AARRGGHH-LEA

[jenk1]

they have refused to do a stat asess of dd,s SN.

she has left sided hemiparesis,incontinence problems,and we are waiting on a dx of ASD from the consultant paed.

really thought they would asess her.

am so mad.

so its off to sendist again, this will be my 4th tribunal, wonder if they will drop out the day before like they have done with the previous 3?

in the letter it says her SN is not severe or complex enough to warrant a statutory asessment, have they changed their policy cos i dont remember them putting this on mikes letter when they refused to asess him.

and how to they flippin know her condition isnt severe or complex enough, they havent asessed her, they are going off the senco,s report which played down everything.

oh im so

That is just outlandish, isn't it?

I wonder if they will change their minds when they get the dx of ASD?

Jenk, I can sympathise our LEA preschool area SENCO refused to assess DS2 when he was at playschool as he "is not disruptive & therefore does not impact on the learning in the classroom".
Basically he's too well behaved so doesn't make a nuisance. The fact that he can't learn without constant guidance didn't seem to matter.
His school are funding his 1 to 1 for the 1st 12 months & guess what, now the school are saying he can't cope without adult support they are assessing him.
DS2 has CP,GDD/learning difficulties & ASD

Sometimes if a childs difficulties don't smack them in the face they just don't get it!

Would you name and shame this LEA please if only to IPSEA?. They would be very interested.

Sounds like this LEA have changed their policy. Think as well they've gone primarily by the SENCO's report - if your assumption is correct why did she choose to downplay your DD's difficulties?. I'd be having words!.

Am sorry you have to go through this yet again, I remember your turbulent times with the LEA on previous occasions.

I think SENDIST is your way forward here.

Attila-i will name and shame this LEA.

are they incorrect with their wording then?

oh i hope so

Jenk, they love crossing swords with you don't they?.

I am wondering if this LEA are employing blanket policies (which are illegal). Using terms like not severe or complex enough could be indicative of such methods.

Do speak to IPSEA as well.

they certainly do, i was in fact told by the parent partnership lady a couple of months ago (off the record) that the SEN manager has taken my fighting for ds personally, she told me that things were said like "well he can have the independent school but he,s NOT having the private dx of AS put on his statement".Guess what went on his statement?

DS has a dual dx of PDD (NHS) and AS, (private dx) and she came to my house the day before to hand the statement personally to me.

well, whoopee do, lets see how personally she takes this if IPSEA decide to write to the secretary of state about the misleading letter, i mean are they STUPID, do they forget that i will take it all the way?

I think it's country-wide, would not be surprised if LEAs are actually targeting their staff (obviously covertly) on issuing fewer statements. My LEA does it by conning people in the midst of shock after a diagnosis - "the last thing you need is the hassle of the statementing process, come on into our early action plus scheme: it's just as good and none of the paperwork". I think you could make a case that there's a countrywide stealth approach to changing the whole SEN statementing process. God, I feel for you Jenk. As if you did not have enough on your plate!! Attila, do you think IPSEA might ever be interested in a class action, to say that actually SEN parents are being deprived of their rights via this kind of covert diminishing of statements?

Oh FFS jenk, not another LEA problem for you with everything else!

Have you thought about pitvching a tent by their door, would save you a fortune on postage stamps!

Am very on your behalf, but can only reiterate IPSEA.

Keep complaining- our LEA got a bollovking a while back apaprently and now have ahd a sort out and are being much better (thats in LEA degrees of better obv, ie slightly less crap)

this is what the letter says:

"/the reason being is that the evidence presented by XXXXX Nursery (including reports from a number of professionals) does not suggest that dd,s needs fall within the severe and complex range which would require the Local Authority to determine provision to meet her needs at this stage."

The "number of professionals" are the LEA Ed Psych who we have crossed swords with and the SENCO, they havent written to any of the other professionals treating her, the 2 Paediatricians,physios,OT etc etc

aquarius is right I think- my friend back home was told ehr DD will get 1-1 only if she DOESN'T apply for a statementa sit costs them less (I haev a bet with her on how long that 1 - 1 support lasts....)

here the standard crap they give you (when you deal with mroe than one school you can spot the LEA fed lines) is '1-1 for mroe than 50% of the time causes a child to lose independence. OKaaaay- who's gonna tell DS3 not to poo his nappy when there's no LSA, and that he has to understand spoken langauge when alone?

