phasmid

The DDA currently only applies to schools from KS3 and above. KS2 and lower will have to abide by it from Dec 3rd this year. Then, as you say, they will have to provide at least one disabled parking space. Currently they do not need to have one. However they should be writing a Disability Equality Scheme and inviting the views of disabled parents, pupils, staff and visitors - if they are sensible they will also be seeking the views of parents of disabled children - as a part of this process. I'd be asking them if they are setting up a forum and if you can be on it if I were you JenRose.

You're quite right. Turn that quote on its head and approach it from that angle and it appears they have to act on a request if you make it. Go for it!

Been having a think about this. Somewhere I am sure I have read that it may be possible to apply within the 6 months set out in the CoP if you have substantial new evidence to present (new dx of a further problem for example). Can't find where I read this though. If I find it I'll post you the link up.

Sect 7.21 of the SEN CoP states that LEA's must act on a parental request for assessment of needs "..unless they have made a statutory assessment within 6 months of the date of the request". However, regardless of whoever makes the initial request you have the right of appeal to SENDIST if they turn you down. But, in all honesty, the chances are that the 6 month limit before a new request can be made will pass before you can get to SENDIST!

I think you have little choice left to you now. If this is the only provision available to you then your going to have to either take him out and home ed as suggested or put a stop to it. If you go with the former then what's to stop this carrying on with someone else's child? If you go with the latter then you have given them plenty of chances to sort this and yesterdays events would seem to show they are not going to stop this without being made to stop it. A formal complaint to the CoG would have to be investigated. If that fails to fix things then you complain to the LEA. The ofsted route that is now open to you might be worth looking at as well. Time to fight fire with fire.

Mel you should be so proud of your son. He has taken control of this situation by allowing the other child into his personal space. More than that he has made a start on making a possible friendship with him. Its very early days admittedly but it does sound like some progress is being made, at last! Your feelings of anger and frustration at the way this whole thing are more than justified, imo. The school could have done this long before now and I have to question why they failed to do so. In your position I would be keeping my options about a possible complaint over this firmly open...and making sure the school were aware of this too. I hope that this is the beginning of the end the nightmare for you all and that things get better for you all from here on in.

If the teacher won't do anything and the head won't listen then I still say it is time to go over their heads and complain to the CoG. Would they do nothing if this child was doing this to a member of staff? I doubt it. So why should he get away with it just because it is a fellow pupil? He shouldn't. They are supposed to be a specialist unit geared up for this. It needs to be stopped. Get hold of the anti-bullying policy (a public document your entitled to see) and pick them up on their failings.

You are going to have to get tough on this...the unit is letting this other student terrorise Jay. What sanctions are being used to deter this other boys behaviour...any? They must be seen to be supporting Jay as much as the other child. Jay has the right to go to school and be free from this type of behaviour. Your being given excuse after excuse after excuse. They are simply not facing up to the problem, this other child is being allowed to ruin Jay's education. How long until he flatly refuses to attend a unit that is supposed to be a specialist environment for him? What do they intend to do then. Sorry Oxgirl but in your position a letter of complaint would be going in first thing tomorrow! They have no right to blame Jay, they have no right to expect him to cope! They have no right to allow this to carry on!!!

Are the staff aware of what is going on at the time, and if they are what are the staff doing when this is happening? They cannot ignore it, nor can they blame Jay for reacting to it - any child would react to being bullied. He has every right to object to being bullied. What's more they must react to it. It may be difficult because the other child concerned has issues but, that does not allow them to ignore it. All children have the right to an education free from the fear of being bullied or harrassed (in fact that is a part of the UN convention on the rights of the child). Having been made aware of this the school must react to it. Of course he seems to be over-reacting, that, is a big part of ASDs, not being able to express your emotions in the 'normal' way. They ought to know this! As all other approaches seem to have failed I would sugest a complaint, in writing, is made to the chair of governors. Ask them to investigate what is going on. Get hold of a copy of the schools bullying policy first and on every point they are failing on stick it in the letter...pull them up on it point by point by point. Give them a set amount of time to respond - a week is good - and make it clear that in the meantime you expect Jay, as a vulnerable child, to be closely watched and the other child to be prevented from bullying him. Jay is a victim here and therefore needs protecting not blaming!

Is this the sort of thing you mean?

