Got the Final . . . Lots still left out

[sweetteamum]

We've received the Final statement in the post and it's still got so many ammendments I sent in, missing. I haven't made the things up I want adding, I've taken them from the assessment reports. For example, things like thses are missing:

DD's overall understanding of a range of sentence structures was below the average range. More specifically, he ability to respond to a range of instructions, varying in length and including different linguistic concepts was significantly delayed

DD demonstrated specific details with sequential terms such as 'before' and 'after'

DD may demonstrate difficulties engaging in spoken discussion in the school environment where she has been unable to follow the comments and questions of others

DD's problem with receptive language are likely to impact upon her relationships and conversational skills

DD's verbal comprehension skills are extremely poor compared to that of her peers. They are in the bottom 1% for her age group

DD has difficulty understanding conventional standards of behaviour, social judgements, maturity and common sense

These are just a small number of them that have been left out. I just need to know if i'm being picky. I realise the school will get sent the reports but surely when they have to quickly check details off the statement in future, things like this are not going to be there.

Also, they are still waiting for funding acceptance for the indie special school we've asked for and will be letting us know in due course.

Oh and SALT is still in part 5/6 NOT part 3!!!!!

Part two is really important as it informs the provision offered in part 3 and will support getting things moved from part 5/6. There is information on salt being in part 3 in the code of practice.

The statement should set out clearly all the needs in part 2 and the provision to meet them. SLT should be considered educational and be in part 2 and 3 unless there are exceptional reasons for not doing this. See here

You are NOT being picky.

Thank you both. As this is the final, does that mean I need to appeal to get everything included.

At a recent meeting the la told me that the government are telling la's to make the statements as short as possible or they could end up with 25 pages. However, to me if that's what a child needs then so be it.

I am more than willing to negotiate with the la on certain things but not on what looks to have been left out on purpose.

I think you should appeal. You can still try to negotiate with la. They may respond quicker as they will know you are serious.

If a statement needs to be 25 pages long to be accurate then that's how long it has to be. Ds is about 20 pages after tribunal. It was about 10 before.

Yes. I think it is particularly unacceptable to out SLT in part 5 and you should appeal.

If you remove Part 1 (cover page and list of appendices) and Part 4 (one page with named school, nothing else), my DS?s Statement is exactly 5½ pages long. The word ?dyslexia? is mentioned once in passing amongst his other diagnoses in Part 2. He is the most severely dyslexic child two top dyslexia EP experts have ever come across. From reading the 5½ pages of the Statement, you would think he had very slight literacy problems.

However, the appendices run into over 200 pages including 4 expert reports and 3 LA reports all stating the full extent of his difficulties. Not that ANY of the appendices made it between the LA and their named school during the illegal farce of the so-called ?consultation? between the LA and their named school.

So sorry that your LA hasn't done what you wanted sweetteamum. It sounds as though you need to start an appeal

Not picky. Just sensible. So, you're appealing parts 2, 3 and 4 then?

Part 2
DD's verbal comprehension skills are extremely poor compared to that of her peers. They are in the bottom 1% for her age group

DD has difficulty understanding conventional standards of behaviour, social judgements, maturity and common sense

Part 3
Oh and SALT is still in part 5/6 NOT part 3!!!!!

Part 4
they are still waiting for funding acceptance for the indie special school we've asked for and will be letting us know in due course

What MD said. Sorry.

There is no way you will be given indi school unless you appeal given the blatant clues to that stance contained in your current statement.

Also funding doesn't ever have to be approved. Your child either needs the Indi or not. If yes, funding is automatic. It is the case officer who signed the statement that is soley responsible for giving that provision.

Thank you all. I know I need to register appeal and will be doing so.

I hadn't realised that the named officer could authorise indie school off her own back. She told me that she'd need authorisation from her line manager and said she'd put our case forward. My dad was absolutely convinced they were being genuine - I wasn't so confident.

If they were going to say no, they could of just named LA special school, couldn't they?

