Lost and confused and its looks like crap.

[kmummy]

There's no mention of a one to one. Portage tell me this is fine?!? None of it makes any sense. I need help :(

I'm assuming you have just received a proposed statement!?

If so, most start like that as LA's want to see what they can get away with.

I have. Some parts say I have to arrange with school how the funding is used?

What funding?

It says 'will allocate extra funding above £6000 from the High Needs Block to the mainstream shook on his t
admission to school so that the school can arrange the appropriate special education provision'.

He's four and going into reception mainstream. He has severe ASD and is at a two-three word level.

Allocation of funding does not meet needs. It is just money.

You need quantified and specified provision that can be mapped onto detailed areas of need and individually tailored to your child. Those needs should have been identified during the SA process and LA professionals should have made recommendations regarding them.

The school are not experts in SEN. If they were you wouldn't have needed the LA to have carried out a SA would you. The school don't know what they should do, otherwise they'd be doing it.

Is there any Speech and Language Therapy in the statement? Any OT?

Starlight - Cant kmummy use her own hired TA(x hrs/week) and get the school to pay the TA £6K/yr?

Yes I think there is. Under communication and interaction it has a list under the objectives and on the provisions 'an individually structured programme to develop communication skills which will include the development of' it then continues and says the programme will be provided by the speech and language therapist and delivered by the school?

Under sensory again says approaches and structured activities as recommended by the OT and delivered by the school.

Do I need his 1-1 need put into the statement? If so how and where? I can't send him without one and I won't. Portage say that I need to arrange it with school and it doesn't need to go into the statement.

Theoretically yes. In reality I doubt it.

The school will most likely take the funding and cover the position with a random member of staff already on the payroll, regardless of their suitability or qualifications.

Portage should know better.

Your statement as it stands means your ds will not see a SALT or an OT. They might once a year send a couple of badly photocopied sheets of paper with instructions that might be followed by someone should they become available.

Your child is 4 and with severe ASD. He is no trouble for them. He'll occupy himself and withdraw. If he becomes disruptive or aggressive they'll bring someone in to babysit/contain him.

This is what your statement currently alludes to.

What the hell do I do? I'm totally clueless and am being made to feel like I'm being awkward with them! I really need some guidance :/

And yes you nail it on the head. He will just withdraw :(

Your child might need:

'A full-time higher level TA who has at least 3 years experience working with children with ASD at Early Years level, to enable your ds to access the early years foundation stage curriculum and develop his skills in this area using a differentiated programme set by his teacher, focussing on his deficit areas.

This TA will be exclusively for him and support him on a 1:1 basis in whole group and small group activities to ensure maximum opportunities for participation and learning.

His personalised curriculum will use evidence-based practice and careful monitoring in order to ensure that progress is efficient and steady, which means taking data regularly on his development.

His TA will observe his weekly SALT sessions and OT sessions in order to deliver their recommended programmes a further 2 times per week'

'DS will receive 30 mins weekly of direct SALT and 30mins weekly of SALT in a small group (supported by his 1:1 TA). His TA will observe and repeat the therapy (including small group therapy) twice more weekly.'

'DS will receive 1 hour a week of Occupational Therapy, delivered by a OT with Sensory Integration training, to be observed by his 1:1 who will deliver further OT twice more weekly as directed by the OT'.

'At carpet time, ds will sit at the front, accompanied by his TA who will use strategies as directed by the Autism Advisory Service and class teacher to remind and reward ds for sitting appropriately, listening to the teacher and for answering a simply question (practised beforehand) when asked (answer to be within the ability of ds, and can include non-verbal response if necessary)'.

Does that help?
No waffling on about funding. That is none of your business and has no place in a statement.

Marry me?

A statement like that is possible but you'll probably not win friends on your journey towards it - sorry. It's likely you'll be treated as a nutter with feigned hurt feelings from people accusing you of having no trust.

'which means taking data regularly on his development.''

