My brain hurts! Help please with statementing before starting school.

[Galena]

DD is 3.2 and has cerebral palsy. She walks unaided although very wobbly and tires incredibly quickly but is cognitively very bright (already reads at Yellow band level or slightly above).

She isn't settling well into playgroup (MASSIVE understatement!). She will scream till she's sick if I try to leave her - yes, I've tried leaving her and being strong. She screamed then was sick so they phoned me to take her home. If I stay, which I have been doing, she's generally ok, but will have a wobble at transition times when there's a lot of movement and noise. She feels very vulnerable physically (won't go on the climbing frame if there is another child on it, needs someone to watch out for her the whole time to feel confident, etc).

Physio is keep for her to have 1-to-1 support. Playgroup can't afford this without external funding. So, we're putting IEPs in place, which, no doubt, she will fail to make progress on. But it seems that until she's failed to make progress on 2 IEPs no external agencies want to be involved.

The school that she will be starting in Sept 2013 are keep for her to be statemented before she starts so that there is support already in place for her. It just seems that the process is very long-winded and that everyone wants her to fail before the support is given to her - where I'd rather the support was there so that she doesn't fail.

I'm completely befuddled and confused about the process we need to go through... Do we need a CAF? Statutory assessment? Advisory teacher service? Early Years panel? 'Green form' (Notification to Children and Young People's Services for Early Years Action Plus)?

I could cry because everyone who knows her (including HCPs) wants to see the support in place so she can reach her potential, but no-one really knows the process. The SENCO at playgroup had never filled in an IEP before June (when we did DD's first one).

Galena,
Please go to the IPSEA website and use one of their template letters and YOU request a Statement of Special Educational needs for your dd, just put in the reasons above as to why you think your dd needs more support than a child her age(but fail to mention she is very bright focus on the physical disability and the emotional support she requires).

Nine times out of ten the LEA will send out a blanket letter about their decision about refusal to assess - this is to 'test' you to see if you will take it further and also a way of them saving money as some people would just say "oh ok my child must'nt need support"

But from my knowledge of my child with cp they will not take any chances with a child with physical disabilities and the mere mention of health and safety....

Please go to the Ipsea site and do this now for your daughter

Hugs - have been there!

What chatee said. When you have looked at IPSEA and started the process feel free to ask relevant questions.

Thank you both! I shall go forthwith!

Does the 6 week reply period still count over the school holidays?

Thanks Leonie - if I type the letter using the IPSEA model letter, would you look it over for me and tell me whether you think it is ok?

My LEA did doctors appointments and stuff over the holidays and the panel sat before term had started again.

just sending. Feel free to be brutal! Remember I'm looking at it with parent eyes and I want someone external to say 'Get a grip woman! Chop out great sections!'

ds2'S Statement was issued without us proving that he had failed to make progress.
There were lots of reports etc but basically the terminology that they couldnt argue with was "not able to access the curriculum equal to his peers without support"
We stressed how we beileved that ds2 should have an inclusive educations and every opportunity to access the curriculum etc etc.
He too has CP (mild spastic dip) was wobbly & unhappy in a crowd etc.
Turned out his visual perception is rubbish (very common in CP) So a fast moving class of children is a confusing place to be and makes falling etc more likely.
DS2 was also later dx'd with autism & learning difficulties but his statement was issued based on his CP dx & needs alone

Oooh, that's helpful Slacklucy... DD has mild SD too. Interesting about the visual perception. DD finds it very difficult to cope in a fast-moving group, so could be linked.

I shall slot that sentence in somewhere... :)

Printed and ready to send!

I will and thank you so much for your support. I knew MN would help me out!

We got DS statemented before his pre school year, it was very useful for choosing schools! Emphasise the health and safetly aspects, for Dd and other children. Also mention accessing the national curriculum, or Eyfs, in full. Part of that is going on the climbing frame etc and being secure without you in a educational environment.

We had similar issues, a very supportive unit in a mainstream school bolstered his confidence and self esteem and he now fully integrates and will start Y3 as a mainstream child. One of the best things for his confidence was to have his intelligence recognised so he was both a unit child and one in the G and T group.

Sorry bit of a ramble there, I've just been to an open evening of work at his school and am marvelling at how far he's come in the right environment.

Thanks Hairy. The letter is written and was posted last night so should be picked up first thing today and then should get there tomorrow. I talked about the various things she couldn't do safely, the fact she couldn't access the same play opportunities as her peers, the compromised emotional wellbeing, the fact she couldn't access the curriculum without support and so on. We'll see what they say!