Forthcoming tribunal - LA cost for SALT = zero

[KOKOagainandagain]

The LA appear to be bending over backwards - agreeing to 1 hour per week OT with an indi therapist at £80 per hour but have argued that 1 hour per week with a SALT is not an 'additional cost'. Maybe not but it is not free. What is a realistic figure for the cost of this provision - even if the LA have a contract? What arguments have been used in tribunal?

Also can we deduct the AWPU from costings for our choice?

TIA

I don't know the answer, Keep, but if it helps I pay my private SLT £80 for each one hour session.

Good luck - only two weeks to go, isn't it?

Yes - we wouldn't be offered provision if tribunal were not nearly upon us. Its amazing how much previously unheard of provision exists and its all free!

I'm using a private SLT because the local PCT had a care pathway that excluded children with ASD. Ds was discharged after a 5-minute assessment.

However, just before ds' statement was finalised, an NHS SLT phoned me to check "what status I was" as it wasn't clear from her records . I've now been offered an assessment by an ASD specialist SLT!

How's ds doing?

What kind of school is your choice?

Put in a Freedom of Information request to the PCT to see what they cost an s/lt session as.
Everything is costed.

When we went to tribunal the LA quoted £55 per hour for their SALT, had to laugh because they asked the SALT's from our choice of special school and put them down for him, plus expenses and travel, probably different in every area but this is an idea.

at mine they quoted £60 per hour. interestingly the NHS OT was trying to argue that she would only cost £20 per hour. if the LA try to give ridiculous figures it will make the tribunal raise an eyebrow.

It's around £100 per hour. There's a document somewhere on the Internet that shows costs per hour for all the NHS professions. I think it was published 2009 but you coukd still use it as a guide and submit it as evidence. Sorry can't link. Am on holiday.

Thanks. Cheeky buggers.

Can we deduct the AWPU from our costs for indi ss?

I have just picked up the copies of the bundle - the LA section only contains their original response and one position statement. There are no copies of recent additional assessments even though I have been told they were filed with tribunal. Is this normal?

DS seems fine thanks iced - he lives in the moment and other things are far more important to him than his entire future

Me on the other hand ... I think I will have to detox after this is all over

As far as I am aware the AWPU is only for maintained schools and would not apply for independent schools. I know I didn't cost it in - I just had the cost of the school fees and that was it. My fees also included all of the salt and OT as well within the cost so didn't need to separate for my choice but did need to know the costs for the LA preferred school. My cost difference was 50k and I still won as the tribunal agreed the LA school was not suitable

Wow - my cost difference is 'only' £17k atm but I was thinking that it would be as well to narrow the gap, especially given SD's recent hearing.

I was thinking I could shave nearly £4k off that by deducting the AWPU that won't be a cost in indi.

Does anyone know of any legal precedents dealing with the prefunded services/no additional cost argument?

There are legal arguments both ways iirc but IPSEA and SOSSEN will definitely have the up to date ones.

And yes you can include awpu. Whether the panel agree with it is another matter but they usually do:

Here is the link to the NHS costs document
www.gov.uk/government/publications/nhs-reference-costs-2009-2010

Interesting reading TTW

extremely interesting