Advice please about draft statement

[goldenretriever]

Hi, I received a draft SEN for my 4yo ds. First time I have done this. Statement has wrong contact number and wrongly says he hasn't had his hearing checked. I disagree with one of the 'bandings' but mainly for 1 to 1 help it says he should have this between 50 -100% WTF! That is a hell of a difference. Am thinking about requesting meeting with LA. Advice if I should please. TIA.

Hi, you've come to the right place some of the posters on here are experts. The statement is a legal document and must specify and quantify the support given. We went to Tribunal and got a good statement only because of advice from MNSN. Your LA will offer as little as they can get away with. Good luck x

Your statement should not have any bandings at all or references to funding - It should have specified number of hours that your child needs support, when those times are, who the support is given by and the level of their qualifications and experience, and finally what they should be doing when they are giving that support.

You need to respond to this draft within 15 days. You can write to them with some suggested changes but be sure to find some evidence for them. Your response, if pushed can simply say 'Please rewrite specifying and quantifying provision as you are legally required to do'.

In the meantime, contact IPSEA, SOSSEN, or a charity helpline for a statement healthcheck. You will find information on their websites about things to look out for.

I would not ask for a meeting. There is no point. You probably think you have been misunderstood and want a chance to show them the error of their ways but they have been playing this game for years and this is how it starts for all parents.

Many thanks for responses.

Goldenretriever

It does sound like this statement doc will need to be rejected and it may well have to be settled at a Tribunal.

Talk it through with IPSEA or SOSSEN; both are good and can advise you further.

Parts 2 and 3 are the most important parts of this document and they need to be right. Support needs to be both specified and quantified as per case law, if the LEA have not done this they are breaking the law here. It, as Starlight rightly states, should not have any reference at all in it to bandings.

Many thanks.