Need quick answer!

[TanyaBranning]

Hi all.

Original thread here

I've got a meeting with DS's school this afternoon and want to be clear about what extra help he'd get if we got a statement for him. I want to know what requesting a statutory assessment / getting a statement will do for my son.

School are nice, but keep fobbing us off with 'he's very young...he may improve' etc. I feel otherwise and feel he needs a more structured approach with a better understanding of what his problems actually are, rather than punishing him for bad behaviour and hoping for the best!

Want to be armed with the knowledge of what I am actually asking for! Any advice?

BIG THANKS.

bump

That is the whole point TanyaBranning - without a Statutory assessment, they can't adequately know what extra help your DS needs, so therefore can't give it.

A stat assessment will force all professionals to assess your DS and identify:

-his difficulties
-his needs
-what strategies will help him overcome them
-what intervention is necessary
-who will do it.

You know you don't need their permission to seek a Statutory assessment, don't you?

yes what lou said

I think the holding out and waiting and seeing approach is often encouraged by schools and ed psychs. We got that as well

Tanya,

A Statement is a legally binding document unlike anything else they could offer you. Also these other programs like School Action plus can offer very limited support in terms of hours per week. Its also not legally binding so money is not ring fenced.

I'd be very annoyed with school for saying "he's very young, he may improve". What this could well be code for is that they will wait and do nothing until he goes to Juniors and then its their problem!. Also Ed pyschs are employed by the LEA and they are under pressure from them not to readily statement even though the child needs one.

Having read your original thread I'd be writing asap to the LEA re asking to assess. Early intervention is vitally important; no statement to my mind offers no real support.

You have more rights re the statement application than the school ever would in that regard.

Thank you all.

Meeting was better than I had hoped. Much longer and more in depth. The Inclusion Manager said that if we hadn't suggested going for a statutory assessment the school would have suggested it before Christmas - they were just waiting to see what CAHMS said and how his review with the Comm Paed went. So, looks like we're going down this long and tricky road towards trying to get a statement, then.

I am starting another thread about this so if any of you lovely and knowledgable ladies would like to help, please do! xx

Thank you all.

Meeting was better than I had hoped. Much longer and more in depth. The Inclusion Manager said that if we hadn't suggested going for a statutory assessment the school would have suggested it before Christmas - they were just waiting to see what CAHMS said and how his review with the Comm Paed went. So, looks like we're going down this long and tricky road towards trying to get a statement, then.

I am starting another thread about this so if any of you lovely and knowledgable ladies would like to help, please do! xx