Child's contribution to application for statutory assessment

[WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes]

I applied for SA for my DS a couple of weeks ago. I hadn't realised that part of the process is the child's contribution (he is nearly 10 and has AS). I'm a bit unsure how to go with this - I think he is likely to say everything is OK because he is a people pleaser and he is fairly happy at school and not fully aware of the implications of his condition. Which doesn't make his case very well. I don't really want to tell him just how grim his prospects could be if he doesn't get more help and prime him that way. Anyone got any experiences they would like to share?

I am having to do this with my 6 year old. I have had a loose chat about how feels about getting extra help at school, how it makes him feel etc and then saying ' you know more people are going to be coming into school to asses you and work with you?' So I'm teasing answers out slowly rather than 'here is a big scarey form, now I'm going to quiz you!'

Hopefully he will see a connection (loosely!) and then not say something's else if asked by school / lea. If you can just talk about over time and start off as casual chat?

Thanks. I have a decsion to make - my LA is a pathfinder one and I have been asked whether I want to participate in a trial of EHC alongside the normal SA process, one of the sticking points for me is that they say I can do the child's contribution with him if I don't do the pathfinder but if I do opt for the pathfinder they would get an Ed.Psych to do it with him, not sure which is best really.