Would we have any hope of getting a statement.

[Crusoe]

Forgive me I know next to nothing about statements and am just starting to realise that my lovely son may have some additional needs.
He is in yr2 and academically doing really well but has behavioural issues. He has an attachment disorder that school don't understand and he is viewed as a naughty boy. He needs behavioural support in the classroom and playground but probably not all the time. School won't have him assessed but complain constantly about his behaviour. The behaviour is what we consider fairly low level, some pushing and shoving, arguing with adults, not always following instructions to the letter.
We just don't know what to do. We feel he is definitely in the wrong school but don't know what the right school is. Without a statement his options seem to be limited. We could afford perhaps to pay for an independent school but again how do we find the right school? Not many schools seem to know anything about attachment disorder.
Any advice really welcome ....

Does he have an IEP or behaviour plan, at school?

It might be that he would do much better, where he is, if school pulled their fingers, out and supported him in behaving "acceptably", rather than complaining, or he may be better of in a specialist setting. Some SEBD schools provide a lovely, supportive environment for DC like yours, particularly at primary level.

Of course, the only way of pushing forward with having his needs assessed, if school are sitting on their hands, is to apply for statutory assessment. Just doing so may provide a wake up call, at the very least. You can do it yourself, following the guidelines on the IPSEA website. You don't say if he as adopted, but, if he is, he is entitled to this assessment.
www.nhs.uk/Livewell/adoption-and-fostering/Pages/post-adoption-support.aspx

Yes he is adopted and has a badly written not adhered to IEP.
Thanks for your reply.

My son was similar at that age, and has never been statemented, even though I applied and appealed. The thinking behind it was he didn't have learning difficulties so he doesn't need it. he always had an IEP though. Of course, no statement meant no chance of an EBD school so he is mainstream secondary and struggling...

Good luck wit everything x

I'm sorry if this sounds rude, but are you SURE he has attachment disorder and not ASD?

I ask because ASD is much more common, but attachment disorder tends to be the first conclusion people jump to in adopted children and sadly then often the resulting 'therapy' is shrugging and blaming the child's past rather than cracking on with intervention.

It is also much more likely for children with ASD or who come from a family with ASD in the genetic pool, to need adopting, as behaviours can be misunderstood and unmanageable, particularly for parents who are struggling with life themselves and may even be self-medicating to cope with it.