Panel said no!

[StarlightMcKingsThree]

Hopefully Boch you are right. BUT still LAs don't like parents having the control/budget whatever regardless of 'amount'.

Some LAs are more opposed to this than others though.

My ex LA I have learned from lots of people in different professionals that trying to work with my ex LA on collaborative cross-LA projects was impossible as they would never pool money, or pay into anything as they had a policy of keeping all money inside the LA.

The fact that other LA's DID pool money and are surprised at my ex LA gives me faith that there are many many LAs NOT like them.

Be friendly, sensible and show evidence that you will be discreet with any decision to allow you funding for your child's education, probably gives you the best chance.

Thank you Towie, that would be great.

would love a copy of the doc TOWIE as I've written my ed philosophy doc - just been too chicken shit to send it as yet, but think I might need to soon.

Happy to send it to you to boc. Just pm me your email address

discreet?

I'm living several hundred miles away from all my mates and family - not a lot of option but be discreet when you don't know anyone lol!

lol

Meeting agreed with HT. She was lovely on the phone. Hopefully that's a good sign.

It's not out of the question. They'd have to change their partnership model fairly radically though.

I think they'd rather lose the fees.

I'm hoping too Polter that Star's current school will realise that fobbing her off isn't gonna cut it and just raise their bar. The trouble is they may not know how to, mindsets are really hard to change.

I'm off to my local mainstream to steer them away from accepting my son prior to an EP assessment for DS I cannot see the point in rinse, repeat, fail for a fourth time.

Good luck Bochead. Perhaps they would agree to you using their library/resources/IT suite/recording studio whatever. you know, as your ds local community school.

This September switch over to EHCP is stressing me out as DS has a knack for falling through cracks in the system like an ant tripping over the Grand Canyon. He lacks the correct diagnosis to slot easily into a unit or SS yet mainstream can't even keep him in the building.

It's interesting that I'm being asked about medication - that's an "oh hell no!" As I don't need to drug him to teach him at home, noone stresses him out! Also he'll get small group teaching with qualified specialist subject teachers via online school as opposed to an unqualified TA babysitting him. I don't want "free" childcare that costs a fortune in therapy fees due to the anxiety it causes, I want him to have an education.

Out of interest I'm doing a Higher Level TA course right now - doesn't teach you much that's of any use and I picked the SN option.

Star - don't get sidetracked by your desire to HS for 6 months if you have identified a school that's longer term. 6 months is nothing in the land of LA's, and they'll use this request to sidetrack you from your main objective (new school) if they can.

Oh no Boc you made the move away? Sorry again been out of the game for a couple of months.
I'm so sorry this was the only solution and hope that you and your ds have settled quickly, hope the family are all coping without you near to hand.

Sorry for the hijack Star

Boch the LAs have until 2016 I think to change everyone over to EHC. It's likely they will start using the new process for new applicants and just change everyone one else gradually. I would think they would start with those already known to social care as there is no way social care depts can cope with lots of assessments for new children on top of existing workload. We've been waiting 3 years for a core assessment.

Am wondering if this new £4k core funding + £6k from school +£top-up might be helpful to wannabe home educators.

Cos if I were running a mainstream, nothing would please me more than to have a dozen statemented kids on the books whose mothers were happy to do 95% of the work of educating them, mainly off-site.

I'd even cough up for online schooling. And if them showing up daily for morning registration was essential, I'd make absolutely sure that highly individualised and suitable arrangements were made to allow this.

I'd probably be happy to do anything short of overt law-breaking to keep the 'Children with SEN make remarkable progress' compliments rolling in, and the school budget very firmly in the black.

Boch, if you played the game of all mainstream schools being marvellous, do you think it would help? Suggest a totally 100% unsuitable school that don't really want him on the premises, and an exceptionally slow-stream integration programme (till age 18+ ).

Also Boc remember with OT, SALT etc via GP route, works supposedly pretty much the same as statement, if needs has been identified they have to meet that need and provide a service. If new area decline to provide the service, for the usual 'understaffed' or 'don't have a sensory trained OT' the new authority then have to fund the nearest authority who can provide the service.

That's legally anyhow, as we all know reality can be rather different. Just worth knowing what you are entitled to, if you have to fight.

The cost differential to the LA is tremendous - lets hope they roll with it.

The new LA are only willing to fund 20 hours TA - his statement says 27.5 - I'm hoping that meeting the local mainstream and asking how they intend to integrate a SALT programme, daily exercises, in those hours will help. I also intend to ask lots of "so whayyda gonna do when he escapes?" type questions will help. he goes into mainstream, I'm already having to argue the toss right there.

All mainstream schools are marvellous - for mainstream kids .

Enough has come out via informal routes for me to understand that most of the nonsense we endured with his last school was about them trying to manage DS out into the local EBSD school a very expensive labour intensive child, rather than personal to me. (Though they certainly made it personal!). The EBSD school had already rejected him two years previously as they are not set up to support ASD/dyspraxia style issues in the slightest.

There is a lot in his statement, tis true, but he needs it, it's not generous considering his high level of need iyswim. The only school I've found that could really cater for him properly without lots of adjustments is Mark College in Somerset, a Priory boarding school. Even then they'd have to charge more than normal as he is a sleep walker. It's also crazy expensive too.

A visit to my local mainstream is now next on my list. I need to get them onside before they are approached and arm twisted by the LA. We all know primaries lose interest in the final year or two in our kids (league table boosters excepted!). I need a HT who is strong enough to stand up to an LA rather than trying to lie their way out of trouble. DS and mainstream was never gonna fly, and the older he gets the less suited to that environment he is.

I like your slow integration idea Maria. he could start by joining just art lessons now, and wind up doing electronics and DT GCSE's at 16 followed by sixth form? TBH it's sorta along the lines I'm thinking of anyway now that 14-16 year olds can access further education colleges for GCSE courses. Though that's a cunning plan for another day.

Yes, boch, I was sort of joking, but I meant it as well. Correctly-paced integration into whichever bits of 'normal' adolescence and adult life are right for the individual, whilst having them develop ok, that's the ideal.

It's pretty much what parents of typical dc want, so why shouldn't we want it too?

Maria - it's outrageous I know, but I feel that having been effectively robbed of 5 years already of a "normal" childhood, DS is entitled to enjoy the rest of his youth. I tried SO hard to go with the flow of the status quo and it blew up in my face multiple times.

I have two aims:-

1. DS can now join some mainstream social activities without the sky falling in. The frequency and intensity of this can and should be increased year on year at an appropriate pace. I want him to do this.

1. He can now also access the NC in an age appropriate way to his NT peers so long as it's delivered via the correct mechanism (online as opposed to mainstream school). I want him to do this.

My plan to achieve this is cheaper, less labour intensive (for the LA, not me) and more efficient than shoving him in a comprehensive where going on his history to date, he's at high risk of secondary mental health issues and total academic failure.

It actually amazes me that the current funding allocations mechanism and political dogma means that unless I fight really hard a fortune will be spent to ultimately deliver a broken & wrecked human being into the adult world. I do think it's a battle worth fighting though as he's 3rd generation in the family to have these types of SN's and a win for him is probably one for my grand kids too if that makes sense.

It sounds like you're in control, though, Boch, which is good