triggles. Hope DH doesn't regress too badly with his depression as you need his support to keep your MH and stress levels OK.