LEA waitin for more info, which will take us over the 6 week deadline!

[sweetteamum]

I have been in contact with LEA to see when we'll expect to receive the decision, from the meeting held on 27 August. I did email but never heard anything back - hense the phone call.

The lady took a message as she said it would be easier for someone else to discuss with me but she thinks they want more info before deciding to assess DD or not. She said that EP was going into school next week.

My concern is, that it will take us past the 6 week deadline and the EP is only supposed to be seeing her in school the day after the 6 week deadline, which will take another few weeks to get that report back.

What should I do now? DD isn't even in school at the minute and highly likely she won't be in for the assessment with EP.

FLIPPIN HECK :(

You are doing an absolutely phenomenal job fighting your daughter's corner. Most parents will never have to be 'tested' in this way.

Start by knowing and believing that.

Remember, as you so very rightly said, you and your dh know her best. Don't let anyone patronise you.

But also, remember, if they decide not to assess you can appeal to SENDIST and the Tribunal invariably grants an assessment unless there is absolutely no evidence to support the appeal.

Tell them that. Tell them you need their decision within the statutory time limits so you can exercise your right to appeal if it goes against you. Appeals can take time so you want to get an appeal in asap. You will not be delaying for any EP visits etc as there are time limits to be complied with and we are talking about a child's education and well-being.

Tell them that, because of this, you will be asking for any such SENDIST appeal to be expedited in view of the fact your child is out of school - you can do this.

This will tell them you will not go away and they cannot fob you off. Do they want this before a Tribunal? Really? They have been crap and ineffective and offered no support.

Thank you so much. I really need this extra push.

DD is like a different child since not been in school. Obviously we've had the 'traits' of all her problems but it's taken so much pressure off her that it's been almost 'normal' at home.

I certainly intend to stand my ground and just hope i'm not patronised again by them!

DH is the most tactful and gets things over easy, whereas i'm like a bull in a china shop and have no tact whatsoever

x

No advice to add but just wanted to wish you the very best of luck for the meeting today.

Go get 'em! :)

Have you got a doctor's letter to say that she can't get into school? If so the LA should be providing home tuition or something similar and it would be worth asking for it and not taking no for an answer. Also, if they come back with an offer of 5 hours a week, which is the usual ploy, point out that the government guidance on education for children with medical needs says that 5 hours is a minimum and they should provide as much as the child can cope with. You might find that if they see themselves having to spend money on something like this they suddenly start treating the assessment with a bit more urgency.

How did it go?

Well, today has been a strange day.

This meeting was purely to see what we could do for DD to enable her to want to go back in. I had a feeling it would be. We have agreed the following (for now):

DD is to use the SEN area at break & lunchtime. There are a no. of children who will be there of different ages - but they're all vulnerable.
DD is to stay in SEN area as part of her registration. This saves having another changing of room.
DD can use a private room to change for games as the extra hustle/bustle drives her mad.
She will not get homework for the time being.
She can reduce to half days/part days if needs be, but try full days at first.
She will get a reward stamp for each lesson she manages to go to in a day - there are 5 lessons in all and we will reward her as well as school, with something small that she likes.
TA's will walk her between lessons (in a subtle way) and she can talk about her latest obsessions with them, that way shes taking her mind of the next task.
Her classes will have 19 children at the most, but it can go down at different times, to 6/8 children.
Not really anything we can do about the rain/weather but she has the toilet pass and can use it anytime. This is our biggest enemy now.

Can't think of anything else but once she's in we need the school to back us up for stat. assessment/statementing and IF DD manages to go to school this will be a huge progression for her and we'll be able to move forward and push for 1-2-1 support.

One lady who was there, has seen DD at home and explained to school that she really is changing when she gets to school, and that seemed to carry more weight than I did!! She also explained to me why DD probably doesn't ask for help and it's so obvious yet has puzzled us!

Not sure what will happen re: SA/Statement as no-one seemed to know if it had been agreed or not. I told them what LEA told me the evening before, and nobody would comment. I also reminded them that 6 weeks is up next wednesday.

So, would you be satisfied with this?

I think this is a step in the right direction but you need a statement as this can be taken away in a flash without that legal guarantee. If they don't agree an SA - appeal it.

Yes, until next Wednesday. In the interim, it is perfect.

Thank you both. I am attempting to keep my mind open, while all the time knowing DD is going to be a wreck again and they're taking some other poor dc ta, who actually has a statement.

I'm going to email the LEA again now actually. Just to clarify that what he told me yesterday didn't happen at the meeting today and also to encourage SA, as we've stripped as much education away as possible, for now.

Just curious - what was the explanation of why DD does not ask for help?

I'm quite embarrassed about this. But it's basically because she doesn't know what to say. How to explain what she struggled with or even understanding what help is at times. She thinks help is "giving her the answers or solving the problem" for her. So it's easier to keep quiet.

Hello sweetteamum, it looks like school are trying to work with you, and in so doing, providing extra ammunition for a statement. Read SENCOP Chapter 7:34, 7:35, 7:42-43. and 8:13.

I believe it's not unusual for a child with ASD not to ask for help; my ds does this as he is not consciously aware of what he's feeling, just that he's feeling "sick"; he is unable to verbalise any feelings or emotions but is extremely articulate when conversing about anything else. For example, ds was given time out cards for when he needed a break. They didn't work because he didn't know he needed a break, just that he felt ill when it got too much. School and I agreed that he wasn't able to verbalise and we timetabled a break in the middle of the school day. He is receiving speech therapy to help him verbalise feelings/needs, etc, so hopefully this will help.

Good luck for next week.

Thank you iceflower I'll look those parts up. I never thought of it like that but now it's been pointed out it's obvious. We have had to take parts of education out, that she's just not able to cope with at the moment. Therefore "not accessing the curriculum" and should help.

To be honest I feel we got listened to more as there was somebody at the meeting who has seen dd at home and noticed the behaviour. I think we'd of been frustrated otherwise.

I may have to just say to her, that whenever she feels like crying (which is what happens) or feels like she needs the toilet, just use your 'i'm scared/worried' card and have some time out.