Advice needed on how to keep the current support.

[SOTIRIA]

The HT has moved my DS's 1-1 support to another child in the school and given me a younger, less qualified and less experienced person. My DS has had a great year and I am devastated at the news.

I would be very grateful for any advice on tackling this issue with the HT?

How old is your DS?.

How did you find out about this?.

Does your child have a Statement in place?.

Sorry for all the questions but more information would be helpful.

Hi, My DS is 8 with DX of ASD, ADHD, SPD and DCD. He has a statement with 20h. I had an appointment with HT who asked me if I'd like to meet the new person. I left immediately, saying that I was too upset to talk and would talk about it when I wasn't so upset. We have another meeting next week so I would be glad of advice on how to tackle this.

you could explain that the significant change to a new1:1 and a new class teacher would be just too traumatic for ds due to his level of need.
In fact put it in writing now and explain why ds's needs mean that changing his 1:1 is a step backwards for him. Copy in LEA as they are responsible for ensuring ds gets the support on the statement

It might be worth at least meeting the new person? Being younger, less experienced and less qualified does not automatically mean worse.

Also, there isn't much you can do, to be honest. Unless the Statement makes a qualifying statement about the experience and qualifications of the person providing support, the HT is allowed to deploy staff as s/he sees fit.

Like lougle says maybe you should meet the new 1 to 1. It might be a breath of fresh air for your DS. My son has a full statement, his 1 to 1 is now shared between 2, it works quite well. To be honest i think sometimes when it was just him and her I think they just got a bit fed up of each other. You can say its their job but to be honest if I had to put up with half the things she does at school I might have had a melt down by now. She has put up with a lot of stuff. Would that be an option for your son to have shared care. Why has his current 1 to 1 been moved. Why is this other child deemed more needy that yours. I would ask. surely if your son has a statement for 20 hours that should be met to your satisfaction.

I am really upset about losing someone who has really helped my DS. The new person will be the 6th different support since October 2011 when the statement came in. I had expected that the ones we have now (1 does 15h and 1 5h) would stay with him for the rest of the time he is at school. Part 3 of the statement does specify that he should have an experienced and qualified SNA and this has been the first time that has been honoured. The HT emailed to say that nothing can be done because the SNA has a contract that ends this year and the new one does not allow her to work 1-1. Several other DC have had their SNA changed so it seems a big coincidence that everyone has to move round. The HT has offered a meeting but refused to discuss my concerns and says we can only discuss the transition arrangements.

If the HT has stated that s/he is unwilling to discuss the change of SNA, then I would focus your efforts into ensuring that transition is as helpful as possible to your DS.

It's really unsettling when staffing changes. DD1 goes to special school and most of the children change class each year, with the exception of children with PMLD, who only move once per key stage due to the low numbers and specialist resources, and the children who have very pervasive ASD, again due to the specialist nature of their classes.

What would help your DS with transition? Perhaps photos of the new SNA? Creating a 'communication passport' with an about me page - what your DS likes and dislikes, what he'd like her to do, etc.,

It's not in his interests or yours to waste time trying to change the HT's mind when there is no legal backing to it. You have 2 weeks to try and make sure they get the transition for next year right.

We had a similar situation with DS his 3rd 1-1 was moved and was replaced with a very young 19 year old, she has been with him for 2 years and it has been the best thing ever to happen to him.
DS is deafblind and she is in his face which is what he needs. She is so keen to learn and above all he loves her and his progress has been fantastic.
I would meet the new 1-1 as lougle has said, you never know she might be perfect

My DS will have 2 new class teachers, a new classroom and 2 new support staff to get used to in Sept. This SNA would be the only continuity he has and she has been the best thing for his education ever. I need help and advice on how to keep this support. Any ideas please?

I honestly don't think you will.

I'm not being awkward, but the children at the school my DD1 goes to all have to get used to an new classroom, 1 new teacher and 4 new LSAs, often with 5-10 new children (either movement within the cohort or children coming out of mainstream into special school).

It's a bad thing to get too reliant on one person. By that I mean one personality, rather than having a 1-1. The continuity should come from his IEPs, the expectations placed on him and the adjustments made from him.

DD1 has had to get used to having 1 teacher for Monday-Thursday, another teacher every other Thursday to release her Class Teacher for PPA, and yet another teacher on a Friday because her Class Teacher works a 4 day week.

We will also have 3 different CTs per week. This TA will be in the room next door. In past others have has same SNA for years. She has been trained by 6 different medical staff to support my DS. The NHS do not have resources to train new people each year. In MS OT consists of 1 or 2 visits to train a TA to carry it out, ditto SALT, continence support and emotional and behavioural support. My DS and I will suffer if this goes ahead.

Any advice please on how to tackle the HT?

If the NHS have a problem with training people, they must raise it with the school/ LA. It's good for the school to have a skilled member of staff who can work with children in the school.

