Confused about what a statement might offer AS Ds8

[penny100]

My ds8 has a recent diagnosis of asperger's. We have a lot of school refusal - I manage to get him there but it's miserable to go through every day. He says every day that he hates school. School says he seems happy there, but that he spends a lot of time daydreaming, distracted, not 'on task' and barely completes any work as a result. They've also said we shouldn't apply for a statement as he is 'not behind enough academically' . My instinct is that he needs more support and that a statement is the only way of guaranteeing it. But am I right in thinking that the key thing that a statement provides is 1:1 support, often by a TA. I have a feeling that he'd hate the attention this would bring. He's on school action plus but his teacher is exasperated and said at a recent meeting that she has no time for his lack of concentration as she has 29 other kids!!! I suppose what I'm asking is can a statement provide 1:1 support that is not in the form of a TA sitting with him, which, I think, he would be embarrassed by. Sorry, slightly incoherent ramble...!

Oops! Just realised that DS8 implies he is my eighth child! I meant DS who is 8 years old. The world of acronyms is surprisingly hazardous!

I would really recommend you apply for a statement now.

ds2 (now ten) two years ago entered the "I hate school" and school refusal stage. Because no support was implemented at this stage he progressed to violent outbursts at school and has had four fixed-term exclusions so far this year. We now have diagnosis and statement on the way but I wish we could have got the support eighteen months ago when difficulties first arose. In our experience simply applying for a statement motivated the school and EP into action - IEPs were written and he was seen by an EP even before the LA agreed for SA. Your ds has a legal right to education despite the teacher having 29 other children in the class - it is a responsibility of the LA to provide sufficient support for him to achieve this. It is important at this stage to get all the behaviour at school documented e.g. lack of work produced, refusal to cooperate in lessons ad this will provide ammunition to get SA. My sons is above average in academic levels but we still got SA so don't let that argument put you off.

Thanks oneineight. Yes our mornings can be pretty explosive although luckily (?) he restricts his outbursts to home. Can I ask (if you don't mind) what support you are hoping will be put in place with a statement?

The draft statement we have been given has specified 20 hours equivalent TA support - I think it will be up to the school how they implement it and to be honest we are looking towards a specialist school long-term. There is a lot of specifics in the statement about managing the environment to reduce stress levels, giving him a 'safe' place to withdraw to, providing alternatives when he can't cope in the classroom, help with social skills etc. Hopefully, it will give him adult support in group situations which is where his problems lie.

Thanks oneineight!

Bump

A good TA should provide hover support, ie, not be velcroed to the child. If there is a T?a in the class already, I don't see why that can't be happening now although it might be. He is 'yonderly' because he is avoiding and feels confused and left out. The language is probably too complex to process and he may well have auditory processing difficulties as well which would account for this. He might not be behind now, but hewill be so I would start the process off. You need an ed psych to observe him in class as well.

What does the SENCO have to say about it all?

I only ask as the sort of thing that oneineight is trying to get for her DS is given to a boy in DS2's class without a statement. The SENCO has managed him and supports his teacher and he has the support of a TA. He doesn't have a statement. He doesn't actually even have a diagnosis yet but he is going through the process at the moment.

It makes me quite sad that people are having to get statements when schools should be providing the sort of help your DS clearly needs without having to make it official and have the parents jump through hoops to get it. By all means get a statement but you should already be getting help. The class teacher sounds a bit useless if you ask me and certainly in need of support herself.

Yes, a TA will be there for your son but her/his presence can be managed sensitively and there must be others in a class of that size who could also do with support while your son is the focus.

Penny

Statements can also be used to address social and communication needs so do not let the school's argument of "not being behind academically" put you off applying for a statement. Also if I had £1 for every time I had read what the school have quoted you (i.e what they have told you is a fat lot of BS!!) I'd be quite wealthy by now!.

Statement is a legally binding document so it can bring with it more understanding from teachers as well. Your DS's needs are not being met on SA plus I would surmise.

My son has 1;1 support only once a week. The rest of the time (and he does not receive a shedload of hours of support) he receives hover support and works with other children who also need a bit more help in class. Its a system that works well for DS (my most important priority because I after all am his best and only advocate here), the school and the TAs.

Also you need to think longer term i.e secondary school. You will be in the longer term glad that you obtained a statement for him by the time he reaches that type of establishment.

Write that letter of application asap. You will need to write to the Chief Education Officer at your LEA and give them six weeks to reply.

www.ipsea.org.uk is a helpful website re the whole statementing process.

