LA funding for independent special schools

[adrianna22]

Hi everyone

DS, 5, had ASD with severe speech and language difficulties as well as a private diagnosis of verbal dyspraxia.

As most of you know. I have appealed DS statement and we are currently fighting for him to attend an independent special school. His currently at his mainstream school.

I feel DS has huge potential, he is quite smart. But the autism and of course the language difficulties is a huge barrier for him and in the RIGHT environment, with the right support. I think he will do extremely well.

I now have an independent SALT and an Independent EP that are going to assess DS. But I'm worried that this is not enough to convince the LA to pay for an independent specialist provision.

Also, how am I going to convince the LA that the independent special school is the ONLY school that can meet DS needs, against the special units around my borough.

From past discussions, my LA officer agreed that DS will need a specialist provision and did recommended me some units and schools. Though the units haven't been opened yet and the special school would not be suitable for DS. Also, the LA have sent out reports of DS to our neighbouring units. They had 15 days to reply, but it's been four months now and I haven't heard of anything. I may need to chase the La regarding that.

I think my main worry is that how can I prove to the LA that the independent special school is the only school that can meet his needs.

Though, I have visited all of the units and special schools in my LA.

My bright DS goes to an indie ss.

The first thing that i needed was for his ms school to say that they couldn't meet his needs. They did this with no problem as they really couldn't meet this needs. The LA then put in outreach from the local ss. They said that he needed a ss but they couldn't meet his needs. ASD outreach also recommended ss placement as did the OT.

The LA then offered a newly set up ASD unit in a different local ss. I argued that DS needed a specialist placement and that there was no evidence that the unit worked as it was so new. Also there was a lot of confusion as to where DS would be on roll if he went to the unit and the LA were making up as they went along. There was also no peer group in the unit as DS would have been the only child in it and this was a major factor as DS likes to have friends. Then indie EP came out and agreed that DS needed a specialist ASD school. The LA then conceded at mediation after 8 months of messing around. I'm in a nice LA too that doesn't have many appeals.

If the unit had been up and running with a peer group then it would have been a lot tougher.

The 15 days are for the units to reply to the LA so just ring them and see what they say. Has the LA sent paperwork out to your choice of school yet? If not ask them to because then your choice will formally respond to the LA offering a place and confirming that they can meet your son's needs.

Thanks Fairgame!

I already have a letter from the independent special school confirming that they can meet DS needs. Do I need to send this off to my LA?

Do you also advise that I should let my independent experts view the LA's proposed school?

I don't think DS mainstream school will admit they can't meet his needs.

Yes let your experts view your choice and the LA's proposed choice. My EP didn't view the LA's choice because he didn't have time we were only 10 days away from final evidence deadline when he came out. He was already familiar with my choice and went to assess DS in his ms school.

If the ms school won't admit to being unable to meet his needs then you need to be clear as to why they can't. I wrote a essay list of all the reasons that i felt the LA's choice couldn't meet DS's needs and went through it at mediation.

Thanks fairgame.

DS EP is also familiar with the independent school and she is also assessing DS in the mainstream school.

But I was wondering, say like the LA offer me a local ss, do you think it's worth having the EP view that school too?

It depends on time and costs. It will cost you more if you get him visiting other schools. If the LA change their offer they are more likely to do it later on in the appeal and by that time your experts will have done all of their reports. Their reports should clearly say what DS needs and if the local ss can't meet his needs now then they won't be able to a few months further down appeal either.

I see!

You are right as I'm nearing to the evidence deadline. I'll have a think about that one and speak to SOSSEN about it.

Thanks for your input!

I already have a letter from the independent special school confirming that they can meet DS needs. Do I need to send this off to my LA?

Just put it in with your evidence on the evidence deadline.

I don't think DS mainstream school will admit they can't meet his needs.
If I remember right (and I have a really useless memory) your LA have conceded that your dc needs special so unusually you won't need this, I think, as long as you have it in writing that they have conceded special school. Apologies if I have remembered this all wrong.

Once the LA have named what indie school they are putting up against your chosen indie, then your expert(s) can look at both.

I really hope this is making sense and thatI am not barking up the wrong tree....

Oh just thought, the indie ss may have done some assessments and be working out what they will do to support dc, so if they will provide you with those for the evidence deadline, that would be good to add in.

Thanks very much Senvet, it does make sense.

The LA have not put in writing that DS needs a special school but!! I do have the written letter about them asking other specialist units to see if they would accept DS.

You could view one or two mainstream schools who have a good name for sen. Ask if they could meet his needs.

I was quite shocked when I did this myself

When I went to tribunal for ds1, my Indi's only visited the la named school. I had the OT do a sensory environmental report and I also had Ruth Birnbaum, Indi EP visit - she has written a book on what questions to ask. They were already familiar with my choice and given that it costs £££ for each visit we couldn't afford to have expert visits to everywhere. The LA also offered two new placement options at hearing which no one had visited and at which Ds1 had not been offered a place.

KeeponKeepingon1- Did your Ds1 get his chose of the independent school. What was your result of your case, if you don't mind me asking?

Yes, I have read Ruth Birnbaum book, it is excellent. I would of liked her to assess DS, but she is fully booked.

Hi, our LA came up with a maintained unit 20 miles away which I couldn't argue that it wouldn't be able to meet DS's needs (they had a place and said that they could!!) we wanted indi school a similar distance. They named our choice but on the condition that we are responsible for transport. It was a handy leverage point to have as it would have cost them a fortune to have provided a taxi.