Proposed statement issued for SLI & fine motor skills

[Mumtoprem]

We have finally got a proposed statement for our DD age 4. However I am not sure it is specific enough in part 3B, it says things like:

"daily opportunities to work with a member of staff, experienced in working with children with speech and language difficulties in small groups, paired or individually as agreed with the Speech and Language Therapist"

"fortnightly access to a speech and language therapist to allow for frequent work with x. This will also provide opportunities to meet with school staff and parents to discuss strategies and activities to create a language rich environment and to generalise skills"

"the Occupational Therapist will review X's progress in October 2012 and further intervention will be determined once her school placement has been confirmed"

This is the first time I have seen a statement so not really sure what to expect but as it stands it seems a bit vague to me. However a lot of the provision is copied and pasted from the SALT report so not sure if I can ask for it to be more specific or not? I think the type of provision we are looking for is listed with a couple if exceptions eg OT but it is vague in terms of the number of hours support she will get s would be difficult to enforce as it is open to interpretation.

The timing is not helpful due to it being half term next week, I don't think SALT etc will be around next week. I plan to contact parent partnership next week too.

Any advice very gratefully received.

Michelle

have a look here and download the guide, it's quite good. It is very vague and not specified/quantified. It doesn't actually specify any direct contact with the salt at all.

Yes it needs to be more specified. You will probably be resisted. Stick to your guns and quote SEN code of practice at them and have a look at the IPSEA site for case studies.
Also have a look here at the ACE download - getting the statement right.

Thanks both for the replies. I have started writing down our comments and wondered if anyone knew whether it would be a good or a bad idea to redraft the statement myself specifying how we would like it to read including the number of hours to be designated for each part of the statement?

Also if you don't agree with a statement is it best to request a meeting to discuss the statement?

If you don't agree with a Proposed Statement you must write to the LA within 15 days requesting a meeting. If you don't do that the LA may finalise the Statement as it stands.

Make sure all your childs difficulties are fully described in Part 2.

Then make sure that specific and quantifiable support is shown in Part 3 for each of the difficulties stated in Part 2.

Avoid 'should' 'could' 'may' etc and go for absolute words i.e. will have

You can redraft it and take it with you to the meeting with the LA. It'll be a matter of trying to get them to accept your amendments.

Thanks. I thought I could just provide our comments in writing? Do they normally call the meeting quite soon after you request it?

We are going through all the reports to ensure everything is listed in the statement.

The main problem with the statement is the wording "access to", "opportunities for" etc. Absolutely nothing is quantified apart from one review by OT in October.

You can submit your comments in wriring but I expect they'll ask for a face-to-face meeting. Otherwise it will turn into postal ping-pong.

Main thing is to notify them within 15 days, in writing, that you disgree with the Proposed Statement