Guest guest Posted March 4, 2010 Report Share Posted March 4, 2010 Hi Vicky, You could argue that whole school implementation of speech & language strategies ie PECS for routines is not child specific so cannot aid individual progress of a child in such a unit thus defeating its actual purpose. Parents opt for mainstream schools for that reason and many can get 1:1 support which is not even an option in SEN schools. Elements of PECS are being used out of its whole context and could be argued to be ineffective. There is legislation that therapies have to be specified in statements ie x hrs per week and more importantly ensure that it is on 1:1 basis, see IPSEA site. Again is on onus of parents to prove that its needed. Regards June > > Finally I spoke to solicitor to clarify and it is pretty much as I understood it. > She is saying SEN is already covered in statutory law so anything else ie units come within that, therefore in an autism unit there is no legislation saying teachers or staff have to be trained in anything autism specific ie PECS there is nothing saying they shouldn't be but it's entirely optional, as for arguing at tribunal that an autism unit is actually not specific the tribunal can agree with you but still not uphold the appeal against part 4 so long as LEA/School can argue successfully that what they are doing is adequate to the particular childs needs [this is where costs come in]. > So in our particular case for example they can argue that picture symbols used at break time and lunch is useful and working for rather than the expense associated with PECS implementation, key signs can be shown without any autism specific methhod of teaching them or anyone having attended a signalong/Makaton course. > Ultimately they can agree it is not strictly an autism specific unit but it is the right placement for the child and meets his needs and therefore rule in favour of LEA/School. In our particular case the school had on it's prospectus that they used PECS throughout, therefore misleading [damn lie more like] but also proves that they know that particular intervention should have been implemented otherwise why state that they are doing it. Our battle will continue after we lose tribunal as we surely will. > Vicky > Vicky > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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