If anybody is thinking of emigrating to New Zealand, I would say "don't do it if you have a child with Aspergers Syndrome" .... I say this because we moved out here December 2007 and after 1.5 terms of him being in year 6 in his mainstream School here, I have removed our Son from School. He could not cope basically with it all. He's 11 and the problem with New Zealand's education for us is the following. It's two years behind the UK curriculum anyway (our Daughter was also bored and she is 8 but she is still attending the NZ School here till December 2008) and our Son is currently removed due to bullying, tension and getting so stressed out altogether.
He has been under the local health authority the past two weeks, the social services here are a godsend (really, they are that good!) and our lad is to receive a home teacher at no cost to us until 20th December starting from two weeks time, 4 out of 5 days per week!
Anyway, I rang the UK two weeks ago after I had taken him out to ask if his statement of special needs is valid cause we only got it last year when he was nearly 10 and they told us it is and then they advised me that they rang us Feburary 2008 to advise we had a place at an Aspergers School for him (1 in 8 spaces available at the Unit every year and he was ideal candidate - how I cried when I heard that!) but they found out from his old mainstream Junior School we had gone off to New Zealand. We have made such a balls up of it all but hey at least we are seeing the world I suppose.
Anyway, problem here is New Zealand is very far behind in understanding Aspergers in general. Also to receive a teachers aide (they call them RTLB's here!), a child must have learning difficulties or behaviour problems. Our Son has neither of these because he is incredibly high functioning, of above average intelligence and well behaved.
Basically I went to an Aspergers Support Group up the road here where I am currently and I was the most knowledged one on the subject there!
So if anybody is thinking of emigrating to New Zealand, I would suggest do your homework with regard to the education and what happens if your child cannot cope!
I would say there is just as much bullying here, just as many special needs kids with behavioural problems and looking at the kids in the locality, I see lots of autistically challenged kids and I think half of them are undiagnosed!
Five kids have been removed from our School since February this year (only 1.5 terms into the new year here as first term starts in February!) so basically, if you are thinking about coming out here, contact me first and I will tell you all about it and answer any questions you may have.
We are happy to be going home for our Son because basically we love our Son more than we love New Zealand.
If anybody does emigrate, don't be one of those pommies that loses contact with friends and family (I have met many of those out here too). Luckily, I have stayed in touch and the old village in UK is looking forward to our return.
I personally wish I could just fly home next week but as furniture takes 12 weeks to get back to UK, well we may as well stay here for a bit longer and explore.
I bumped into the old Teacher of my Son's class today around the shops and she said" I miss your Son and please tell him that he can come back to School anytime he likes before you leave for UK again" and I asked if she had noticed he had developed walking around with claw like hands in her class and she said yes and I said did you notice he was stressed and she said no!
Our Son has dyspraxia but it has gone off the scale here and he has walked around like he has arthritic claw hands.
In our old village, he had 4 good friends (all non autistic) and they all called for him etc. Basically I think it helped that they liked him anyway but I explained to them what it means to have Aspergers and they were all pretty cool about it. We are going home and I for one cannot wait!
Anyway .... just thought I would mention this to you all on the offchance any of you are considering New Zealand. Have already had one family thank me profusely on an expats website cause they were all for going till they realised how behind the education system out here is with regard to Aspergers.
By the way, my name is Linda, I am married to A, we have 2 kids - a boy, E aged 11 and a girl, G aged 8. Our Son has Aspergers Syndrome, Samantic Pragmatic Disorder (I had to tell the local mental health team what that meant cause they had no idea!!!!), dyspraxia, sensory overload issues and spacial awareness. I was informerly diagnosed by the Consultant aged 39 with Aspergers Syndrome and my Husband believes he has it too (I agree with him).... I am extroverted whereas he is introverted but we like and love each other and that is the best thing I think! He drives me mad, I drive him mad but hey, that's couples anyway for you!
Since moving to New Zealand we have got our Son to take up Tae Kwondo and he has just graded after 2 months for his yellow stripe yesterday and already we have noticed his body is steadier in itself. Also, taking him off the playstation/PC/internet has been the best thing ever! We limit him to one hour a day at the weekends and half an hour of a weekday if he is well behaved. This is the same child in the UK that was on it whenever he wanted to be.
When we return to the UK, he will be limited to only playing when his friends come over or he goes around a friend. When in alone he is not allowed at all.
We have also been told our Son, although he has lost his place at his Aspergers Unit, upon our return to UK, we are to advise local SEN Dept. at our Council and our lad will receive home tuition until a suitable place is found for him as he is not considered to be capable of mainstream.
Also, diet is another issue .... I now only give him (well everybody in the family actually) home made chicken nuggets, home battered fresh fish and fresh meat .... no processed stuff if we can help it!
Anyway .... be great to get to know some of you over the next few weeks!
