advice needed regarding 6 year old diagnosed with aspergers - plus recommendations for a private OT in the north west please

[nopanicandverylittleanxiety]

My 6 year old son was diagnosed with aspergers last October. Unfortunately it has taken me this long to get my own head round it.

The school have applied for funding to provide support in school but this has been turned down. Do I go in to school to talk about a statement and start trying to get this progressed?

His reading is excellent, but he struggles with maths. As you can imagine does also have social and behavioural issues. He isn't academically behind in school. So would a statement still be relevant as I do think he needs support to help him cope in school.

He has been on a waiting list for months to see an OT and is still months down a list. So any recommendations for an OT in the north west would be much appreciated. We live close to Liverpool.

Thanks x

Statements are not just for academic needs, they can also help with social and communication needs too. A statement would be very useful to have in such circumstances, also you need to think longer term as well i.e secondary school.

Did the school originally apply for a statement?. When was their request for funding turned down and on what (spurious) grounds?.

Arm yourself with a copy too of the SEN Code of Practice (available online) and make the statement application yourself.

IPSEA's website is helpful too www.ipsea.org.uk

My DS2 is also 6 and was diagnosed with AS last year. He's also very academically able but also has a statement, which we got at the start of Y1 last year. We were very fortunate as school were proactive in pushing for the statement, and they also helped me with the wording of our 'parental' bit. The key point here is that although on paper he might be achieving academically, his behavioural and sensory issues meant that he was not able to 'fully access the curriculum' and this helped us access additional support.

I do recommend applying for a statement as soon as possible. Even if it all seems ok at the moment, things may well change in the future.

Thank you both for your advice. I feel fobbed off so far really. But that may partly be as I was resistant to him being diagnosed?
I will print that off thanks atilla. School haven't been very communicative at all, even when I've asked. I've booked to see the headmaster next Tuesday. I've also called Sefton's parent partnership for advice / assistance.

To my knowledge I think they applied for funding but not a statement. I am going to start pushing for that.

nopanic

Speak to PP by all means but do bear in mind that not all PPs are independent or impartial. Many work in close cahoots with the LEA in question.

If you're still not sure best to seek fully independent advice from the likes of IPSEA, ACE or SOSSEN.

I would urge you to apply for the statement yourself, doing this means that you know its been done then. Also you as parent can appeal if the LEA say no, school cannot. Some schools can unduly delay applications by not auctioning them.

Are you solely seeing the Head?. You need to be seeing his class teacher and SENCO too.

Thanks again Atilla. I didn't realise that at all. I will spend the weekend preparing. His teacher last year was the SENCO. I haven't been happy with the way he has been treated at school so feel I haven't been updated by either of them. I will make clear to the headmaster i will apply myself. But do need a full explanation what has been applied for and why they were turned down.

belleview house in Ormskirk have an OT who can also does a sensory checklist

can also do...must preview posts first!

Thank you. I will call there on Monday x

Thanks again buss. I managed to get a cancellation appt for Wednesday x

Hope it goes well