Statemented Provisions

What are Statemented Provisions?

Statemented provisions are the criteria set out by your child's school - and Local Education Authority (LEA) - that will determine how your child will be schooled given that they have a special educational needs requirement.

Statemented Provisions - by law - must indicate how your child will be schooled for a period of 12 months. But it is worth noting at this stage that the procedure for having Statemented provisions put in place can take up to six months so if you think your child needs to have such provisions then it is a case of acting sooner rather than later.

What Statemented Provisions Are Used For?

Statemented Provisions come into force when one of the following is evident:

• Profound emotional difficulties
• Profound learning difficulties
• Severe communication problems
• Difficulties with development
• Physical disabilities

If your child suffers from one - or indeed more than one - of the aforementioned then he or she may well qualify for Statemented Provisions.

Your child's school, in conjunction with the Local Education Authority (LEA) will have to meet to assess your child's condition and decide on a course of action that will allow for them to have an education in line with able bodied pupils or pupils without problems.

Roughly three per cent of all children at schooling age are formally Statemented and this is because of the nature of the difficulties and disabilities that Statemented Provisions cover.

Simply put your child would have to be suffering from extreme learning difficulties before he or she is officially Statemented. In which case it is likely that your child will have to be assessed by the Local Education Authority (LEA), a school psychologist, an independent doctor and perhaps a clinical social worker before any decision is settled upon.

Applying for Statemented Provisions

As we have already touched upon, in order for your child to qualify for Statemented Provisions they must reach a specific criteria which is laid down by the Local Education Authority and the Department of Education.

In order to meet this criteria your child will be assesses, interviewed and monitored for a period of time whilst reports are drawn up by the Educational Psychologist (School Psychologist) and other relevant personnel such as your child's teachers.

You may also be asked to make a statement to give your own views on your child's condition and what action you think may need to be taken.

This process - as we have already mentioned - can take anything up to six months but there is no guarantee that at the end of the process a Statement of Provision will be issued.

This does happen quite a lot as Local Education Authorities (LEAs) may not necessarily consider your child's difficulties to be as severe as you.

In this instance you can appeal the decision of the Local Education Authority using a tribunal but you should also be aware that in order for a tribunal to hear your case you may again have a lengthy wait.

If you feel your child should have a Statement of Provision but has not been granted one then you should first of all speak to their headteacher and ask for a detailed report on their schooling and how they are progressing. Speak to their teachers if at all possible before proceeding.

There are many websites devoted to the subject and many voluntary organisations - most of which are run by parents who have been through the Statemented Provisions procedure themselves.

In addition you should contact your Local Education Authority and ask for any information and advice that they can give.