Autism - Statement/Special needs school - HELP

[baby.love]

Please bare with me ladies as right now i am bloody livid

Ethan (ds) is just coming upto YR1 in mainstream school and we have some issues!!

Ethan has moderate autism and day to day life can be a struggle even though he is a very well behaved child. We put him into mainstream school as we thought it would be better or him.

We have been told all year by his reception teacher that he has come on amazingly... But today things have changed! I spoke to his teacher and suggested we start applying for a statement, basically preparing for more help etc from YR1 onwards. I told her i am under no illusions and that i felt Ethan wouldnt remain at that school for the long term (meaning upto YR6) .. She replied saying that from YR1 the void will be more noticeable and that Ethan may start to struggle Why these concerns were not voiced before now i do not know!!!

She is dragging her heels with regards to the statement saying 'we'll see how he gets on in YR1' But the longer we leave it the larger the void becomes, Right? She is speaking to the SENCO monday (who i have only ever met once) and asking about starting the statement process, but she feels we might have to wait until september to start it.

My OH and i are now set on getting Ethan out of mainstream and into special needs school (the one here seems amazing), But where do we start? The statement is crucial from what i can gather? How hard is it to get the statement? Ethan really is obviously autistic and he finds day to day life confusing at times.

Help me girls, I am really finding this hard We have no support from any health authority's etc, since he was diagnosed we have just been dumped and left to deal with life alone. So where or who do we turn to and what do we do?

Sorry its long and thanks for reading x

 

[Loui1001]

Hey hun,
It sounds so stressful

Do you have an Educational Psychologist or a Paediatrician that you could arrange an appt with? If you contact them and voice your concerns regarding his school placement and initiating the Statementing process they should be able to help you to get started.

really really hope you get some support soon xx

 

[Marleysgirl]

Hi there,

The direct.gov pages about Special Educational Needs & statementing (linky) are quite informative about the process. There is also a good booklet about SEN here: link

I am surprised that the health authority didn't inform the local education team of the diagnosis, and start the process at that time. Our little boy Andrew turns 2 this summer, and his health team met this week to discuss progress; one result of that meeting is they now write the formal letter (a s.332 letter) to the LEA warning them of a child who will need assessment and possibly additional help at school.

 

[lozzy21]

Leah school will drag their heels about it because they won't want to pay for it. There budget will be nearly spent for this year so they will want you to wait till next year. Maybe just try ringing the other school and see how it works

 

[baby.love]

Thanks girls

I am phoning the special needs school today and seeing what needs to be done to get him in there

Rang the local authoritys last night and they said to get the ball rolling with the statement, they couldnt help much more until thats done

xx

 

[Twinminator]

Makes me so made that the future of our children's education is in the authority's hands not ours and that it always comes down to f***ing BUDGETS and MONEY!

Big hun xx

 

[baby.love]

Little update - Just phoned CHAMP (child assessment unit) and basically sobbed and asked for some help.. They are who diagnosed Ethan last July, but they discharged us this year for some reason.


I have the Child Psychologist coming out to see me on my own Monday, she is going to help us tackle the school and help us get the statement Also she is going to see what extra help they can offer Ethan.

Feel so relieved at the moment! xx

 

[DJ987]

Glad the psychologist is coming out to see you!

At work we have multi disciplinary team meetings with paeds, psychologists and other professionals etc and they are also attended by the school so this could be something to look into? I'm not sure how it works in your area.

Good luck with the psychologist on Monday xx

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

Leah- This website has been my life saver xx

https://www.ipsea.org.uk/

 

[girl19722]

Hi

I don't normally post here, hope you don't mind me contributing. We have recently been through the statementing process with my DS who is autistic. It took 18 months but he is now in an out of county special school for children with autism and is coming on so well its shocking.

It is a long and painful process and so i would say don't delay as if you have to go to tribunal then it takes an age. The first step is to request a statutory assessment (you do this) and go from there. Ipsea and Sen SOS helped us and they are both great. Another great source with lots of people who can help and advise is asd friendly.

The SEN code of practice is the place to start and will tell you exactly what you need to do.

good luck and if I can help at all feel free to pm me.

x

 

[baby.love]

Thanks girls

Well the psychologist has just gone, she is getting things sorted for someone to go and see him in school and also to arrange a session with the paediatrician

I will be seeing the SENCO tomorrow and insisting that the statement process is started ASAP! Not next term, but now.

I will fight this system for Ethan and i WILL win! The gloves are off and i am ready for a battle.

Will keep this page updated as and when anything happens.

xxx

 

[baby.love]

Gosh i've got a fire in my belly now!

I just contacted Suffolk County Council and made a request for the statement process to be started

I know it is likely to be refused and that we may have to appeal, but my god BRING IT ON.

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

If you join the ASD support group on FB, most the parents have been thru this too xxx

They will probably refuse They normally do (grr) but def appeal xx

 

[Twinminator]

Very best of luck to you

 

[sj22]

Hi, I hope you don't mind me writing on here. I'm a SENCO in a primary school (on maternity leave). It is really difficult to get a statement of need for a child as they need to have significant difficulties in a number of areas - social, academic, physical etc. It is nothing to do with the school's budget as statements are funded by the local authority, it is actually in the interest of the school to get a statement so that all the support needed can be given to the child. It possibly hasn't been mentioned until now as reception is taught very differently to the rest of the school and their needs might not have been fully apparent until now.

Before a statement is achieved it is normal that the child will be seen by outside agencies such as the Ed Psych, school nurse, occupational therapist and their reports contribute to the statement. As a parent it is also very helpful if you can write in as much detail as you can the difficulties your child has and why you feel additional support would be of such benefit.

We have had many children with a statement stay in mainstream school from YR to Y6 and I believe they get a lot out of mainstream education, please don't make a hasty decision to move them if they have settled well and have friends.

As a teacher, and I hope that all teachers feel this way, I want every child to be happy and succeed and do everything in my power to enable this to happen.

I hope you have some joy,

SJ

 

[Twinminator]

sj22, thank you for that... it is helpful to many of us I'm sure, to understand how the process works

 

[JASMAK]

Sounds like everything is different where you live compared to here, but I did have to fight the school regarding my daughter and it was horrible. I hope you get it all sorted. Everyone told me a long time ago that I would have to advocate for my daughter, but I never figured out what that really meant until she started school last year. Pretty fricken sad and it makes my blood boil..and it is boiling for you too.