Aaaaaargh! EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGIST!

[deeeja]

My son has a diagnosis of autism. I am going through the assessment for statement, I have the medical evidence for the statement. I am still waiting for salt report. The LA educational psychologist has written a report for my son based on an observation she made of my ds a few months ago. She won't let me see a copy of it before it goes to panel. I managed to speak to her on the phone, and I got some information from her, by asking her for her professional opinion. She has told me that she has put on her report that my ds has mild asd (is mild asd a recognised term, shouldn't it just say asd, my ds is not mild by any account, especially not today!), and could cope in a mainstream setting. My son's paediatrician thinks that my ds could never cope in a mainstream setting.
I want to meet with the EP to discuss her report with her. Obviously EP doesn't want to because I have no choice but to disagree with her report.
Can I legally make her comply with my request to a meeting about her report. She is not taking any of my views into account, my ds has no comprehension of language, and his expressive language is all immediate echolalia. When I challenged her about this, she admitted that he would need a large amount of support.
What can I do about my situation?
If there is nothing I can do legally, is there something -sneaky and underhand- persuasive that anyone can think of?
I have an appointment with a private EP (Linda Miller) in June, but I want to see what I can do about the LA EP aswell.

Also the EP did a joint report with a pre-school home visitor, and did no proper assessments of my son.
I thought the report was just her report, can I complain about that?

The only thing I can think of is that you should put in writing to her that you feel your son going to mainstream would give rise to some significant health and safety issues for himself and others. Make them up if you have to (though you may not have to, if he's like my DS, completely unaware of the danger from cars, water, flying objects, electricity etc). It's the one worry that seems to stop them in their tracks, as they are scared of the school getting sued for failing in its "duty of care" towards all its pupils. That said, I must admit that my DS (certainly not mild ASD, quite non-verbal) is now at mainstream, with an LSA every single minute he is there, and only two afternoons a week (the rest of the time he is on a home ABA program) and actually I have found he behaves better in a mainstream setting than he ever did at his special autistic nursery. It may be just hat he's growing up, or maybe there is a tiny bit of imitating other kids' behaviour going on. But every child is different and if you feel there is a special school nearby that would be better, you go for it. Scare the pants off them about health and safety is my best/only tip. Also, you could say that in his extreme anxiety in a mainstream setting he could lash out or be very noisy (one of the legal criteria for excluding an SEN kid from mainstream is that they will disrupt the "efficient education of other children"). The second criterion is that the school won't be able to meet the child's particular SEN - hence the anxiety points - you could basically say he is too anxious and that this will a) cause bad behaviour which will disrupt the class and b) will mean that he is unable to access the curriculum. This argument worked for a pal of mine recently at tribunal. Good luck!

deeeja

Would agree with AMAM's response to you.

Would just add that it sounds like they're trying to pull a fast one; the likely result being is that they will refuse to agree to assess your son when it goes to panel. Also the EP works with the LEA as you are already aware so is under pressure anyway to "downgrade" SEN issues (there is much pressure not to issue statements anyway she says with her hat on). Small wonder therefore she will not see you before her report goes to panel. She knows what you're going to say.

You need to talk to SOS:SEN or IPSEA on Tuesday (I don't think they are available on bank holidays but its worth trying). The other people you may also want to speak with is the National Autistic Society.

HTH

you need your independent assessment... However, although LEAs have a duty to take into account independent expert reports, they do not, until they are hauled to SENDIST. Make sure that your independent Ed Psych report makes specific recommendations about the educational provision your DS needs, quantified to the minutest detail (no of hours etc). the reports from LA's own Ed Psychs, health professionals are often vague and unquantified and therefore cannot be used to beat them into submission (e.g. 'would benefit from', 'access to'). Unfortunately there's not much you can do regarding the LEA EP, they are not duty bound to make their reports available to you (I was appalled by this but was told by IPSEA rep) or make revisions. good advice from others. Worth hassling them and making sure they know what you want.

I was told that panels are a bit of a waste of time. They might accept your son or not and if not then you have recourse to SENDIST and take them to a tribunal - you can then submit your private EPs evidence and also ask her to be a witness (make sure she will do this). When your case has been accepted and, after a certain amount of time, the bundle copied for both sides - which in our case consisted of 360 pages of evidence and from the LEA - 1 faxed sheet (tee hee). You will then get the LEA EPs report then. Definately phone SOS SEN or IPSEA. If you go to trbunal then Claire Franklin is a fab advocate and much cheaper than a melinda nettleton type. SOS SEN also run courses and I recommend them although the legal side of things can get very very dull.

All the best.