Please help - urgently need to write letter, no idea of what to out in...

[thederkinsdame]

Hi there,

Help! I am seething, as we have a last-minute panic on the SA front. I have just found out that the route we're following to try to get a statement means that if it fails we cannot reapply for 6 months, or appeal - no one has told us this, even tho we've tried to get the process explained serveal times. Anyway, that's by the by. We have decided to pre-empt by applying for a SA, but I have to post it first thing tomorrow am!!!! Help!!! What shoudl I put in the letter?

This is wheere we are - I've got a copy of the request for SA from IPSEA, but what the hell should I put in and in how much detail? I've tried IPSEA advice line, but engaged. Please help, oh wise ones of MN!

DS is pre-school with ASD.

TIA
x

You need Starlight. Where is she?

Thanks, waiting, someone recommended I speak to her. Starlight, are you here?!

FlyingDuchess - thanks for your support. It's complicated, as DS is at pre-school, but due to start school this year (don't know where yet) but we want him to go to a unit where he needs a statement, hence us being on such a tight turnaround as he needs a draft statement before we can put him in for consideration.

Basically, we have followed the panel process, but I've been told if they refuse to do a SA we have to wait 6 months unless we have new evidence, by which time he'll be in a school we don't want him to go to IYSWIM.

I've managed to speak to IPSEA, and they have said to keep our letter short and to the point (reports later) and as he has already had an EP assessment it may speed things up (we don't know what Ep said yet)

No, duchess, I don't, but I am on TTR.

Thanks Flying :-)

I feel like a panicked mess today - can you tell?!

Some good news - EP has just called me and said the report is recommending SA as thinks he needs the unit. Will get on to unit today and see ifthey can support. I have 12 weeks from this letter going in to gather info for reports ( I have a lot of it together already from the panel process but lots more since then) and we also have indie autism expert to help as well.

Hi thederkinsdame,

re your comment:-

Who told you this:-
"I've been told if they refuse to do a SA we have to wait 6 months unless we have new evidence, by which time he'll be in a school we don't want him to go to IYSWIM".

This is actually wrong, you won't have to wait six months. My request for SA was refused at panel; they met again 3 weeks later after school gave them more evidence. We got the SA.

Who is applying for the SA, who submitted the request originally - it should ideally be you as the parents as school cannot readily appeal if the LEA refuse to assess. Parents can (and should) appeal if the LEA say no.

The initial letter to the LEA can be short, IPSEA www.ipsea.org.uk have model letters you can use. You would need to write to the Chief Education Officer at your LEA and give them six weeks to reply (mark that date on your calendar).

Thanks for the advice chaps - FlyingDuchess, good idea re. EP.

Attila - we haven't applied for SA, it's kind of going through via paed, as DS not at school yet. But having heard that we have no right of appeal going via panel route, we are writing the IPSEA letter today to start the ball rolling so we are in control.

Thanks to everyone who helped me yesterday - request sent this morning, so the clock has started ticking. Will keep you posted (I'll be on here in six weeks asking about tribunals I expect ;)

Thanks, Duchess! I really appreciate all your advice. I have also got the name of an advocate who is apparently the scourge of our LEA, so fingers crossed we'll have the big guns ready if needed.

Ds was on a version of Sschool action plus when at nursery and i applied for astatement myself in the January and we got it through in July ready for scool in September.

He did start in ms with ft 1-1 but had eview and just asked for change of placement

i reccomend applying yourself do not do ait for proffesionals to do