I have to agree with lougle on this. I feel for you but it sounds like its in the hands of the HT for now. Why not do as suggested and meet the new sna and maybe get a photo of them and a bit of background info so you can discuss with DS during the summer holidays. Talk about stuff they might do together. In the mean time have you had contact with your childrens services team in the past. They should be able to at least give you some advice and maybe even get in touch with the school to maybe act as a go between/support system for future meetings. good luck.

Thank you for replying. The NHS doesn't have a problem. Therapists just say we have been in to train someone. That trained person gets moved to another role and the child doesn't get any help. I guess I'll just have to get used to no therapy for my DS. ah well never mind................

If it's specified in the statement, it has to be done. if the school won't do it, the la has to provide the therapy.

It is very difficult to prove what goes on. HT says they go above and beyond the statement but in the past an untrained SNA who was doing the OT was reporting an improvement in socialising. She had missed the point of the therapy. Thus school say he is getting therapy but in reality he didn't. The current SNA is trained and experienced and I am not givingup without a fight. I am very upset about this as I have fought with the school for years but this year has been wonderful and I thought I wouldn't have to fight again for a while.

Are you sure that's how it was? An improvement in socialising isn't an isolated skill. It's quite possible that she observed an improvement in socialising incedental to the OT programme?

Excuse the typo. Always much worse when it's italicised

I would rather not keep justifying my position if that is ok. I just posted for help with trying to keep the support. I am really upset and I know what I am talking about with regards to my Ds and the provision that they have given him. The school has been rubbish up until this year and this SNA has made all the difference.

Well, for what it's worth, it doesn't sound like you're willing to see any positives in any other SNA and that alone would prompt me to separate your DS from her because it sounds like you are dependent on her.

Anyhow, I'll step away from the thread and then maybe someone will come along and give you what you want.

Agree with lougle please give this SNA a chance she may be son's saviour

I will step away from this website I came for support but have been judged

from IPSEA webiste

Complain when your child is not getting the special educational provision on their statement

How do I know what my child should be getting?

This should be ?specified? in Part 3 of the Statement.

Do the LEA have to ?arrange? this help?

In law, the LA must ?arrange the special educational provision? specified in a Statement.

When should I complain ?

If you discover that your child is not getting the special educational provision specified in Part 3 of the Statement or that the provision is being removed or reduced without the Statement being amended.

Should I speak to the school about this?

Yes, definitely. Speak to your child?s class teacher and the Headteacher about your worries as well as writing to complain to the LA.

What if the school offers to write on my behalf?

It is OK for the school to write as well, but the most important thing is to write yourself. You, as a parent, are the only one who can take legal action in order to ensure that your child receives the provison specified in her Statement. The head can't do this, even if he or she wants to!

Who should I write to?

Write to the top person at the LA, usually called the Chief Education Officer or the Director of Education. You can find out what the top person is called in your LA by asking at the school or the local library.

Remember: keep a copy of any letter you send and ring IPSEA if you don?t get a reply after two weeks or if you want further advice.

Model letter

Dear Sir or Madam,

(Child?s name) (date of birth)

Complaint that special education provision is not being made

I am writing as the parent of the above child, who has a Statement of Special Educational needs and attends .................. school.

Under Part 3, the Statement specifies the special educational provision my child should receive and I understand that you have a legal duty to ?arrange? this provision.

I am sorry to have to inform you that you are in breach of this duty, on the grounds that the following provision is currently not being made:

Please reply to this letter as soon as possible, but in any event within 5 working days of receiving it, confirming the steps that you will take to ensure that the special educational provision specified in my child?s Statement will, in fact. be made.

I look forward to an early reply and trust that it will not be necessary to take this matter further.

Yours sincerely,

Claw is rig, use the IPSEA letter. I did, when ds wasn't getting what was in his statement, and lo and behold a week later he got it.

As far as keeping your current sna. The HT sounds very inflexible. But maybe worth providing a written list of all the advantages/disadvantages of changing. It may be a done deal, and they won't change,but that's what I'd do. You have the right to expect that your ds's support is there for his benefit, not to make the school's life easier. You could even go to governors if necessary, though tbh they probably just back up the HT.

It's a separate issue from whether he's getting his statement provision though, bear that in mind.

All else fails, you must insist that the new sna at the very least has the specified training as per his statement, if she doesn't, then do as above again, and write to the LA.

Good luck, hope you come back and see this.

bialystockandbloom, I agree that if provision isn't provided as per statement, then the OP should complain using that letter. I get the impression, though, that this is a matter of the provision being provided, but the OP feels it hasn't been provided in the way, or by whom, she felt appropriate.

In that situation, unless the Statement specifies the training that the member of staff providing the therapy has, then as long as the programme is being delivered as specified by the Health Professional who sets it, then there is no breach of the Statement.