Statement advice please :-)

[flyingunderpants]

DS's school requested a statutory assessment on 20th july.
How long should it be before i hear something from the local authorities?
Any advice would be very welcome.

I'm afraid this is a 'piece of string' situation...there are no time limits when you should get a response and appointment....it would do no harn to phone and ask the authority though....it may help speed things up maybe ...you could ask about how the process works and fact find with them...they may send you out a pack or some further info on assessment, etc...who the professional will be, etc...they should be able to give you something on everything...clarify things a bit, waiting list, etc

maybe 3/4 months???...depends on service demand really...

Good luck, make your list of questions and keep reviewing it to take with you...record as much as possible about issues and difficulties, maybe a diary, etc, food, sleep, behaviour...etc...it all really helps. You will begin with family history and descibe everything from birth, family history, etc so you could even put this into writing and print it off to take with you...or maybe you can send into them in advance???(ask about this on phone when you know who the prof is going to be, etc)....keeping ahead of the game is a good idea and lets them know you are committed to seeing this through in the most beneficial way to your child....it goes a long way in making sure you get what you should iykwim....

whatthewhatthebleep thank you for your reply.
For some reason i had it in my head, they had to let me know within six weeks,if they were going to assess DS.
So unless i contact them i will not even know if they have recieved the request?

6 weeks after the request, not including August.

In the meantime, request from the school a copy of the request plus any other submitted documents.

So i wasn't wrong about the 6 weeks,but didn't know they didn't include August.

I was thinking about asking for a copy of documents,wasn't sure that i was allowed.
Thank you Starlight

Okay. You need to change your thinking. YOU are your chikd's key worker. YOU are LEGALLY responsible for His welfare, education and unpringing. YOU need to have access to all the information that allows you to do this job (with you are legally charged) to the best of your ability.

If the LA say no, the school cannot appeal the decision, but you have the right. However, you will need to have all the information.

You may want to make a new request in the future, for which this information will help.

Under the data protection act you are entitled to it anyway. Any request does not have to mention the act, so if you are worried about sounding heavy, just send an email saying 'please can you send me x' and they should by law treat it as a DPA request.

I know you are right Starlight.
This is all knew,i'm learning has i go along.
The school have been good so far.So i think i just didn't want to make them think i didn't trust them.
But every thing you have said makes sense,so i will be asking for copies first thing monday.
I wonder why they didn't just give me a copy.

Just recieved a letter from LA,saying they are now considering weather DS needs an assessment for a statement.
Included with the letter is a consent form.
I feel sick.It feels like we have been fighting for ages.This makes it real.
Just hope they don't turn DS down now.

the Act gives LEAs the discrection not to count the summer holidays - but it vaires - my LEA doesn't discard ANY of the holiday - which isn't great - as if you submit request before the hols - they will be looking at it during the holiday - when no-one sane is around to attend teh panel that assesses the forms.

great news that they have decided to asses -