| If you have a dyspraxia child the Educational | | | | progress so that they no longer need any extra help |
| Psychologist can perform a number of tests with | | | | at all. |
| your child to establish what learning difficulties there | | | | What is School Action Plus? If your child is not |
| might be and what support they will need. The | | | | meeting their targets at school action, they may |
| biggest problem is that there might be a long waiting | | | | need to move to school action plus. This means more |
| list to actually get your child assessed. When I | | | | help from the school, together with additional advice |
| needed to get my son assessed the school only had | | | | and guidance from specialist services. This could |
| access to an Ed Psych twice per year and they could | | | | include the involvement of teaching support services |
| only see 2-3 children each time - not great is it? I'm | | | | and other agencies. Most children needing school |
| sure this is not the situation everywhere but just | | | | action plus support will have their needs discussed by |
| once again to point out you might need to be a little | | | | the school SENCO and an Educational Psychologist |
| pushy to get what you need. | | | | (EP). |
| At the time we actually paid an Ed Psych who had | | | | The aim of school action plus support is to enable |
| recently left the LEA to do a private assessment for | | | | your dyspraxia child to progress so that they move |
| us. It told us what we needed to know but then | | | | from school action plus to school action, or no longer |
| when we took that to the school the head (who | | | | need any extra help at all. |
| was a pain anyway) didn't want to know and insisted | | | | There also the possibility of obtaining a Statement of |
| we would have to wait for the LEA Ed Psych to | | | | Special Educational Needs through the Local Education |
| assess him; and guess what.....6 months later when he | | | | Authority (LEA). A Statement of Special Educational |
| was eventually assessed they report was almost | | | | Needs is a legal document which sets out a |
| identical! Again I'm sure some school heads and much | | | | description of your child's needs (what he or she can |
| more amenable and helpful than others. | | | | and cannot do) and what needs to be done to meet |
| Schools have to have plans and support available for | | | | those needs. Generally, only a very small number of |
| SEN children. In our area, and I would hope nationally, | | | | children with especially complex and severe needs - |
| they have school action and school action plus. | | | | which require very high levels of support, are issued |
| Depending on which category your child falls into they | | | | with a statement. |
| should get varying amounts of extra support in | | | | Be Your Child's Biggest Supporter |
| school. | | | | You're a stronger advocate for your child when you |
| What is School Action? This means the class teacher | | | | foster good partnerships with everyone involved in |
| or school's SENCO, another teacher or a Learning | | | | your child's treatment - that includes teachers, |
| Support Assistant (LSA) will give your child extra help. | | | | doctors, therapists, and even other family members. |
| Your child will also have an Individual Education Plan | | | | Take advantage of all the support and education |
| (IEP) which lists targets for them to work towards | | | | that's available, and you'll be able to help your child |
| and the action/support necessary to help them | | | | navigate his or her way to success. However it's |
| achieve them. The school SENCO, or another | | | | really important that you are strong and don't give |
| teacher, should talk with you about the IEP so that | | | | up; sometimes you will have to fight your corner on |
| you can also help your child. | | | | behalf of your child who can't do it for themselves. |
| The aim of school action is to enable your child to | | | | |