I'd substitute 'regularly' for either weekly or daily tbh.

Ive already been made to feel like that today via portage. The way I see it in two months were nothing to them so why should I let it worry me? He's my child and I will try and get him what he deserves.

Do I return the statement saying I don't agree and say I want the above added in? There's some 'access to' do I change those to 'will'.

Ignore the statement at this point. You go through every report you have ever had, plus any parental reports (you can write one on the hoof if you have to) with two highlighters. One colour for needs, and one colour for suggestions or recommendations.

Every identified need must have a provision to meet it, in the way the in health each condition has a prescription.

Then write all the 'needs' as bullet points and all the 'provisions' as bullet points.

Then start with the needs. What do you think of them. Do they accurately describe your ds. Have you included ones from the parental information too? Are there any other needs that haven't been recorded that you feel should be clear to anyone working with your child? If so, add them (though with an * to show that you don't yet have the evidence).

Then go through the provisions and recommendations contained in the reports. Which needs are they supposed to meet. Are they clear and leave no doubt for interpretation? Are they appropriate? Are they enough? If not what would be enough? Put an *against anything you think is needed in addition but you don't have evidence for.

This should give you a barebones statement. It will also highlight the weaknesses of your 'story' and demonstrate to you where evidence is lacking which you can then think creatively about how you might get it. You could keep charts for a week or two about something you have concerns about. You could ask school/portage to. You could get video evidence. You could get someone to write a statement. You could pay for independent assessments.

You have 15 days to respond to this statement. Your response can be 'don't be silly'. or it can be 'let's meet to discuss' which means that from the date of the meeting the 15 days are reset.

However, 15 days or not when you get the final statement you will have the right to appeal. It is important however, that you make it clear WITHIN the 15 days that you think it is a load of crap. You need to be consistent in your 'alarm'!

I can assure you that there are people in your LA with statements that look like the version I have written. Probably not many, but these people pretending that you are asking for the moon are well rehearsed in their 'upset look', and the 'we only want what is best for your child' matra.

They kind of do. They want what is best for your child within their own comfort zone, promotional prospects, available budget, belief systems, lowered expectations. Most of them are not inherently BAD people.

But they are natives in a culture and system that doesn't like parents who challenge.

Star - superlike!! I wish I had done all this before sending my response last week(15 days were up Friday gone).

YOu can still do it salondon. Parents often get really stressed before submission or meetings thinking that this is their one chance to give the performance of a lifetime that will sort out their child forever.

The reality is that this paperwork exercise is just one of many. Meetings are likely to be repeated with nothing much changed. There is always an opportunity to state again/more clearly/differently/on reflection/after consideration and even change your mind.

Keep learning. Keep refining. Keep asking.

So do I need to then submit what I think should be in there (after using the procedure you've shown me above) Before the 15 day deadline?

If you are likely to be eligible for legal aid then if the statement is crap and you appeal legal aid will cover lawyer costs and getting indep reports. You can get free advice now from NAS, Ipsea, Sossen, contact a family. You might get a free caseworker to help you. Ipsea have an email service so you could email the statement to them for advice. I will happily send you a copy of our statement my son has severe asd, was lower than 2-3 word level on entering school and is in mainstream. We have an ABA statement but part 2 and 3 still be useful to you for wording. Pm me an email address if you want to see it.

No. You have to respond within 15 days. Your response can be 'pile a shite, wait for my version'.

It might be helpful if you point out what is wrong with the statement in a general sense. For example you can ask them if anyone in their office has actually read the thing or did they hand it to the work experience kid and forget to check that it even legal as they seem to have forgotten to quantify and specify the provision or even adequately define his needs, and they have completely missed off direct therapy from SALT and OT.

And what Agnes said.

Thank you both. Looks like a busy few nights ahead! I had a quick lol at the EP report and he was he needs a Hugh level of adult supervision, amongst other things. It's like they didn't even look at the forms :/

AgnesDiPesto I PMed you. That would be amazing thank you.