They must discuss it with the LEA and if they remain unhappy then they can appeal. At an appeal the parents can have either a person in authority or a representative from a volunteer or advocate group to represent them. If the panel agree that the statement does not meet the needs of the child, then the LEA is responsible for providing the budget required to fulfil the child's special educational needs. When considering the proposed statement parents must look forward to one, three, five or even ten years to identify the needs of their child, as it is time consuming and difficult to change the statement. Parents should also think about when their child transfers to secondary schools and what their needs will be at that time.
Children are eligible to apply for legal aid.
Once your child has a statement it is very important to ensure that in the statement it outlines how often the review will be eg termly. Parents should start to plan a year in advance for their child's transfer from children's' services to adult services and also from pre-school to school. When transferring to secondary school, ensure that the school is aware that your child has special educational needs. The challenge for children with NGD is that outwardly they look normal. It is therefore imperative that everyone involved in the child's care work together to ensure that the difficulties these children have are identified.