Hello everybody
I'm in the process of compiling my letter to the LA to ask for an assessment on my 10 year old lad. He is higher functioning so his grades aren't way down, my problems lie mainly in his communication and behaviour.
He is so easily led, for example he jumped off a building within the school grounds 14 times because some children told him to, he angers at others so easily, headlocks tries to the strangle them etc but manages to "hide" his behaviours from his teachers and letting rip at home instead. I do have schools backing on asking for an assessment but have been told they feel its unlikely because hes a bright boy.
Could anybody give me some wisdom on what sort of information to put into this letter or general advise please? I feel so sad that everybody tells me he won't get a statement because he's not failing in his actual progress, why should he not get the support because he masks things and then meltdowns at home instead :(
Thanks so much
mum25
Very best of luck. My 9 year old daughter has just had a diagnosis from Great Ormond Street - ASD and selective mutism. We haven't got the long report yet, but the short report very helpfully says she'd benefit from a statement of special educational needs. But, like your son - she's high functioning, so her school attainment is 'good enough' even though not spectacular. She's on a par with her brother cognitively, but lagging behind his (same-age) achievement by at least a level, but more or less where she should be for her age. I just hope that a medical report saying a statement will be helpful will assist us in our fight for a statement. We too have the school on our side - she's so selectively mute with her teachers that she only talks to them to answer the register - and just tunes out or doesn't understand half of what's going on around her. I don't know how she's managed to make the progress she has, frankly - having said that, she seems to have plateaud in the last year and I can't see how she can progress at a decent pace without a lot more help.
In terms of the statement - look at the case law on the IPSEA website - there are cases that support a wide view of what education should be about - arguably more than curriculum progress and should encompass your child's ability to cope in society - I've heard you can get statements just to address social issues - educational attainment is only one aspect - so that might be something to major on. IPSEA do have a helpful helpline that might be able to advise you too.
Very best of luck. My 9 year old daughter has just had a diagnosis from Great Ormond Street - ASD and selective mutism. We haven't got the long report yet, but the short report very helpfully says she'd benefit from a statement of special educational needs. But, like your son - she's high functioning, so her school attainment is 'good enough' even though not spectacular. She's on a par with her brother cognitively, but lagging behind his (same-age) achievement by at least a level, but more or less where she should be for her age. I just hope that a medical report saying a statement will be helpful will assist us in our fight for a statement. We too have the school on our side - she's so selectively mute with her teachers that she only talks to them to answer the register - and just tunes out or doesn't understand half of what's going on around her. I don't know how she's managed to make the progress she has, frankly - having said that, she seems to have plateaud in the last year and I can't see how she can progress at a decent pace without a lot more help.
In terms of the statement - look at the case law on the IPSEA website - there are cases that support a wide view of what education should be about - arguably more than curriculum progress and should encompass your child's ability to cope in society - I've heard you can get statements just to address social issues - educational attainment is only one aspect - so that might be something to major on. IPSEA do have a helpful helpline that might be able to advise you too.
