I would greatly appreciate some help with the parental advice for the SA

[statementtotheedge]

Hello all,

I have NC'd for this in case the LA look on here!

I would appreciate any help with this please?

I have been sent a parental advice form to complete now the LA belatedly agreed to SA DS1. He is 7 with aspergers, dyspraxia and hypermobile joints. His main issues are an incredibly short concentration span and difficulties making friends.

I am struggling with the form. It is tiny so I am using word and i think I may be making it too long? It is almost like the story of is life since birth.

I'm not in the teaching profession and don't have much knowledge really of what options are available and would assist. So I am finding questions on the below areas particularly difficult. I know what I think but don't want to miss any options out that would help that I haven't thought of:

what do you think your child's educational needs are?

What extra help do you think your child needs?

Is there any other information you would like to give about the family history that might have affected your child's progress? (he has disabilities? His dad and I separating did effect him but hasn't caused SEN or am I taking this the wrong way / missing the point?)

How do you think child's needs effect the needs of the family as a whole?????? (it feels awful to put that he makes his brother self-conscious and attention seeking as it is just my attention to split between them as a single mum? I don't want to 'blame' him for things or really make reference to being a single mum)

I am so stressed about this form I have been in tears. I don't want to let him down. I feel like the crappest, most clueless parent. Especially after a bad morning with ds2 . I am being self indulgent doing this and could comfortably throw myself off a cliff. I can't normally indulge in tears etc as they are usually with me. I just need to get this done and the worry over about this part of the process.

Firstly this is a stressful process so give yourself plenty of time and space to tackle it. Ignore the space on the form , just type it out, my parental advice for ds was about 4,000 words (but I love writing!) My advice is to write an account of his history from birth but keep it relevant all the way through. Make sure everything you say makes it clear what his needs are. Explain that you have separated from your dp but that it has not effected ds' disability make sure you show that all the issues were evident long before the split. I will write more later, phone running out of charge now. :)

Thank you x

Mine was 12 pages long! I did it as a word document with the headings

Early years
I wrote there have been a number of assessments where ds was found to have delayed skills, or severe difficulties with basic life skills as set out below, from early years, which have progressed into the present.

I then did separate headings for each difficulty he had when younger, which had progressed to present, hearing, speech and language, social, emotional, sensory, self care, motor skills, eating etc, etc.

what is what is your child like now

please refer to appendix A, he has the same difficulties now and has regressed in many areas.

absences from school
I wrote any medical problems and school refusals.

At school relationships with other children and teachers; progress with reading, writing, number, other subjects and activities at school

I wrote about his lack of progress.

how have school helped
I wrote about what help they put in place and how they had difficulty understanding his complex

my worries and concerns
That I was concerned with his regression.

What do you think your child’s special educational needs are?

I listed them

How do you think these can best be provided for?
I listed recommendations for expert reports or if I didn't have a report what I thought.

childs views

What ds's views were.

I did not included questions like 'How do you think child's needs effect the needs of the family as a whole' or anything about 'family history' its none of their business!

Write 'please see attached' and then compose a word document. Give them sufficient information but write your own headings and keep in mind the headings of a statement - cognition and learning; speech language and communication etc).

Mine was long - if you pm your email I can send you mine as an example.

Oh don't worry Your LA has been helpful in sending you the back of a napkin a form to fill in, but you don't have to use their format at all :) My PA was over 30 pages, I think.

The other thing you can do, is to make sure anything that you think may be intended to elicit a more positive than normal view of your DS in the context of his difficulties, is used to highlight them.

e.g. 'What are your DD's strengths?' 'DD1 loves people and will make anyone her friend within seconds. Unfortunately, due to her complete lack of danger perception, we have to constantly supervise DD1 to ensure her safety, because she has been known to sit on strangers' laps and twiddle her hair. However, everyone who meets her is delighted by her!

