A statement question or 2 please.....

[Summerdaydreams]

Today, we received dd's proposed statement of educational needs.

We were under the impression that it would spell out exactly what support dd needs. To me it just seems as if it is blanket report and all that has been added is dd's name in the relevant places

DD is 2.5 with cerebral palsy, so her main issues revolve around mobility. At present she is totally dependent on me to get around and explore her environment. She will therefore need 1:1. Support.
However, There is no mention of specific 1:1 help in the document. I was under the impression that it would be?

A series of objectives are set around allocating physio time etc and equiptment out but there are no specifics as to how these objectives will be met?
Also included in the pack is a series of bands related to funding for the individual child. Ther is howver no mention as to what level of funding dd's school will receive. Is this meant to be included In the statement??

Yes the statement should set out exactly what support she will get, who will be providing it and how many hours each week she gets for that specific support.
Is it a statement or one of the new ECH plans?

Give IPSEA a ring and talk it all through with them - you are right the statement or EHC plan should be very specific and not the woolly type of document that you have. I don't know about the EHC plans, but statements do not need to have the funding written into them, that is a matter for the LA and school to sort out. The main thing is getting the provision correct - track through the section that details all the difficulties and needs that she has, and then make sure there is a corresponding part in the provision that relates to it. If there are details missing from the needs section be sure to bring this to their attention and make sure it is written in too.
Local authorities are notoriously bad for not being specific in statements as it then becomes much easier to defend themselves if provision isn't being met. "Access to..." and "consideration given..." type statements mean nothing as no-one is obliged to provide the related support in such statements as no-one can define what constitutes providing it vs not.

You will probably find you need to rewrite part or all of the statement for them - send back your requested changes and wait and see what happens. They will probably agree some and dispute others. Don't waste too much time going back and forth over the content. If they will not agree to the things you really feel are needed, then ask them to finalise the document and after that you have a right to appeal - you can then appeal the content of the statement. You may be asked to meet with them about it all - don't be prepared to compromise on things you are not happy about, simply tell them you will think about things rather than giving them an answer unless you are very sure.

Thank you for your replies they are very helpful.
It has 'proposed statement of educational needs' on the front of the document but the covering letter calls it a 'proposed EHC'.

I have emailed the contact on the covering letter requesting they call to discuss this and of course I will put all my issues in writing.

It is very wooly and so vague its is unbelievable, there is no mention what so ever about specific times and number of sessions for physio and salt. No mention about the difficulties she has with movement (i.e she cannot independently)

One example, it says 'a physio programme will be devised to be carried out. But it doesn't say, how often this programme will be carried out and by whom?

I thought this whole process had been a bit too easy so far after reading the battles many parents have experienced. Will keep you updated, thanks again.

summerdaydreams we are going through something very similar with ds' EHC plan. I found SOS:SEN very helpful.
We have a meeting with LEA next week to go over the plan and see if they amend things. If not we'll ask them to finalise and appeal.
Good luck with your meeting.

Well according to the sen person at our LA i spoke with today, a statement would never say 1:1 help nor would it set out how many hours salt or physio a child would receive
Apparently, dd will not be getting 1:1 support because 'that's not what happens'. a TA will be about and help her when necessary but not to be by her side. I kept telling her dd cannot get around without assistance. She literally can't but cognitively she is able.

She then back tracked saying it was not specific because she is not currently in a setting?? And as soon as she is her needs would be met?? Is this true? If it is why bother with the statement now??
So bloody confused by the whole thing!

Argghhhhh! Will check out SOS:SEN.

Ha what a piss take. My DS had 5 years of full time 1:1 in a ms school. His statement said things like '2.5 hours per week of support from suitably trained LSA to undertake a sensory diet devised by the OT'!
His statement also said that 22.5 hours per week would be funded by the LA and the school would add 5 hours per week of funding to give a total of 27.5 hours of 1:1 support. His statement was first done by one LA then we moved and it was adopted by the new LA with exactly the same wording so it's not that i was lucky first time round.
Get in touch with IPSEA asap because they are trying to fob you off.

LOL at a statement never setting out hours of 1:1 or SALT! The number of times I have heard this from my LA! We appealed and went to tribunal and the panel ordered the statement to be specific including:
dd must recieve 1:1 during all classroom time.
the school will employ a TA specifically for dd and this TA will support her on a 1:1 basis for 27hrs a week
dd will recieve an hour a week of slt from a qualified slt
dd will recieve an hour a week of ot from a ot trained in sensory integration
etc etc
Quote the relevant parts of the SENCOP at them but ultimately you might have to ask them to finalise so that you can appeal.
good luck!