DK report in - statementing question - what would you do?

[KOKOagainandagain]

I received the DK report yesterday by email. Exactly what we 'wanted' but ouch . Tears subsiding now and so I am wondering what to do with it. My plan was to submit reports from GOSH APD, DK and Margo Sharp and amend parental and pupil views all at the same time and I still await Margo's. The NIL/draft statement is due this week (already delayed). I planned to respond to the draft with amendments backed up by the reports.

DS has been unable to start secondary and has never attended. His GP signed him off for a month. LEA EOTAS will not accept the GP certificate as justification to provide a home tutor and want a letter from a consultant - basically why and how long for. The DK report does this but if I send it to EOTAS before I hear about the outcome of the assessment the statementing staff will see it and be aware of its contents. Home tuition is only 5 hours a week. Would you wait to receive the NIL/draft before submitting the required certification to EOTAS?

If you're worried, can you send an abridged version of the report?

It sounds like you will be disclosing the reports soon anyway - or will you just say your amendments are backed up by reports and not share them? I doubt it, that would be a bit weird and then they will ask to see your evidence straight away I would think.

Can you think of anything that would go wrong if the statementing staff see that one report this week? I can't think of anything tbh.

I considering sending an abridged version but then thought that DK may object to my cutting and pasting her words.

I also can't think of anything that could go wrong at this stage and I do intend to attempt to negotiate in the lead up to tribunal but am worried about revealing my hand - I suppose I fear that I could delay things further as they scrabble to get alternative reports to counter the ones that I have. They have already delayed for the comm paed report. Can they string out assessment longer than 12 weeks if waiting for NHS? Meanwhile DS out of school and so delay really piles on the pressure.

KeepOn, I'm a bit confused as to what stage you are at.

Are you definately expecting a NIL? Have you been told this?

Or are you just assuming that the standard pathway is via tribunal?

star I am not definately expecting a NIL - in my more positive moments I am expecting a draft as the lea bod said they rarely issue NILs and in following conversations talked about the draft - they know we are waiting for reports that are likely to change everything - they have said they will finalise on what they have already so that we can lodge an appeal - and then negotiate when the independent reports are in.

On the plus side the comm paed said she would put on her assessment that she suspected 'social communication disorder' but on the negative, the lea EP was a total dick - he refused to accept the possibility that DS could have an ASD - apparently his classmates (at the primary school he has now left and whom are no longer classmates) 'don't mind' that he does not say hello or goodbye to them and appears rude and dismissive so that's OK then - tosser.

DS is out of school (unable to attend) but was at ms primary with no diagnosis or statement. IEPs don't quantify 1:1 - just record 'as required'. We now have written reports ruling out ms and strongly recommending ss despite the unavailability of suitable lea environments. I am fully expecting to go to Tribunal for independent placement in ss.

It sounds like we have a lot in common. I am still relying on local interventions and assessments though and wishing I could go the private assessment routes as you have managed to do.

My big meeting is tomorrow with Ed Psych and whoever bothers to turn up...I too am expecting I will be getting into a long battle and probable Tribunal situation too...

I'll watch your thread with great interest, chat soon xx

what the good luck with your meeting tomorrow. LEA EPs ime have been badly prepared, have carried out the wrong assessments and have missed the bleedin' obvious - call me paranoid but if you do not carry out adequate assessment to identify a problem you do not have to commit resources to address the problem.

There is also the timescale - things take forever if the situation is anything other than obvious and visible (and problematic for the school) even with huge parental effort banging their heads against bureaucratic walls. We tried to go the NHS/LEA route but got nowhere. At this point (after 4 years in the system) we had no choice but to get independent reports that specified and quantified and recommeded ss because we realised that we would not have this at tribunal and so would likely lose and that we would never get this via the NHS or LEA.

When do you expect to receive nil/proposed statement? In my borough when you receive proposed statement you only get 15 days to reply and it then it goes to a panel which meets every fortnight. There isn't much time to gather new evidence so I wouldn't expect it to make much difference unless you were going to wait till tribunal. However I am not an expert and currently trying to amend ds proposed statement. I must add that since I received Propose statement another assessment has been carried out on ds which I found out about by accident. Could you get DK to write a short letter to explain his absence without disclosing everything.

cheese due on the 12th Sept but delayed 'for a couple of weeks' due to late submission of comm paed assessment report. tbh I am a little confused about the 15 day thing - the head of an independent ss said that the most important thing to do was to write and request an extension - need to check out schools etc. But I can't remember why this is important . I think this is because the ind ss need to offer a solid place (following evaluation) before it can be named on section 4 but that it is not known what placement will be required until sections 2 and 3 are complete. Can anyone else shed any light?

Of course, I was forgetting that DS is not in school but with me 24/7 and so they are unable to gather further evidence (obviously - dur!).

Thanks for explaining. It wasn't a criticism or anything, - just trying to get the picture. If it helps, I knew before I applied for SA that I was heading for tribunal. Sometimes it's just blimmin obvious from the start if you have an obnoxious LA.

Does anyone know roughly how much money it may take to enlist private assessments?

ADHD, ASD, Dyslexia, sensory processing, auditory processing, visual processing, toe walking/tight tendons and back pain, poss absence epilepsy, poss Marfans Syndrome......

If I was to take a loan out...what would be a realistic figure to expect to need for it all?

How many have done this?...is this really the only way?...should I try to do this myself?

Sorry...I don't mean to hijack...but I'm very worried my situation will just drag on and on and my son will be lost...he's 12yrs so has 4 yrs left to find any success in any area for himself. I'm really worried that I will continue to not be listened to and my son will be left like this too long

Have you looked at InterlinkHigh the online highschool. It's an option for keeping up with the NC while out of school.

At 12 I'd ring GOSH and go private whatthebleep - as you say time is running out + they are highly respected by the NHS and will prob then help you get the referrals you need to the appropriate NHS specilaists for follow up therapy.