Dd3 has been issued with a NIL :-(

[Ineedmorepatience]

So after making us go to tribunal, our LA were told to assess Dd3.

They have done that and on the final day of the 12 weeks they are allowed to assess and make a decision they have issued a NIL!!

I am gutted, not because we now have to go back to tribunal but because my vulnerable child will have to start secondary school without a statement!

2boys you summed it up though!!

It is already damned hard work having Dc's with special needs, we already work harder for our kids than others.

But the people who shuffle the statutory assessment papers and dont know us and dont even meet our children just dont get it.

To them we are an extremely irritating bunch of parents who have far too much to say for themselves!!

Home Ed is looking more attractive by the minute! But if I give up they have won and my Dd3 wont even get the chance to try secondary, which she wants to do even though she is shit scared

I am confused now!!

The NIL has arrived today and is really very detailed.

They have clearly shown that Dd3 has special needs which are a barrier to her learning and they have made loads of recommendations which are taken from the statutory assessment.

Why the hell couldnt they just issue the statement.

This sentence...
"As a consequence of Dd3's higher level communication difficulties and the masking of her anxiety in the school setting, she may have some difficulties in fully accessing the national curriculum!"

They have gone on to make 22 recommendations, all of which they say can be provided at SA+!!

Oh yeah, like they have been for the last 18 months!!

Only one word can describe them Fuckwits!!

NILs are very detailed -they have to justify that they had good reason to assess (and let's face it, a tribunal order is as good as it gets) and that they assessed thoroughly.

With the new funding arrangements, the bar is set higher to get a statement/EHCP. So much can be provided at SA+, even extra funding from the high needs block, that only the most complex children worth the most complex provisions will get them. I predict that they'll soon be the reserve of children with complex medical needs, HI, VI and special school kids. Even special units in MS schools don't need an EHCP for entry now.

Thanks lougle I will send a copy to the SENCO at the new school.

I will still be appealing it and we will see what happens in September, at the end of the day it will be Dd3's most difficult term so we are going to know fairly quickly if they can offer the amount of support that she needs and school will be in a better position to say whether they can sustain that level of support!

Oh absolutely do appeal!

ineed - do you feel that they did fully assess her thoroughly???

I'm not suprised that the NIL is very detailed - the LA dont have to fund it and its not legally enforceable!

But on the plus side you can use this as evidence that your dc requires a statement!

bjk I dont know I think so but the LA EP didnt do any writing with her and writing is a big problem area. I think the school have probably said how lovely she is. I am doing an information request anyway so the 2 reports I havent seen I will get.

billie Yes that is what I thought!! If she needs all this amazing provision which is highly unlikely to be provided at SA+ (which wont even exist any more) then why the hell didnt they just issue the statement!!

Am away at guide camp this weekend so probably wont get back to the thread much but thankyou all for your support and advice

If possible, arrange the earliest possible meeting with the new SENCO, and go through the NiL in detail asking how they're going to implement it. Ideally take someone with you to take notes. If she says they can't do any of it, or that it would be difficult, make particular note of that. Send her a copy of the notes of the meeting afterwards. Then keep checking whether things actually are happening, and again lay a paper trail if they aren't.

If/when support doesn't happen, file all the evidence with the tribunal.