Tamara

Hi, Our OT report suggested CBT would be useful to explore, but our child is too young (8 now was 7 then). We took advice from our EP who does it and she said the youngest she'd ever done was a 10 year old. She said it was important that the person wanted it to work and were open to trying. Our buy has AS and every year struggles with flying insect phobia which gradually diminishes through the season. He really wants help with this and a few other things. We often plant ideas in his mind which after processing he takes as his own and repeats like mantras, positive mental attitude. We were recommended a self help guide to CBT. 'Overcoming your Child's fears and worries' Cathy Creswell & Lucy Willetts it's quite easy to read. Hope you find that helpful. Tamara

Thanks for all that advice. I think I'm getting my head round it now. Whilst applying for a statement everyone feels it's more important to focus on the primary reason being his exceptional cognitive ability (BAS scores at the ceiling of the test 145 in numerical ability, reading and spelling ( we paid for privately in March but with agreement of the school EP))rather than behavioural difficulties as these are more managable when he is where his AS is undersood. It will be in our favour when applying to such special schools if his record reads as it will with 2 fixed exclusions then 'Educated off site'. We are waiting for a statement (we had to request ourselves because school dragged their feet) and because of the 6 week exception of the summer holiday that will be at least January. We plan to get the statement checked by a specialist SEN solicitor and are fully financially prepared to take it to appeal, but the way we have conducted ourselves with the LEA with regards to tight paperwork correspondence from the outset, I hope they will save us all the time and money but making the correct decision. Parent Partnership have been helpful checking the legal position, but we've taken a lot of advice and done our homework too ;o). My job in the mean time will be to try and get flexible working and keep everyone on an evenish keel. Happy Holiday!! Thanks again, Tamara

Hi, Our near 7 year old has Asperger's and has had 2 fixed term exclusions pretty much back to back, one for violence against 3 staff and a pupil and the other for 'persistent disruptive behaviour and escalating violence towards adults'. We have been regularly writing to them about issues since January. About 2 weeks ago at an emergency TAC/CIN meeting the school stated it 'could no longer meet his needs' and we all agreed on a closure on his time at the school as it was only 3 and a bit weeks to the end of term and, now that the behaviour we have been documenting, addressing with difficulty and writing to everyone about for months has finally transferred into school we were not the least bit surprised. Of course it was OK for us to put up with that at home! My grievance is that I thought that was a permanent exclusion but at the next TAC/CIN meeting today it seems it was not. Although this raises an issue of funding for his PRU unit place in September white the statement we requested is put together. We all agreed about the grave concern of sending him to certain failure at the junior school his brother currently attends, result being that he will not be on the school roll anywhere! His Primary head admitted she does not know what code to use for his absence and the chair of the meeting (Children's Services Area Manager) assured us he would find a way through the funding issue and it was better not to have the permanent exclusion label on his record. What do you think? Is he covering his back from the inevitable scrutiny? (especially seeing that they informally and illegally excluded him in March for assaulting at least one adult which is documented and then failed to do an IEP or CAF until the middle of June the day before it all blew up 'unpredictably'). Would it be a help or hindrance in special school selection or accessing the help he needs? I certainly feel that if the illegal exclusion was recorded properly maybe some of these services would have started sooner and alleviated some of the problems. Tamara