what does it mean to have a statement of special needs?

[MerlinsBeard]

Was looking at the online forms for DS2 to go to nursery next sept (2008) and oneof the questions was, does your child have a statement of special needs?

DS2 is having speech therapy which may or may not continue but at the time of filling in the form he does have a special need- albeit quite small. and this will probably continue right through him being at nursery if not for longer

A statement of SEN is a legal document saying that the child:

• has X documented problems
• hence has Y additional requirements to access education
• and these will be met by the LEA by Z provision.

In your case that might mean:

• whatever diagnosed speech issue he has
• help with forming words, or understanding sentence construction or whatever
• regular SALT appointments out of nursery + 2 hours a week 1:1 support in nursery working on exercises set by his SALT

Or then again, it may not be severe enough for a statement. I'm not entirely sure as DD1 is up at the severe end, but I think you will only get into "the system" if it is immediately obvious he will not cope without help. If SALT once a month outside nursery will sort all his problems and he won't need extra support in class, then you are off the map from their POV. If he is likely to fall slightly behind, you are onto a thing called "Early years action" and "Early years action plus" which is the LEA's way of trying to avoid a statement because statements are expensive. It's an unofficial way of providing a little bit of help, but gives you no legal entitlement. If he is likely to struggle significantly without help then you really should apply for a statement.

The nursery, like a school, should have a SENCO (person who has the SN monkey on their desk) and the SENCO should be able to talk you through their provision, what other kids with SN do at that nursery, what they see his needs as, etc. And, frankly, if they can't do that very basic thing, it would be setting off warning bells that this isn't the right place for him or any other child with SN.

gosh thats really confusing!!

The nursery is attaced to teh school and every provision that the school have is available to the nursery, they have a SENCO but i think as we are in early days whow wrt to how much of a problem he actually has then i think its safe to say i will remain in a fog for a while!!

At the moment he will be having group therapy once a week with 2/3 other children around his age. I am alos booked onto a makaton course in november as he seems to respond and understand visuals better than speech on its own (does that make sense?)
he has very very few clear words and i am trying desperatly to get his hearing assessed to rule out that as part of the problem. I am, for some reason, coming up against a brickwall on that respect for now!

Thank you for your help r3dh3h