Thanks Flapping, Bertha, Luvmyboyz and Attila. It's really useful to hear about 'hover support' from a TA as that sounds really appropriate in DS's case, perhaps as well as some 1:1 . I presume 1:1 can be used to go over stuff he may have missed during his 'yonderly' moments? By the way, Flappping, I love this word - it is perfect for describing DS!!
In answer to your question Bertha, the Senco also says he doesn't need a statement. There has been an Ed Psych report but I don't feel its recommendations don't go very far. Maybe you would think otherwise? It basically suggests visual routines, 'traffic light' system to express feeling, movement breaks, using a computer to support his learning, and considering alternative means of recording his work. All of which is good but I was so surprised to see NO reference to ANY 1:1 support. I heard an autism professional speak recently and she said that she is often worried most about the kids whose autism is subtle and who are often perceived to be more able than they actually are and as a consequence are under-supported. I worry that this is happening with my DS.
By the way, Attila, when a TA's support is of the 'hover' variety, as with your son, is this specified in the statement, or just worked out between you and the school?

re my last post, I should say it seems 'subtle' only to others, not if you happen to live with DS....

Balls to the SENCO re this person telling you your DS does not need a statement. SENCO does not want the work, see what I mean about you being his best and only advocate here?. Its not her decision to make btw; the LEA decide on that point. She won't have to pick up the bits if she has made the wrong decision re your son not needing a statement, you will instead. And you are already doing this.

EP is under pressure not to readily statement; their employer is the LEA. This is perhaps why no one to one was mentioned because the surest way of obtaining that is via a statement.

You mention "traffic light" system, my DS has this. Its very discreetly done. I would have to state this has only been done too because he has a statement, for the time he was on SA plus this was never mentioned!.

Apply yourself for the statement and you know its been done then. Get the ball rolling. I sincerely urge you to apply for this for your son.

One to one is specified in my DS's statement. Currently hover support is decided by school but DS is happy with the level of support he receives in the subjects he needs it in. Its okay now but it took some fine tweaking and a word or two from me to begin with for them to get this right.

DC with HFA are often not academically behind in KS1. In KS2 the demands of the curriculum become increased and so your DS will have trouble attaining whilst rarely working.

The aim of the TA would be too keep him on task - DS1 was not disruptive and so would slip under the radar. He may also have other problems with auditory processing or with higher level language functioning. A statement should get him required SALT and/or OT.

Take it very seriously and do not be fobbed off. DS1 transferred schools in year 4 because of school anxiety/refusal but the wheels totally fell off at the end of primary when he was unable to make the transition to secondary. He was out of school for 9 months but is now at an OCC indi ss. He was not statemented until 8 months ago following 2 refusals to assess.

Flyingboy is often yonderly!

As I said before I don't for one moment think you shouldn't have a statement - it sounds like you need one to get the school to tow the line. I just wanted to make that clear.

However, I really do think that you should be having all the support suggested by OneinEight and later up the thread as a matter of course. There shouldn't need to be a statement when your DS's requirements aren't anything that can't be incorporated into a mainstream classroom and you should be getting this support now without getting an official document about it. As I said, this offered by DS2's school when a child needs it, not least because the other children need your DS to get this help if the teacher is not coping. I know they aren't your concern, nor should they be but the school should be looking at the bigger picture and they clearly aren't.

I think I would be speaking to the SENCO about getting some of the measures suggested in this thread implemented immediately. It isn't like they don't see the problem or that you don't have a diagnosis. Don't get fobbed off by them saying he doesn't need a statement and let them think they don't have to do anything until you do all the hard work and present them with one. They do have to start supporting your DS immediately.

I speak as a mother of a child with AS/DCD (DS1) and a school governor with responsibility for SEN in DS2's school hence the knowledge of what they are providing for the child in DS2's class.

The problem is when the school has a high number of children with SEN's. In my sons year group alone the school had three children with HFA/Aspergers , none with a statement and with the best will in the world they did not have the capacity to provide TA support to all three children. It did not help that the three children were of very different academic ability, one was sensory seeking whilst the other two were sensory avoidant and two were in one class whilst one was in another.

No, of course some school have a lot to cope with. There are 2 in DS2's class with AS/ADHD (3 form intake and he has the head of year so an experienced teacher and she can cope with TA support) and another 2 in the year group and only one has a statement. Of course, the statement didn't come with extra cash either so it is a big commitment for the school.

However, there are still things that the school can be doing without having a statement and I think that the first thing to do, knowing how long it takes to get a statement, is to make sure they do what they can. I think a lot of schools think they are let off the hook if the child doesn't have one but they really aren't and all the time the family are going through the statement process, the child is being let down by the school. If DS's school can provide support through good organisation and a switched on SENCO then others can do better than they seemingly do.

As a secondary SENCO I think the problems come at transition if there is a high level of need and no statement in place. It is a massive change for all pupils but a huge stress for ASD if not handled well (and even then, sometimes!). Changes coming in forced by the govt mean that the relationship between the SENCO and parent/carers is more important than ever.

Agreed. There was a massive lack of communication from the SENCO when DS1 went to secondary despite apparently having good transition planning. All the planning in the world is no good if the SENCO goes off and does something that nobody has agreed to.

Sadly DS1 wouldn't have got a statement despite AS and DCD because he copes too well but if you can get a statement to avoid unplanned cock ups then it is wise to get one.