How many objectives can you put into a statement??

[claw2]

Just re-writing the draft statement and i wondered how many objectives you have in your statement?

Can you have too many?

[KOKOagainandagain]

I would not put words/accounts of yours into the statement other than clearly headed as parental views. You can put in DS's comments - 'DS reports that...' even if he has only ever reported it to you.

All comments that are not a direct quote from a report or the child's views will be deleted.

The extracted comments are meant to be an accurate representation rather than interpretation.

'Needs identified..' may be a little weak - you really need reports to say 'significant' 'particular' 'specific' 'unusual' 'severe' etc and to litter the statement with these words which give an indication of the level of need. Where it is vague, the provision indicates severity - ie not bad enough to need SALT.

[claw2]

Star my thinking was what was the purpose of the statement, my first thought was to identify needs and i didnt include any strengths, just needs.

Then i was thinking is the purpose of the statement to give a clear picture of ds and started to question myself!

Keep i used needs identified as LA are saying he doesnt have any SALT needs.

"difficulties with understanding the feelings, emotions, motivations and of others and peer interaction" is what CAMHS are saying is responsible for his anxiety. Although its not written anywhere that its 'severe difficulties" could i use the wording severe?

[claw2]

Or maybe quote CAMHS?

[StarlightMcKenzie]

Well it's a statement of educational NEEDS, not educational strengths, so I would only ever mention the strengths if it was critical to defining the need.

A child who is very cognitively capable but is not achieving identifes a need moreso than a child who is simply not achieving iyswim.

I prefer the term educational RIGHTS personally, so keep that in mind too when you are rewriting.

[StarlightMcKenzie]

And what keep said.

[claw2]

Thanks guys, its a work in progress and i made the amendments you suggested. I am busy searching through reports to see if i can use Keeps words.

[KOKOagainandagain]

You can't add the word 'severe' if it is not in reports. You can say (or best quote) that X has a significant effect on ...

You have to say which report identifies 'need' - the LA can not say that he has no SALT needs without being able to refer to a report from a SALT that states that and you can't just say that he does but need to quote a SALT report that says that.

You can say that according to CAMHS or CAMHS report that, anxiety is secondary to "difficulties with understanding...".

Whatever the cause though it is a need and so should be identified and provision made (small classes, mentor, CAMHS, etc).

Don't forget that the anxiety is key to receiving indi as the LA will/can argue that most DC with ASD are educated in m/s with outreach where/when required. Does it look key?

[claw2]

Keep this where they have me over a barrel, my communication and interaction example above.

They wrote to SALT who has had no personal involvement with ds since 2010 for an 'update' to include in statement. His colleague discharged ds in Nov 2011 (after one school visit) and ds has had no SALT involvement since.

But it was the SALT from 2010 and 2011 who identified significant (i found the word in report) difficulties with all the things i listed. So ds's needs have remained unmet since 2010. I have been fighting ever since.

Ds is refusing to be assessed anymore ie going there and refusing to do assessments.

I dont blame him, he has had so many over the years, i have reports and assessments coming out of ears.

His needs have been well and truly identified but never met.

[claw2]

However what i do have is recent CAMHS reports saying

He self harms because of his capacity to verbalize his thoughts and feelings in order for his worries to find a different form of expressing and he needs continued support for this. Another saying he reported deliberately self harming and having suicidal thoughts because of worries about school and he reported being bullied. Another saying he has difficulty distinguising between fantasy and reality and his understand of the permanence of death. Another he reported worries about children hitting him, chasing him, telling lies about him, trying to play with him when he wants to be alone.

The conclude he has difficulty interpreting the meanings and intetnions of others in social situations. Difficulties with social interactions and relationships with peers, which leave him feeling anxious and persecuted.

Then recent LA EP report weakness in voca and needed time to process language and respond and that ds needs help expressing his feelings and needs and he needs structured programmes to develop his social skills and one to one support to implement the programmes etc and his learning plan should be informed by SALT

recent Private EP that ds found it very difficult to engage in a conversation etc.

[claw2]

Equally LA are relying on a report from SALT who last saw ds in 2010 once. Another who meet ds once in 2011, identified all the needs listed above recommended a social story and discharged ds.

At least my CAMHS and EP reports are very recent.

Ideally i would just get a SALT to assess him now, but ds is refusing to engage with assessments.

[KOKOagainandagain]

If that was the last SALT assessment quote it - I presume their were no assessments carried out for the update?

Quote CAMHS.

