so, what happens if... (statementing query, long - sorry!)

[silverfrog]

dd1 is 5, and should be in Yr1 at school (August birthday).

For a variety of reasons (not having a statement in lpace yet being top of the list) she is still at pre-school. this is a privately run ASD pre-school, licenced up to end of Yr1, so technically dd1 could stay there for the remainder of this year.

we don't want her to stay there, as it does not meet her needs.

we are in Statementing process at the moment (still! - coming up to 2 years now...), and dd1 has been assessed as needing a special school place (so far, so good) - this was the LEA ed psych, who took one look at dd1, and recommended her for the local special school. (we don't want dd1 to go there either, but this is useful step, as ed psych has ruled out mainstream with support, and also SNUs)

now, there are 2 ASD schools in my area (ed psych has agreed dd1 needs a specific ASD school, rather than generic special school). they are both full for Yr1 for this year.

LEA ed psych (and so I can only assume LEA position will follow this) is recommending that dd1 therefore stays where she is for this year, and we finalise her statement based on this.

we don't want to do this becasue:

a) we don't think the school is working for dd1, and

b) pointless finalising a statement for current school at this point, as dd1 will HAVE to move next Sept, and so we would just be re-opening statement in about March to negotiate next placement. imo, we might as well thrash out a statement now tha tlasts a little longer than that.

given dd1 is entitled ot a school place ( over statutory school age, and she should have started Sept 2008) - what happens in this situation?

LEA are surely obliged to provide a place for her, but their provisions are full.

so, does this mean we can name a suitable school for her, and LEA are obliged to agree it, since they have no suitable alternative for her?

we have spoken to/visited/had meetings with 3 different ABA schools.

All of them have a place just waiting for dd1 , and we already run a home programme and can prove effectiveness.

there is no other state provision suitable for her (there are ASD units at SLD schools, but dd1 is not SLD), and there are SNUs, but these too are not suitable.

it's an interesting one, really, as of course dd1 is entitled to a suitable education, and the LEA cannot provide that for her...

hopeful bump

I'd go for ABA schools.
I'd also ask what training/expertise the staff in the ASD schools have.
(I'm guessing bugger all.)

oh, we are going all out for ABA schools - it has been our goal for a while now, and the LEa know it - we told them on our parental statement info, and have repeated it often

the interesting bit comes because of course the LEA are obliged to offer dd1 a suitable placement (which her current on is not), and they do not have anywhere to offer her.

so does this mean we get to choose properly, rather than just getting to name a school that the LEA turn down? Is the LEA able to refuse our choice, given they cannot find a place for her (their own ed psych has ruled out mainstream and SNU, and we can certainly back that up with private ed psych reports if necessary)

I'm no legal expert but if they can't offer a suitable place for her but you know of one (and can prove efficacy of ABA) then it's a no brainer.

Three ABA schools eh? Fantastic!
I'm going to be attending ABA schools' conference very soon.

you see, that's what we think too. trying not to get too excited by the prospect that getting into an ABA school might not be the lengthy fight we were anticipating...

onthe 3 schools front - we live equidistant form 2 schools, and the third is a little way away (but still easily commutable, especially since we are not averse to moving house).

the third school has the added bonus that our current provider is closely linked, and is in fact their consultant adviser - form our pov it's a win-win situation!

Let's hope not!
Brilliant.,
Youy having started up home programme will speak volumes to them about what kind of parent you are.

oh we have run a programme before too - we started last year, and then the opportunity at dd1's current school came up.

it is a fantastic provision, albeit TEACHH based, and they do get some very good results from some children. so we jumped at the chance and moved up here, to give dd1 the year and see what happened. if she got on with it, all well and good, as there are the 2 ASD schools in this area which are also very highly thought of (and actually very good too - have been round both of them, and cannot fault - except they will not suit dd1)

sadly, after we moved we struggled to find new tutors, and so dd1's programme was put on hold (we still did bits at home, but nothing formal). we re-started again earlier this summer.

so what we have, records wise, shows:

dd1 struggling at brilliant mainstream pre-school (were lvoely, and re-organised whole place for dd1, but it was not enough for her)

intro ABA and dd1's progress shoots throught he roof (she gained so much she even managed to sing a solo at the pre-school summer concert)

move dd1 to specialist ASD provision (and lose ABA for a while). dd1 plateaus. in fact is silent for the entire school year. half the staff (TAs and dinner ladies) actually thought she was non-verbal . dd1 learns nothing new, and in fact regresses in some areas (we have stated this on record throughout the yesar). ed psych visits and sees silent, non-responsive, non-engaged dd1. recommneds local ASD school.

we re-start ABA. dd1 gains new skills rapidly again, and comes alive, even at school. she is now chatting to random strangers in the street . ed psych sees dd1 at home and is flabbergasted by the difference between what he saw at school and dd1's actual abilities. he is somewhat flummoxed, and all but recommneds ABA.

now it turns out that the LEA cannot offer dd1 a placement...

it is surely a total no-brainer...

Says it all Silver.
I expect you have data to back all of this up?