Any support. on statmenting would be nice:-)

mummytofour

Little ds has a dX of
social communication difficulties
speech and language delay
attention difficulties.

I am sure that in due course it will be ASD

He was 3 in May. I met with SALT today who is from the communication clinic and she told me that she will be putting little ds forward for a statement.

I have an older son who has not got a statement but does have ASD and ADHD he is at main stream and had a terrible time at the local infant school and I dont want the same for littel ds who is a lot worse anyway.

I have to apply for little ds school place by Nov 6 yet he is not going to pre-school panel until Nov 9th!

Anyway IF little ds gets a statement do I have the right to state I want little ds to go to mainstream with a unit? I do not want him at main stream with support I know my son and what I want for him is not main stream with a TA.

I am worried that even with a statment he will be short changed.

Many thanks for reading x

lolababy

Hi you will find the information and much more at;

The National Autistic Societys (NAS) Autism Helpline provides impartial, confidential information, advice and support for people with autism spectrum disorders, their families, professionals, researchers and students.

• Tel: 0845 070 4004 (open Monday-Friday, 10am-4pm)
• Email: [EMAIL="autismhelpline@nas.org.uk"]autismhelpline@nas.org.uk[/EMAIL]

You can also find a wealth of information on our website www.autism.org.uk

sheeps68

Of course you can express your preferences for your child but to be honest they are unlikely to suggest special school first off anyway. Do you have a "Partnership with parents" in your area? If so they are great to help you out? If not most authorities can give you contact with some help and support. Maybe ask someone working with your child for pointing in the right direction.

sammy10

I think having a statement gives you a better chance of getting him into the school of your choice (after catchment area) but not sure if this applies in the case of specialist units.
Good luck though, statements are incredibley difficult to get. My DS should have one, his teachers say so, his ot says so and ed psych says so but we still cant get one.

Vicky123

Both my sons are autistic and have had statements since they started school, now aged 12 and 14.
I would recommend getting the statement looked over by a solicitor and if you pm me I can give you the name of one who does it for I think £150.
We have had no end of trouble with schools and are going to tribunal for the third time this year.
Education for ASD kids in my experience is total rubbish.
LEA's will always seek the cheap option rather than the most appropriate option, they will try to sneak stuff in like "access to" rather than quantify as the law states in the hope you know no better, they also try to put things away from part three which is the bit that is enforcable.
Even after tribunal should you be lucky enough to win they will drag their heels and need a JR and after all that still try and sell you short.
Do I sound totally cynical?
Good Luck.

penguin83

Hi Mummy, we have just gone through the statementing process with my son who is autistic. He is 4 and started school 2 weeks ago - we were told to apply for a mainstream school as normal while the statement process was ongoing (although we had no intentions of sending him there) but the statement was completed during the summer holidays and literally the day before schools went back we found out that he had got into an excellent special school and is in a unit with only 5 other children, 2 teachers and 2 teaching assistants.

Not sure if it is allowed but I was completely clueless to the whole procedure and has a thread on another forum where I got some fantastic advice - this is the linky as some of the links may be helpful x x x

munchings-n-crunchings

Hello,

As you may have gathered, it's one thing wanting a Statement of Education Needs, but it is another matter in getting one.
Much of the stress you will go through, will be dependant on your local authority.
Some make it near impossible to get statements.

The Parent Partnership is fantastic. They can give you advice about the education system for children with any form of disability, and often have advocates that can help and accompany you to meetings etc.

Their website is http://www.parentpartnership.org.uk

Try and keep everyone on your side. I know it's hard when you feel the system is failing an elder sibling, but if you come across as confrontational, it'll not help your case. Keep your thoughts concise, try not to be openly critical, and do your homework first.

Both my kids have ADS. And even though the education system failed my son, I wouldn't have wanted anything else but mainstream for either of them.
If you can get the support right, hopefully you children can learn from those around them. My daughter figured she doesn't need to understand social rules and situations, but by watching her peer group, she can moderate her behaviour, and try to copy those around her. She needs to see good behaviours to learn from them.

I know it's so frustrating.
Get as much advice as you can. Go and see a number of schools, as it helps you case to show you are looking at all the options. Parent Partnership is good, and they can advise you regarding both children. There are also independent Educational Psychologists that can be useful.

Good luck

Munchie

joyciebird

munchings-n-crunchings wrote: »

Hello,

As you may have gathered, it's one thing wanting a Statement of Education Needs, but it is another matter in getting one.
Much of the stress you will go through, will be dependant on your local authority.
Some make it near impossible to get statements.

The Parent Partnership is fantastic. They can give you advice about the education system for children with any form of disability, and often have advocates that can help and accompany you to meetings etc.

