starting SA for DS

[OMGGG]

im starting the SA process this week...finally bitten the bullet. i will use the template from ipsea but what kind of things should i be writing. is it just sometjing short or do i need to go into detail at this stage. should i enclose reports, etc. should i wait until i have OT report before i start? is it true that SA take priority if ds is in year 2 rather than year 3 as he only has another three weeks in year 2. thanking you in advance

It depends on how you want to do it. I have sent all of my Ds's reports, IEP's etc pretty much everything that I can provide myself which they need proof of in section 17 of the SEN code of practice, my letter is actually 3 pages long in the hope that it will cut the processing time down. If not I have saved copies of everything I sent so if they ask me to supply the info again I can just copy it again and add anything else which crops up between now and then.

maybe i should wait a little then but i am worried about what i have read about it is better to start in year 2 as ut gets precidence over year 3.
i have 2 phsycologist reports and thats it. still waiting for IEP and starting OT soon.
i will also be getting a ed phys report done soon but have been told to hold off that until further down the line ie when they refuse and i have to appeal.
i guess i could add the iep and other reports as i get them, couldnt i?

I haven't heard that, but there are so many things said about SA it can get a bit scary, enough to put you off really . My Ds is just finishing Yr 3 but I will do my best to help him. Some schools do not have IEP's but they have to have a record of any support and reviews to see if its helping. Maybe just send the letter off and gather what you can together in the meantime. I found it easier to look at my Ds's needs at home and then think about how these would affect him at school e.g Ds has difficulty with organisation skills at home. He needs written instructions and constant verbal prompts to help with this therefore this would be needed in school then give a few examples. Then in the why the school can't meet my Ds's needs I wrote Ds is being given visual timetables and verbal prompts but is still becoming distracted and is unable to focus on the task at hand, or something like that anyway! it took me ages write the letter

Do you have your Ds's school reports? if so go through them and see if there's anything which keeps popping up every time. My Ds's keep saying needs to write quicker and finish his work in a reasonable amount of time. Concentrate on and understand what he reads and writes. He lacks the social skills to get on with others. He needs to focus on the task at hand and realise the impact his outbursts have on others in the class. These are areas which he apparently gets support in.

ok thanks, i will look at thr school reports etc inhave asked school for copy of ds school file so maybe i should hold off a little longer. how far have you got with your Ds's statement ? its quite a battle isnt it from what i caan gather, im a bit scared to start as i know i wont be able to stop until he gets what he needs and i might be old, broke and senile by then. good luck and thanks

I posted it off yesterday so early days yet probably won't hear anything til september cus of the big holidays coming up. I have read some off putting stuff but at the end of the day if you don't ask you don't get. So far we haven't spent any money we have started a little fund just in case it is needed in future but I will be damned if it ends up costing us anything I'll die googling first . I keep having moments when I think I won't get any where and I feel scared too but then I focus on my Ds and I get a bit of fire in my belly again , I'm sure you will be the same. Just keep updating. From what I have been reading on here they are a very helpful bunch who know their stuff. Good luck to you too.