GOT A PLACE IN S&L UNIT, NEED A STATEMENT FAST. LIKELY?

[Endlesspaperwork]

Hello, apologies because this is long. We're in what feels like a strange situation and wondering if anyone can shed any light. Our 6 year old son has a severe speech & language disorder, he also has an ASD diagnosis though may or may not be ASD depending on who you speak to. To cut a ridiculously long story short, we were turned down for statutory assessment in Reception, went and got our own SALT privately who has been seeing him since, he's progressing well but falling behind his peers as he's only getting the 1 hour a week we pay for and we were getting nowhere with 'the system'. Then I threw my toys and we got an 'official' Speech & Language Assessment from a person newly in post. She agreed there was a severe problem, referred us to relatively local mainstream school with S&L unit who agreed to come and see him for possible outreach (no statement required). Meanwhile 6 months had passed since statutory assessment rejection and we submitted a new statutory assessment application with more evidence. The assessors from the S&L Unit then came & concluded that his problems are so severe that they would take him for inreach (statement needed), arranged for us quickly to visit the Unit to ensure we were happy (we are, albeit a little shell shocked) and their panel has now met and agreed he is a suitable candidate for their Unit. Only he needs a statement. I contacted our caseworker who, whilst sympathetic, kept saying 'our timescales aren't the same as the school' and 'these things take time you know'. I've also put in writing that this is our school of preference were he to be granted a statement. Meanwhile places at the Unit aren't exactly falling from the trees and peeps are queuing up. Any advice as to how I could speed this process up, they won't even tell me at which meeting his case will be considered? All I've had is a consent form through a couple of weeks go and a request for more information, though admittedly this was before the assessment from the S&L Unit. Meanwhile the Unit have said they'd take him tomorrow if we had a statement.

We consider ourselves very fortunate to suddenly have all this potential help, particularly given what I read on here about what others are going through. But we seem to be doing things the wrong way round & I haven't a clue how to progress this. Thanks in advance for any advice, if we lose this place I might well kill someone .

I was told that if ed psych approved a lang unit place for DS (didn't happen in the end) that the paperwork could be sorted out v. quickly indeed. Possibly the ed psych might be helpful if you can contact them? Good luck with getting the place finalised asap.

im happy for you that you got a place, you probably read my post earlier abou s&l unit, but got over that now, need to re think things again. dont know much about statment but i hope t goes thrugh quick for you and they hold onto the place xx

so you have applied for a statory assessment and been turned down ? once or twice ? i think if i have read this right you are waiting on the second request ? if so they are on a timescale - get yourself hold of a SEN code of practise book - google it and you can get them for free - it tells you - all your rights and the timescale that they are on - i think they have so many weeks to reply ........ but if they turn you down you have a certain amount of time to respond and to appeal but you need assessments to back up your appeal private ed phsyc and SALT if necessary.

Thanks all, yes MissMarples they're on a time limit - trouble is I'm an impatient wotsit And thanks TotalChaos, I actually have the Ed Psych's direct line number - if she doesn't know about this yet she will tomorrow morning! You're all stars, thank you.

Look at paragraph 7.31 and 7.32, p.80 in the CoP. Can't link or type it out right now but it basically says that it's possible to get a special school place during stat assessment process if 'a delay would further damage the child's development or if immediate or emergency support is required'. The parents, head of school, LA and all professionals giving advice have to agree.

Also, submit any new papaerwork you've had since you made your last request for an assessment - i.e. the one the LEA are currently working on. Also write to the LEA and ask that they specifically seek advice from the S&L assessor you are in contact with when they are collecting advice for the Statement. That's your best chance of ensuring they make the decision basedon up to date evidence and the full facts.