'Scuse me, but... BUGGER ME!!!!!!! (Ellenjane, you NEED to read this sitting down!)

[Galena]

DD (3.9) has mild cerebral palsy. Is a wobbly independent walker and we are hoping she will have SDR later this year to help with the tightness. We started the statementing process around the summer. We had her proposed statement just before Christmas - for the whole 15 hours she is at preschool! We were particularly as we didn't need to fight for it.

We replied asking for all the 'should's to be changed to 'will's. They have just sent us the revised proposed statement. Not only have they changed all the shoulds to wills, they have also added that, from Sept 2013, once she is full-time at school, the school will receive funding for: 26.25 hours support each week for Care and Supervision and 5 hours support each week for Midday supervision. FULL TIME SUPPORT AT SCHOOL?!?!?!?!?! Without asking or fighting for it!

About to brave the snow to buy a bottle of bubbly!

Woo hoo! Well done that girl! That is fabulous, that's a full time statement.

It's slightly bitter sweet, I guess, as she obviously needs the support, but it's brilliant that she's getting it. Which school did you go for in the end? G R or one with attached but irrelevant unit? (For later, obviously!)

Wow, I know Im not ellen but wanted to say, great news.

There are some sensible LA's out there after all

I will butt in and second that congrats! What a relief it must be.

Brilliant. I am super proud of you

A celebratory is definitely in order!

That's brilliant news Galena.

Always great to hear of the system actually working!

The title didn't mean that no-one else could read/comment, but I know EJ is in the same LA so understands how this just NEVER happens in the LA.

Still haven't stopped smiling (and bought a bottle of bubbly while out posting some packages)

And Ellen, she'll be going to GR. One with unit had an attitude which stinks. All about adapting DD to fit the school rather than the other way around.

WOOHOO!

Oh congrats. I know the feeling of getting support, it's such a relief.
Fab news for you.

It's amazing how quickly you can rule some schools out. Your chosen school may not be the middle class, NT, first choice, but I'll bet it's all the more inclusive and welcoming because of that. Can't stop smiling either.

Yep - and it's small, it's welcoming, it's keen to have her (although I'm not sure if they've realised what a smartarse she is...) and began discussing what adaptations would need to be made to the school for her on my first visit there - having simply spoken to them on the phone previously! Hey - and she can always learn Polish if she gets bored!

Buy a thank-you card and a nice box of chocs while you're at it it's not often that someone on here gets something to thank the LA for. makes me want to send the panel some

Excellent!
I have just received our final sm and of the 34 amendments I requested only 2 were refused which I had been cheeky about anyway. Is it something in the water or LA's getting a bit gung-ho as sm's will soon be going ?

That's great Galena.

Ours was really easy for yr r, too. . There are some statements issued with very little fuss. (and i think traditionally the LA can't really argue with a cp dx, whereas for some reason they try to question an asd dx

Such a relief, though. Relax!

at the chocolates...

I guess I should email the person at the LA and say I am happy with the proposed statement. I don't think I'll add delighted, ecstatic, over the moon, etc!

So glad to hear it's been done quickly and with little stress! Now you can relax a little bit!

Fantastic news. Well done!

Brilliant

for your local authority!

Thanks all - I feel a little guilty in a way, because it has been so 'easy'. A friend of mine in the same LA who is a teacher and who has a son with DS had to fight for his statement - and then had to fight to get the hours increased as he was only offered a handful of hours to begin with. He only started school in Sept, so it's not like it was ages ago, and he'd been in special school for preschool.

Really odd.