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]

There are positive noises coming from the LA camp. You never know, DS may appear on a 'list' if he is out of school too long with no reintegration plan.

I wouldn't normally advocate delay but it might be best to hold fire for now.

If you get agreement on part 4 you can amend sections 2 and 3, following indi assessment, at AR.

Perhaps a weekly boarding school would enable you to find a more expensive appropriate placement?

[MareeyaDolores]

Claw, you might not have been allocated all your appropriate 'medical' and 'social' points. Round here it's similar, but a banding system, and I've seen people in unbelievably dreadful situations languish for years on 'bronze', just cos one crucial photocopy was misfiled.

[StarlightMcKenzie]

Hmm. That might be true but wouldn't Claw have to contact the ever helpful SS lot again?

or GP etc.

[MareeyaDolores]

Nah, just send the CAF stuff, dr letters, DLA award letter, draft statement etc. But with a really detailed explanation of how it all relates to housing status too.

Bit like doing a DLA appeal, but replace thoughts about 'care needs' compared to other dc, with 'housing needs' compared to other dc. Citizens advice are sometimes useful at checking the draft. Shelter advisers are amazing but the helpline is like IPSEA for getting through.

[claw2]

I dont think ds could cope with moving house and a new school, even if it were possible.

Keep, i think i would look like a crazy woman! even suggesting boarding school and even accused of increasing ds's anxiety.

[MareeyaDolores]

I didn't mean move right now, claw

That said, there might be some logic to posting off the forms while you've still got all the relevant paperwork spread over the dinner table every square inch of free surface

[KOKOagainandagain]

In comparison, local indi m/s day school is a much more reasonable and rational choice.

Perhaps the problem is that we don't know how to barter - ask for more than what you want as the opening bid and then negotiate down, ditching things that you didn't want in the first place.

Apparent compromise looks just as good as real compromise and makes you look supremely reasonable.

Bracket emotion and play the game (easier said than done I know)

[claw2]

Keep, the local indi m/s i thought i would never get! I was even told by my solicitor during SA that it very unlikely based on what i had at that time. Seems the LA are now the ones looking supremely reasonable!

If i now up it to boarding school, wont i look totally unreasonable, seen as they have apparently agreed to the school which i asked them for?

Mareey sorry im confused, if not trying to move now, then when? Im assuming that i will have to name a school when statement is finalised, if i name a school miles away that i cant get to?

[claw2]

So have i got this right?

LA did no SALT or OT assessment as part of SA, they are now relying on indi school to do this for them?

The pile of papers that come with draft, although LA are saying the draft was prepared with consideration being given to only selective reports. There is another bundle attached with OT, private SALT etc assessments. Why would they attach these, if they did not consider them in the draft?

[KOKOagainandagain]

Does the indi school provide therapy within the fees or is therapy an extra?

If it is extra is should be in the proposed statement so that the funded is included for therapy. Tactically though, if they agree to fund the school, it might be best to leave that for now, the indi school will carry out assessment and then if they need funding for therapy you can request emergency AR on the basis of new info. The main thing would be placement.

I think that you need to be reactive atm. Wait to see what their next move is. They will either fund placement or not. Personally I would meet with the LA to reset the 15 day deadline to suggest amendments. Once he has done the evaluation and has formally been offered a place you can name it in part 4.

Unless the child is an OT or SALT pt at the time of SA the LA is not likely to request assessment. ime the LA did not even attempt to get OT or SALT reports until tribunal final deadline was looming and the case was passed to the legal team.

If you end up going to tribunal cost will become more relevant and so this might be the time to reconsider the provision that he needs. My LA offered me in county m/s indi because it was cheaper than OOC indi ss.

[claw2]

The therapy is extra. Hence why indi school are saying they are not sure if they can meet needs, with the draft statement as it is.

15 day deadline has been reset i think, got letter from LA stating they will get back to me yesterday.

[MareeyaDolores]

Sorry for the confusion claw, I thought you were actively looking for move options for the not-too-distant future.

People here tend to try and get the banding sorted way before they're actually looking to move. And keep 'homeseeker' status alive by bidding (now and then) on unattainable homes... till they're ready. But housing is even more of a postcode lottery than SN; it's no wonder they use bidding auction systems, may as well make the sheer randomness official

[MareeyaDolores]

Obviously if the perfect house (in a county well known for funding anything parents request, with a fairy godma perched on chimney, and £50 notes instead of wallpaper ) suddenly appears, you could move immediately.....

[StarlightMcKenzie]

SN may as well be a bidding system. At least that woukd be more honest.