why is there such a gap in provision?? desperate mum!!

Good news!  Hope you both now get the help and support you need.

Hi,

The local authority have agreed to go ahead with assessing my daughter for statementing.

I know this doesn't mean she will definately get one, but it does feel like we have jumped a big hurdle! And it does show there is hope for children who have high functioning autism with no learning difficulties!

Hi everyone, thank you all so much for comments and help.

I have had help applying for a statement from a charity that helps parents with children with dissabilities. I will find out by the 6th Nov if they agree to assess her for statementing. We are in England. We are applying for my daughter's statement on the grounds that due to her autism she is not able to access her education in a mainstream school, noisey crowded overwhelming environment. Since my last post I have managed to get a letter for the school from the consultant that diagnosed my daughter explaining why she can't go in. Because they have this letter they have now stopped going on about attendence and have reffered her to child support services who will prvide a home tutor 1 hour per day paid for by school (if refferal accepted). I read in my local paper this week a mum is applying to open a freeschool in my area for HFA but this process will take 3 years if accepted.

Thanks again everyone, I will keep you posted RE statement

Have you considered flexi - schooling.  My eldest did this in Year 10 and Year 11.  As long as he got the work done the school were more than happy with this arrangement.   Even without a statement the school may be able to offer concessions for your daughter.

some local authorities do offer home tutors in situations where the child is not able to attend school for various reasons.  It may be worth talking to them and see if they can offer this service to you.

CAMHS are basically sh*t if you'll forgive my bluntness, they just make me so mad.  They are a failing and underperforming service that does not understand autism!

CAMHS cannot absolve themselves of responsibility to support your daughter just because she is home-educated!  They should be supporting her and offering her anxiety therapy and whatever else they can to help her manage a return to the school environment.  They cannot just fob you off like that, don't accept it.

You can complain to NHS PALS: http://www.nhs.uk/choiceintheNHS/Rightsandpledges/complaints/Pages/NHScomplaints.aspx

...and you can also approach the head of children's services in your local CCG: http://www.england.nhs.uk/ccg-details/

There will be a specific person who is head of mental health services for children and this will include autism.

This should also prove useful: http://www.autism.org.uk/our-services/advice-and-information-services/education-rights-service.aspx

There is also useful info here (scroll down): http://www.autism.org.uk/get-involved/campaign-for-change/learn-more/our-work-with-government/westminster/consultation-responses-to-westminster/consultation-responses-to-westminster-on-childrens-services-and-education/local-authority-responsibilities-for-childrens-services.aspx

Thank you, this is really helpful. My daughter had an emergency referal to CAMHS because she said she wanted 'to click my fingers and be dead so im not at school'. They were not helpful really, they said in their opinion my daughters meltdown was directly linked to coping at mainstream school due to her autism, but as she was OK now Im not sending her there is no need for their service. They said they could not put this in writing!

I have the school saying they will have to follow procedure and report to education welfre! I did get them a GP letter but they said it wasn't good enough the wording was wrong!

luckily my daughters peadiatric consultant has written a letter that I got this morning which I think/hope will prevent this action! If they are happy with the wording! And no matter how much I phone them or keep them informed their automatic absence line rings me every day asking me to leave a message saying why she is not in! This of course is not a big issue but its frustrating and makes you feel like they don't listen!

I will look into the website you suggested and the ASC schools, thank you so much

Who told you she probably wouldn't get a statement?  I won't say it's aways easy, or that everyone who applies is successful, but many people are initially refused an assessment for a statement by the LA and are successful on appeal (I think the figures are around 60%).

Have a look at www.ipsea.org.uk as they have a lot of step-by-step information and clear instructions on how to apply and what information to submit, including model letters.

My youngest who is HFA got a statement easily and intellectually she is very academically capable.  My eldest is in a very similar position to your daughter.  She is 12 and after a 3 year period of home education has just started Y8 in secondary and is saying similar things to your daughter, and is begging me to home-educate her again.  She is on School Action Plus and the SENCo told me she is getting far more support than pupils get on SA+ and she is still not coping.  It's an absolute nightmare, she is melting down, sobbing, talking about dying, becoming monosyllabic etc.  I had one day where she had such a massive meltdown (I mean you wouldn't believe the screaming) and she didn't go in, and she's only been going 3.2 weeks.

She has Asperger's but CAMHS were crap and failed to diagnose her and we are awaiting a 2nd opinion at a specialist autism centre.  The LA refused an assessment for statement and I have just faxed off an appeal to SENDIST.  (So far about 60 pages of information including the appeal form).

Don't give up!  Our LA told me that they discourage statement appeals and since they heard how difficult she is finding school they advised me to go straight ahead and appeal.

Statements are not only about academic levels and abilities, they are about being able to access the education and if a child has special needs (which your daughter does) that affect their ability to access their education then they should have a statement.  They also cover children's behavioural issues and socialising problems and can specify support for sensory issues too.

Look in your area to see if any mainstream schools have an ASC unit attached as they aren't always "advertised" and the child is based in the unit and goes into maintream for part of the time.  That's about the best option in-between special school and mainstream if you can't afford a specialist private school.  In some cases you may be able to name a suitable independent school on a statement if the state schools are unsuitable.