S.A.L.T.-Please advise re statementing

[tiptoes]

Hi,just wondered if their was any SALT's who can tell me if they recommend a statement for a child with speech and language delay and selective mutism.

My DS is 5 and the school think we should apply although his SALT feels a child with selective mutism does not necessarily need a statement.

Am a bit confused and wondered if anyone had applied for a statement under these circumstances and if it was successful.

I work with a child that has a statement for SALT needs. They were awarded 20 hours a week, that was 2 years ago and they still receive the full 20 hours.

I'm a salt but couldn't really recommend anything without knowing the child,sorry.

What a statement says and what a child gets are often two very different things though.Which is prob. why they're doing away with them.
Too much scope for litigation.

Part of my son's statement named speech and language delay on it.

Would suggest you write to the LEA yourself - far easier to apply for it now than wait till he's in say years three or four (i.e junior school).

What a statement says and what it provides should be one and the same!. LEA's are under pressure not to issue so many statements these days due to lack of funding from central government. However, the acid test still applies in that if the child's needs cannot be met by school then a statement should be issued.

Court action against LEA's is often only undertaken by families as a last resort, not just to say the huge emotional and financial cost to them.

Long before it gets to such a stage many appeals against LEA's decisions to SENDIST (the tribunal panel) are successful.

Thanks everyone for your advice.

I am a bit sceptical as I feel maybe the school are pushing for this as they do not have the resources to offer ds one on one help with his speech.I will be continuing the sliding in technique with DS in the meantime.
His SALT has told me a speech therapist is going into school to work with some children with speech delays but has advised her not to work with DS at the moment as she feels his selective mutism should be dealt with first and in the past DS has not responded in group sessions.

I wonder if it's more to do with the school wanting the extra funding rather than what would be best for DS.

I think i will arrange for the SALT and SENCO to meet up with the head and myself and decice what would be the right way forward for DS.

Thanks socci for your reply.
To be honest it is a bit of a minefield,and not quite sure what to do for the best.

The SALT keeps saying that she does not normally recommend a statement for a child with selective mutism as it is better he is not pulled out of the class for x amount of hours a week and for him not to feel he is different to the other children.Maybe it would be possible for him to recieve extra support within the classroom rather than in another location.

Socci-He was going to group sessions but he did not respond at all.
Then we tried one on one but DS was still silent.
it is very difficult as not only does he have a speech and language delay his selective mutism obviously makes it hard for the SALT to access him.He has only talked to the SALT when she did a home visit but her resourse prevent her from doing this on a regular basis.

Not sure how common it is to have the two problems together or wheather one reinforces the other.From what I have read on SM normaly children with SM don't have speech and language delays as well.

We are now waiting for the SALT to arrange more speech sessions for DS at thge local hospital as the SALT she referred us to left after just 1 session.(nothing to do with us I might add)
She is still undecided as to him continuing sessions with her at the childrens centre or referring him to the hospital.

It's all a bit up in the air at the moment as she feels we should concentrate on the SM at the moment within school with me continuing the sliding in.

Thanks socci for all your help.