Can you demand that an Ed Psych & OT come into school

[SallyBear]

My friend has a mtg with the HT this afternoon as a result of her approaching the LA independently to request forms for a Statement application. Her DS is 7 and has HF ASD, but struggles massively with social communication, and a multitude of issues with dyspraxia, noises, friendships etc. The school have him on SA+ but haven't done any IEPs or much to support him in terms of his difficulties other than an hour of social stories a week and friendship club.

She is seeing the HT this afternoon and thinks that the HT is going to ask that she withdraws her application. I have said that maybe she should but only if the school make a written promise to get outside agencies involved and to start documenting via IEPs the strategies that they will implement (with results) before applying for Stat Assessment.

She wants to know if she can demand that school bring in Ed Psych, OT and SLT to assess him in school and to make formal recommendations to assist him at school. Is this possible?

Are we talking about a state school here?.

No, I would not withdraw the statement application under any circs!. Promises even written ones can and do get too easily broken. The problem here is that currently his support is not ringfenced and can be too easily used for other purposes.

Also schools can sit on statement applications for ages, this school would likely act no differently. Their track record to date re your friend's son is not good at all.

Your friend would be far better off doing as she has already done and applied for the statement.

BTW your friend only needs to write a letter to the Chief Education Officer of the LEA in question; IPSEA's website has model letters on it she can use.

www.ipsea.org.uk. Advise her also of this website and also advise her to read the SENCOP (SEN Code of practice) available online.

This school seems already to be failing your friend's son and even with a statement in place they won't likely want to help him either. I'd be looking at other schools.

Doubt very much the school will be willing at all to get the SALT or OT in, well not without a fight on your friend's part. Does her DS already see such people?.

Tell her as well she is her child's best - and only - advocate.

Thanks Atilla. I will forward this on to her. Bloody school.

I agree with attila, I think she'd stand a better chance of getting ot, salt, ed psych assessments as part of the statutory assessment process, even if she ends up not getting the statement. And probably quicker too because of the time frames they have to stick to.

This is the same school that DS3 goes to. I'm becoming less than enamoured with it myself. It's all about targets, and not about the child and / or SEN. They think that just by giving out certificates at Friday assembly to reward xyz is raising a child's self esteem.....

If your friend is going ahead with the application AND I would say keep it going!

If the LA agree to assess then an EP usually goes into school to observe and assess anyway.

There really is no harm in your friend finding the number from her council and ringing the EP herself expressing her concerns and how she feels the school needs support in understanding in the type of support her child needs. All this will do is flag mark your concerns.

If your friends dc is not under an OT she can self refer herself she doesnt have to wait for the school to do it :)

Thanks Coff. I will get her a name of the Ed Psych we used and find out who the OT is. I have my uses as we are in the system already! I really feel for her as the HT is a dragon (cow).

She shouldn't withdraw her application, whatever the HT promises. The HT might not meet those promises, in which case she would be no further on and if she decided to try a new school, she would have to start all over again.

Just tell your friend that at this meeting take notes even if it does irritate the hell out of the HT.

Dont make any rash decisions or give an answer there and then just say thanks for the meeting and input and yes all the suggestions of support is great the sooner they are in place for dc the better. Neither agree to stop or disagree with regards to SA. If she is badgered for a decision tell her to say she will consider the options whilst going through todays notes and walk out.

I would also suggest she emails the school "just to clarify" the events and proposals of the meeting incase she missed something on her notes

Start that paper trail!