Proposed Statement has arrived - am a bit confused please help!

[Sparkletastic]

Hello all - new to this topic area but not to MN. DD2 (nearly 4 - starting school in Sept) has hearing impairment (wears aids), poor eyesight in one eye (waiting for glasses appointment), speech and language difficulties, learning difficulties and physical issues (clumsy, falls frequently, heavy footed) with underlying congenital thyroid disorder. Have been involved with EY, SALT, SCSN, OT, Physio, NHS etc since she was tiny and she has one-to-one support plus visits from specialists at nursery. Applied for Statement AGES ago and proposed draft arrived today. I suspect it isn't as far-reaching as I'd hoped but I'm finding it hard to interpret....

Does 'needs will be met from within school's total budget' mean it is a Statement without funding? I was expecting to see a category - A, B or C - and EY had stated that they expected it would be a B. I suspect it might be an A.

If no one-to-one is detailed does this mean they are expecting class teacher and TA to cover it all, with visits from specialists?

They haven't attached all the evidence that they considered although letter says they have - should I request this?

Should I run it by the school I want DD2 to attend (DD1 already there and I'm a Governor so they know us well) - or would LEA have issue with this? If so should I care?!

When I respond should I ask questions or make amendments - i.e. state that DD2 needs one-to-one support and give reasons why?

Sorry this is lengthy and detailed but I feel all at sea here. TIA for any advice.

Yes request the extra evidence they have used.
When making suggestions as to the changes you want refer to the appendages enclosed in the statement. There is a good guide on the afasic website on proposed statements in the leaflet section I think which may help you.
Write to the SEN officer and request a meeting to discuss the proposed statement within 15 days of the date the you received it. They can't finalise the statement until you have had this meeting.

I think you need to find someone in rl to go through every word with you, are parent partnership any good where you are? It will certainly help, even down to the way some things are worded and I think each LEA words things slightly differently. Yes, definitely ask for copies of evidence that you don't have just in case something has been recommended that has been missed. Have they specified numbers or hours of visits from the various therapists?

Run things by the school, don't worry about ruffling feathers, you need to be fully informed. The school can go back to panel and ask for 1:1 funding if they think it's needed. This happened with my dd3, they said they wouldn't take her without it. Managing out of existing school budget could mean anything from sod all support to 1:1 support if school could afford it, so yes get onto school and find out what they are planning.

Ask the LEA to email you a copy of the statement, it's much easier to amend that way. Don't worry about ringing them up and asking lots of questions, that's what they are there for.

Thank you so much wasuup3000 and bigcar. We have a Parentlink service in my LEA that I haven't used yet - will make contact with them now. I will look at the afasic leaflet too. So requesting a meeting is the best plan then? I will try and get onto my Caseworker although she is somewhat elusive.... I feel really awkward about it as I work in the LEA and have professional contact with the SEN team but I need to put my 'I am a mother, hear me roar' hat on now don't I .

Thanks again both - I just needed a kick-start on what to do next.

i would be suspcious with the to be met from schools total budget am guessing its less than 5hrs of seprate support for your dd.

have they listed all dd difculties in part 2 and is there a part 3 about how they will meet these

have they also listed when and how many times ot/physio salt will have contact ? as ot and salt switch to school team and you might well struggle to get these

I would run parts 2 and 3 past organisations like IPSEA and or SOS;SEN as they will tell you what it should say. My guess is that you have a poorly worded statement which is actually worth very little.

"Needs will be met from school budget" can mean very little indeed in terms of actual support, I would certainly ask for further clarification on this.

You should be aware that provision should be both specified and quantified by law, if it is not there reject the statement and ask the LEA for a meeting.

