Who do I contact now??

[luckimum]

Im enduring a long and hard battle to get my son the help he needs with his education and I feel like I am banging my head against a brick wall.

Long story short(ish), my DS has Meningicoccal Septiceamia when he was 3 and despite being discharged after one follow up appointment and being told I was worrying about nothing it is now very apparent 6 years on that my son has been left with an ABI. His levels are 3 years younger than his actual age, he has difficulties with his memory and concentration and is really struggling.

At one of the many school meetings I have attended for my DS's SEN it was decided last July he needed a statement..although this has not happened. An Educational Psychologist met with me last January and told me she was going to assess DS and meet with me again in March to discuss findings. However this did not happen and it now transpires that the E.P I spoke to is no longer working with DS'S school and she has been replaced with a retired E.P who only works 2 days a week!! She has apparently been out to see my DS IN April however I am yet to hear from her 2 months on!!

In frustration I got in touch with Meningitis now who have offered brilliant support and explained all the difficulties that the ABI has left DS with, I have loads of information on this so I contacted my local NPPN and after talking with her she agreed to arrange a multi agency meeting at the school.

Eager to get a meeting underway before the end of this term as he has already lost a year due to the dragging of heels of the school and P.E I have now been told because the E.P only works 2 days a week and is fully booked up till September!!

Im SO ANGRY, it seems I am the only person who is trying to get DS the help he needs. I have contacted the Childrens Brain Injury trust however Ive been told there is a delay in response at the moment.Im also constantly trying to get hold of someone at IPSEA to see If they have advice they can offer.

Has anyone else had to go through this to get their child the help they need?? If so who can I yell at to get them to sit up and listen??

Has a request been made by the school for a statutory assessment?

If not do it yourself, this week. IPSEA have a letter template you can use.

Sometimes/often schools say they are going to do things and then they dont. Take control and then you know what has been done.

Sorry you are having to deal with this.
Good luck

IPSEA also now offer a callback service www.ipsea.org.uk

Make the statement request yourself and asap. Their website above has the info you need; there are model letters on there you can use. You will need to write to the Chief Education Officer at your LEA and give them six weeks to reply.

You have forcefully learnt here that you are his best and only advocate here. No-one is better placed than you to help him, this is also because no-one else like the people you mentioned will.

Thank you for your replies. Yes I think making a statement request myself is the way forward and I will do that tonight.

Its utterly ridiculous that they have replaced the E.P with someone who is retired and only works a short time per week.I was told there was an E.P who deals with ABI...unfortunately she dosent come to DS'S school!! Its sooo frustrating.

Thank you

You are learning fast the "they" say all sorts of things that are not necessarily correct or even close to being correct sometimes.

It is a massive learning curve but keep coming on here and everybody will help you.