NEED advice!! start statementing process

Well my daughter's now 10, has ASD and selective mutism. She never displays challenging behaviour at school and isn't struggling academically to any significant degree, but I got a statement for her on the strength of her Autism and selective mutism alone.  I moved her from the private sector and applied for a statement as soon as she got her ASD diagnosis.  I was immediately turned down on the basis that it was premature - because she'd only been on school action plus for a short while (having come from a private school).  I immediately appealed and asked for a meeting with SENCAN.  They were sympathetic but explained that it would be difficult to make an assessment because my daughter hadn't been seen by anyone (i.e. ed psych, speech therapist etc etc), but that's because everyone simply sat on their hands pending the referral to Great Ormond Street to assess her for ASD (which took nearly two years from having first seen our GP...). 

However, the school were supportive and GOSH had helpfully put in their report that a statement would be a good idea.  The LA relented and commenced with an assessment and we were flexible (to a degree) about timescales so that they could get in their specialist autism teacher and Ed Psych/speech therapists to do assessments.  Her statement came through at the end of last term specifying 25 hours LSA support, selective mutism intervention and so on...

If you get a knock back, I'd immediately appeal and get on IPSEA's website and print off their refusal to assess pack and/or phone their helpline for support - they are incredibly helpful.  The vast majority of refusal to assess appeals are successful and  you may well find the LA will immediately cave in without you having to set foot near a tribunal.  Frankly, it's by far the best way to ensure you get a legally enforceable right to proper help for your child.   Very best of luck - you will have to push every inch of the way but that just seems to be how the system works, however much your child might need the help...

If I can have a third successive run at this thread, - the bullying aspect is crucial here.

Anyone who thinks children are innocent wasn't around when the vulnerable kid got picked on behind the bike sheds (or wherever). Most adults can have no idea how truly bad things can get when the bullies and their audience got a victim that cannot protest, or isn't taken seriously for protesting too much, at their disposal to abuse as they please.

Many asperger kids, including the many now adult who didn't have the benefit of childhood diagnosis, have been scarred for life simply by being easy targets in a world where an easy target is a gift to collective experimentation. That's not saying there aren't asperger kids who end up being bullies themselves, but some really do experience the pits. And if they are the quiet ones, as parents you'll never ever get to know what went on.

If I can recommend another book helpful to parents and teachers, try Nick Dubin (2007) "Asperger Syndrome and bullying - Strategies and Solutions" Jessica Kingsley Publishers. Nick also addresses teachers who bully vulnerable pupils.

I ought to respond directly to Wood36 as well, in relation to this thread. School was a long time in my past and also very different from the contemporary classroom, and in terms of having taught I was in Higher Education not school let alone primary.

What I think is more at issue is not whether the school's evidence doesn't pick up on important information for diagnosis (which involves known phenomena so will still be valid), but to what extent the teachers know about child social dynamics.

Teachers see pupils in structured regulated environments. They may be "supervising" break times or the dinner queue, though I wonder how much they see.

The real social dynamics goes on "behind the scenes" - or rather "behind the teachers' backs" - in the playground out of sight, in the toilets and cloakrooms, in the dinner queue, the kicks and nudges under the lunch table etc etc. Wood36 has seen what goes on, and an asperger child's reticence to speak up about it.

A good book to read on this is Clare Sainsbury (2000) "Martian in the Playground understanding the schoolchild with Asperger's syndrome" Lucky Duck Publishing. Its the sort of book teachers should read.

Kolojaro raises the important point about where autism/aspergers fits in in relation to activities like school work.

For those with the condition who are academically able, it follows they can do academic things, such as what is required in the classroom.

To illustrate in a different context, I've just been reminded by a relative that one of the jobs I did between school and university was journalist - well journalism means you have to interview people so if you could do that you cannot have aspergers.

Well aspergers isn't a learning disability, though learning disability may play a part, especially as many have dyslexia as well. I'm not thick or retarded (even if I might act like it sometimes). I'm competent linguistically, though for years relied on written communication as face to face I didn't come over well. All the same I could interview people and write up what I got from interviews well.

I read about it often that it seems schools still confuse aspergers with learning disability and think that confident performance in a classroom situation contradicts an aspergers diagnoses. But aspergers, aside from environmental sensitivity, narrow interests, organisational issues etc is about social dynamics, and not being able to read social situations well or identify collectively arrived at states of mind. This doesn't prevent performing well in class if the class is structured, organised and predictable.

My brief encounter with journalism lasted four months. I've still got clippings of the articles I wrote, a long time ago now, and I was writing competently and getting a good feel for the situation. But I did prefer factual writing from research rather than interview. I love regurgitating facts.

What killed the job after four months was not fitting in - catastrophically not fitting in. I couldn't comprehend the wry humour and couldn't respond properly to the people I worked with. The job deteriorated as I got more and more bogged down in workplace relations.

That is widely the problem for adults with aspergers. We may be perfectly capable of doing a good job to a high standard. But we haven't a hope of fitting into the social dynamics of the job. Same is true in school.

Hi, as someone who's just come out of 6th Form, I know what you guys mean. Even though I 'acted out' in typical autistic fashion when I was in primary on the odd occassion, the SEN teacher still didn't think I had any difficulties because of how well behaved I was during lessons. I still struggled to 'prove' I was struggling until 6th form, fortunately, I got assessed before my 18th so now I have all the help I need in time for Uni.

You NEED to stress to the school that if they don't help with this statement, then your child may end up so stressed and anxious, it WILL affect their work and/or behaviour at school. Sadly, schools genuinely are only interested in their grades/reputation, so its those two points you need to highlight. I made it to year 11 before I had a massive breakdown, which led to my diagnosis. It was a terrible thing and I'd spent years feeling suicidal. :(

So break it down to them as this:

They get help now, no problem in future. No help now, potential MASSIVE problem (for them) in future, plus, scruitiny from others if they didn't 'spot' it.

My mum phoned up my primary school when I got diagnosed and went -ballistic- at them for not noticing my Aspergers Syndrome. XD

Best of luck.

I haven't really got any advice just an understanding of what your going through. I'm a step behind you in diagnosis and I know that if school is asked they would describe my daughter exactly the same as your son. Quiet, obedient etc. 

Therefore, I would assume (hopefully) that your son isn't the only child who is perfectly 'normal' in school. They must of come across this before and will take that into account before making any decisions. I know it's perhaps not the answer you are looking for but hopefully it will reassure you a bit that being good in school isn't rare for children on the spectrum and they have to take the whole picture into account. Sorry I can't be of more help.

Good luck