Tricky ABA/AR situation

[zumbaleena]

From my previous thread....I am in complete shock today and need some clever pointers. My dc school HT has recommended no more statement required for my dc in the coming Annual Review. She has done wonderfully on her ABA program and we are wrapping it up but I am so scared of giving up the LSA support through the statement as I will never ever get it again. My ABA consultant is of the view that I should give up the statement...should not label my child as she is cognitively at par...but what about the future???

I understand the world is a frightening place for parents of children with SEN but I'd be absolutely over the moon if all my independent experts were telling me that support was no longer needed.

Pretty suspicious of LA folk if it was just them, but I'd be having a party if all were in agreement.

Wow, I can completely see why that would throw you.

Looking from the outside, though, you have an eminent EP who says no more ABA. You have an ABA consultant who says no more statement. You have a HT who has previously supported you in allowing ABA saying no more statement.

That doesn't mean 'no support, ever.' It just means 'no longer requires support beyond the resources of the school.'

Also, the whole point of ABA (I thought) was to harness and develop skills in the hope that support needs would fade to nil in the long term.

It sounds like you're one of the success stories?

Starlight...I m v happy for my kid but scared of fighting again for the statement. I have fought so hard for it and just when I was beginning to relax, think about a second kid....whoosh! It is being all taken away. I,ll be honest...I want the statement for a particular school I like for dd, I am perfectly fine with the lsa being used for other kids or as an extra eye for dc.

All the wrapping up has been suggested by good EP - DU. I am just scared of letting the support go.

"I,ll be honest...I want the statement for a particular school I like for dd, I am perfectly fine with the lsa being used for other kids or as an extra eye for dc."

That's not a good reason to have a statement, though. They are only for children whose support needs are so severe and/or complex that a school can't meet their needs from within its own resources.

Lougle....I did not mean a specialist school, it is a mainstream school but fair enough....

I knew that, I was referring to the criteria for a Statement. I just think that statements can be so hard won that they should never be used simply as a passport to a preferred school.

It's brilliant that dd has made so much progress, sounds amazing

How old is she?

I only ask because when my ds was at the end of Reception, our ABA consultant (I think we may have the same one, actually [winlk]) said the same about ds. We reduced the intensity of the ABA, but continued to have 20 hours a week TA support in the Statement, and it was written in that the TA has ABA training, ongoing supervision from our supervisor, and jointly agreed targets. Y1 went brilliantly, but Y2 has been doing downhill, which has been in part because the TA (and everyone) think ds is doing so brilliantly he doesn't need the support any more.

Suppose my point is that you don't really know what may happen in the future, what kind of support dd might need. And if she does need support, presumably you want it to be with the same approach (ABA-led) as you have done before, and you have to be careful that the school will continue to use the same approach. Eg my school's idea of 'support' might be removing ds from situations that he finds hard, eg playground games, rather than teaching him the skills he needs through ABA. Yet without us and ABA team, they would still think he was 'no different' from the others

And I would never give up a statement actually, as once those hours have gone, it would be very hard to get them back. Even if the TA is used like ours is, to basically monitor from a distance, keeping in mind the targets at all times (in our case, mainly social), rather than have intensive input, it's better, imho, than having nothing.

As you say, you may need it for future schools. Even if it's with minimal hours and social targets. I would try and keep it in your position. Without it you have no idea or no guarantee really of what support the school are actually going to provide

Bialy...you have hit the nail on the head. Those are my thoughts exactly for the future, hence I am really grappling with how to keep the statement.

Lougle....I am sorry if it is sounding unfair....dd was very much behind when I applied for her statement. She is doing well now with the faded ABA but seriously, there is no guarantee that she will cope without a TA as well. She needs a TA to keep an extra eye out for her.

Bialy...I want to keep the statement. I am struggling with how to do it. My AR is in 2 weeks and all professionals sitting there are telling me to give up the statement. I am going to look like a desperately foolish parent asking to keep the statement, my own team is telling me to let it go.

Is she in nursery and you're wanting guarantee of a primary school place?

