Statements for school

[1daylikethis]

Hi, this is my first post ever on mumsnet so bare with me. My ds was diagnosed with asd earlier this year. He is due to start school next September but he will be one of the youngest in his year being an August baby.
We are starting aba next January so we have decided to defer for the full reception year and then hopefully instead of joining year 1 will start reception, he is currently at a school nursery for 15 hours a week with 6 of these with 1 to 1 support.
Today the lea have rang nursery to come out to arrange for an educational psychologist to come out to do a statement, as we have decided to defer do we need a statement for this next school year as we will need another one for when he does start school as he will need need additional help for his aba
My first thought was to cancel the appointment and arrange one for the next year when hopefully we will have a better idea of his needs .the local council have said they will always amend the statement if needed but I'm a sceptical they will amend if we fight to have aba support in school. They have said if I don't have a statement done before reception I will be charged for a one to be done in the future is this correct and do I let them do a statement now of leave it
Thanks for reading

You'll be charged for one? Good grief that's ridiculous.

Until you put that in your post I was agreeing with the LA that it was better done sooner rather than later, but now I'm suspicious of their agenda.

Do they know about the ABA?

Hi thanks for replying they are aware that we are looking into aba and if we found a therapist we would be doing aba. The only reason they know was they kept asking for a reason for why we wanted to defer.

They don't come out to do a statement. You have to go through a statutory assessment process whereby various people contribute reports and findings and then the LA collate the evidence and decide if a statement is needed or if a note in lieu should be issued. Do you mean someone is coming to see you regarding the assessment process?

There is certainly no payment at any stage unless you want to pay for private assessments to submit as part of your parental contribution

Okay. I think they want to get a statement in place that names provision other than ABA as provision on a statement MUST be delivered meaning you have less of a chance to both run an ABA programme AND get the evidence enough to win a tribunal.

It could be a way of forcing attendance of your child and they would then try to gather evidence of success in order to head you off

Thats what I think StarlightMckenzie to they are just trying to push one to stop the aba in school, allwe have being told Eatyourveg is an educational pychologist will be coming out on the 18th dec to see him. I think it just a case of bullying tactics to try to get us to consent. I think it best that we cancel the appointment. I thought ther was no payment involved again I think they are just ying to bully us into doing it now instead of later

Write to the LA and tell them that you will give consent to any assessments or observations on a visit by visit basis and require at least a weeks notice in order to attend if you deem it necessary.

Then say that you do not currently give consent for the visit on x date as you are not clear what the intended outcomes are for your child from that visit.

The next thing you must do is write to the person who said you'd be charged for a statement in the future if you don't do it now and ask them to clarify you understood correctly. Quote their name, place and time that they said this to you and then put a copy on your file.

I was just weary of letting them get involved especially with doing the aba aswell and then having to fight to get funding for school if they are involved