Private ED Psych Assessors in Surrey Hampshire & time right for statementing?

That's great. Good luck with it all.

SharonSSS thanks SOS!SEN were great and got me exactly what I needed - a list of EP assessors and contacts. the also give good advice and went to start statementing- NOW! 

Mumof3 yes that is exactly what appears to have happened here. The budget at school has been spread too thin. 

On School Action Plus, you should be receiving some outside input - otherwise it's just School Action. Although it does sound like you're getting some EP involvement now. I think the LA are unlikely to do a cognitive assessment unless you go down the statementing route. And yes, it is normally the EP who would do the cognitive assessment.

I would recommend that you contact SOS!SEN - give their helpline a call, details on website:  www.sossen.org.uk - although they help people nationwide, they are based in Twickenham and have very good knowledge on Surrey/Hampshire. They also have walk in advice centres once a month in Aldershot, Twickenham and Thornton Heath - see website.

SOS!SEN will also be able to recommend independent EPs to you - so do ask them.

I think requests for statutory assessment are often turned down, but parents can then appeal and if you're lucky and have a good case then the LA may back down straight away and agree to assess, otherwise you have to go to tribunal. Of course you may be very lucky in the first place and they may just agree to assess from the beginning.

For other recommendations of independent EPs, try your local NAS branch as they may have a parent forum. For Surrey, go to www.mugsy.org and sign up for their email forum and Hampshire, there is Hart & Rushmoor NAS who have a Facebook group and their website is www.nashandr.org, or for Alton/Bordon there is a Facebook group and www.nasalton.com

It is likely that it is time to get ball rolling on statement, but get independent advice from SOS!SEN (or IPSEA) They will also be able to advise on most appropriate time to get independent EP assessment done.

Hi James,

I can't say that most statements fail because I don't have the facts.  The anecdotal evidence that I have is that most are unsuccessful at least the first time round.  I think many more go through on appeal.  I've even had the LA tell me they don't agree with the doctors diagnosis (honestly!!!)

As mumof3 says, many schools now buy in their services from the LA and I think that is a real worry for children with special needs.  There is a conflict of interest. 

I think that the best way to trigger a serious effort on the part of the school and LEA is to collect all the information you possibly can.  As mumof3 suggest, contact IPSEA and get hold of the code of practice.  I would recommend that you speak to Parent Partnership.  At this stage, the school and LEA have the facts and you don't leaving you on the back foot all the time.  You need to know what should be happening and who should be doing what. 

I am still amazed that there never seems to be anyone in 'charge' of these situations.  So many people involved and no-one to take control.  Then it is left to the parents to coordinate everything.  By the end of this you will be an authority on it! 

Thanks Lou31. The health care team said the Ed Psych team would do the cognitive assessment but we may question that a little bit more.

We are in a maintained school and we did speak to the Head and to the Board of Governors. We do now have engagement from the LEA Ed Psych but it feels like they will do some observation but I'm not expecting that they will do the cognitive assessments.

I know a private assessment will be viewed as inflated by the LEA but on the other hand, after what we've been through, I don't think we can trust the school and the LEA on this in the way we could the NHS. There is a conflict of interest. As you say, at the very least it will be helpful to us as parents to have a clear profile and that alone is worth the hard earned money.

Are statements hard to come by? Do most requests for statement fail? We thought, at the very least a request for statement might at least trigger a serious effort by the school and LEA to assess the need. Provisioning for them I suppose is another story.

Hi James,

It's difficult because I think every area seems to be different.  For example, I understood the full cognitive assessment to be carried out by the health team.  This doesn't seem to be the case for you. 

I am not sure you can be fobbed off about the ed psych involvement by them saying the school hasn't budgeted for it.  I would speak to the head of the school and if that doesn't work, perhaps go to the governing body.  It sounds like it might be an academy?  In which case ITHINK they have a certain level of accountability. 

There are just two other points I would make.  The first is that the LEA and health service will not always accept the findings of a private practitioner.  It would be worth finding that out before you pay vast sums of money.  On the other hand it would of course help you as individuals but not necessarily in your fight to get the best services. 

The second is that, as I am sure you are aware, statements are very hard to come by these days.  Unless you have a LOT of paperwork from the school showing that he is not achieving his targets etc (presumably on school action + he has IEPs in place?) I think it will be tricky - well it is anyway!!!  The more reports you have ie from Ed psych, results from cognitive testing etc the more evidence you have to submit so if you think that is round the corner it might just be worth waiting that little bit longer. 

Why it has to be so hard I will never know!  Well, I imiagine it's to make it as inaccessible as possible.  All this advice is just based on my opinion/experience and what I've heard from other parents.  I am in no way an expert!  Just fighting my way through the system, just like you guys.

Best of luck.