But bialy, the issue there is one of policing, trust and expertise. My ds is in a special school because though everyone would agree to a particular level of provision, on the ground, the teachers and staff would make up their own mind.

I don't know what the solution is tbh. I'd love to see direct payments cover TAs. That would vastly improve outcomes for children and parental confidence. But that ain't gonna happen fast. Schools are supposed to exist within their communities, but with the Government implying that teaching less skilled than stacking shelves, teachers have to hold onto the fact that they are at least better trained than parents in education and classroom management.

You don't have to ask to keep the statement forever, but ask that it continues to protect her rights to provision as she transitions off of the ABA, and then you'll agree, in about a year provided it has all gone smoothly.

In truth, if they cease to maintain you can drag it out for almost a year anyhow, which might cover your school application process!?

I agree with Lougle btw, that statements shouldn't be used soley as passports, but I understand that the stress involved in ensuring your child is in appropriate environment for their needs is complicated and made worse by having a child with additional needs.

It was important to us that my dd was in a particular school, that she got into, but in truth, had she gone to the local 'sink' school she would still be most likely fine and do well, even with unaddressed bullying and high staff turnover.

Thing to bear in mind that stopping ABA does not mean no support is needed - just presumably not the intensive data-taking format involved in ABA. I think it would be hard for the HT to demonstrate at AR why and how dd needs no support.

Your EP didn't say no more support needed did he, just no need for ABA? And ditto with your ABA consultant? That doesn't mean no support is needed!

Polter is right too, of course a statement isn't just to cover academic targets.

Also need to bear in mind that cognitive ability does not always mean no support is needed for academic activities. My ds is above expected levels for his age group, but can have difficulties with understanding/recalling instructions esp if they're not explicit, so part of the TA's role is identifying if this is the case and supporting if so.

I wonder if school are getting ABA muddled with support via a statement, and perhaps they (like most schools ime) want rid of ABA. I'm surprised they'd want to stop the statement though, as that usually means they get funding - whereas if she still needs support without the statement they'd have to find funds themselves. Or would just not provide the support

I suggest you go through Part 2 of the statement really really well to look at how she is now and therefore what support she needs. If Part 2 hasn't changed a huge amount there is no justification for removing support, even if the type of support changes from ABA -> school TA.

Is it a state or private school? Either way I would be wary of the school of you think they may want the ta on order to take your dd are they really going to welcome her ?

See, that's a different scenario, and as I said upthread, it seems barmy to think a child could go from ABA to nothing. I was responding to your post where you said that the only reason you wanted the statement was to secure a certain school. The points you've made since are both valid and good reasons to maintain a statement.

ask that it continues to protect her rights to provision as she transitions off of the ABA, and then you'll agree, in about a year provided it has all gone smoothly doesn't sound barmy.

You could even agree to an 'early' annual review in 6 months. But if it does all go pear-shaped as soon as the ABA is pulled, you (and the HT, if they were thinking straight) really won't want to fight to get the statement back at that stage

ABA + lots of hours + statement
direct to
No ABA + few hours + no statement
does seen a bit optimistic. Is that really what's being suggested?

Tbh, I think private ABA providers can sometimes still be stuck in the 'early intervention is a cure' type model of ASD. Which is absolute drivel. The core features of autism affect basic skill building, and ABA is a great technique to overcome this.

But the autism itself doesn't go away, it just presents itself differently when children get older and/or more able (eg anxiety, friendship issues, apparent rudeness, black-and-white thinking, preoccupations). And without a statement, that can be dangerous, because many schools are barely able to 'do' autism in a non-verbal early years dc with obvious stims

Starlight.....can u pls explain how I can drag it out for a year? She is in nursery and I am concerned about a primary school place

You simply say that you are aiming to a cease of a statement in about a year, but need the protection of one whilst she transitions off of the ABA and into school. Provided this happens you'll not kick up a stink about it ending in a year. If not you'll do the tribunal thing (which will buy your at least 6 months and possibly more if you appeal at the last minute and find a reason for pushing back the hearing (i.e. LA haven't submitted any coherent evidence and you'd kindly like to give them another month or two).