Help with first IEP

[gabbybaby]

It's been a struggle to get any help from school, but they have finally agreed to an IEP, which I've been told by the Senco I'll have before the end of May. Question is, isn't this something that we should work on together? Should I get a chance to comment and say what I want included in it? What should I expect it to include? DD is 5 (Y1), struggling to read, can't write legibly, she is sensory seeking, has a poor working memory, difficulties with planning & understanding, attention & impulsivity issues, poor postural control. Any suggestions on what I should watch/ask for in what they write up?

I think I would write to school with a list of things that you see at home, and, above all, give an example of the way dc presents at home:-

working memory - can't find things he has put down only seconds before, and this happens roughly once every two minutes

poor postural control - falls approx once per day, wilts in a chair, knocks into furniture all the time

etc etc

Obvioulsy you would write it as if it is helping inform the process and in the interests of everyone, ie home and school, working together to get a result for dd.

Good Luck

Thanks Senvet. That's listing what's wrong, but about when it comes to targets that she should be achieving? The Senco has said that if we do the IEP in May, then we will have a review of it before then of the school year, so she's trying to fit in 2 months so need short term targets. What kind of targets should I expect? We're supposed to be going back to basics with her, forming letters correctly, knowing the names of letters (as opposed to sounds, which she knows). Should these be included as targets?

Has no-one suggested you now apply for an EHCP from the LEA?. I would consider doing this and asap. IPSEAs website is also very useful when it comes to SEN www.ipsea.org.uk.

IEPs targets should be "smart" ones; specific, measureable. attainable, relevant and timed.

The IEP (also known as Individual Empty Promise) is after all a piece of paper; if they do not really know what to write on it in the first place how are they going to get your DDs needs met?. It should be also done termly and with you present; not given to you after school without any input from you. It seems to me that they are not meeting her needs at all and an IEP is not going to address that either.

thanks Attila. It's taken me until now in the school year to get as far as this! We started discussions around October with the class teacher about concerns over reading & writing. OT assessment was done in January. She is on the school's waiting list for an ed psych assessment, but that won't be until next academic year. We are also waiting for an NHS full assessment. I have no idea of how the process works, so don't know why she is on the list both through school & the GP, or if they would be assessing for the same thing/s, but heyho! I'll see which comes about first!!

The school have her on their waiting list but only recommended to me in March that I go to the GP for an NHS referral. Until then, all conversations were just with school and (private) OT. Bearing in mind she is still only 5, I think that school is suggesting they wouldn't want an assessment before she is 6 anyway, as her learning difficulties could be put down to her young age if it's done earlier (also bearing in mind that I think she's likely dyslexic, which wouldn't be diagnosed until 7 anyway). I only really want the IEP now so that when we finally get around to an assessment, we can demonstrate what interventions the school has already had in place. She currently has booster reading 3 times a week and daily small group phonics sessions. So I don't think in reality anything would change with an IEP, except that it would evidenced. I'm just not sure what targets we should have on there.