So... the start of SA...

[Galena]

Wrote a letter to the Chief Education Officer last week asking for SA for DD (3.3) for 1-1 support in pre-school and going on into school. She has cerebral palsy, is a wobbly independent walker and is struggling to settle in preschool because she feels so vulnerable with other children charging round. She is bright (but I didn't mention this!)

Got a letter today saying they will decide within 6 weeks whether or not to undertake SA. They have my evidence and have written to preschool for a report - only they, of course, are shut for the summer. They do not wait for the reports because it has to be within 6 weeks, so DD's case is due to be heard at Panel on 22nd August. If I want this to be delayed until preschool is back I have to withdraw my request and resubmit later.

Preschool are lovely but don't really know the system. I'm not sure if they are going to be a help or hindrance (they do want her to have support, but are very fluffy and will say 'oh she's doing really well...').

So, do I withdraw the request for a month or do I continue? I can copy and paste my letter if you want to see what I wrote and tell me if you think we'll get SA on the strength of it!

Oh, meant to say that her paediatrician has retired and we haven't met the new one yet!

What evidence did you submit and did you submit reports from any specialists whom your DD has seen to date?.

Do not withdraw the request but continue with the application. They have to make a decision whether or not to assess within six weeks by law. Also if they do agree to assess you will not receive a proposed document until another six months has elapsed.

Be prepared though for the possibility this application may be denied; you must appeal in the event the LEA say no to such assessment. IPSEA's refusal to assess pack is useful.

IPSEA's website is good www.ipsea.org.uk and has lots of information on it.

I didn't submit anything

I wrote a letter based on IPSEA's model letter outlining the concerns we have... That's it. One letter. I mentioned the physio and OT who both feel 1-1 support is necessary. But didn't include anything from them.

Have I buggered this up already?

Do you have any paediatrician reports regarding her condition? Anything from a Physio/OT in writing? If you do, forward copies of them to the Case Officer.

I don't have anything from physio - although I could probably ask her to write me something helpful, she's very onside!

The reports I have state her diagnosis but aren't very explicit about what she can and can't do... Should I forward them, despite them not really backing up the concerns?

Don't withdraw. If you are turned down you can reapply whenever you want. The day you get the letter even. You have nothing to gain from withdrawing. The month thing can still happen.

Agree with the above posters, send any reports you have or can get and if they turn down the request appeal straight away. You can get the nursery to feed in information to any appeal at that point anyway.

Okey dokey... Shall stop panicking...

The only relevant sentence in the last paed report/letter seems to be 'She is going to a mainstream nursery who will need to request support for her in due course.' The rest of it just witters on about referrals we asked for and the improvement since her Botox.

As I say, will email physio and ask her to send me something written stating that she feels DD needs 1-1 at playgroup.

Does this all seem helpful?

You won't have to appeal if rejected. You can if you want of course, but I'd probably just reapply with any new evidence.

But, fwiw, I don't think August counts in the six week thing, panel or not.

Look back to previous reports from paed. Any letter that states any difficulty which is still relevant to your DD, you can use.

You can even summarise it for the Case Officer, by writing to her and saying 'further to my request for SA, I would like to offer the following additional information'

Then you can expand on why you feel your DD will need extra support, and can reference the reports. So, for example:

"DD has poor balance and this worsens when competing demands are made for her attention - noted in paed letter of dd/mm/yy."

Even a sentence can be used as evidence. Get picky. Point out every little thing.

Ok, thanks :)

I emailed to ask about whether the 6 weeks included the school hols and so on and she said yes, they had a duty to decide whether to assess even during school holidays.

I will root through paed letters tonight!

I have emailed the physio to ask her for a written report.

If you have a look at the sen code of practice - annex A at the end of the document,section 12, paragraph 5 talks about exceptions to the normal 6 week time scale if "the authority have requested advice from the head teacher of a school during a period beginning one week before any date on which that school was closed for a continuous period of not less than 4 weeks from that date and ending 1 week before the date on which it re-opens". I think that means they are allowed to delay because of summer hols... link here to sencop:
www.tes.co.uk/ResourceDetail.aspx?storyCode=6036554

Anyway, definitely just as well to start gathering/requesting any evidence which would help so you are ready when they do agree to assess.

Yep - they are definitely working. I'd read that bit about the 6 week holiday not counting which is why I queried it, but she was very clear with her reply. I quote:

In line with statutory requirements the decision will have to be made in six weeks regardless of the school holidays. This will be made on the evidence available at the time as we are obliged to begin the six week count from the date of receipt of your request.

Heard from play leader at playgroup who will get something together for me.