Speech and language nursery/unit in Herts

[HHH3]

I'm floating an idea round my head at the mo and just need to pick some brains please

Can anyone tell me if there's such a thing as a speech and language nursery? If so, can anyone recommend any in herts? Or speech and language units?

Also, having read threads both past and present I have to ask...is herts really that bad? Am I in for a fight for any help for my DS? And is NHS here as bad as what I'm reading about the LEA?

No idea about Herts, sorry, but my ds goes to a language unit. He is in P1(scotland so no reception). The unit theoretically starts at nursery but I think it takes most people until P1 to get in. I would certainly expect there to be similar units near-ish to you but I would also expect a fight to get a place. You may get lucky though.. Do you have a statement or EHCPlan?

Yes in my county as ds3 is going to panel for a pre school unit. I hear the unit can take them from 2.5 years and it's like a assesment unit for deciding on where they need to go to schools

No idea about Herts (you might want to get the title changed to include the word 'Herts' and attract the people you need?) but There are certainly resource Bases in our Authority that take dc from their Nursery year.

Yes sadly Herts has an appalling reputation for SEN provision exceeded only by my own dear county, next to yours.

Can't believe I didn't put herts in the title I'll report it to get it changed.

I've found one very local to me. Have given them a call and waiting for a call to get some info. Probably won't be til Monday though.

Herts are without a shadow of a doubt one of the worst counties for SEN for the ASD/ASC verbal but needing extra support.

They have a principle of giving most of their SEN money directly to the schools/settings, and then saying that the school has plenty of money to meet the needs in mainstream.

The next part of their policy is to say that the mainstream schools can apply for extra needs funding ENF to supply additional support without the need of an assessment or a statement.

So special school kids have to go through 3 appeals : refusal to assess, refusal to statement and then on the contents of the statement.

They spin these out so that if you get an expert report for the first appeal it is out of date by the second, and an expert report for the second is out of date for the third.

The only slight piece of good news is that they don't seem to be using a firm of solicitors called Baker Small anymore, which means that the ludicrously long delays may be a little less ludicrous.

If I had a sn child in Herts I would move.

Seriously, I would have to.

Northamptonshire are said to be good...

Sorry not to be the bearer of better news

Ah senvet, I had a feeling I was going to hear something like that.

You mention about a child being verbal. What about if there are significant speech problems?

I'm talking about DS2 who is only 2.3 so obviously a lot can change with him before he gets to school. But given his speech is significantly delayed I'm already thinking about nurseries that are going to be best for him. He currently goes to a MS preschool and they just can't understand him which results in massive tantrums when he gets home. I think he's just really, really frustrated.

Moving isn't an option. Apart from the fact I have DS1 who's time is split 50/50 between me and his dad and is about to start secondary school. I'm also in private rent and am on benefits and it's almost impossible to find a landlord who'll take housing benefit.

I don't have personal experience but I have heard very positive things about www.ludwick.herts.sch.uk/enrichment/index.html. I don't know of this is close to you.

Right.
This is potentially a very good lead....
I've found one very local to me

Is it maintained by Herts, or is it independent or is it maintained by another LA?

When you go to visit see if you can find out who is funding their kids. If it is Herts LA, then that is a good start.

Then find out as much as you can eg did they get placed there by Herts LA? Did they have to go to a Tribunal (or more than one) and what reports or experts helped them to persuade the panel to place their kids there.

Do they all have Statement/EHCPs or are some of them there via another route?

It may be that portage or nhs has had a hand in getting them a place there.

Once you have a folder full of as much info as you can find out from the school, then you could ask the LA for your school if it seems right for your DC.

If they say 'no' then ask for an EHCP.

You may not have realised, but there is a huge advantage to DS2 to you being on benefits! If the LA refuse to assess DS2 for an EHCP you can appeal and ask for legal aid to pay for the independent reports that will help you to win at appeal.

I must admit my heart sank as I have been hearing such sad stories out of herts on the grapevine, but all were older kids with ASD and verbal,so fingers and toes crossed this will be better.

Good Luck

Orange - that's the one I called earlier!!! The person I need to speak to isn't in til Monday so hopefully I'll get a call back then.

Senvet - thank-you. I'll make a note of all those questions. And I hadn't even thought of legal aid - could be really useful.

They take children from the term after they're 3 which would be January for DS.

He currently goes to preschool 2 mornings a week (supposed to be increasing to 3 mornings a week after Easter). At the moment I'm considering pulling him out as they just don't understand him and he's getting increasingly frustrated I think. He basically spends the rest of the day tantruming. That's not a criticism of them as he's pretty much impossible to understand. Although they don't seem overly keen to learn to understand him either.

I have his parent consultation next week and I'm wondering what I can ask for. What is he entitled to? He currently sees the SALT there once a week (at least she told me she'd see him once a week but I've got no idea if it's actually happening). Is there anything else I can ask for? And is his speech delay considered an SEN?

His pre school can apply for exceptional needs funding to get him a 1-1. Ask of they have considered this. Ask your salt if she thinks it's worth applying for an EHCP. My DS s salt was the one who really pushed for his Ehcp and we were successful.

You can email your salt and ask of she has been seeing your DS and ask for updates.

Speech delay is very definitely SEN. If you look on the IPSEA website you will see a case called Lancashire which is fro the 1980s. It is now written into the codes of practice for SEN.

Your dc is entitled to education to meet his needs, so if he needs a one to one at nursery to help him with a programme set to the SALT, then that is what he should get.

With luck, the nursery will be glad to get the ENF

Great progress, so glad things are looking better at this end of the thread

I just want to say that it's not all doom and gloom in Herts.

My DS gets weekly salt and 20 hours a week 1-1 which includes daily salt from a TA who has been trained from a TA.

I am so glad to hear good news from Herts - it helps to see a balance. Thanks Orange and very good luck HH

If you can move easily, do so. If not let me know roughly where you are in the county as I have seen lots of schools.

Who has assessed the language issues and what reasons did they give for the cause?

Does your child sign/use PECS or make themselves understood to you, if no-one else?

The trouble with Herts and their funding formula is that they give it to the schools, tell everyone that the schools can now resource the support, but crucially provide the schools with no training or ability to deliver it. Schools there have NO autonomy to refuse placement so the LA force kids into schools that cannot meet their needs despite the schools and parents protesting. Speech and Language Therapists are paid directly by the LA and under their control too.

Having said that, this LA isn't unique in all of this so if you do move, do it in a considered way.

If your child has an average IQ, no ASD but communication difficulties then the best resourced schools are those with a hearing unit attached. Herts are excellent for HI and VI afaik and those kinds of schools are usually well equipped in tolerance and also expertise of various modes of communication development.

Oh, and the schools in special measures/satisfactory gradings often have enthusiastic and staff willing to learn.

Orange - I've emailed the SALT to try and get some feedback. Thank-you for letting me know it's not all doom and gloom.

zzzzz - I have very little. Hoping for a report after I took him to a SALT assessment the other day. GP, HV and preschool all say there's no problem.

Starlight - I'll pm you where I am. A SALT assessed him the other day. Said there's no physical reason for it but she has no idea why his speech is so delayed. He can sign but like his speech it's not understandable even to someone else who signs. He can make him understood to me but no one else. He understands a lot and as far as I'm aware has a normal iq. Not sure about ASD. He's just been referred to the CDC. If I'm honest though I doubt he'll get a dx any time soon - it's all quite subtle.