PRIVATE ED PSYCH (STATEMENTING) --- WHAT SHOULD I ASK FOR?

[misscutandstick]

I am seeing a private ed psych on the 2nd Dec (2wks on wed as I write). I have sent her basic details of DS5, and she has suggested a couple of things but wants to know what i would like her to do (as its my money!).

The problem is, i really DONT KNOW what it is that i need her to do. We have been turned down for assessment for statementing, so i kinda need her to help with that.

What should i ask for?

(there has been no definate Dx as yet from Paed - he doesnt believe in labels, just a vague 'GDD' label.)

please advise as i havent a clue!

however old your dc is find what he should be capable of doing by now playing with another child not alongside , communication , how behaves in school setting as my ds was very fitting at home and could not fit in a school setting at all

needs for routine any quirks etc

any problems you notice or are present at home and school need to be told

sorry cant write in full at moment but hope you get my drift i need to go get ds from school

basically any problems with behaviour that affect any setting communicating with others making needs known , speech etc

You should ask her to run the most common tests such as WECIL.

You should ask her to make recommendations as to what support he requires at school.

A prognosis would be useful - especially one that would give the outcome with / without the right support.

A recomendation as to the type of school i.e. mainstream ./ speacial.

What you essentially need is an assessment of his academic / social / cognitive abilities - i.e. WECIL and a list of recommendations that you can use as your own evidence to Statementing process.

You also need to ask what her rates are if she needs to appear at SENDIST on your behalf (inc travel costs).

Mine did all of the above.

Best wishes

Oh - and obviously all in a written report prefaced with her qualifications and experience in the field.

Oopps - Sorry i meant WESCHEL (WECIL is our local disability right group - I always mix them up).

Ooops - that should be Wechsler - got there in the end

Thanks August!

that definately helps. Will get back to her with those questions also.

If anyone else has some any advice, it would be really helpful.

TIA xKx

Forgot to mention that she comes well recommended by BIBIC, and shes done lots of problem statements before - but HEY, this area is NOTTS and I dont want to take any chances so any tips on what to ask for would be great.

Oh dear, Notts

My private ed Pysch was excellent but expensive. Had she needed to attend SENDIST it would have been £500 per day + travel + accomm.

We received a 30+ page report that listed his difiiculties, gave his scores against a battery of ed Pysch tests and stated what support he would require and that he needed specialist placement - all the things your local Ed Pysch LEA toadyis not allowed to write . It would have been very good evidence had we needed to go to SENDIST.

She told me that the tests can reveal what she called 'an autistic profile', which Aspie son fitted perfectly - perhaps that's somthing your one will know about too.

best wishes

Hi, this is the first couple of paragraphs from my private EP report, which was specifically designed to support my refusal to assess.

1. I have been instructed by sugarcandymountain to provide advice concerning the special educational needs of DS. I am to describe his special educational needs and the provisions required to address the same. I am additionally, asked to identify an appropriate school placement.
2. I am specifically asked to do the following:

• Comment upon the extent of DS special educational needs
• Comment on why I think DS may have such severe difficulties at school
• Comment on whether I believe DS requires a statutory assessment which leads to a Statement of Special Educational Needs
• Comment on whether DS requires a Statement of Special Educational Needs
• If a Statement is required, comment on what I would expect to see in the Statement in terms of provision. In particular to comment on any strategies that the school should employ to try and ensure that DS does not continue to have these difficulties in school.
• State whether the present school is able to meet DS needs
• If I believe DS requires an alternative school placement describe the same.

Hope that helps.

Have you asked whether the EP would be prepared to act as an expert witness at Tribunal? Not all of them do (and as WetAugust says, it will cost).

My EP also emailed me a questionnaire to describe DS's development, home life and difficulties. I spent a long time on mine and the EP took chunks out, word for word, to put into the report. This was very useful as the LA Officer said that my Parental Advice (for statement) was only useful for how DS presented at home and not in an educational situation - i.e. they wanted to ignore it! But anything that goes into the EP report has to be taken seriously (even if it's just reported by you!).
I also did some questionnaires for ADHD (Connor's) and AS (Australian Index) - you could ask what would might be appropriate for DS5's problems.
It would also help if the EP could ask the school to do a questionnaire as well so that it shows that the problems occur across all settings.
EP also visited DS's current school so that he could see the environment and be able to comment that it wasn't suitable for DS.

Thanks all. xKx