Hmmmm - no quantifiable evidence in proposal. Detailed Part 2 and Part 3 latter divided into 'Objectives' and then 'Educational provision to meet the needs and objectives'. BUT nothing about one-to-one support or duration or frequency of specialist support - just lots of statements like 'Staff will need to be aware of DD2's difficulties' and 'Adult support would be of benefit to help DD2 extend her play appropriately' and 'specific advice to be provided and monitored by a speech and language therapist and carried out by teachers and appropriately trained staff.....DD2 therefore needs an educational setting both willing and able to implement the above advice'. Last pronouncement really gives me the green light to get the preferred school involved I guess? It also stipulates that all adults coming into contact with DD2 need to be trained in Makaton - but if no budget forthcoming then how could I insist on this with the school? Also says that she needs an adult to 'mediate' in her interaction with peers and model communications for her - how would this happen without a one-to-one?! The more I dwell on this the more gutted I am as if this goes through DD2 will have much less support at school than she currently has at nursery and so much more will be expected of her. at this biased system - so weighted against the needs of the child. The monitoring section says school to set targets, consult with us etc and SCSN and SALT need to monitor too - no details on frequency.

Thanks again all - great to get some input and support as RL friends and family don't really get it (and why would they!)....

I wonder if they are planning to name a special school? It would be unusual to have all adults trained in makaton in a mainstream. You need to clarify this with your case manager.

What does part 4 say. Did they send you a list of mainstream primary schools and SEN schools?

Oh fgs, that statement sounds like it could be worse than mine and parts of mine were read it out at a workshop as a joke!

Do not proceed without independent advice.

Under part 3 where it lists objectives, the order is very important as your dd2 has a variety of needs, the one at the top will be counted as her prime need and will have the greatest effect on her placement. Dd3s statement has a set number of SALT visits specified per half term although I only managed to pin physio down to regular visits with a program set to be carried out by school.

'Adult support would be of benefit to help DD2 extend her play appropriately', sorry but that's a little woolly, you want something more along the lines of 'Adult support will be necessary to help dd2 extend her play appropriately' etc, it's all in the wording.

If it says the adults need to be trained in makaton on the statement then that is legally binding, you don't have to insist. If they don't provide this then they will be in big trouble.

monitoring on dd3s statement says IEP should be set out within 2 months of placement/statement, must specify realistic short term targets with measurable outcomes and be regularly reviewed in consultation with parents. Seems to be fairly standard wording, IEP gets reviewed every term in practice which we are quite happy with. As you dd2 is under 5 years old her statement should be reviewed every 6 months and then yearly after she turns 5.

wasuup3000 - Part 4 just says 'We have deliberately not named a particular school or education provider within this proposed statement because you now have the right to express a preference for a school'. As it goes I've already applied for a place at our local school as DD1 is already there. There are expecting a low intake this year which could I guess be good news for DD2 although as a small rural school I know the budget is very tight when numbers are down.

sugarcandymountain - I don't think they'll be thinking of a special school for DD2. There are very few left in this County and are reserved for kids with severe disabilities so don't think DD2 would qualify.

bigcar - in Part 3 'To support DD2 in her access and understanding of the curriculum' comes 1st, 'to develop her attention and concentration' 2nd ( at this wishy-washy one), 'to develop DD2's fine and gross motor skills' 3rd, and 'to support DD2's interaction with her peers' 4th. There are 10 objectives in total. Oddly the latter part of the list seems to be far more significant to me - all about speech and language skills, understanding of spoken language and use of visual strategies to support learning.

Sooooooo - independent advice is needed? Is IPSEA the best to try first? - haven't been involved with anyone thus far. Should I go back to EY as they've been great thus far or are they in bed with the enemy once it's got to this stage?!

No, definately independent advice is needed.

You do know that with a statement your dd is practically GUARANTEED a place at any mainstream school you choose don't you?