Jenk

Are you in Northumberland by chance?.

If you look at IPSEA's website (www.ipsea.org.uk) they are currently campaigning against some LEA's devolving powers to schools thus leaving some SEN children in a very vulnerable position. Makes for disturbing reading.

Think they are using blanket policies purely going by the wording they have used.

Speaking with IPSEA therefore is a must do along with appealing to SENDIST.

On a different matter I will certainly cross swords with that barsteward LEA in Essex (IPSEA certainly know of this shower of shites) if they decide to withdraw DS's meagre statement provision following the annual review last week!!.

With best wishes

Attila x

no not in northumberland but am in the northwest.

the same lea who left a vulnerable and medically authorised absent child without an educaton for 2 years, he got 2 hours a week.

still not decided whether to do them for discrimination against his disability, but want to sort out dd first.

OMG jenk - this is getting ridiculous

It never seems to end for you does it.

would really love to know if you're in the same lea as me jenk1
as the people i have dealt with have been utterly useless and like you i had to say i would go to tribunal-funny things started changing then?

yep, also had it confirmed on another forum i go on-this is a blanket policy and wont stand up in tribunal.

bunch of stupid thick pillocks, i mean do they REALLY think im just going to go "oh ok then ill try again in 6 months"

and whats worst/or best is that they have completely shot themselves in the foot by stating this in writing.

im going to have a field day with this one.

oh by the way just to Name and shame my LEA.

its the same town that the singer Lisa stansfield came from and Gracie Fields and it begins with R.

THERE.

you know, when yhe kids and youa re a bit settled- you'd make a wonderful IPSEA Counsellor type you know.......

I am up with my ds again. Just read this. Wow Jenk, you are amazing!
I love reading your threads. Although ofcourse is tiring for you and I would rather you didn't have ot go through this, .
I have been told not to bother with all the 'hassle' of statementing too.
Blarrdy eejits!
They want ot sent my ds to school and have him left alone most of the time.

I had a letter from ed psych, to arrange meeting to talk over my concerns,
Anyway, sorry for highjack
Will be cheering you on!

Oh Jenk

That wording looked familiar so I looked at my ds's statement and noticed they've used the words 'severe and complex' on his statement. It says 'ds statement will be maintained whilst his needs remain severe and complex and beyond step 3 of the SEN's audit criteria'.

I'm sorry that you have this continuous battle with getting the right education for your children

but its not about severe ad complex ! (know I am rpeaching to the converted!), its about whether school can meet childs needs unassisted by LEA suport

if theyc an't they are ENTITLED to a statement

DS1 is not severe in terms of his disability but can't cope unaided so has one as he very well should.

Its all cruelty to the famillies, as if they don't have enough to live with

You're right peachy.

I've said this before but if it wasn't for my ds being so disruptive in class, he wouldn't have got a statement. It seems it's more about meeting the needs of the school rather than the needs of the child. My ds has trouble understanding most of the work, but if he sat quietly in the classroom and not disturbing others, I very much doubt he'd have got his statement.

I had to threaten with action under DDA and against the school who breached every rule and human right going to get ds1's, but I did it in initial application to save on paper for appeal stage LOL (was very angry with school at the time)

Now ds1 has been dx'd with the dyslexia I am glad its in place as the school said waiting list for dyslexia help is 18 months, and as I pointed out- not if he's given provision at his statement review in April it bloody well is not (he's quite severe- 3 - 4 year delay in readng age, corect word usage of apparently 5%)

Gawd they hate me at the LEA. Do I care?

ha ha peachy do you know the ipsea lady who helped me with mikes tribunals said the same thing to me, would i think about becoming an ipsea counsellor and i said yews, i will when i have got dd settled and took the lea for disability discrimination for what they did to mike for 2 years.

oh they have crossed the line now and im soooo angry, i feel like my intelligence has been insulted and that they are trying silly stupid tricks and that i dont know what im doing.

im off to phone ipsea now

Go for it Jenk, you'd be amazing at it!

Same with us macwoozy. I'm sure it was ds behaviour that got him the statement. If he had been in a better school where he was supported his behaviour wouldnt have been so bad and I doubt he'd have been assessed let alone given a statement. Its the one thing I can thank that school for

I second peachy on you working for IPSEA Jenk - you'd be great