Panel meeting today - Ed Physch going in Thursday - is this a yes for assessment?

[starfish71]

Panel have met today to discuss my two DS's - rang LEA this afternoon but they had no news for me yet, told me I probably will know tomorrow or Wednesday.

I checked my e-mails teatime and there was an e-mail from DS2's Ed physch saying she is hoping to go into school Thursday to do cognitive assessment on DS2 and will arrange a home visit to talk to me and DH next week to discuss results of assessment.

Does this mean that the LEA are going to carry out the statutory assessment on DS2 or do they sometimes ask for more evidence at a panel meeting and then meet again?

Any one got any experience of this? Am hoping it is positive and am quite anxious tonight just wanting to know their decisions on both boys.

Thanks x

To my knowledge it's not a definite (someone correct me if I'm wrong here!)

We have had Ep assessment and got worried about the panel route as we found out that if they then go on to say they won't do a SA you can't reapply for 6 months, unless you have new evidence. So we have applied for SA ourselves after the EP report was in, as we have the option of taking them to a tribunal if they refuse to do a SA. Does that make sense?

hi derkinsdame, DS2 has recently had an EP assessment but the school didn't make cognitive testing a priority even though it really needed to be done. Had report which highlighted lots of difficulties and I then asked the school if they were going to ask EP to come back to do the cognitive testing and they said no as DS2 was not a prioroity so I applied for a Statutory assessment (school haven't been great with me - think of me as a pushover - which I probably have been in the past).

Thanks for your reply - its all new to me and I haven't a clue.

umm I maybe wrong but I thought Ed Psych being the dearest professional in assessment process...that yes this is it...fingers crossed! But they should write to you to say stat assessment is happening though so a bit confusing!

Doubt it Starfish though the timimg is strange.

The Panel (gawd how I wish they would stop using this stupid term) is actually a group of people who endorse the decision made by the Case Officer 0 who is the person who actually determines and has resposnsibility for the 'decision'. They tell evryone that 'it's going to Panel' to make it sound more considered when in all honesty the Panel are a rubber-stamp and the Dept for ed told the LA to stop hiding behind sp0called panel decisons; years ago .

Plus the fact that once the decision has been taken the LA should not delay in communicating it to the Parent - but they are as this plonker in the LA you spoke to clearly does know what has been decided.

If the LA does decide to assess it should inform you and then send in the Ed Pysch - so the timimg is strange. The LA is either lying that it's 'gone to Panel', which it woudln't have if they were still awaiting EP input or the Ed Pysch is doing their advice for the assessment for the need for a Statement early.

Thanks colabottles and wetaugust. Is it really the case that one person actually decides if they assess or not? God I must be naive, I really thought they all sat and discussed everything and read all the reports then everyone put in their thoughts and came to a majority decision.

Am so confused, will be on phone to EP in morning and find out what is going on. I have alot to learn...

When I first applied, J was unknown to the EP service so the EP visited to informally assess. He was then turned down for Stat. Assessment. However, I appealed that so the EP was sent in to do the SA report.

The Panel thing is one of my biggest gripes. Here, there is a panel who make all the decisions but the is one overall person who pretends he can't over-rule panel decisions but then has done so every single time I've threatened Tribunal. Grrr.

Hope it goes your way, anyway.

well I do think it is a good sign as they dont waste EP time often iygwim.....but they have a legal duty to inform you of SA...so this one I am undecided with! Like GMS says they are awiting EP informal assessment! My LEA would never do this as to tight!
Know your rights and deadlines...they will try and stretch it out but they have a set amount of weeks to reply. I used to phone them and remind them that i.e tomorrow I should know if you are going to do SA...tomorrrow I should have outcome of stat Assessment...I liked keeping them on their toes...plus it is law. Get a copy of Code of Practice for Special Educational Needs. It is free. IPSEA website or someone here may know link to get it...it becomes a bible!

Ring 0845 60 222 60 or e mail [email protected]

Ref no DfES 581/2001

Ring 0845 60 222 60 or e mail [email protected]

Ref no DfES 581/2001

Thank you everyone, am no further on today. Just rang the LEA and they can't tell me yet as they don't know! Am really frustrated and very stressed. Have rang and left message for EP to ring me back but the woman I spoke to in the additional learning department told me that she doubts that EP's visit is anything to do the the panel's decision. (hmm) I want to Scream am so cross - all this talk of minutes have to be sent etc etc , all I want to know for now is they have said YES OR NO.

Sorry am ranting now - not happy

I have just got the SEN code of practice - need to swot up. x