Proposed Statement received

[sweetteamum]

We have received DD (11 HFA) Proposed Statement. I'm not sure what I was expecting but it doesn't specify ANY hours on there. In fact it doesn't really seem to say much.

Her current small unit has said that she needs 1-2-1, the EP has recommended special and Camhs has suggested somewhere small also.

We've waited so long for it but I don't feel anything.

The LA know we want special school, and may even have an idea which school we want. Could this be a reason they've put very little on there. Is there a need to specify and quantify as much if a child will go to special. Sorry but I just don't know.

Part 2 should be your daughters needs and part 3 should be the provision for those needs. Parts 2 and 3 need to be right so you know what special school is needed and so the school that you are thinking of is able to say it can meet those needs and provision.

Thanks wasuuup. It just doesn't seem to have many items on there. I'm just so worried I'm going to end up messing up for her. Could ipsea or somewhere tell me if its useful or not?

You might also like to try SOSSEN, I found them very helpful and much easier to get through to than IPSEA.

Thanks iced. I will try them too.

Here is a copy of dd's statement. If anyone could tell me their thoughts.

1. Objective is to develop dd's own management of her ASD

1. Special education provision is. Advice and guidance should continue to be sought from Camhs and lasc service as necessary to support dd in terms of her autism.

Breaking down tasks to manageable chunks to keep dd focused, while fostering a greater sense of achievement. The use of visual prompts, timetables and guides to support verbal input and general organisation to help enhance dd's understanding of the curriculum and order of the day. Routes and structures will be important to dd.

1. Objective is to improve dd's receptive and expressive language skills.

1. Special educational provision. Teaching staff to support dd by per-teaching and encouraging regular revision of linguistic concepts as they arise.

Teaching staff to assist dd in accessing the curriculum. Dd should be given verbal instructions which are grammatically simple and which contain only the amount of info she can cope with at one time. Ensure that dd understands what is being said by keeping language simple, checking and trying to establish eye contact.

1. Objective is to increase confidence and improve self esteem and reducing dd's levels of anxiety.

1. Special educational provision.

Staff should capitalise on dd's interests and ability throughout the curriculum, this will provide further opportunities to build confidence and self esteem. Strategies to promote calm and general well being to help reduce dd's anxieties. Lasc and Camhs can provide strategies and plans to be out in place to help dd manage her anxiety levels.

1. Objectives are to develop dd's social and emotional skills.

1. Special educational provision.

Access and opportunities to socialise with students who share similar ASD difficulties to enhance dd's feelings of emotional well being and self worth. A programme to develop social and emotional understanding, utilising social stories when possible.

1. Objectives are to develop dd's literacy levels.

1. Special educational provision. Appropriate literacy intervention strategies to be used. All teachers to take into account her mild dyslexia when teaching all curriculum areas.

1. non educational need

Medical needs

1. Non educational provision

Community paed to monitor and review.

1. Non educational need.

Anxiety and social communication difficulties related to her ASD.

1. Non educational provision

Camhs to continue to provide advice and support as deemed necessary.

1. Non educational need

Speech and language difficulties.

1. Non educational provision.

The salt service to provide advice to school regarding. Appropriate programmes and input for school staff.

www.ace-ed.org.uk/Resources/ACE/advice%20booklets/GettingTheStatementRight%20Mar2011.pdf take a look at this guide as some very useful info in there. Currently the statement you have there is not specific enough nor quantified. It needs to be re written in the form DD will receive x hours of input with y therapy per week, delivered by a person with these specific qualifications. None of this consideration given or access to stuff. IPSEA and SOSSEN are very helpful. Be prepared to have to take this to appeal. Don't spend forever negotiating this with the LA if they don't listen, finalise and appeal.

Thanks very much for the link and info beautiful. I completely agree and will send their "I disagree" form back.

Speech and language and social communication are educational. Have they been put in part 6?

It may be helpful to look at Ambitious about Autism's "What does a statement of special educational needs look like"

www.ambitiousaboutautism.org.uk/lib/liDownload/208/What_does_the_statement_look_like.pdf?CFID=8584501&CFTOKEN=53144201

Sazale, yes that's been put into non educational need in part 6

Thanks iced, I will also take a look at your link once I get in the laptop.

Have the LA specified (maybe under a heading of staffing) the total number of hours (individual, small group whole class) and, without naming a specific school, the type of setting?

Given that provision is not specified or quantified it is hard to imagine a mainstream school that would say that it can't meet her needs. If the LA names m/s and you want ss (esp OCC and/or indi) finalise asap and appeal.

In day to day practice it may seem that parts 2 and 3 do not need to be full of details cut and paste by lea staff with very little understanding of SEN needs and provision if the child is to attend special school. But you have to remember that in law parts 2 and 3 form a detailed description of the child and the provision necessary to meet their needs so that it presents an accurate view of the child in order that any potential school can judge whether or not they can meet that child's needs.

So by not being prescriptive in parts 2 and 3 of the statement you end up with a document that is not accurate and minimises need and provision necessary and so m/s schools are more likely to say 'yes' and ss are more likely to say 'no' when approached by the LA.

Have the LA told you what schools they have approached - they are likely to have done this already as to name a school on the final statement they have to have sent the proposed statement to the school who then have 15 working days to reply.

You really need them in part 3 as part 6 is not legally enforcable and therefore won't be delivered by the LEA.

www.cafamily.org.uk/advice-and-support/sen-national-advice-service/more-on-the-statement-of-special-educational-needs/

I'm not too bad with the basics but now it's coming to me rejecting the proposed statement and having to meet with them to tell them what I want is making me as nervous as hell.

I WILL do it, for my daughter but I do need advice for this part.

Just tell me one thing:

What is written in that statement, that cannot be delivered within the schools resources and without a statement?

That is where you start.

My son is in an autistic unit linked to mainstream. Part 2 and 3 specify all his needs and what lea will ensure but its not quantified. I spoke with parent partnership, SOSSEN helpline, the autisticunit teacher and the lea family helpers who all said if not in mainstream but specialised unit, there isn't a need for therapies to be quantified as everything is taught and done all the time in that unit. Does that make sense? Sorry bit garbled but on phone. I've only just sent our proposal back and worried now! :( x help?

See advice on sos!sen website. Info sheet re statements.. (not the one on checking it, just the statement one). Got such horrible feeling now..gutted..I made sure I spoke to different people etc....Flipping heck! No answer in the LEA now to see if can be changed..aaaagh! (Crying):(

Sorry sweetteamum...making a mess of your post. Wish I'd just come on here and asked like you. Good luck xx

To be honest star. The way this is wrote is just so vague that any school could fulfil the requirements. Looks like a very long way to go.

Do not worry cath, if it can help you then it's worth it.

I am also thinking the same thing. Of course I can't get hold of the school I want, parent partnership and need to speak to someone about the wording from ipsea or sossen before I make a final decision.

I have until 11 April to find out for sure as I've arranged a meeting with lea to discuss her placement - they wanted to discuss it in person and said if there were any changes then we still had time to do them.

Chin up, you may have the correct information.

Yes. But that really is the test.

I'm sorry. I know your current position must fill you with dread. It's very rare now to find a child with parents who are NOT put in your position to start with.

It's the way provision is rationed.

Just be systematic and calm. Don't take it personally.

Did you just receive it at the start of the Easter Holidays?

Bastards!

Thanks star. As long as they 'think' I know what I'm doing that should help my poker face.

Hmmm yes, they sent it recorded just in time for the break! Bastards indeed!