Help! I'm confused!!!

[Helentres]

DS1 (7yo) has been diagnosed with ADHD. He has been prescribed methylphenidate which he takes twice a day.

I'm confused with this whole statement thing and what help I can actually get. He is 18 months behind in school and has a speech and language level of a 4-5 year old. However, paed and school say he doesn't need a statement?!?!? Is this right???

Also, my friends DS (10yo) has the same diagnosis, same meds etc is 18 months behind in school etc etc yet she receives DLA, son gets extra support in school (my DS doesn't), she gets respite as her son goes to summer camps etc and has a care worker that takes him out for a cpl of hours a week. I just don't understand why/how she gets all this help and my son and I get absolutely nothing!

I have asked her how she accessed all this support and I have ring round all the people she told me to yet I still got the "youre not eligible" answer

I don't know what to do next or if there even is anything I can do next?

Go onto the IPSEA website for some info about the statementing process, and apply for one yourself. You may find that suddenly your DS will start needing some support at school when you get the ball rolling. The speech and language alone will cause significant difficulties at school. By the sounds of things the school CBA.

Good luck

Thanks for you reply. I didnt realise I could apply for one myself. I just presumed it had to go through school etc. I've also been told (through friends) that I can go on a caf programme? And to ask school, which again said we don't need it. I don't understand why they can say he doesn't need it. He struggles with things academically that my 4yo DS has no problem with.

However, paed and school say he doesn't need a statement?!?!? Is this right??? ~

No - it's wring. Neither has any authority at all to say he needs a Statement or not. It's only be undertaking an assessment that may lead to a Statement being issued to him can it be determined whether he needs one or not. That assessment is carried out by the LA - not by school, not by Paed.

So I need to get in touch with the LA then? Thanks for all your help

The IPSEA website has brilliant model letters and step by step instructions that take you through the process of applying for a statement.

The Cerebra website has a guide that will take you through the process of applying for DLA.

It's standard practice to fob parents off for as long as possible re statements. Saves schools having to do extra work & LA's on spending money tis all. (The exception being the chair throwers, and even then they may still just get shunted off to a PRU).

I'm not gonna say whether you are entitled to either, just that you'll never know unless you try, and that too many kids are failed utterly by the system. Often only those whose parents FIGHT for it get anywhere near the support they need.

Well I'm no stranger to fighting for things to help my children. I had to fight for 4 yrs to even get a diagnosis in the first place. Senco in school kept saying he was perfectly fine (even though she had/has no involvement with him) yet class teacher, speech therapist, health visitor, GP etc were saying otherwise. The problem that caused was that the paed was relying on letters and reports from the senco before she would diagnose. So I went through the class teacher to fill in the Connors questionnaire and within a few days of the paed receiving it she called me in and gave me the diagnosis. I was hoping it would open up doors for my son to help him in school etc as hes so far behind. However it seems I'm going to have to fight for that too. But that doesn't bother me, ill do anything I have to to get my son the help he needs thanks for all your advice everyone ?? I'm going to spend my evening looking at these websites you've suggested