Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

SN children

Here are some suggested organisations that offer expert advice on special needs.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

Statementing begins.....

40 replies

lou33 · 17/03/2004 17:07

Any advice GREATLY appreciated . The panel agreed to assess ds for statementing, so now we have a form to fill in asking for stuff about when he was a smaller child. And we have the ed psych coming on monday to our house to assess him. Anything I need to make sure I do/say etc?

TIA.

On another note, ds2 had his eyes tested today and was an angel, but needs stronger lenses.

OP posts:

Thomcat · 17/03/2004 17:20

No advice hon' just love and luck.

Glad ds2 was an angel yesterday but sorry he needs stronger glasses.
Had the munchkins eyes tested on Friday and she's 'rather more longsighted than they would like' and we have to watch she doesn't develop a squint.

Original poster

lou33 · 17/03/2004 18:44

AW... but she would look gorgeous with specs on!

OP posts:

Original poster

lou33 · 17/03/2004 20:06

Anyone?

OP posts:

coppertop · 17/03/2004 20:33

Hopefully ds1 will be statemented too so I would also be interested in any replies.

coppertop · 17/03/2004 20:35

I mean I would be interested too. Not hijacking. Honest!

Original poster

lou33 · 17/03/2004 20:40

No, thanks for bringing it back to the top. I'm feeling all snubbed , sniff sniff....

OP posts:

Jimjams · 17/03/2004 20:41

Just keep on top of them I don't know what your ds needs but worth contacting other parents who have been through it with a child with CP. Also read IPSEA's website and try and get someone on the helpline. I can;t seem to get their book, but I bet it would be good.

Don;t be afraid to turn the first crap statement they produce down, and also worth meeting the statementing officer in person. Although I have been a complete PITA - I get on quite well with our statementing officer- our relations improved considerably after meeting.

Original poster

lou33 · 17/03/2004 20:55

Thanks Jimjams. If I get stuck on this form, can I ask your advice?

OP posts:

RexandBen · 17/03/2004 23:35

always send things recorded delivery (letters/reports mysteriously dont arrive otherwise) and get everything in writing.

Dont believe what they say to you on the phone and always check they are working within the SEN Code of Practice on both timescales and conduct.

DON'T be bullied by them and FIGHT for everything. GOOD LUCK LOU33!!!!!

And MASSIVE congratulations on the panel agreeing to assess!!! It getting harder and harder nowadays

Original poster

lou33 · 18/03/2004 01:34

Thanks Rexandben.

So far I have given the forms to my portage worker, who has passed them on, as she shares an office with the ed psych dept. Luckily for us, the same ed psych who assessed ds2 for portage is also the one doing the statementing assessment. They have 10 weeks here to get a statement done, according to their letters. Someone from sen advisory thingy came to a meeting with us and everyone else involved in ds2's life atm, about starting him in nursery, and she told me there and then that he would get assessed no probs, and she was on the panel, so I guess we are lucky. Noone seems to think there will be any problem with getting it done, I just want to make sure I get the right things in the right place iyswim. I think I might be using this thread a lot in the coming weeks!

OP posts:

fio2 · 18/03/2004 08:11

good luck lou I am sure it will all go fine as your area seems very good for services anyway. The ed pysch appointment is usually pretty painless! She just asks strengths and weaknesses in the child, what concerns you have, what kind of schooling you would prefer, if you have an establishment in mind. Then all the therapists involved with your son write reports on him. Dont take to heart what they write, it is worst case scenario and pretty grim reading. I felt sick reading dd's but all her therapists said take it with a pinch of salt. She is much better than documented. Hope it all goes well and if you need a 'chat' you know where I am!!!

Original poster

lou33 · 18/03/2004 10:23

Thanks Fio .

They did reports for the panel to decide whether or not to assess. Do they have to write more? Seems a waste of time and money if they have to keep providing the same stuff over and over.

His phsyio is pretty confident that the statement will be sorted within the 10 weeks. Will wait and see. It seems such a short time compared to some stories on here.

OP posts:

dinosaur · 18/03/2004 10:33

Lou33, the only thing I can think of is just watch out for dirty tricks by the LEA.

I know a chap whose son has CP. He goes to a wonderful school outside our borough, and his parents are very happy with it. He has a statement and the costs are fully covered etc. BUT last term the LEA out of the blue wrote them a letter to say that they wouldn't pay the costs any more and that he has to go to one of the special needs schools within the borough - which school has categorically said that they will not accept him as the school is not suitable for him! They got it sorted out, but as he says, you just have to be on your toes the whole time.