Thank you claw2 and lougle i'm comforted that yours were both really long too. He is doing ok academically (at the moment, but I don't think it may last long at this rate) apart from maths and handwriting

keepingonkeepingon1 thank you - I have sent you my email adress that would be really helpful if you are sure you would be comfortable to

The message you need to be putting across throughout your statement is that your child continues to make inadequate progress ie continues to fall further behind peers.
List all the strategies and interventions you gave used at home; behavioural/parenting techniques, lifestyle adjustments, courses you've been on, groups you've attended, diet, sensory etc. etc. and show that despite all this effort your ds continues to fall further behind.
I personally would mention your separation as it might come to their attention perhaps in school's advice and you want to preempt any possible arguments they may have. Eg they might say all his behaviour is reaction to parents splitting, get in there first and show why that is not the case.
List all interventions taken by school eg. School action and school action plus, any IEPs, any advice from professionals
And show how he still makes no progress.
Schools need to be taking 'relevant and purposeful action ' according to the sencop, which you really should read. I included lots of quotes from it, I think it helps to demonstrate that you know exactly what criteria the panel will be using and exactly what their responsibilities and your ds' rights are.
Try and anticipate any arguments they might come up with and put your counter argument forward. Eg. My ds has only ever had one IEP just recently when you would expect most children to have a long history of IEPs before you get to statement stage. I showed how my did held all his anxiety in and only let it out at home and also demonstrated that school couldn't be expected to identify such a complex interplay of conditions.

If he's doing well academically, point out that this is not the only criteria for progress and that social and emotional skills are equally if not more important to his future success. The senecio makes it clear that social and emotional difficulties are crucial.

Sorry, meant to say 'the message throughout your parental advice' not statement!

Thank you popgoestheweazel that makes sence regarding our separation. I have re-phrased some of it so that does empahsise the importance of social and emotional development.

I have finally finished the first draft. It is 13 pages.

Is it worthwhile mentioning in it that he is in receipt of DLA (higher rate for personal care, lower rate for mobility)?

My ds is on the same rate and I put it in. I put copy of award letter in to prove it. I think it shows that ds' needs have already been evaluated by an official gvt body and deemed severe enough to warrant the highest levels. DLA is not awarded lightly.
Well done for completing your first draft. I like to leave it a day or so and then go back and reread being really critical and editing out any bits that are superfluous to make it as punchy and compelling as possible.

I am having anxiety at the though of writing my parental view. I applied last year, my lea asked for parental view before agreeing to assess, gave me 10 days to have it in and then turned him down.

I didnt appeal, feel like I let him down and I am just reapplying now, I am rubbish at stuff like this.

Will watch this thread with interest. Good Luck StatHdge

Hello, I have no advice to add but just wanted to say I am having to do the same thing and have no idea what to write. Do you think I could send the same thing that I sent the diagnosis people with maybe a few tweaks? My DS hasn't had a formal diagnosis yet but he has his last appointment with regards to that a week on Monday.

It's well worth getting some advice from parent partnership, the service varies in quality from area to area (it is funded by local gvt after all) but I found them helpful. Check the ipsea website for more guidance and they have an advice line you can call too.
I found this book useful www.amazon.co.uk/Special-Educational-Needs-Statements-ebook/dp/B005TVBBR6 only £3.91 on kindle. The author runs this website where there is a downloadable template www.specialneedsjungle.com/41/

You need to turn everything as much as possible to EDUCATIONAL difficulties, so hypermobility could be problematic with for eg prolonged writing, body posture etc due to tiredness. Also may need PE adjustments
Assembly and large gatherings due to sensory issues maybe?
Group work difficult without support due to social skill deficit.
Meltdowns due to sensory overload disrupting class/H&S issues?
playtime and lunchtime difficulties due to sensory and or social issues?
Literal interpretation of things - difficulty with English - no interpretation skills?
Needs work broken down into bite size chunks as open ended stuff not possible?
Does any of this fit?

Thank you. That has helped with more ideas - I had forgotten that he constantly shouts out in assembly and has joined the headmaster on stage. I will add those in and change the format round as it is a bit confused and repetitive with their headings.

He can't wipe himself cleanly after going the loo if he attempts to wipe himself at all. He usually goes at home but does sometimes comes home really messy. Am I ok to include that? I would prefer him to remain in this school but with support rather than a special school.

listen and manish all of the things you have mentioned do apply to ds1. Except I think his interpretation skills are good - his teachers don't and I think I can still be in denial at times.

Thanks again for taking the time to help x

Thanks again pop I will add in the dla info and get my sis to order the book on her kindle

That is really interesting thank you manish. I will definitely be more honest on the form. He has hardly ever hurt children but is disruptive to the class, but I'm hoping he wouldn't be with appropriate support if I can get them to fund it.

This is a really helpful thread, thank you all. I have just applied for SA for DS and am trying to pull together all my evidence. I am struggling with the the relevance of things that happened a long time ago, eg behaviours at nursery (he is nearly 10 now).