Yes I know SMacK and I have thought about her going to another local school that had an excellent OFSTED and particular mention of quality support for SEN but I work P/T and have to fit in school run with working hours. DD1 is already at local school (and loving it) so I couldn't quite work out the logistics of DD2 going elsewhere as we are a bit middle of nowheresville where we live. Not to mention the probably stupidly emotional reasons that DD1 is gagging for her little sis to come to her school and DD2 is looking forward to going there and already v familiar with it from hanging out there on the school run. I dunno - I constantly feel that I should be doing more and maybe making different choices for DD2 but can't square it with the rest of family / working life

Don't be daft. You have to take ALL things into consideration. I expect to be in a position to be able to fight in tribunal for my ds to go to an EXCELLENT residentual school for his SN, but there is no way on earth I am sending him to boarding school. We all enjoy him being with us, and he enjoys being with us and his sister. You'll make the right decision for your children I'm sure and it sounds like you a)know the school and b)are happy with it. Can't do much better than that. High Ofsted reports, even when SEN is included doesn't always mean that it will suit your child.

Get it checked please and make sure you get it as salt contact time with your dd as otherwise a phonecall counts as contact time and the makton make sure it's levels 1-8 offically recognised course not a few hrs

You definiately need independent advice - ipsea are brilliant. Sometimes the phonelines are very busy - just keep trying. They also have a website with template letters etc - well worth a look. We sent the proposed statement to an IPSEA advisor and they went through it step by step with us.

Parent Partnership were good at coming to meetings, the schools/lea seemed more approachable with PP present. It is very important to have a statement that adequately reflects your childs needs and what provision is needed. It took us 12 months from start to finish, but it was worth the effort.

Our inital proposed statement was very bland and unclear - probably illegally written. Statements are required to be clear on your childs needs and specific on what provision is needed to meet your childs educational needs. You have a very tight time frame, you have to respond within 15 days otherwise they will formalise the statement. Get independent advice, send them the statement and appendices. If time is getting tight write back to the LEA explaining that you are unhappy with the statement.

You should have been sent all the professional reports, this is a legal requirement - contact the statement officer -(best to email - then you have a paper trail) The LEA should have contacted all the professionals you have requested reports from. If not this can be challenged.

Have you got a copy of the SEN toolkit - free with free post - Key document.

Good luck

if you feel speech and language is her primary need then you really want it at the top of the list. If it's any help, dd3s needs are listed under headings of, hearing/visual difficulties, cognitive skills, social/play skills, language/communication and attention skills, independence/self help skills, physical difficulties etc etc, seems so much more specific and directed somehow.

It's always worth going back to people who have helped in the past but do bear in mind they may be towing the LEA line to some extent. We don't have a special school here either unless you come under the s/pmld bracket which dd3 doesn't, but they do have bases/units at mainstream schools which dd3 goes to, have you considered any of these? Sometimes just worth a look to rule schools out as an option more than anything. The LEA may well provide transport for your dd2 if you are thinking of a school further away from home than the local catchment.

yes, independant advice is definitely the way to go

You've all done so much to gear me up for the inevitable fight - thanks all! Today I have emailed a scanned version of the proposed statement to a friend who is a senior SEN caseworker in another authority. She has come back with a brilliantly detailed list of measurable, quantifiable Part 3b points and given me all the inside info on what to say at the meeting. I've emailed the school (still on Easter hols for another week and a half but hopefully headteacher will pick it up on 1st day back) to ask for an urgent meeting with head, SENCO and reception teacher to get their views and input on proposed statement asap. Then used IPSEA standard letter to request meeting with LEA and emailed it. Got automessage to say the caseworker no longer works for the LEA so rang and got someone to promise to personally ensure my letter was forwarded to a senior manager pending new caseworker and that they will ring back Monday with meeting dates. Named preferred school and asked for copies of all evidence that they failed to send.

bigcar - thanks so much for ideas about re-ordering list to ensure emphasis is correct - will do that. They do have schools with special units here but DD2 is not deaf enough for hearing impaired unit and specialist speech and language won't take her because they believe all her problems stem from her hearing (NOT what her audiology consultant thinks). Argh!!

This is a ridiculously lengthy process isn't it?! 7 months and counting.... I thought it would all be in place way before DD2 starts school, but we'll be lucky to get it sorted by September at this rate. I thought I was doing so well as we had loads of evidence in place from all the agencies right from the off - I pity folk who go into it starting from scratch.