However, I think you have posted before that your area are pretty good for Special Needs, so hopefully they won't try and pull any stunts like that.

Agree about IPSEA, they have been very helpful.

Original poster

lou33 · 18/03/2004 10:46

Thanks for your input Dino .

OP posts:

fio2 · 18/03/2004 12:01

if all his therapists have already wrote reports then they may just be waiting for the ed pyschs report then?

Davros · 18/03/2004 12:21

Keep in mind the MAIN purpose of a Statement which is to provide services to MEET THE CHILD'S NEEDS. Therefore, any disagreement you have with them, you must base on whether X meets your child's needs or that you can show that Y does meet your child's needs etc. Although parental preference is supposed to be taken into account, I believe that an issue of the child's needs would supercede this, e.g. you are unlikely to get listened to much if you base your arguments on the school you want being nearest etc although if its otherwise suitable that could be of interest. Don't forget to bring up the issue of transport, get SLT in the right part of the statement blah blah......!!!
I totally agree that meeting the people you are dealing with helps a lot. Mine would rather not have met me but I went in to deliver something, which was just an excuse, as once they've met you they no longer think of you as just a "case" or a number.
Good luck!

fio2 · 18/03/2004 12:26

also get one of ds's therapists to keep chasing it for you. I was lucky because my portage worker worked in the same building as the statementing team. She used to go in every day to see how things were progressing and making sure evrything was okay for us

Original poster

lou33 · 18/03/2004 12:31

Thanks Davros. I just had a copy of the report by his paed arrive in the post. It needs a few corrections, but it has come at a v handy time as we are seeing her tomorrow morning! I'm a bit concerned about schooling now. Although he is only 3. I want him to go to our nearest one, which is the only one in the village. It needs serious adjustments made to cope with him though, and although the school have said they will do it, and are right behind me, am now worried we may be "encouraged" to go elsewhere. Ds1 will be at the school still when ds2 starts, and it will really help him if he has someone he knows well is close by, esp as ds2 has a problem with people he doesn't know, large crowds etc. The school is only 100 big, but that's large to him.

OP posts:

Original poster

lou33 · 18/03/2004 12:33

My portage worker does too Fio! Very handy, I call her on her mobile and she grabs the ed psych!

Slightly off topic, but our portage worker is so lovely, ds2 says he will marry her. She has also given us her home and mobile number if we ever need to get hold of her. I think that's great.

OP posts:

Original poster

lou33 · 18/03/2004 12:33

Oops and she is due in 45 mins and my house is a TIP!

OP posts:

Jimjams · 18/03/2004 12:41

lou schools are bound by the DDA- so the LEA will have to make the changes if thats the only reason they can give not to send him there.

They wanted ds1 to go to the autism unit, but were fine when we said "no". The ed psych did ask why- and believe me I told her. Her reply was "yes there are some issues surrounding the unit at the moment." Too right there are!

Remember he's your child and you know what's best for him (I had head of pre-school services screaming down the phone at me that my son "wanted" to be in school full time with all his friends. So I told her in no uncertain terms that he is severely autistic and doesn't give a stuff what other children do). remember these people are meant to be public servants- we pay their wages- don't let them treat you like you're an employee.

Jimjams · 18/03/2004 12:42

oh and politically its worth remembering that by law the don't have to provide what's best for your child- only what's adequate. So as Davros says if you don;t like something they suggest you have to show that its unsuitable, not that its just not the best option.

fio2 · 18/03/2004 12:43

our portage worker was lovely too lou! she only lives on the back of us and we see her quite regular, no-one has helped dd more than her

Try not to worry to much about schooling and rememeber you cant be forced into to sending him anywhere you dont want to. dd's school is a PD nursery and is lovely but there are no schools with PD units on in this town. I dont really want her to go to the PD special school which is over a 45min drive away. Thats if we stay here, all depends now. Feel like I ought to start looking into it now

fio2 · 18/03/2004 12:49

forgot to say good luck and let us know how you all get on !!

Original poster

lou33 · 18/03/2004 14:41

Thanks all, this is all helpful

Managed to tidy up the areas that the Portage worker would see just in time! She has finished her report she said, and is bringing me a copy of it next week. So paed, physio, portage and playgroup are in. Ot is all that's left i think, and she is coming along next week to see ds at the same time as the portage session.

OP posts:

Flip

1 2