KLP

thanks for that tip, I will enquire on Tuesday if there are willing to cover out costs too

I was sent a form to fill in to start the course in September but it will interfere with nursery pick up of my younger one and I really wanted to hear from parents was it worth attending so that I can arrange a babysitter to help. I read through the summary of what is to be achieved and is nothing new I havent read.

I just found a Saturday day centre does a music therapy sessions costing £10 per session which is something I may consider as my son loves music but anyone out there that can share an experience? Did it help at all?

Hi simonbo, I picked a unit attached to mainstream for my son that starts reception in September and tend to agree with few postings above. The unit we have is not just for autistic children but for children with different disorders with mild to medium learning difficulties. The staff were excellent when I first went to visit the unit alone few months ago and then recently when I took my son along. The children were very welcoming, tried to include my son in games, offered him the PC, gave him toys without being promted to do so by the teacher or assistants. The classroom looked lovely with lots of visual aids, the atmosphere was positive, the assistants with welcoming smiles trying to entertain my son while I spoke to the teacher. The senco was also very positive about the development of the unit, the extra funding they had available for the term to come, inclusion with mainstream, parental involvement. Children that attend the unit will stay in the unit am and after lunch will go to mainstream with support for rest of the day. So the inclusion will be there from the very start. I will suggest visiting the unit as many times as you can and analyse the staff, the children, speak to the senco about policies and inclusions (this senco was also flexible on including my son even more should the teacher felt it was appropriate should that be my wish) and also take your child with you maybe not on first but subsequent visit. The reason I choose the unit over the place we had in mainstream is because when we both visited mainstream I dont think the teacher or the assistant knew how to engage with him the way they did in the unit; in mainstream he was just running all over the place. The children were encouraged to take a turn taking game with him which worked ok but I honestly couldnt imagine him getting anywhere academically sitting in a corner with support. The senco in mainstream 'promised; they will do the best they can to help him and the support staff they had lined up to interview was a mother of autistic child with no teaching qualification. When I weighted both options my choice was easy - the unit! And I hope I made a good decision since I can always move him back to mainstream at any time, but the waiting lists for the units grow bigger every year. It was a very stressful time making, lots of wine and few cigarettes (even though I gave up 6 years ago) the decision so my heart is with you. Good luck!

Hi Anna, I also wanted to share my story and perhaps my approach may help you. I also started training my son when he was 3 and since he loves water getting him in the bathroom wasn't difficult. What I found encouraged him to pee was the fact that he can flush the toilet (without being told off as he used to go through to phases of toilet flashing for over 100 times and we had to lock all bathrooms) and then wash his hands. What can help you is a small visual drawing of the complete routine. Peeing was the easy part (though it took around 4 weeks of us encouraging him to go and afterwards he was asking to go) , the rest was more comfortable to do in a nappy. Persistance, awards, positive enforcement, even modelling it didnt help for a while and some days he would sit on the toilet for an hour with nothing and would hold it until we put a nappy for sleep time. As soon as we thought it worked I started toilet training my younger one and he regressed again going in the nappy. It took us good 2 days to be on the case and ensure he does it on the toilet once when we had enough of him requesting a nappy when he needed a poo. He just turned 4 and has been fully toilet trained and without a nappy during the day but still wets the nappy during night. It took around a year to get him fully trained so be patient, dont make it stressful time when accidents happen and lots of positive enforcement. You will get there!

Thanks Yossarian and all that contributed. My feedback to the proposed statement has gone in today and also visited the unit attached to mainstream where a place suddenly became available and decided to go for it. The teacher was lovely and my son engaged with her, briefly played with the other kids and i am sure this is the answer for him. The unit teaches 8 children in the morning and then integrates them in mainstream reception class every afternoon. Only thing left is to calm the sulking husband who thought I would give up the unit idea, however I am sure he will buy it once son starts progressing rather than I am sure will be regressing in mainstream in 33+ classroom. Well he has never taken him to therapy sessions nor attempted the recommended activities so not aware how hard work is to get ds to attend to activities and cooperate sometimes. Lots of weight off my back now

my son also got recently diagnosed days before he turned 4 so my heart is with you. And as they say, one door may be closing in our life but lots more are opening and with access to the right services there is hope! x

my LEA says the meeting is arranged within 15 days of receiving the appeal. But I am sure they are all different. Good luck with it!

I bumped into the SENCO (of the mainstream school that my son is probably going to attend) today and told her was going to appeal against 2 and 3 as the objectives are very broad and should be specific, quantified, measurable...She assured me thats what the school (she) will be doing once the Statement is finalised and told me I should relax about it and have a good summer before the big transitions ahead of me. She will make sure the objectives are SMART, its specified how often the ASD trained TA liasons with ST and OT, how long every week he received ST and OT from specialist and then have the programme delivered daily by the trained TA. The teacher visited my son in nursery and she was extremely pleased how well behaved, well mannered and cooperative he was considering he saw her for the very first time. I now dont know whether should go to the length to appeal to LEA about the proposed statement as the SENCO mentioned all the points that you all have mentioned above herself without me questioning every single detail. Or should I not take her word for it and go ahead with the appeal?

sorry forgot to add something about part 4. Considering there is no space in the units for this academic year I think I will pick the mainstream as I dont think its wise to move him half way through the year or do you think if a place becomes available I should immediately go for it as it may not wait for us until the following September? Although I think he will benefit from a smaller classroom I also want him to have a go in a mainstream...Decision making is really hard

