Anyone have experience of SEN statements?

[Tegans Mama]

Our Educational Psychologist has recently gotten the ball rolling for T's statement of SEN ready for her starting nursery school in September. She has mostly physical needs and will be using a wheelchair and need help with toileting and medication. Does anyone have experience?
Thanks

 

[capel]

my daugther has a SEN statement, but she goes to a special school so it doesn't mean as much as if she was going to a maistream school. (as every child there has one and the education plan is personalised anyway). But after it is written read it and check if you agree with it. I had a very good EP so he wrote things in her statement that noone noticed before (at nursery, not at home). And if she goes to a mainstream school check if the extra funds are acutally spent on the child and not distributed around the school.

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

sorry hun, I am having a nightmere atm, I know M's needs are different to T's but if you just want to vent give me a message as I understand x

 

[Jetters]

Haven't spoke to you for aaaaaaages!
One of my best friends is an E.P... do you still use fb (not offended if you removed me!) message me if you want and i'll get her to answer your Qs x

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

How you getting on, have you found anyone who can help x

 

[Tegans Mama]

Nope. I am going to ring and get another appointment with our education psychologist soon.

 

[Jetters]

Message me any q#s you have and i'll ask my friend for you xx

 

[Tegans Mama]

Thanks Yas. I'll have a think and message you later. Got a lot on my mind at the minute, important appointment in the morning. x

 

[ALY]

babes im just sending you big and i will be thinking of yopu tomorrow
if you want to talk message me im always here for you

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

thinking of you lea xx

 

[Tegans Mama]

Well we just got a letter saying Tegan isn't eligible for a statement, as she "doesn't have any special needs, physical impairments, or learning disabilities". Oh. News to me, I thought being paraplegic was a physical impairment...

I'm kind of annoyed that this is yet another problem we need to overcome, making an extremely hard time even harder. The local school (which Tegan would have to go to without a statement) is NOT suitable for a child in a wheelchair. It's not really suitable for a healthy child either, but that is another story.. So unless things get sorted, there will be no school for Tegan.

 

[capel]

That is just shocking!

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

This has made my blood boil. I am so angry for you and sad at the same time If you want a chat you can always let me know on FB and I will message you my number, I am just shit at typing what I want to say. x

 

[belladonna]

My mum used to work for with children with SEN for nearly 20 years, i asked her and she said that although things have changed in the last couple of years your dd should be statemented. You can get a list of people from the education department that will be your 'buddy' that have gone through the process themselves - you can contact these and they will guide you through the process, although by the sounds of it you should be making an appeal against their decision.

Found this https://www.teachernet.gov.uk/_doc/3755/4163_A5_SEN_GUIDE_WEB[4].pdf on the directgov website- it may be out of date

My mum is just sorting out some documents now- I will pm you x

 

[Snugggs]

Hi there, sorry I'm late to the thread, but I just wanted to show support and say fight it!
Unfortunately, the decision to assess for statement is usually very much dependant on stats. For example, how many statements have been processed this year in your county and if the comparison to aen funding in mainstream school is a more viable cost to the lea than special school. It angers me so much that these facts even come into the equation.
I've now finally managed to fight all the way and J is being assessed.
It will test everything you're made of, but you know what's best .... I wish you every luck xxx

 

[Tegans Mama]

We found out recently that the reason it was declined was that our educational psychologist had not filled the form in correctly. He filled it in, saying she had no special needs and sent no supporting evidence. It is being sorted now. They can't refuse to statement a physically disabled child. It is unlawful to do so because it goes against the disability discrimination act. As sad as it sounds, it is a lot harder to get a statement for a child with learning/behavioural/developmental problems because a physically disabled childs problems cannot be questioned. No one can say Tegan's pretending she can't walk. Medical fact proves she can't, and never will.

Also - we have spoken before with people regarding special schools. Tegan is not "disabled" enough to go to a special school.