whyamiawake?
Jun. 10th, 2008 07:08 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
llywelaPinched from ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
agentxpndble, because I couldn't resist the thought of an invisible SamnDean all of my own to keep hidden in under the bed.
Mum phoned last night to tell me that she has now been awarded Carers Allowance, to go with the Disability Living Allowance she already has. It has taken years to persuade her that she is entitled to the support and should apply. That bit of extra money makes so much difference - she has never had two pennies to rub together, and Small costs so much. She has lost five coats and two full PE kits, including trainers, already this year, and those are just the big things that need replacing periodically.
However, we finally got the result of Small's statement review last week. Now, the statement of special educational needs is supposed to be reviewed every 12 months. It took closer to 17 to get Small's review to panel, and that was only because Mum wrote to the Chief Schools Officer to point out that they had breached their statutory obligation. So the review panel came back and said that the five hours support they fund per week is perfectly adequate for her needs. This despite the fact that every single person involved with her - bearing in mind that she is under nine or ten different specialists, not to mention the various staff at the school - have stated categorically that she needs more support than she is receiving at present. A lot more. The school are doing wonders, they employed a full time support worker because of Small, and are paying for it out of their own budget. But they shouldn't have to - the education authority have a duty to provide that support, but they won't part with the cash. So, the school are contesting the decision, and my parents are contesting the decision, and still more of Small's precious time in education is lost and can never be regained.
agentxpndble, because I couldn't resist the thought of an invisible SamnDean all of my own to keep hidden 
Create your own family sticker graphic at pYzam.com
Mum phoned last night to tell me that she has now been awarded Carers Allowance, to go with the Disability Living Allowance she already has. It has taken years to persuade her that she is entitled to the support and should apply. That bit of extra money makes so much difference - she has never had two pennies to rub together, and Small costs so much. She has lost five coats and two full PE kits, including trainers, already this year, and those are just the big things that need replacing periodically.
However, we finally got the result of Small's statement review last week. Now, the statement of special educational needs is supposed to be reviewed every 12 months. It took closer to 17 to get Small's review to panel, and that was only because Mum wrote to the Chief Schools Officer to point out that they had breached their statutory obligation. So the review panel came back and said that the five hours support they fund per week is perfectly adequate for her needs. This despite the fact that every single person involved with her - bearing in mind that she is under nine or ten different specialists, not to mention the various staff at the school - have stated categorically that she needs more support than she is receiving at present. A lot more. The school are doing wonders, they employed a full time support worker because of Small, and are paying for it out of their own budget. But they shouldn't have to - the education authority have a duty to provide that support, but they won't part with the cash. So, the school are contesting the decision, and my parents are contesting the decision, and still more of Small's precious time in education is lost and can never be regained.
