muppet

Thanks for all your comments peeps. Me thinks this is just the thin end of the wedge and it will happen regardless of our opinions, I'm looking at the long term hence my question to you all. I've previously locked horns with the LEA over my sons statement and got it completely rewritten and the hours doubled, talking to them doesn't work - you have to wrong foot them.

My son – 8 years old, Year 4 - attends a main stream primary in Lincolnshire, he has been diagnosed as having an autistic spectrum disorder, he has a statement of special education needs that equates to 15 hours support and I am in receipt of DLA for him. The LEA are in the process of changing the way statementing process is carried out, as I understand it the school will be given a pot of money for SEN based on some sort of contrived formula linked to the number of children receiving free school meals(!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?). My question is: My son has SEN, because of his SEN he is unable to access the curriculum with out the support provided by the funding in his statement, therefore, if the funding he receives is reduced based on the criteria the LEA wish to apply as opposed to his identified needs then he is being discriminated against because he has SEN. If he did not have SEN then he would be able to access the curriculum. I looked at advice on the NAS site: Is the less favourable treatment for a reason that is related to the child's disability? Is it less favourable treatment than another pupil would get if the above reason does not apply to him or her? Is it less favourable treatment that cannot be justified? I interpret this as meaning he is potentially being discriminated against. I appreciated the vagaries and lack of clarity surrounding this area so I’d appreciated any opinions or advice anyone would care to give. Fanks

http://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/section.asp...84255&ovt=1

It seems as though they are trying to do away with statements as such and give the schools a pot of money for them to allocate as they see fit. I'm assuming there will still be some sort of assessment process but who does what and who decides or is in control still doesn't seem clear. I can't make the meetings either. Call me cynical but why such short notice and why so few meetings that very few people will be able to attend.....................HHHHMMMMMMMM

Hi All, For those of you in Lincolnshire you may or may not be aware that the NHS and Lincs County Council are carrying out a survey of Children with an Autistic Spectrum Disorder. "Survey of Children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder NHS Commissioners and their partners are keen to find out what you think of the services that are currently available in Lincolnshire for children and young people with Autistic Spectrum Disorder. The survey aims to gain information about your experiences, views and opinions. This information will then be used to shape future services to fit your needs." It doesn't appear to be very well publicised (unless I'm not looking in the right places) - I contacted the council to get a website link but there doesn't appear to be one instead I have a word document of the survey if anyone would like a copy.

Hi Sensay, I've got to say MandaPanda is absolutely spot on, especially about AS being a personality type - NOT a disability - I wish I was as articulate and as eloquent I'm a single Dad - with or with out AS depending upon who you talk to , my 7 year old son has AS. We have an amazing bond and I intuitively know what makes him tick and understand his logic in ways that most people cannot. Many education proffesionals have disagreed with me and belittled and patronised me and my understanding of my son. They labelled him as a spoilt, naughty boy as a result of me being an overbearing, over protective and over anxious parent but in the last few months the boy has proved those same proffesionals wrong and now they are having to eat their words . I guess what I'm trying to say is follow your instincts and believe in what you are doing, you will do the right thing with out even realising it - it wont be easy but it will give you so much, bringing up my son has given me a better insight into myself and the world around me, together we will both grow into it. Look out world cus Muppet and Shifty are coming <'> Woo Hoo

Hi Natbasher, I lurk a lot on this forum but rarely respond as I never quite know what to say so say nothing rather than the wrong thing but after reading your post I felt the urge to reply. My son was diagnosed almost a year ago, it was no surprise to me as I'd "known" that he was since an early age. His diagnosis also brought into very sharp focus that there was a very real and very strong possibility that I too am AS - again something I've felt for a very long time. My biggest fear has always been that being a single parent with limited support that it is the blind leading the blind. When the boy was diagnosed it was a huge relief and I actually felt it would be the making of him, the biggest "handicap" he has is other peoples ignorance. What it meant for us was that we were not wrong - despite what his school continually told us - we just think and do things differently and have abilities and qualities that bring a whole new perspective to everyday life. Try this - google famous people with aspergers - you will be suprised. They say that Winston Churchill was AS. My grandad used to tell me - "Keep b***ering in lad!!!!"

Hi Peeps, Thank you all for sharing your experiences and thoughts and feelings. I asked this question as the school refused to acknowledge that the boy shows any signs of anxiety when at school which I found very difficult to understand when they complained about his complete lack of attentiveness and his refusal to comply with some of the teachers etc etc etc. It all made sense to me when at a review meeting key members of staff revealed that they didn't know what the triad of impairments was - hhhhhhmmmmmm me thinks they haven't got a clue!!!!!! Looks like THEY need educating. Thanks again.

Hi Peeps - Muppet in need of advice please. From your experiences of children with an ASD or indeed your own experiences of an ASD - how does anxiety manifest itself and what are the resulting behaviour patterns (in general terms), particularly in the School environment? The reason I ask - with out going into detail and being as positive about the school as possible - is that his teachers do not seem to recognise that an ASD child has huge difficulties with focus, concentration and resultant anxiety. They do not think he has any anxiety at school (other than what I give him from being overbearing and anxious!?!?!?!?!?!?!?) because they do not see any signs of it - my suspicion is that they just see him as a "naughty boy" and have done for the last 2 years, hhhhmmmm, I wonder if that's why I'm anxious. I'd appreciate any opinions or comments you'd care to give - I want to make sure I'm not being too blinkered or overcritical before I take up the challenge. Ta very muchly

Thanks Peeps

From my son's perspective I wouldn't HE simply because it would not give him the social interaction and skills which are equaly, if not more important, than paper qualifications.

Hi Peeps, I would like some opinions from parents and LSA'a/TA's/Teachers on the following please. My son's statement states that his designated 1:1 should be suitably experienced/qualified to support a child with an ASD. I queried this with the LEA and thier unofficial response was that this means that the person should have worked with and supported an ASD child before. The school have appointed a 1:1 who is an existing helper at the school and who I understand has no qualifications or experience supporting an ASD child. Also the daughter of the 1:1 is in the same class as my son and is a good friend of his. My concern is that the appointment is inappropriate on the grounds of lack of experience/qulifications and that her daughter being in the same class is potentially compromising for my son, the 1:1 and her daughter and would also cause a conflict of interests for the 1:1. I'd appreciate any opinions you'd care to make so that I can adopt a balanced attitude. Ta very muchly

Thanks Peeps

Hi Peeps, Can any one tell me to whom I should address my concerns if I feel the school are not meeting the agreed actions and procedures detailed in my sons statement? I am currently discussing issues with the head but I can see a brick wall rapidly approaching. Do I go to the governors or should I raise my concerns with the Education Officer of the LEA? Any help and opinons gratefully recieved. Muppet

Hi All, I'm just emerging from the other side of the statement process with a very positive outcome, to cut a long story short they offered 10 hours, I appealed for 30 (well, you never accept the first insurance claim do you?!?!?!?! ) - and it seems that we will settle on 20. A VERY useful document was the Executive, Summary Overview and Recommendations of the Childrens Services Scrutiny Panel - available here - http://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/upload/publ...ional_Needs.pdf If your Authority is Lincolnshire then I strongly suggest you read this document and quote it back to them - especially sections2, 4 and 6 - it worked for me.