Joels_mum

I think people with ASC can find comfort in the narrowly structured thought processes and routines of cults and high control groups, although that doesn't mean that their involvement is harmless - far from it. I've had a fair bit of experience of both (cults and autism). When you leave a high control group, it can be difficult to unravel who you truly are and which parts are the cult imposed identity. I would highly recommend you do some reading; try Combatting Cult Mind Control and Releasing The Bonds, both books by Steve Hassan. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Combating-Cult-Mind-Control-Best-selling/dp/0892813113 This is Steve's website: http://freedomofmind.com/ There are resources to help people deal with the psychological fallout of all sorts of different high control groups.

He's doing grand at pre-school, he's not at all fazed by the environment but he learns better in a 1:1 or small group setting. We're going to see one more school this week just so we will feel we have explored all options.

Thanks Sally, yes the LEA wrote to us in November to say they were starting a statement. I have seen copies of the reports from the Educational Psychologist, the SALT and pre-school evaluation. We filled in the forms we were asked to also. We went to see the first schools in the new year, both specialist schools in other LEAs (our LEA doesn't have a school or even a mainstream school with unit attached!) There was basically a balls up when our council was split a couple of years back and they suddenly realised after the event that all the autism provision sat within the other council's boundary. The child development centre have recommended Joel goes to a specialist school; the only other option is that there is a mainstream school with 'resource provision' (basically a teacher, a couple of teaching assistants and a room) but the pupils are expected to spend 70-90% of their time in the mainstream classroom and there are doubts Joel could do that. We were told by the out of county special schools that children in their own LEA have to be given priority for places so time is of the essence. It was the paediatrician's report that was holding things up but I believe that has been sent now.

Thanks Beth, Joel has been in pre-school with an IEP for 2 years. Plenty of autstic children here in Cheshire East but no SEN provision.

Our son was diagnosed last March, he was due to start early years foundation stage in the September. Since he's an August baby so young for the school year we decided to hold him back a year to give time for him to progress and to get a statement arranged. The statementing procedure was started in November and we still don't have it yet! I've seen various documents that will go into it so we know more or less what it will say but we can't nominate a school yet. Add to this that our LEA has no specialist schools or units so we will be applying out of county and it feels as though our chances of getting the right school are slipping away each day. I hate the uncertainty. The worst thing about autism IMO is the bureaucracy it subjects you to.

I've been reading up on this and some LEAs only pay as little as 20p per mile. I don't know what ours pays. I would consider moving house but it kind of ###### me off that I would have to foot the bill for that when we wouldn't even be considering it if it wasn't for the fact our LEA has NO autistic units.

Thanks for the replies. The schools are in two different LEAs (in opposite directions) and are state, not private. We are visiting both schools this week; Joel's statement should be completed by the end of the month. Both schools have told us they have places in September at the moment so we just need to find the best fit for him.

The local special school is only up the road from us but most of the children have severe physical disabilities and the Child development centre at the hospital don't feel that it would meet his needs. I'm inclined to agree from what I've seen of it. They have recommended we apply for a place at a specialist autistic school that has experience of using PECS as Joel is non-verbal.

Thanks Justine, I did post a few months ago and at the time we thought their may be an option for a local special school but that's off the cards now. There is a lot of pressure for the local authority to provide a school or unit at a minimum but it's unlikely to happen before next September.

Our son was due to start school last September but we deferred a year for a few reasons: 1. He is one of the youngest in the school year with an August birthday, 2. He was only diagnosed last April and hadn't yet got a statement, and 3. There is no asd provision in the local schools. We have a choice of two; both are a 45 minute journey away and at just turned 4 I thought the day would be way too long for him once 1.5 hours journey time is factored in. We are in the process of getting a statement and will need to nominate a school. I've been to see one but not the other yet. The local authority have said they will pay for a taxi for him but I am still concerned about the amount of travelling he will have to do. The other options are to home school or for us to move closer to one of the schools. Of course then, we would be moving to a new LEA and we would need to start the statementing process again. I'm not opposed to moving but I do feel this would not be necessary if the local council were making adequate educational provision for asd children. Any opinions on the options? Has anyone moved house to be near a school? We would be moving 15-20 miles; it would still work wih my job but it would involve uprooting my older daughter from school.

Does anyone have any ideas of how I can stop my son, aged 4, from playing with his 'winkle' as we call it and then leaving it out of his nappy and wetting himself? It drives us mad, he constantly wets his clothes and bedding. If we tell him to leave it alone he will but then 10 seconds later he'll be playing with it again. The only way to stop him getting access is to put him in his sun suit but it's not ideal all the time!

Hi, The school is council run, it's in a different council area and the CDC teacher told us that they can secure placements but they are limited because the other council charges our council around £200,000 a year for each place. We obviously wouldn't move unless we were sure of him getting a place but if the statement could change because we had moved, that could be a problem! Thanks for all the advice and comments; it helps to speak to people who know about it.

I think we've been really fortunate so far in that the pre-school recognised the signs as soon as he went there (as I had) and really worked with us to push for assessment. The CDC has also been great; when I hear about the nightmares people in other areas have had with getting diagnosis and support, I am so relieved we've not had to go through that.

Hi Justine, Thanks for your reply. The only unit in town has mostly children with ADHD. I really worry that Joel would be sat in a corner scared because the teacher at the CDC said that most of the children there are pretty vocal and physical and he is so quiet and gentle. She seemed to be guiding us in the direction of the specialist school and said she would fight for him to get a place but the funding can be difficult because the other council would charge £200,000 per year for the place! That's partly why I thought it would make more sense for us to move but as you say, the last thing we want is to go to the expense and hassle of moving for him not to get in. The pre-school he's at is outstanding and it's undoubtedly the best place for him for now. The primary school attached is excellent but isn't quite so good when it comes to special needs from what we've heard.

Hi all, I'm looking for words of wisdom from those who have been here before. Our son Joel is 4 (it's actually his birthday today) and he was due to start school next month after spending a year in pre-school. We only got an official diagnosis of autism in April and Joel has an IEP in place and has 15 hours one-to-one at pre-school. After discussion with the Child Development Centre, we decided it would be best for him to stay another year in pre-school rather than go to primary school in September and school admissions agreed to this. The problem is, there is no specialist provision in our area for autism so we're at a bit of a loss as to what to do next year. He is likely to get his statement at the beginning of the new term. The options which have been suggested to us are: to send him to a school with a unit attached; the only one here is not attached to a great school and the unit is not specifically for autistic children. The next option is to send him to mainstream with support although the CDC teacher thinks that if Joel doesn't improve much in the coming months, this wouldn't be ideal. The last option is a specialist school. There isn't one in our area; the nearest one is about 20 miles away and under a different council. I don't want for him to have to travel 40 miles a day but I would like him to go to the best school for him. So perhaps we should consider moving house? We own our home so it would mean selling up; it wouldn't be a problem in terms of our jobs but we would have to uproot my daughter from her school. Before making such a drastic change, should we give it a shot in mainstream anyway? Is there any help/support for parents who have to relocate because there is no provision in their area? Joel's main problem is communication and comprehension. He is a good natured, affectionate little boy and I am somewhat concerned that he could be overwhelmed by the environment of a unit where other children may be more physical or demanding of attention. Any advice?