Thank you all for the support and advice! I knew you were the experts. I will definitely request everything possible to be specific, quantifiable and measurable. This was only the proposed statement Sally and I have one more week to request the changes and a meeting. The PSB (Primary Support Base) units has children with a variety of special educational needs, mostly speech delayed and some with autism. They are all attached to mainstream schools where a transition is made when appropriate. We don't have autism units in the borough just autism special schools and after visiting them and gathered feedback from parents that have had children there I decided it was not the place for my son. The PSB's are all full starting this September (only 8 places at both units) and he is being placed on a waiting list should a child moves away or come September the unit is not best place to support their needs. I am not smart enough what to put in part 4 so please help me out. I am planning to choose the mainstream school where he already has a place and I have met with the SENCO last month and she already started planning for his transition (teacher is going to his nursery tomorrow, I am taking him 2-3 times next week, teacher from nursery will join me 1-2 mornings when he transitions to the school). With regards to support it will be a trained TA that will liaison with ST, OT, Senco and parents. Progress will be discussed every term and parents will be invited to meetings as well as the annual review. With regards to the learning difficulty, the EP had big input towards the proposed statement but each time she visited him in nursery he was highly uncooperative so she couldnt assess his cognitive skills and noted he can sort by shapes, colours, plays well and cooperates with familiar faces in familiar environment. Having said all that he had ST and OT visiting him and he was ok with them, dont think he warmed up to the EP at all. Any further comments will be much appreciated. Just called the Ed Officer this morning, she is on leave until Monday so I have time until then to think of all amendments. K x

Hello all, we were lucky to get Band E - 25 hours a week granted and it seems it will be in place for when my 4 years old starts school in September. Apologies for the long message, but is there something you think its missing? The school SENCO mentioned this morning they may need to apply for extra help to cover for the lunch and play hour as the 25 hours may not be enough. His new teacher will observe him in nursery on Wednesday to get the feeling if he needs that extra support. I would be grateful for any comments/additions you may have from your experience. He is set to go to the nearest mainstream school but on a waiting list for a Primary Support base unit within the borough as that was my preference in the parental view in the SA. My guy is mainly language delayed and needs motivation with fine motor skills. Thanks a lot! _______________________________________ Objectives are for him to: 1. Have access to the Foundation Stage leading to the National Curriculum at a level consistent with his ability 2. Develop language and social communication skills 3. Continue to develop social skills and interaction 4. Develop early learning and play schools 5. Increase his ability to engage with adult directed tasks 6. Improve fine motor and pre writing skills 7. Develop his self esteem and self confidence as a learner The school will be responsible for: 1. He has an entitlement to the Foundation Curriculum leading to the National Curriculum differentiated to take account of his particular needs and modified on an in-house basis to ensure maximum flexibility and attention to his academic and personal development. Consideration must be given to the level of the National Curriculum at which he will work, how the National Curriculum can be differentiated in content and delivery to take account of his learning difficulties, the rate of speed at which he can learn, how he records his work and the procedures relating to the end of Key Stage tests. 2. For lessons and activities to be made accessible to him taking into account his learning difficulties. This will involve short-term attainable goals i.e. activities must be broken into small manageable parts which will allow him to achieve success. 3. Liaison between the relevant school staff and speech and language therapists to develop programmes which can be integrated into the school curriculum to promote his language and communication skills. 4. Access to augmentative communication systems such as PECS as necessary. 5. Instruction and explanations will be broken down and presented in a simplified concise language with visual cues, and modelling where possible to aid understanding, with rephrasing and repetition of instruction as necessary. 6. Activities through which he can play and learn with children with normal language development to provide appropriate language models to enhance his communication skills. 7. Additional time will be allowed for him to process information and to respond to questions to account for his language difficulties. 8. Supported activities to enable him to socialise with his peers, both in free playtime and in more structured setting to develop peer interaction and social skills. 9. Modelling of social play skills, adult scaffolding of activities with other children and talking with him about his play to promote language and interaction skills. 10. Access to peers who provide good models of social skills and social interaction. 11. A focused and structured literacy and numeracy programme encompassing a range of activities and materials in the context of the National Curriculum. 12. Access to a multi sensory approach to learning, with opportunities for rehearsal and over learning of new concepts and skills 13. Frequent change of activity and pace in order to maintain his attention to task 14. Where possible directed activities will draw upon his interests and will be interspersed with tasks of his own choosing to promote his co-operation. 15. Liaison between relevant school staff and occupational therapists to develop programme to promote his fine motor and pre writing skills 16. Praise, rewards and success with frequent, detailed and specific feedback on tasks completed to encourage confidence as a learner and self esteem. 17. Close liaison with home, school and professionals involved in supporting him to ensure consistency of approach. 18. IEP with specific targets based on broad objectives to take into account his learning difficulties 19. A member of staff (SENCO) who has responsibility for him and who will co ordinate programmes for him. 20. An educational setting where he feels valued and staff are aware of his difficulties and strategies proposed to support his learning.

Hello all, Although I have been on this forum as a Guest and read so many helpful comments from parents, its time to introduce and say hi. My son, soon to be 4 was diagnosed with AS 2 weeks ago. We were scheduled to have the ADOS test and when we turned up for the appointment after leaving us waiting for over 30 mins (and my son had fever all night but decided to take him in as we waited months for this appointment) the paediatrician said that no further test were required and after reading the reports from SLT, OT, EP she said the diagnosis were obvious. I must admit I was slightly upset that she cancelled the test at no notice (I wouldnt have taken son with fever had I known this and would have gone by myself) but also appreciate we got given diagnosis that will help (I hope) with SA and he starts school in September. I was mainly upset because as she was taking me though the number of social and communication issues, she was pausing and reading the reports and I am sure she read them for first time that morning, hence the appointment run late. Anyway, I am here to talk to all of you, contribute where I can.