Finally had my request for statutory assessment accepted - I have already written a 6 page document on my general concerns. Then wrote another 4 page document on why I requested a statement.

Now I have untill 11th April to put together a document on what I feel Owens needs are.

Where to start....... For me nothing less than full time 1-1 will do. I desperatly want him to get a place at an independent special needs school that we visited who do a reintegration package, at the very least he needs to go to outreach there to be taught the skills he needs to cope in life. Hes missed 2 years of school through them only allowing him in for an hour a day as they cant cope. How can a school say they cant cope with a 6 year old but then say he doesnt need support.

Has anyone managed to get a full time place in a special needs setting?

Are you in the UK? If so, I think your school system is different enough that most of what I've learned about schools here wouldn't apply, but one thing that might is get advice from an occupational therapist about what might best help your son - is he receiving any services yet? Do you have formal evaluation from outside a school setting that might give you any guidance?

There's a couple good books on various aspects of special needs in education that might help you. Have you read:

The Mislabeled Child (by Eide and Eide) - what I found most helpful.

Raising a Sensory Smart Child - also good.

Best of luck to you with process.

Hi Marci, yes we are in the UK. EdPsyc, OT, CCD, Behaviour, CAMHS and SALT have all been into school and written reports. The issue with this is that they see him for probably 45 minutes and there is a big lack of evidence as hes never in school long enough.

He's seen outside of school by OT, community peadiatrician, and CAMHS so they will give input. I think our OT should come through for us in terms of insisting on the sensory diet being followed through. And I know the EP was thinking along the lines of an inclusion base that we have over here which is a sepcial needs unit attached to a mainstream school so that the kids can come in and out of the unit as they please as and when they are coping or not coping.

Just need him to be somewhere that has the deterination to get through to him. I work in a high school and am well used to being abused by lads that are twice the size of me and being told they hate me etc etc etc - I still go to work and treat them like I am really pleased to see them the next day and forget all the past things every single day. Makes me sooo mad that no one seems to be able to do that for my boy everyone just gives up on him and its not fair! (que me having a full on strop lol)

I have been to our MP (government representative) about this and presented her with all my info since he was 2 that show he has additional needs and pretty much asked her why a budget was more important than my son as from what I see its lack of funding that is holding back the support he needs. If I could I would pay for his place at the special needs school myself!!!

I will look for the mislabled child thankyou - already have raising a sensory smart child but havent started it yet as am half way through reading sensational kids and have already read the out of sync child.