Their website is http://www.parentpartnership.org.uk

Try and keep everyone on your side. I know it's hard when you feel the system is failing an elder sibling, but if you come across as confrontational, it'll not help your case. Keep your thoughts concise, try not to be openly critical, and do your homework first.

Both my kids have ADS. And even though the education system failed my son, I wouldn't have wanted anything else but mainstream for either of them.
If you can get the support right, hopefully you children can learn from those around them. My daughter figured she doesn't need to understand social rules and situations, but by watching her peer group, she can moderate her behaviour, and try to copy those around her. She needs to see good behaviours to learn from them.

I know it's so frustrating.
Get as much advice as you can. Go and see a number of schools, as it helps you case to show you are looking at all the options. Parent Partnership is good, and they can advise you regarding both children. There are also independent Educational Psychologists that can be useful.

Good luck

Munchie

My local LEA have been fully supportive during the statement process for my 4 yr old daughter who has ASD.

She started at a mainstream school 2 weeks ago with everything in place. During each step I was consulted and I was also able to request that the TA she had a nursery would accompany her to mainstream school to smooth the transition, this request was accepted.

I agree with Munchie and would want nothing but a mainstream school education for my daughter, the best way for her to learn social skills is to watch other children play . Can I ask why you are so against a mainstream school?

The statement process is hard but worth the effort in the end

Good Luck


Joyciebird

Savvy_Sue

The OP isn't against mainstream, what she's hoping for is mainstream with a unit, which should, if it's giving the right kind of help, offer the best of both worlds - the specialist teaching in the quiet atmosphere which some of our children badly need, combined with the social inclusion of mainstream.

I'd say, apply for the school you want, don't list the school you don't want. You've presumably not found that school supportive of your older child's needs, so I can understand why you wouldn't want your younger child there unless there's been significant change recently.

But do go and visit all the schools you're prepared to consider.

Another useful source of support is IPSEA.

kissjenn

Hi,

I really wanted to offer support more than any practical help. My son was diagnosed as having an ASD 13 years ago, he's just turned 16 now. Scotland at that point didn't admit children to school or offer any form of specialised nursery care until they were 5 however Glos admitted them at 4 so we stayed an extra year in England.

Having been in the two systems I have to say I found the Scottish easier to deal with and less bureaucratic and we've been involved with good and bad schools and units on both sides of the border.

I wanted you to know that you can find the help you need but you have to gird your loins because for some reason they make as hard as they can a lot of the time.

DS is going on work experience to a solicitors next week and wants to go to uni to train as an accountant. He's big and hairy and very funny and has benefited hugely from specialist help in a language unit in a mainstream primary to being integrated into a class of younger children who all accept him as one of their own. He couldn't say more than one word at a time when we got here aged 5 and last year won the school debating prize. His problems are still there but he has them more and more under control and has learned coping techniques and strategies which work well for him.

For a child who was exluded almost daily from the specialist unit in Glos, who went with his nappies in his rucksack and who couldn't recognise his own name to the boy who sits his Standard (GCSE equiv) Exams next summer is a miracle. He's not cured but some wonderful people in some wonderful schools changed him from the "no-hoper" Glos excluded to the Uni candidate today.

Keep the faith and know you are doing the right thing for your children regardless of what any school or council officials say.

joyciebird

kissjenn wrote: »

Hi,

I really wanted to offer support more than any practical help. My son was diagnosed as having an ASD 13 years ago, he's just turned 16 now. Scotland at that point didn't admit children to school or offer any form of specialised nursery care until they were 5 however Glos admitted them at 4 so we stayed an extra year in England.

Having been in the two systems I have to say I found the Scottish easier to deal with and less bureaucratic and we've been involved with good and bad schools and units on both sides of the border.

I wanted you to know that you can find the help you need but you have to gird your loins because for some reason they make as hard as they can a lot of the time.

DS is going on work experience to a solicitors next week and wants to go to uni to train as an accountant. He's big and hairy and very funny and has benefited hugely from specialist help in a language unit in a mainstream primary to being integrated into a class of younger children who all accept him as one of their own. He couldn't say more than one word at a time when we got here aged 5 and last year won the school debating prize. His problems are still there but he has them more and more under control and has learned coping techniques and strategies which work well for him.

For a child who was exluded almost daily from the specialist unit in Glos, who went with his nappies in his rucksack and who couldn't recognise his own name to the boy who sits his Standard (GCSE equiv) Exams next summer is a miracle. He's not cured but some wonderful people in some wonderful schools changed him from the "no-hoper" Glos excluded to the Uni candidate today.

Keep the faith and know you are doing the right thing for your children regardless of what any school or council officials say.

Many Thanks for this

One of my main worries is how my daughter will cope as she gets older, you have given me the strength to fight harder and longer and I thank you