SA Plus - what are the criteria?

[debs40]

What are the criteria for SA PLus?

Is it right to say that if a child is meeting academic targets, they do not need this?

Also, does anyone know if it makes a difference that the parent rather than the school has started the dx process and involved outside agencies?

im not sure on the criteria TBH but my DS was on SA+ even though he was performing highly academically. He was on SA+ for his behaviour and was moved up from SA to SA+ simply because he had been at SA for 6 months with no improvements. I dont think it does make a difference if DX is parent led, it certainly didnt with my DS.......the school put my DS on SA+ without me knowing and long before i knew school were struggling!

no the academic progress is bull-the SEN code of practice is concerned with progress in all areas such as social and communication.
Either your SENco has got her info wrong or she is fobbing you off.

If the outside agencies have come into school and spoken to them then your child should be on SA plus.

I think there have to be outside agencies involved. DS1 is on SA+ he meets all his targets academically and socially, the school said he did not need to be on the SEN register but he is profoundly deaf! He has a visiting teacher of the deaf who ensures that his needs are being met (largely training the staff)and this qualifies him for SA+, we were insistent as if his needs change and he has not previously been on the register it could take longer to get help put in place.

SALT came in but is discharging his as she said the problems are to do with social communication which they don't deal with .

She had loads of suggestions to leave with school (social stories, social skills groups, home/school book, training on recognising moods etc) and I can just see that school are likely to say we don't have to do all that and he's doing ok so what's the need for SA plus.

Hence, we could be going round in circles.....

Debs- is there no ed psych referral in place? Surely there should be.....
(not that I am a love of Ed Psycjh, tbh the LEA ones are a waste of righteous energy on my part and I nigh on begin drafting the complaint theminute I am asked tosee the referral, nevertheless.....)

No, I have finally managed to organise a class teacher/SENCO meeting for after half term and will ask about this.

School say that SALT make recommendations which they deal with and then they can ask for more help if they need it but I'm really surprised (and disappointed) that SALT dump such issues back on schools and what are basically untrained professionals who are left to decide if they can cope.

Particularly when they didn't spot a problem in the first place.....

On the plus side, I have just organised an appointment for assessment with BIBIC.

Yay Debs

And if you are there any time (we ahd regualr reassessments) and get bored email me before you go, Mum lives down the road- always nice to meet SN board members LOL

Thanks!!

Is there a Developmental paed on board at all?. You're being mucked around here big time.

Well done for organising an appt with BIBIC.

I would be asking SALT who actually deals with social communication difficulties then.

No it does not make a jot of difference as to whether parent or school got any outside agencies involved. The very fact that there is involvement in the first place should mean that your son is on SA plus.

Meeting "academic targets" is a smokescreen; it may be the case now but it may not be so in future. My guess is this school have not the first idea of how to work with your son at all effectively and he's slipping through the cracks as a result.

I think Atilla is right.

You know Debs, there's a kid in ds3's class (a SNU palce) that is on 98th centile across the board; shoudln't think he ever missed an academic target in his life!

There is a silly focus on them though- ATM DS1's 1-1 is hinting he might not need a statement next year (over my dead boqy, and quite possibly theirs too.......) but in actuality he is hitting the targets 9and therfore pleasing them) becuase they are focusing on mytholgy.His obsession he has ben genning up on for the past 5 years.

Of course he is doing well LOL!

Thanks. This is causing me some frustration as you can imagine so I am trying to get as much information together to take to the meeting.

The SALT team at the local hospital are very difficult to contact and told me that they are not bound by waiting times etc and got very aggressive about waiting lists.

I got the feeling that there is some 'agreement' established that social communication is left with the schools and not picked up by SALT. The school certainly seem to think that is the case and SALT was adamant it 'wasn't her job'.

I have asked by community paediatrician to clarify.

DS has been seen by a developmental paed who referred to Child and Family Services, who referred after a gatekeeping appointment to the Social Communications Disorder Group. It was like getting the keys to the holy temple!!

While we wait for that, he has now been assessed by SALT who says to discharge as school can deal with SC problems 'in house' and we wait to see the OT.

There will, at some point, be a multi-disciplinary conference on it.

SENCO has now become involved at my request and is happy to consider what needs to be done. I think you are right to suggest they don't know what needs to be put in place as he said this morning 'he has been doing so well'.

One of his teachers really drove me mad though as after chatting to SALT (who raised the SA plus) she said dismissively 'he's miles away from that, he's doing well'. But I had a quick look at the criteria and they were not dependent on a child failing academically.

I rang IPSEA and the advisor there seemed to think they were though

I am really pleased to get the BIBIC appointment so quickly and I hope that will give me more information to help them see what the issues are at school.

Starlight - how right you are missus! Ambiguity does not compute in my world.

I am chasing the dx but this area (s.W...shire!) is blardy useless and we won't get an ADOS or the like for about another 7-10 months. I'm on cancellation lists and make myself known as a hassly type person.

I was thinking about asking GP to refer out of the area as they are soooooo crap. Any ideas of some place good to go??

Will definitely follow what you say on assessemnt etc and will raise it all at school meeting.

Thanks...you are right in everything you say