Present an image of a child whose increasing anxiety is a barrier to accessing the curriculum. The anxiety is secondary to identified difficulties and related to the demands (socio-sensory) of the environment. Anxiety cannot be sufficiently reduced in m/s to allow attendance/access to curriculum and calls for a modified environment - low stimulus etc.

Make sure that the statement mentions that he is currently unable to attend/out of school and receiving LA funded tuition and the need for an integration package. You can put this in part 3. The LA named school was willing for a TA to come to our home to build trust. Can the indi evaluation make recommedations/state what they would do?

The LA will probably ask you (as they did me) about how you think he will able to attend your preferred choice but not theirs. tbh from what you have described I would be more than a little concerned that he might refuse to go in (I live in fear that DS1 will now refuse Frewen).

Ideally you would want an indi SALT and OT report but lets be generous and assume that the LA will fund indi - do they have onsite therapists? If so, they will carry out their own assessments on entry. If you end up going to tribunal you will have months or arrange for (although paying is more of a problem) assessment. If it goes to tribunal you will need more than you have now to have the strongest possible case.

tbh whether or not they fund the school will not be determined by anything you do or do not say. Your amendments just have to be good enough - no amount of tinkering will mean that you can reach agreement on part 4.

[claw2]

Keep, its not the last SALT report, as his colleague was to go into school and provide programmes for the difficulties identified. She went in 13 months later, never provided any programmes or address any of his previous difficulties, witnessed that ds was distressed and anxious during her assessment, concluded he has made progress, give him a social story and discharged.

So last reports states (from a year and half ago) he has made progress, based on the things he never had any difficulties with in the first place. He was distressed and axnious, give him a social story and he doesnt require any SALT input.

No update SALT assessments, based on the fact that he gets distressed and anxious.

Only assessments carried out for this SA were LA EP who could only do 3 subtests before ds became too distressed and she had to stop.

I had private EP assessment but he did not even attempt assessments, just interview with ds.

I am going to have to work on the fact that lots and lots of needs have been identified but never met or addressed, so still remain.

[claw2]

Sorry indi school have onsite SALT, OT and a qualified counsellor.

They are asking that ds go for in house assessment, they have agreed that he can attend part time over several days. LA are saying they will fund this and a placement (nothing in writing as yet, apart from they did approach indi school in writing)

Home tutor has said she can go with ds.

[StarlightMcKenzie]

www.woodcroftschool.net/

Have you looked at this school? It's tiny and the peers might not be all that similar but it the best school I visited for ASD in terms of their ability to meet individual need and general almost mothery understanding of autism and the children there.

I discounted it on the basis that it did have the peers for ds to practice social interaction, but would have had no doubt that his academic individual potential would have been met.

Or, is there any way you can move to Blossom House?

[claw2]

Maybe i will just put re-writing draft on hold for now, until after indi school assessment (IF ds will let them assess him)

Im trying to think one step all the time.

[claw2]

Off to google Star thanks

[claw2]

Both of those schools are an hour and 30 minute drive and i am without a car at the moment.

[StarlightMcKenzie]

Can you not just visit and if they accept move there?

I know it is far easier said than done but maybe it would be alright!?

[StarlightMcKenzie]

You can stay with us during a BH assessment btw and use public transport.

I might even be able to find you accomodation near Woodcroft too.

[StarlightMcKenzie]

A tribunal wouldn't award a 90minute communte placement for such a young child btw. It needs to be under 75 minutes I think for secondary and 45 minutes for primary unless exceptional circumstances.

[claw2]

Im not a house owner Star, i rent from a HA.

Looks like SALT who supplied the report to LA might be willing to withdraw it.

[StarlightMcKenzie]

Sorry Claw, I don't know what the conditions of HA renting are. Is it a slow investment? Does that mean you can never move? Does it mean crazy waiting list times if you do wish to? Would having a school place miles away affect that?

Sorry for being thick.

Why has the SALT report been withdrawn. When was it?

[StarlightMcKenzie]

sorry, I mean why is the salt willing to withdraw it?

Surely you need it to show how sparse and crap their service has been?

[claw2]

According to the report he prepared ds had SALT programmes to address the needs identified. SALT attended termly planning meetings and so did ASD Advisory, along with me. All with close liason with me and other services etc, etc.

She attended once in 3 years and so did ASD advisory.

[claw2]

Star, they dont even do waiting lists anymore. You are given points then have to bid on properties. Your circumstances dictate how points you have and if you can bid.

So just wanting to move, wouldnt give you any points, and those with points ie people who are overcrowded, homeless etc have lots of points, so i would never win a bid.