School - not sure what to make of this ??

[twocutedarlings]

DD who is 5 started school last tuesday, today the senco came and spoke to me for the first time !!, basically to see where we are upto with DDs assessments for AS, I told her that DDs Psychologist has said that DD most likely has AS, but CDC team want to wait uptil Dec/Jan before they give her a Dx as they want to see how she settles at school.

The senco now wants me to ring CDC to get a Dx for DD ASAP, so that the school can apply for a statement. I know im probably being silly but DD hasnt even been at school for a full week yet and school feel that they need a statement !! i just dont understand it they havent even given her chance to settle in and from what i can gather the only areas that DD is stuggling in, is carpet time and queueing up for things ect (as she has very little patience). Preschool had similar problems but given time DD soon got the idea and they had very few problems after that.

I just dont know what to do?, obviously i want whats best for DD, but i also feel that school havent really given her chance to adjust.

[dustystar]

It is very soon but an experineced SENCo probably has a good feel for this sort of thing. They don't need a dx to apply for a statement though. Ds has one and he doesn't have a dx - nor is he likely to get one but he has fulltime 1:1 at school which had turned his life around.

[coppertop]

I don't have experience of statementing but from posts I've read on here it seems to be better to apply yourself as you have more rights if the application is turned down.

Personally I would go along with the idea. It seems to be rare these days for schools to offer to apply.

[AttilaTheMeerkat]

If a statement is needed you as the parents are in a far better position than school is. If school applies for a statement and the request is refused they cannot appeal. The request for a Statement therefore needs to come from you - you can appeal in the likely event the LEA say no.

There is nothing to stop you writing to your LEA (Local education authority) as soon as possible asking for your DD to be assessed with a view to getting a statement. You need to write to the Chief Education Officer and give them six weeks to reply to your letter.

Its hard (and that is an understatement) but I would urge to you to listen to this SENCO and take heed now. At least the school is mentioning a statement; better now than in say two or three years time for instance. Unlike some of these SENCO's I've seen this person appears to be on the ball and is taking note early. This is good for both you and your daughter.

She won't remain five and many children with AS can struggle badly at school particularly if no support of note is in place. You are in a good position currently; early intervention is vitally important.

The above is a lot to take in but if you act now it can pay dividends for your daughter's school life. Infants is a lot different from preschool and some children can be cruel to others who have difficulties.

Apply for the statement; if you really want to help your DD and it goes without saying that you do, do this for her.

IPSEA is very good at the whole minefield of the statementing process and thus their website is well worth a look. Its www.ipsea.org.uk.

[AttilaTheMeerkat]

Another thing to bear in mind is that a Statement can take around six months to set up. It is certainly not a quick process by any means.

[flyingmum]

Go with it. They probablly realise that once she starts to read and appears 'educationally successful' then it
will be very difficult to get a statement.

It happened to me too and I was a bit upset by it all but thank goodness the school did put in for the statement and we got it. They told me that once DS learnt to read it would be very hard to get and we had to get one asap. Also you want an ed psych to see her before she actually does get settled so that they are more likely to recommend a statement. I know its really really hard to accept BUT far better to get the help in place and the statement now and keep it chugging along. If all goes fine then it can be jettisoned by secondary. However, and forgive me if this is hard, the differences do become more marked between peer group as the children become older. It was noticeable by year 4/5 that my chap was more quirky than an average child. Yes he is the lovliest person in the world and we don't actually have any more problems with him at home than you would get with any child but school is a different kettle of fish.

Go with what the school suggest. A proactive school is to be clasped, looked after and appreciated because, as unfortunately many of the people on here will testify, it is not necessarily the norm.
As a secondary teacher it never ceases to astonish me how many children we get coming in with quite significant SEN who have no statement or who are not even on the register.

Sorry. I do feel for you and have been there and desperately didn't want to be but I would go with it. Also keep the forms you fill in for the statement as brief as possible and think about your child on the worst possible day EVER. They are the most difficult forms I filled in - my child, who at four could tell the time, knew body parts, colours, count in English and French was down as 'being able to play with sand, water and paint' but it got him the help which he really needed.

I'm whaffling. Will go to bed!

[twocutedarlings]

Thankyou so much for all your replys, i will go with it as you all adviced, its just all still a big shock for us, as you said flyingmum my DD is also just a normal little girl at home, i dont have any problems atall. However after what you mentioned about it being difficult to get a statement if she can read, thats abit worrying as DD can already read really well (when she wants to).

I have spoken to preschool this morning and there Senco who has worked with DD for the last 2 years is going to ring school, to see if she can help with settling her in, so hopefully fingers crossed between us we can help iron things out a little in the meantime.

We are off to see a cranial osteopath tonight, im obviously hoping that she might be able to wave a magic wand !! .

[Peachy]

DS3 isn't yet at school (Chrsitmas start part time, then FT at Easter), is undiagnosed and has a statement of 16 hours 1-1. You DO NOT need a dx for a statement, and definitely apply yourself.