SENDIASS: Guide to Writing Parental Advice (for a Statutory Assessment) - WNC

These guidelines are to help you with your contribution to the statutory assessment of your child. You don't have to use them if you don't want to.

You can change the order, leave bits out, or add other things you feel are important. It would be helpful if you used the four headings IASS have suggested. Your written contribution can be as short or as long as you like. 

The Early Years 

The following questions are a guide to help you remember about the early years. 

• What do you remember about the early years that might help? 
• What was your child like as a baby? 
• Were you happy about the progress at the time? 
• When did you first feel things were not right? 
• What advice or help did you receive – from whom? 

What is Your Child Like Now?

The following nine headings are a guide to help you give a detailed description of your child. 

General Health:

• Eating habits
• Sleeping habits
• Fitness
• School absences
• Minor illnesses
• Serious illnesses and accidents
• Hospital stays
• Regular medication
• Special dietary requirements
• General alertness (tiredness)
• Signs of drug-use, smoking, drinking, glue-sniffing

Physical Skills:

• Walking
• Running
• Climbing
• Riding a bike
• Playing football (or other games)
• Drawing pictures
• Writing
• Doing jigsaws
• Using construction kits
• Using household gadgets
• Using tools
• Sewing and knitting

Self-Help (Level of Personal Independence):

• Dressing
• Making their bed
• Washing their clothes
• Keeping their room tidy
• Coping with day-to-day routines
• Budgeting pocket money
• General independence
• Getting out and about

Communication (Verbal Skills):

• Explains things
• Describes events
• Describes people
• Conveys information (such as messages to and from school)
• Joins conversations
• Uses telephones

Playing and Learning at Home (How Does Your Child Spend Time?):

• Watching TV
• Reading for pleasure and information
• Videogames
• Hobbies
• Concentration levels
• Internet-use
• Sharing
• Turn-taking

Outdoor Activities:

• Belonging to clubs
• Doing sports activities
• Happy to attend things unaccompanied?

Relationships:

• With parents
• With siblings
• With friends
• With relations
• With other adults at home
• Does your child mix well or prefer to be alone?

Behaviour at Home:

• Co-operates
• Shares
• Listens
• Carries out requests
• Helps around the house
• Offers to help
• Fits in with family routine and “rules” 
• Moods both good and bad (sulking, temper tantrums, affectionate, etc.)

Behaviour at School:

• Relationships with other children and teachers
• Progress with reading, writing, numbers, and other subjects
• Activities at school
• How has the school helped? 
• Have you been asked to help with schoolwork? What was the result?
• Does your child enjoy school?
• What does your child find easy or difficult? 

Your General Views

• What do you think your child’s special educational needs are? 
• How can these needs be met? 
• How does your child compare to others of the same age? 
• What is your child good at, or what does your child enjoy doing? 
• What does your child worry about? Is your child aware of difficulties? 
• What are your worries or concerns? 
• Do you want to give any other information about the family? Have any major events affected your child? 
• With whom would you like more contact? 
• How do you think your child’s needs affect the needs of the family as a whole? 

Extra Information

• Please attach any reports from other professionals you would like the local authority to consider.
• Would you like the local authority to write to any professionals for advice? If so, provide their names and addresses. 

Your Child’s Views 

• Does your child realise that they have difficulties?
• If so, what are your child’s views on how they would like to be helped in school? How has your child told you?