requesting stat assessment letter

[pokhara]

Hiya, i am just looking at this letter template and nothing is coming out my head to write down what i think ds's special educational needs are ad My reasons for believing that the school cannot on their own make the provision required to meet my child?s needs are. Forsome reason i do not know what to put, ds 4 next week has severe lang delay, 1st centile for receptive and expressive so 20 months delayed, attention difficulties and other stuff.

Could do with someone starting me off and some good sentences as i want them to take me seriously and not refuse to do the assessment.

thanks anyone who can help

Norfolk council have a form that parents can fill in. It might help you make some notes and from there come up with some sentences. Here is the link. Sorry, rushing out of the door but will check in later.

This is what I wrote

XXXXX
XXXXX
XXXXX

XXXXXXX 2009

XXXXXX
XXXXX
XXXXXX

Dear Ms XXXXX,

Re: DD1, D.O.B XXXXX

Request for formal assessment

I am writing as the parent of the above child to request an assessment of her special educational needs under the 1996 Education Act.

DD1 currently attends XXXXXXXX. However, she is due to start school in September 2010.

I believe that DD1?s special educational needs are as follows:

1. DD1 has Global Developmental Delay a) Gross Motor delay and a degree of ataxia, causing trips, stumbles and falls (Blue Badge holder). b) Fine motor delay with weak hands. c) Speech and language delay/disorder with social communication disorder/difficulties. d) No sense of danger. e) Poor concentration and attention span.
2. A recent brain MRI scan has revealed that DD1 has subtle but extensive cortical dysplasia, with widespread abnormality.
3. DD1 has been diagnosed with Epilepsy.
4. DD1?s behaviour is challenging, and she runs away if not restrained when outdoors.

My reasons for believing that the school cannot on their own make the provision required to meet my child?s needs are:

DD1 currently attends preschool with 1:1 support. When preschool attempted to restrict 1:1 support to funded levels, the trial failed, and DD1 had a number of accidents and regressed in her ability to participate. This led to an application for enhanced funding and a swift return to full 1:1 support.

DD1 has no sense of danger & an obsession with water. Without significant additional support and supervision, she will be a danger to herself and disruptive to the progress of other pupils.

Without significant additional support, DD1 is unable to tackle every day activities. She does not understand instructions easily, and will need significant input to participate in class activities. She finds it very hard to learn by watching what others do and needs individual guidance.

Unless substantial and significant support is available to DD1 throughout the school day, including lunch breaks, I believe her placement at school will fail both in terms of safety and education.

I understand that you are required by law to reply to this request within six weeks and that if you refuse I will be able to appeal to the Special Educational Needs Tribunal. I look forward to hearing from you as to the next step.

Yours sincerely,

XXXXXXX

I would think your main point should be that in 2 years of intervention the gap in his SAL has windened from 12-18 months delay to 20 months, which means that he is not making sufficient progress, even with support. Therefore, he needs the support of a statement.

thanks lou, got to get it just right cos bloody pre school not gonna help.

Remember that this is just an initial letter. You'll get another opportunity to explain your reasons & give a history of your DS to help them to decide whether to do a SA, when they send you the first pack.

Then, if they decide to SA, you will get to write a report on your DS as part of the assessment process.

You also have right of appeal at both these stages.

Just get the letter sent - Statementing takes 26 weeks if it runs it's full course smoothly, and there are only 25 weeks until the Sept '10 school term, so you need to get going ASAP. if you want a statement in place for your DS starting school.

hiya, just doing the letter now, not sure though if i can put this down as not sure if ds have social communication problems as dont really understand what that covers, ds will act inappropriatel in front of strangers, will just shout " poo " at them, will tell a baby off if crying will say fat bum if someone lre walks past (not being nasty but pointing out what he sees) will do lots of things like this in front of people, not because he if being horrid, but he thinks this is ok

What you've described sounds as if it could be described social communication problems (sounds very familiar I can tell you ). In this case you can also say he needs adult support to act appropriately in social settings. As Lou says all you need at this stage is an outline list of what his problems are and saying that despite whatever support he is getting at pre-school he is not making progress. When (hopefully not if) they decide to proceed to a formal assessment you will then get a chance to make a much fuller report. But it's really important to act quickly because the clock starts only once you have sent that letter in.

Good luck with it!

thanks, would you take a read of this part for me, doesnt sound like much but as you said will get to write a fuller report later on, but is this enough for this part :

My reasons for believing that the school cannot on their own make the provision required to meet my child?s needs are:

ds has been in a nursery since 6 months old , his first speech and language programme was put in place in his nursery in November 2008 til present, 2 years ago ds was assessed at being 12-18 months delayed and the recent assessment calculated at 20 months delayed, his current nursery are doing his program with him, but this seems not to be working, as the gap is getting larger and larger. ds needs constant help which the nursery cannot provide.

I would just reword it slightly because it needs to be really clear what the order of events were. So

ds has been in a nursery since (date when he was) 6 months old . The first speech and language programme was put in place in his nursery in November 2008 (when he was how old?), and this is ongoing. In (give date 2 years ago) ds was assessed (by SALT?) as being 12-18 months delayed in his speech and language. The recent assessement (in date) calculated his delay at 20 months. Therefore, despite two years of Speech and language support, his delay has increased significantly. His current nursery are doing his program with him, but this seems not to be working, as the gap is getting larger and larger. ds needs constant help (with speech and language) in order to reach levels expected for his age, which the nursery cannot provide.

Hope this helps

Just another thought, it would be good to be clear how many hours support he is getting and who from -- is it nursery staff or specialist from outside SALT?

he is not getting any 1:1 support salt sent program in for the teachers to do with him in a group not on his own.

Ok in that case you need to state that very clearly so whoever reads your letter knows that his needs are not being met and that current provision is inadequate.

Good letter I personally would take the "seems" out of the the line as you have the evidence IYKWIM. So I would put:

"His current nursery are doing his program with him, but this is not working, as the gap between x and his peers is widening".