Dd hasn't got a place at SN school, what do i do now?

[Marne]

Yesterday we thought dd2 had a place at the SN school as the MS school told me dd2 had been taken off the list of children starting in September. Today a letter came saying dd2 has not got a place but will be able to use outreach services in a MS school. I now have to decide:

1. to put dd2 into main stream with her statement of 30 hours support and see how she gets on. This will mean both dd's will be in the same class as the school are combinding 3 year groups into one class.

2. i could keep dd2 in nursery for a while (either just for a term or for most of the year) and then put her into ms school or try again for sn school next year.

3. Home educate her.

So bloody confussed, i dont know what to do for the best .

Right well they will ahve to adhere to that I think

We were given some say on ds3's first 1-1, in terms of person spec as they were recruiting several at teh ime.... all the others though have just been existing TA's moved into that role for whatever reason

Just read the letter to dh and it apear's dd2 has not got a place at SN or MS (i read it wrong earlier in a panic), so where is dd2 ment to go?

Yes I would call LEA tomorrow and ask outright

'Sorry I don't understand, could you clarify...'

Sometimes easiest to avoid their mistakes and our (my) misunderstandings

Marne get that should have changed to must have because otherwise to easy fir school to wriggle out of .

Who removed her from school list ,if it was school are they saying their not approaite choice?

Some training lol that could be 30 mins . Insist training is from a recognised provider ie pecs themselves .

Ie Dd lsa and teacher must have training provided by a recognised provider minimum of the 2 day course provided by pecs.anyone else coming into contact with her must have a working knowledge of pecs.this must include the miday assistant working within her class

make it so bloody expensive to have her in ms that there have to reconsider ss and it's all in the
wording

The LEA removed her from the school list, the school was shocked as they really want her to go there.

Statement has not been made final, the draft statement came last week.

Ok, i have spoke to the case worker, apparently she has a place at MS. I asked if i could appeal against there decision and they said 'no, not unless new evidence comes up after she has started MS' so basicly dd2 has to get hurt before they will take any notice, i told them how safety is important. Apparently they decided against SN school because dd2 needs to be near verbal children to help her speech and language delay, surely her safety is more important? Yes it would be great for her speech to improve but what use is that is her safety is at risk.

I have spoken to the MS school this morning and they have said they will try there best to meet dd2's needs and will do there best to keep her safe.

I then took dd2 to nursery and they told me to appeal and they told me another child in the group had got a place at the SN school and they are less severe than dd2, they are also worried about dd2's safety.

I really don't know what to do, i wish i could stop crying, i feel so bloody useless, why cant i provide dd2 with a safe enviroment to learn in and a safe place to live (a whole other thread), i feel i have let her down .

Marne this is your moment. Once you let them finalise a MS place you can't change it. Nip it in the bud.

Phone the LA and say that you have reflected overnight, and will not agree to a MS placement. Say that you will follow this up in writing (send it next day delivery).

In that letter quote the SEN Code of Practice, and ask them to justify refusing you an appropriate placement for your DD.

Don't let them tell you this is for your DD's interests. You know it isn't. DD1 is a little ahead of your DD (she isn't in nappies) and there is no way now, seeing the lack of development in the last 6 months, that I could send her to a MS school.

Thanks Lou , sometimes i feel like maybe i'm being too protective of her (or thats what others are trying to make me feel). Her speech has come on so much since being at MS nursery and i know it is important for that to continue but i have to put her safety before anything. When i left the school this morning i stood outside (looking towards the school), all 3 gates to the school were left open (all lead on to the car park and main road), how can i be sure that the school are going to change and keep the gates closed? The playground is open onto the school field which has a foot path joint onto it that is full of dog sh*t, how can they be sure dd2 wont get out onto the foot path? I know she will have a 1:1 but i don't want her fixed to an adult to keep her safe, she should be able to run around and play with the other children and be safe. In a SN school the gates would be locked and the playground secure (she would not need a 1:1 constantly watching her.

Is there anyway we can get her assessed privately to get her a place at SN school? My mums partner has kindly offered to pay for an Assessment if possible.

I think you need to find out how 'full' the special schools are. Speak to the HT and see if they feel DD is appropriate for them.

Will nursery write to say tehya re concerned about safety? If they have not already done that maybe you could cite that as new evidence?

From our experience of sending ds3 to MS when we wanted SNU but accepted the LEA decision I would say don't do it; it set ds3 back enormously. Safety isn't a compromise youc an make.

And beinga round verbal kids? What sort of SNU is it then where not one child is verbal? the LEA tried that on us wrt to the ASD unit; when we visited another ASD unit they la8ghede and told us most of the kids in unit 1 were actually DX's with AS and we were being spun a line.

Marne, has the LA sent you a form asking you what school you wish to be named on the statement? Part 4 of the proposed statement is always left blank so that parents can name their preferred choice. Whether the school has places or not, should not affect whether you name it. You do need to write to the LA/return the form and let them know in writing what your preference is.

The case worker is absolutely wrong that you cannot appeal against the named placement. You can appeal once the statement is finalised - you have two months to appeal.

You may need new evidence - the charity helplines will give you more advice on that. If you have the money, an independent educational psychologist would help - they can visit the two placements and give their opinion on whether the m/s can suit her needs. But get advice first - if any of the professionals already working with your dd is supporting an SN placement, they may be willing to provide evidence or a letter of support without you having to pay for a new assessment.

Sugar- we havn't had a form to name a school, part 4 of the statement has been left blank, i'm guessing now they will write and ask me to name a school.

I don't think i am going to be able to fight this , the MS school seem desperate to have her there and are willing to do what ever they can to have her there. They seem to have teamed up with the case worker against me (or thats what it feels like), they only found out this morning that dd2 did not get in to the SN school and have already called meetings (with staff, SENCO and head) to plan dd2's entry in September. I feel like its been taken out of my hands, its like no one is listening to what i think.

Wait, wait, wait!!!!

The MS school have no right to assume that you would be sending your DD there, even if she is going to MS. You can name any maintained school you like. You need to call the school and say that you need time to consider your options, and that you haven't decided where DD2 is going yet.

The school (SENCO) has told me not to do anything until after half term and then we will sit down and discus it. The problem is the statement, i only have 21 days to change anything and i have had the statement for almost 2 weeks so i'm running out of time. Half term is a pain because most of the people involved with dd2 are on holiday. I have told the school that i am trying to appeal.

I will try and phone IPSEA, i don't have anyone else to phone as DH doesn't seem to understand how important this all is and like you say 'i know dd2 better than anyone'.

Hopefully after a nights sleep i will feel more willing to fight, i just need to get my head around it all.

Do also call SOS!SEN MArne; they helped us out of pretty much where you re with ds3, and I can assure you they have enough fighting spirit to share about PMSL