So what have they named I. Part 4 if its a final statement? Surely they have to name the school and issues re funding should have been sorted pre sending the final statement out. Also they have made their intentions clear by putting salt into part 5/6. My LA did this even though they said he needed it in part 2. Took me all the way to tribunal and conceded it on the morning as they knew it should be in part 3 and no tribunal was going to rule otherwise and their barrister certainly wasn't going to try and argue against it as it was so blatant a tactic by the LA but they wanted to see how far I would go. I did get an independent school

If they were going to say yes, SLT would be in part 3, as it's part and parcel of any special school curriculum.

Think they're going to say mainstream with (minimal) support.

To be honest they've already agreed special. I've said indie can meet her need, whereas they have said LA special can meet her needs. Then they listened to my arguments and said they'd consider indie.

It just says "a school that has experience of teaching children with an ASC", which I knew about anyway as they told me they may not have decision before final statement was due.

I don't even know the procedure for appealing this stage yet. Been so wrapped up in checking proposed statement and sorting my other dc out.

Ps. Should I tell them in planning on appealing.

'a school that has experience' is every school

I thought that too! Doesn't hold out much hope.

I would put in the appeal for parts 2, 3, and 4 here. As they have failed to name a school then appealing part 4 is entirely necessary even if they do name the school you want further down the line. You can change your appeal as you go as the LA should continue to negotiate with you and if they concede on certain aspects then all you do is by the hearing have a working document (update agreed statement basically that is not actually signed off) and then you argue out the points you still disagree on. It may be once they get official tribunal paperwork and see you are serious about pushing them that magically they will give you what you want. They know full well SALT needs to be in 2&3 and are pushing their luck.
Don't bother telling them you will appeal, they will not necessarily take it seriously until they hear from the tribunal with your case statement that they have to respond to.

Thank you for your reply. Tbh I'm extremely anxious about appealing. I'm convinced I will do something wrong. I just crumble with the first sign of authority! :(

Most LA rely on parents not going to appeal. Also be careful if you did tell them that they would 'persuade' you not to by promises of all sorts - once you get the final statement the clock is ticking. I did it all by myself with mums net support and won the lot. My LA were particularly horrible as well. Appealing is actually quite easy and is just filling out a form at this stage

Don't be afraid of appealing. It's on a par with having a smear test IMO. An unpleasant experience though entirely necessary and you just have to get on with it.

And I am also pretty clear that they intend mainstream with unspecified hours of untrained TA support.

When you inevitably see that written down you'll be motivated enough to get you through the appeal.

God, I do hate all this 'got to run it past my senior manager' 'got to put it before the panel' etc etc.

It's a load of baloney. They knew when they issued the statement what kind of school they were thinking of.

The law says you sort out Part 2, then Part 3 and then name you can identify Part 4 from the needs and provision required. So why would they need to approve funding after the statement is issued? They haven't even noted that it is a special school rather than a mainstream school.

Star is right, putting

Don't worry about appealing. You need to put it in because there is a 2 month time limit and because it takes 6-8 months for a hearing date and you need to start the clock.

Don't know where that bit went: Star is right, putting SLT in parts 5/6 is not suggestive of indy SS

Please don't be afraid to appeal. I was so anxious about it. I wish I hadn't been because the tribunal itself was not nearly as intimidating as I thought it would be. I had an IPSEA rep with me and it made me a lot more relaxed. I would really recommend you have a chat with them.

Lol star I have had both tribunal and smear in the last two weeks and if I had to have either again now I am not sure which I would pick.

Are you all nuts?

Smear test takes 5-10min, plus 5min to phone for appt.

OK, there's 15min to defuzz (not that the nurse cares, but I do) plus maybe 20min to sit nervously in the waiting room. 10min walk to surgery.

One hour total, that's it. Just one hour.
Not trying to put sweettea off appealing, but I'd much rather have a full abdominal hysterectomy than a tribunal. Smear test, pah.