Surprise visit from SS

[claw4]

Hi everyone, havent been on for a while, been busy with ds off of school.

SS paid me a surprise visit today. Ds has been out of school for 2 weeks after the dr signed him off with strees due to school.

It all went ok and apparently they are going to recommend a early assessment of need. Which has taken over from a CAF in this area.

I really dont want a CAF, as i am in the process of appealing SA. Ds's needs have been well and truly identified.

I gave up objecting to the CAF and having meeting with school, as i did not want to come across as too defensive.

My grounds for objecting to a CAF and further meetings with school?

Or do i have to attend a CAF and further meetings with school, so as not to appear 'defensive' and 'obstructive'?

Well, what is the point of an early assessment of need, and if it is positive, do you need to do a caf for it?

I understand why you would not want to appear obstructive, but have in your mind that you do not want to add another layer of complexity, or further agencies to your situation at the moment, unless you are SURE it will lead you to the outcome you are aiming for iyswim.

Don't really know about how to play it. If the SW said this 'assessment of need' will take over from a CAF, do you have to worry about the CAF anymore? Have you withdrawn him from the obstructive school permanently, sorry I can't remember? Which 'branch' of SS visited? CP people or disability lot? Hopefully the assessment of need will be under the disability umbrella?

Anyway, I'm sure more knowledgable posters will come along. Just wanted to say it sounds like you handled the visit well, and hopefully SS can now see that while your DS is obviously struggling, his home life isn't contributing to his anxiety.

You know you don't have to give a hostile refusal to a caf. You can 'explain' positively and undefensively that you have had enough and need to concentrate on one thing at a time.

You can also suggest that you really want to wait until you have sorted his educational needs first as this will impact on the amount of support you might need subsequently, and you don't want to confuse the two and use resources inefficiently.

Star, it started off quite well or appeared to. The more they spoke, the more i realised they didnt have a clue.

i started to explain to SW that i felt a CAF or whatever they want to call was unnecessary, as i had applied for SA and this assessment would indentify his needs, so duplicating was not needed. She was saying it would be helpful to get us all in a room, blah, blah and i need to acknowledge the 'positive progress school are reporting' and school need to acknowledge my concerns.

I said something along the lines of that is the problem school and I dont agree on the 'positive progress' and i have tried to work with them and it hasnt worked. She then said that is why the professionals will be there.

She was also saying things like school are saying ds is making marvellous progress socially. I pointed out in 3 and half years at school, he has never once been invited to a friends house etc and that i dont see this progress at home either. School have no way of measuring his social progress, as he has no targets or these are not addressed through an IEP. I got the school usually response from her 'not everything is measurable'. I also pointed out that CAMHS had recommened TARGETTED work on this area and she said 'CAMHS is out of date'

It was like talking to a parrot of school.

I gave up at this point, as i was aware i might be coming across as arguementive.

In that case I suspect SS and a CAF will be unhelpful at this stage.

Claw, YOU are your Ds' mother. YOU are in control. You decide what your family needs are.

Not only have you analysed the needs of your family and Ds, but you have sought professional assessments and followed advice and encouraged others to do the same.

You have NOTHING to worry about except adding another clueless agency. Don't ever tell SS to go away though. Tell them you will keep them informed and they are welcome to visit or phone at any time but for now you do not require their services. You do not wish them to be involved in educational matters at present.

Claw, you don't have to accept this assessment from SS, unless, the assessment is coming from CP SS.
I would be wary, that this S Worker is truly on board with you, from what she has said, but , if the assessment could lead to help with ds, maybe good, but I don't know that SS can insist school implements any needs they identify.
It sounds like the SW has spoken to school, and is paraphrasing what they have said, and can't see a problem with ds at school. As for, "CAMHS is out of date" wtf? If you go to what is essentially a Profess. Meeting, take someone with you for support and be prepared for what they throw at you.
The one thing on your side, is the fact that the GP has signed your ds off, so he has acknowledged ds stress. Ask the meeting, if they think the GP is "out of date" too!

Ellen, it was the CP bit, apparently its NOT a CP issue, they regard ds as 'a child with needs'.

He shook hands with them and introduced himself. He hugged them when they left too. No doubt they will see this as ds being a delightful little boy (which he is) but they wouldnt feel this inappropriate. (ds is overly affectionate)

They gave him 3 'islands' he tells me and asked him to write who would be on his '1st island' his 'special' island, which was me, his brother and him and the SW. next was island of 'where he would like to visit' his nan was on this one, as she visits us. Next an island with a broken bridge or somewhere he would not like to visit was the gist, he placed his school 'friends' on this island.

Ds also wanted to show the SW his room. while up there she also knocked on my 15 year olds door and questioned him about 'does he have any worries'

The purpose of this was obviously to establish what relationships are like at home.

No i havent removed him, dr has signed him off school until he has the direction of a statement.

Star i did say something along the lines of as a parent i am doing what needs to be done ie applying for a statement. I was told this isnt about me, its about ds!!

As i said i gave up, SW clearly has no idea of the process.

Well then I would keep them at arms length. Clueless is dangerous.

So what HAVE you agreed to?

I agreed that they could contact CAMHS

They are then going to let me know the 'outcome' after speaking with CAMHS and their 'boss'. She told me she would be recommending a CAF.

Maybe i should wait for the official 'outcome'?

Im going to have to go, will check back tomorrow, thanks for all your advice and keeping me sane.