Need urgent advice again

[MinnieMalone]

Re this thread

Just had a call from the Head to say that DS has been internally excluded for attacking two girls in the dinner hall (he punched a girl in the back and kicked another girl while lining up to go in - no idea why).

He then kicked and slapped a teacher who disciplined him . He will be externally excluded tomorrow.

This is the second time in a week. He is 5 yrs old, FFS.

What on earth am I going to do?

First you start by demanding a letter outlining exactly what has happened; you will need that as evidence.

Then you call the LEA, and tell them that as theya rew compeltely failing to meet teh needs of your son you will be requesting a statement. As you know that takes six months, ask what they are planning to do in the emantime in order to ensure your son is not denied accesss to an education becuase of hjis additional needs.

Then you

A. note thw whole convo down for your records, comfirimng anything that needs to be in writing / email with them ('following convo I understand I need to A and B, you will C & D, is this correct?- you need to become a paperwork junkie)

1. Phone SOS!SEN, thay are wonderful

1. Phone Ipsea, ditto

$) Big cup of tea or wine, sit back and breathe. X

Thank you Clarissimo.

Thank you so so much.

I will be back, just got to go and pick him up x

Thanks Starlight, praise indeed from you.

Minnie I hope your ds is ok

Hi there.

back again.

he is OK on the surface, but quite freaked out underneath it all, I think.

DH went to the school in the end as I had to take a call for work.

He had a 20 min chat with headteacher - round and round in circles, with her being sympathetic but no answers for how we are going to deal with this beyond excluding him

I spoke to a lovely chap at SOS:SEN today who advised contacting someone at the LEA to find out what they are going to do about their legal obligation to educate DS, which is not being met if he gets into this pattern of regular exclusions.

So, called up the exclusions officer who was not in the least bit helpful and just wanted to get me off the phone. Said it sounds like the school are doing everything they can, and that all she can do is phone the Head tomorrow and ensure that they are doing everything they should be to support DS.

I am going to write to her formally tonight saying that I am not happy with this and that they need to offer a better solution. Am learning fast that paperwork talks.

I am going to buy some wine

Again, any advice greatly received.

This is the email I just fired off to the exclusion officer, cc-ing in school Head and SENCo:

Dear XXX,

Further to our telephone conversation today, I am writing to express my concern over the situation regarding my son XXXX who attends the reception class at XXXXX school

DS has been externally excluded for the second time this week. This follows a catalogue of internal exclusions. While I appreciate that the school has to act in the best interests of all it's pupils, I am seriously concerned that my son is
now at risk of not receiving the education to which he is legally entitled.

I intend to make a request to XXXX Local Authority for statutory assessment this week (supported by the school), however, I am realistic about the timeframe involved in assessment. In light of this, I would like to know how the Local Authority plans to ensure that my son remains in full-time mainstream education? The pattern developing - of repeated exclusions, both internal and external - is not satisfactory. As I am sure you are aware, the Lamb report states that children with SEN are eight times more likely to be excluded and that this is unacceptable.

DS has longstanding and complex special needs which mean that he requires a much higher level of intensive 1:1 support than he is currently getting. I sincerely hope that XXXX (LA) will recognise this and agree to assess DS with a view to providing this extra support via a statement. In the meantime, we need a contingency plan and I am asking that you urgently consider what this will be.

I look forward to your swift response,

MinnieMalone

What next?

Just a few suggestions - please feel free to ignore

I am seriously concerned that my son is
now at risk of not receiving the education to which he is legally entitled.

I am seriously concerned that lack of support for my son's disabilities is preventing him from accessing full-time education; something he is legally entitled to.

(Just makes it clear that it's their fault not your son's that he is being excluded)

however, I am realistic about the timeframe involved in assessment.

I'd take that bit out - they know the timescales

As I am sure you are aware, the Lamb report states that children with SEN are eight times more likely to be excluded and that this is unacceptable

I'd remove this and just keep it short and businesslike.

"is not satisfactory."

Is totally unacceptable

"I sincerely hope that XXXX (LA) ..."

I expect XXXX LA....

Copy of letter to LEA and to school and SEN Governor

That letter is excellent

Now, give them 48 hours and email to ask for an update on what they are going to do; in the e-mail tell them that wish to know of a date by which they will ahve some kind of emergency action plan in palce.

I am not saying they will give you anything much but the more you harass them the larger a slivve of teh ever diminishing budget you will receive.

And do all those two groups; IPSEA are fab for information whiolst SOS!SEN have ten times their rightful share of fighting spirit and are infectious with it.

TBH I'd keep the bit about lamb in becuase it makes the writer look informed which is always a good thing

Do really approve of teh expect over hope, good call

IPSEA's website www.ipsea.org.uk has a separate section re school exclusions which I have detailed below:

www.ipsea.org.uk/Apps/Content/HTML/?id=137

Starlight is absolutely right: we are at a stage with ds1 where we called an emergency review wrt to his aggression in school, and school admiytted there and then that they did not have one piece of paperwork so LEA could not help and have had to reset the appt by several weeks.

It really is everything.

Thank you for your insight and advice, ladies. MN really is proving to be a lifeline at the moment.

The SENCo emailed me back a short while ago in response to my email (I'd already aent it, btw!). He is off until Thursday, so will read my request for assessment then and respond. To be honest, I am sending it off on Friday with or without his input and i have said that (albeit slightly more politely).

The Exclusions Officer is phoning the school tomorrow, so will chase up to check that has happened and find out what was said.

I don't really know what I can expect in the short term. That's part of the problem - what am I asking for, really? But you're all right - it's the long term goal I have to keep in mind.

I have put together a file today with all the relevant professional reports, correspondence etc and a timeline stating what happened when. I am now going to keep a file with notes for every meeting / phonecall etc that takes place. At least this has forced me to get organised.

No reply from IPSEA earlier on, but am going to give them a try now as their advice line is open between 7-9pm, apparently. the guy from SOS:SEN was fab. Told me to keep harassing the LEA and not to allow them to fob me off. Gave me a bit of that fighting spirit.

I am naive to all of this, I realise now, but I just cannot believe that the standard response to a troubled 5 yr old is to send him home. It seems so very wrong.

Thanks again, all. You have no idea how helpful it is to have you as a sounding board!

Thanks Starlight.

Just had a great conversation with a lady at IPSEA who gave me some really useful information for the longer term and the whole statementing process - ad some much needed moral support!

Thanks again all x