Answers:
Hi
I to have had 3 of my children with statements.Not they mean a thing if the wording is not very precise to meet your childs needs.
Have there been problems identyifing your childs needs as no way should it take 7 months to just get to the proposed statement.
The government have now time limits for the statement procedure and you can request this from your local education authority.This a full booklet with the code of practice for such procedure as statements.This tells you all the information on how long each part will take ,from the school getting involved ,other agencies being involved and also the education pyshchologist.
There are set amount of weeks for all these various parts, and the proposed statement should be with you by 26 weeks.Sometimes there can be holds ups when waiting for various agencies to write their reports and also at the end of the summer term as most of the professioanals are away at this time.
Please get a code of practice and this will give you some indications of time limits.
You do need a very suportive school and a senco who knows their stuff.
Does everyone involved know all the full details of your childs difficulties as many are just not trained in specific areas of special needs.
Yes you will definately get a statement as you have been offered a propssed one,but you do need help to make sure that are not being fobbed off. We used an educational solicitor from Lancaster to check ours over.This is not as expensive as it may seem and if you are on low incomes sometimes you can get help.I know if you where on benefits not to sure which ones that you got a lot of help as you did not have the money toy the full fees.Not to sure on that situation just now ,but it is well contacting a solicitor who will gladly tell you their fees before they start.
If you think that any of the stuff that you would like included has not been put in the propssed one you have the right to send them a letter stating so.In the letter you need to tell them what you want putting in and be very precise if your child need help for so many hours a day from a learning support assiatant say this clearly.
.As all LEAS are not good at offering stuff if they do not really have to.Do this sooner rather than later as I think there is a time limit for this cannot remember the exact amount off hand
If they do send you a new statement which still is not up to your expectations you can ask for them to look at it again.
IN THE END WE STILL NEVER GOT WHAT WE WANTED IN OUR STATEMENTS SO ASKED FOR IT TO BE FINALISED.
This then gave us the next route which was to appeal against the statement as it would not meet our childs needs and was not specific enough.If you ask for this code of practice this also tells you all about these things and with their individual timescales.
We got fanatastic advice and help in preparing for the tribunial from IPSEA who give free advice on all sorts of special needs education,they even have representives who can come to the tribunial with you.
SOMETING THAT ALL PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW IS THAT IF YOU GO TO A TRIBUNIAL THEY CAN ADVISE THE LEA WHAT TO INCLUDE IN THE STATEMENT,BUT ULTIMATELY THEY ARE NOT OBLIGED TO DO SO.
A BIT OF A COP OUT IN MY OPINION AS THE LEAS KNOW THIS .
We have now had to take my son out of school and home educate as they would not put the help in school for him.
Apparently he did not meet their criteria which we found out changes on a regular basis!!
I wish you all the best and keep fighting for the best for them as they deserve the very best ,every childs education is precious.
Yes he will be statemented.
It is a long old process and alot of red tape but you will get there. good luck to you both and all the best for the future.
Hopefully yes. Does his school have a good SENCO and SEN dept? At the school I work with we have lots of statemented kids but the SENCO is not brilliant and the head insists all LSA's are dept based, this means that statemented kids don't get the support they need ( it is a secondary school though) If he gets a statement make sure he gets the support he needs through school, even if it means that you have to jump up and down and scream and shout a lot. Good luck.
I am not familiar with everything about the special needs meaning. By the looked of your question; my understanding is, your last statement of the reason that your son require the special needs.
1. The assesment process - start to finish is supposed to be 26weeks - you should have had the proposed statement months ago .
OK so now you have a proposed statement you now need to read the proposal with great care - it will be full of weasle words like would benefit from and some support.
All things should be quantified - the number of hours per week - the skills and of the providers - otherwise you will get unqualified mums / TAs attending. Get a solicitor to read it.
You then go to a meeting to discuss your points about the statement - get it worded how you want it. Read their wording very very carefully and assume the worst - work out how they get to avoid doing stuff,
Also be very careful that they are not putting everything into the health section.
Hi i have to disagree with the top answer and i have to say its taken an awful long to time to get a proposed statement done, when my twin son was going through assessment it took 6 weeks and not seven months that sounds terrible. a proposed statement is like a draft copy that will be sent to the appropriate people and they will look at what you child's needs are than from that they will do a final statement , you should have really enquired why its taken so long !
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