Whats the deal with Statements??

[delllie]

Looks like I am going to have to fight for a statement for my DD, but what I can't understand what the problem is, why is it such a hassle to get them off the LEA and why do they apparently cost so much money to them??
Sorry if I sound very nieve but I am new to all this!!!!!

Basically a statement is a legal documant setting out your child's needs. Therefore has far more clout than an a schools own IEP as they have to stick to it word for word.
A statement is saying that the school cannot meet the child's needs using it's own resources so is asking lea for funding to support extra help/support.

I was under the impression that the school received extra funding if a child was statemented. ds2 had one in place for when he started at primary school no hassle for SALT. I was told by several people that if a child has already sstarted school it is notoriously difficult to get them. Apparently much easier if they are pre-school age. Don't understand why that should be tho.

Statements are gradually being phased out and are quite difficult to get. You may have a fight on your hands. In my area the LEA has gone for inclusion in a big way.

You have to fight for everything, pain in the backside but makes getting what you/your child are 'owed' so much sweeter. I was told to go away, it's too early, she's developing 'age approproate skills' and a few months later we got 12 hours a week help for her.

LEA's are bastards basically and you have to wrestle every penny out of them.

Blimey you lot are quick off the mark!!!!

BH, I think I understand!!, its just that my DD who was 3 in Jan had her Ed pysch visit on Monday and the EP seems hellbent on getting DD into a mainstream school when she starts school proper in Sep 2006. She said she didn't think that DD needed a statement, but I now realise that if DD needed any extra help when she starts then she couldn't have it without one.

My DD was 3 in Dec and we've just got her statemented, they now just have to find her a teacher but we're 3/4's of the way there. She goes to a mainstream nursery and will then go onto a mainstream school when she is 5.

She can't walk or talk much and my main point was that it is vital she is able to access the curriculum. Took a while but we got there.

Any help you need, with anything, just shout.

delllie - They tried to pull the wool over my eyes and dd would never have got the unit placement if I had listened to them/lea.

Thank you all for posting.

We are supposed to be having a meeting to discuss this with the powers that be, I just want to be clear on what our rights are and how they may try to pull the wool over our eyes to quote BH

Socci - I wrote a letter saying I was appealing, they wrote back to say okay they would assess her, reprts were submitted and then they announced she would be getting 12 hours a week one on one specialist help within her school.

I note QueenEagle's comments with interest. I was verbally refused a statement for DS at preschool but started the statement process for DS when he was in Reception. Fought for that and got it in the end.

To my mind no statement = no support.

Some LEA's are far better than others I am sorry to report. I met with the one that covers this area (would recommend face to face meetings) and found them quite humane to talk with.

IPSEA is a good starting point for parents if difficulties are being encountered with regards to getting adequate educational provision for their children. www.ipsea.org.uk is their web address.

Its true statements dont come easy, its a fight but worth it in the end