This seems to be a favourite tactic used by far too many LEAs. It is often NOT the case that the LEA itself is on holiday over school holidays like Easter and Whitsun. In the meantime you have been left to stew. As a male school employee this is something we are warned about. Basically you should not put yourself in a position where an allegation 'could' be made against you. That should be rule number one, taught on day number one. You have every right to be concerned. This treatment IS wrong for ANY child, never mind one with AS. A male member of staff can restrain a female pupil although it would be preferable for it to be a female member of staff. See above. Then the LSA has no business being elsewhere. This is not open to debate. As these are statemented hours it means the school are under a legal obligation to provide them. That's ridiculous. Where are the records from each annual review? What do they say? Etc, etc!! That simply shows that the school/LEA have not carried out proper reviews in accordance with the CoP. Following the assessment who was supposed to provide this? The health people or the education people? My guess is it wasn't made clear at the time and they will have been being arguing over it ever since. It needs to be clarified. Don't dismiss it out of hand, at least have a look at it before making your mind up on it. It could be the right environment for her - it's possible. If you look and it isn't then at least it will be an informed decision. The problem with the 'right' unit may not be an easily solved one. Sounds to me as if you need everyone involved with your daughter to sit down together and talk to each other. A full scale review needs to be done as a matter of urgency. I would suggest you write to the LEA seeking a review as soon as possible - give them a time limit to respond. I hope you get it sorted, for all your sakes.

Phas jr had post viral syndrome about a year ago. It left him very washed out and constantly tired after very little activity and of course any little bug knocked him for 6, she's going to be very fragile till she's fully recovered. The school need to accept this is the case and be supporting her through it. When you couple this with the fact she has suffered an assault in the playground AND her AS its no wonder she is reluctant to go out at break times. Why is her LSA working with another child? Does your daughter have a statement? If so then the hours on it are the hours of support she should be getting - end of, no question. These can only be changed at annual review if the school can prove she has improved. Fair enough that may mean backing the support off a bit in order to show this but, a 50% reduction to do this seems excessive. Does the disability training the staff are getting include training on ASDs? I know it's a two-edged sword that they are getting awareness training during teaching time but at least they're getting some! Each and every member of staff involved in physical intervention HAS to have received training in the correct techniques to be used - for their own sake as well as your daughters. Also each time this happens a log should be filled out. Ideally it should state: What prompted the incident. The behaviour that took place and their reaction to it. The consequences of this. Not just that they had to use some form of restraint. There is no way that they should be touching her UNLESS she is presenting herself as a danger to staff, visitors, pupils or herself. You say this isn't the case so what reason are they giving for the use of force? If it is to get her out into the playground then clearly they have no, or little, understanding of the difficulty children with ASDs have at social times to know that these times are often the cause of distress. Reacting in the manner you describe is totally unacceptable! As a behaviour support specialist working in a middle school there is no way on earth I would allow any staff members to react to your daughter in the way you report they are. Ask, in writing, to see the schools policies for: Disabilities. Restraint. Disability awareness training: Including their; Disability Equality Scheme. stating that you are unhappy with the manner in which your daughter is being treated. I would also advise raising this with the Chair of Governors as well by cc'ing a copy of the letter to them too. As well as contacting IPSEA as already suggested I would be contacting the Disability Rights Commission and seeking their advice as well.

I posted a link to these some time ago. Try here. Perhaps it could be pinned so everyone could find them easily in the future.

You will have to do some leg work to start with. LEAs will (or should) give you a list of schools that they run which is supposed to help with the process of selecting a secondary school but they won't give you a feel for what they are like or if they will suit your child. There's only one way to do this properly. Habe a look on this thread. I posted up the advice sheet for transition I wrote for my dissertation on it. Hope it helps a bit.

Asking for help has to be made into a habbit really. Even then some pupils won't. The trick here is to notice it and offer the help without being asked. It is important that the way you approach it is right too. As you say asking 'Are you ok?' won't necessarily get the question your trying to ask answered. You have to be a lot more direct than that. Instead try 'Would you like me to read the question for you?' or 'Do you understand what the question means?'...depending on how much 'help' you're allowed to give them of course. As for the extra time issue many won't take it in a main exam room for the very reason you state. If they also decline the offer of a quiet room there is nothing you can do about it I'm afraid. Eta: Have you spoken to the schools examination officer? Applications to exam boards for extra time etc have to be made through offical channels and ahead of the exam concerned with the reasons for it being backed up with evidence. The exam officer should know this!