Information, Support and Training for Parents and Carers

of Children with Special Educational Needs in Cornwall

Cornwall Parent Partnership Service

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When considering whether to carry out a Statutory Assessment the Local Authority will ask you to give a written reason why you think your child should be assessed. This is called “Parental Evidence”.

What should I include in my Parental Evidence?

• Your child’s name, date of birth and school
   
• What you think your child’s difficulties are
   
• The length of time you have known about these difficulties and any changes you have noticed
   
• The situation as you see it now
   
• What you think your child needs in order to be helped
   
• Reports from other people who know your child, for example pre-school leader, health visitor, doctor, club leader or a second opinion from another professional.

Here are some ideas to help you get started. Please note that some of the points mentioned below will only be applicable to older children, while some will be more appropriate for younger children.

Parental Evidence

• General: When did you first think that things were not right? - what advice and help did you receive? - from whom? - early childhood
   
• Health: Eating and sleeping habits - general fitness - minor ailments - serious illnesses and/or accidents - time in hospital - medicines/special diets - allergies - sight and hearing problems - general awareness - tiredness - signs of use of drugs - smoking, glue sniffing?
   
• Communication: Level of speech - explains - conveys messages - uses phone - joins in conversation - understands and respond to others - talks about people and things that happen.
   
• Physical skills: Crawling, walking, running, climbing - riding a bike - playing team games - drawing, writing - using construction kits - doing jigsaws - threading beads - household gadgets - tools - sewing.
   
• Self-help: Level of personal independence - dressing and undressing - feeding - toilet training - brushing teeth - washing - wiping nose - making bed - caring for clothes - keeping room tidy - coping with day to day routines - budgeting pocket money - getting about unaccompanied.
   
• Playing and Leaning at Home: Favourite toys and activities - concentration - sharing stories - favourite TV programmes.
   
• Outside the home: Attendance at nursery/school - coping with separation.
   
• Use of spare time: How does your child spend their spare time? - favourite TV programmes - reading for pleasure - hobbies - belonging to clubs - sporting activities.
   
• Relationships: With parents, brothers, sisters - friends - adult relatives and family friends - at home generally - ‘outside’ generally - is your child a loner?

• Behaviour at home: Co-operates - shares - listens to and carries out requests - helps in house/garden - offers help - fits in with the family routines and ‘rules’ - moods, good and bad -     sulking - temper tantrums - affectionate .
   

• At school (or playgroup/nursery): Getting on with other children/teachers - progress in reading, writing and other subjects - how the school has helped or not helped - have you      been asked to help with school work? - Easy and difficult things at school - does your          child enjoy going?
  
   

• Your views: What do you think your child’s needs are? - what are the main
  difficulties? - what are your worries? - how does your child learn best? - what does the      

Parental Evidence

child think about his/her difficulties? - with whom would you like more contact?

Are there other things you think important?

The Parent Carer Partnership can help you with this process.