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Moving to a new Local authority with Special needs child

5 replies

Doyley47 · 26/02/2015 23:35

I am a single mum with a 5yr old severely autistic daughter in a lovely London Special school. I am hoping to relocate to Kent to be nearer family for support now I am on my own. Has anyone else had experience of re-location with a SEN child and the processes involved. Grateful for any advice.

OP posts:
senvet · 27/02/2015 01:15

I would take a very good look at the availability of places in the schools you like.

I heard of a London case where a short move put the family in a new LA who were more penny pinching and promptly said that dc did not have as many needs as the parents said, and could go to one of their schools with much less provision.

Kent does have a reputation for very vague statements, and fighting against expensive placements.

That said I have seen one or two Kent special schools - all secondary I'm afraid - and been really quite impressed with what was on offer.

So be VERY clear on what Kent are agreeing to before venturing out of your London School. eg If you want speech and language therapy I would make sure it is delivered by an in-house SALT rather than an NHS visiting one and the statement gives the precise number of hours per week and says that it is with a qualified SALT etc.

You could be lucky, and see and be accepted by a wonderful school, so don't let me dash all your hopes. It is certainly easier with dcs who meet the 'severe' criteria as there is less room to argue.

Sorry not to be the bearer of better tidings, but their reputation for generous statements is not good.

tiredgranny · 27/02/2015 07:53

Where about in kent. I can recommend a good school

Doyley47 · 27/02/2015 10:13

Hi my family are based in the Maidstone and Ashford areas

OP posts:
Doyley47 · 27/02/2015 10:13

Many thanks for taking time to reply.

OP posts:
JJXM · 27/02/2015 13:38

We changed LA over Christmas. My DS has a statement and was in a special school. We found it very easy to change over and started off by contacting the new LA and letting them know we were moving into the area. The Parent Partnership were amazing and put us in contact with the SEN team and we sent DS' statement over and they sent us a list of schools and spoke to us on the phone. Even though we didn't have an address in the area at the time, they pencilled DS in for a place at a special school. They have also kept DS' statement in place with all the support.

We found the experience very easy but then we've moved from a LA that had to pay out compensation for breaking the SENCoP to one with a very good reputation. If it had been the other way round then it would have been very different.

I'd recommend you contact your potential LA in advance.

So contact

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