Hectorshouse

Canopus, just a word of warning, you can tape any meeting/telephone conversation etc .. BUT ... you must let the other party know they are being recorded, otherwise you might be in a tricky legal position. You may not have the right to use it as evidence and it can be seen as in invasion of privacy (ludicrous I know) as the other person was talking with out prior knowledge to your recording. I do use dictaphones, but I always inform the other parties, I wouldn't worry about people not letting their guard down with it their, you'd be surprised how quickly people forget about them. Use them definitely, but make sure you use them so you can use the evidence at a later date. HHxx

Hi MINeed, my parental representation was 9 pages long, plus many attachments in the form of reports gathered from professionals independently. I will keep fingers crossed for Tuesday for you, we're waiting to here as well but not until later in the week. Good luck, hang in there and remember we are here to share the burden. HHxx

Thanks Nellie and Phasmid ... I appreciate you advice but I have a few problems ... It was my choice not to put T straight into the nearest m/stream that had a place after meeting the SENCO where she made it quite clear that it would be inappropriate for T to be placed with them, how could I put him through the upheaval whilst the LEA sorted their act out and then placed him maybe in more appropriate provision. Although the SEN paperwork and recommendations from cornwall LEA bods was that T needed specialst provision, his statement still named a m/stream sec school, as the specialist provision in cornwall was full to overloaded! So I have a statement for m/stream school with the needs/provision on it for a child who SHOULD be in a special school. The LEA should get the paperwork back from the school this week, until they decide if they are going to agree/disagree to the placement I didn't think that there was anything really I could do, up until now they have been following guidelines, they have accepted the statement from cornwall and given T the highest banding of support for m/stream inclusion in Devon, I was then given the opportunity to visit the schools which as I have said were all TOTALLY inappropriate for T. I did consider the idea of T going into a school that had a place, but when the SENCO's gave me their opinions I felt I could not do that to T after all he has already been through, and then try and sort out the mess again. I was trying this time to get placement right first before I subjected him to school again, my plan was that if the LEA turn down our choice of placement that that was when I would then get in touch with the DfES as quite clearly the LEA have not and are not meeting the needs of his statement, and haven't done since our relocation, no alternatives have been offered and little or no support or adherence to the evidence from professionals gathered for his statement. HHxx

Your not wrong, we do have a right to parental preference but schools also do have a chance to refuse the place if they feel it would be an inappropriate use of resources or have a detrimental affect on the education of other students. If the LEA do not name the school of your choice on the statement you have right to appeal, the LEA have to justify their reasons, as does the school. HHxx

Thanks Annie, thats really helpful, I didn't realise that PP could refer for EOS, will speak to mine about it, saying that though, he is all but useless with everything else, very much in the LEA's back pocket!. HHxx

hmmmm food for thought this one ... but she must've had a point or reason for her unhappiness with the school, surely thats where the problems lay but without knowing the whole case I don't know. I'm trying to add up my letters, school x 5, visits to school ... farrrr to numerous to mention, lea x 5, other bods x 20 ... ooopssss can feel the court order looming. HHxx

Yep been there and got the t-shirt. T always had an aversion to clothes, and certain materials, fixings etc ... and the food thing was always difficult, didn't like textures in his mouth. Having said that though. T is 12 now, generally he keeps clothes on, still doesn't like zips or buttons, and as for food, T is now a food aholic, with no full button ... so its one extreme to another. Finding clothes they like is a start, T wore shorts for years and sandals even in winter, but it was either that, or him naked or in his pj's or having a meltdown ... hang in there, it does get easier, just lots more compromise and not really worrying that your child maybe wants to wear their spiderman outfit EVERYWHERE. T is not a follower of fashion, he likes comfey clothes, snuggly jumpers and sox at a push, but his dress sense is highly entertaining sometimes, but as long as he's happy I don't worry about it. HHxx

For those that know us on here, you'll know that we left Cornwall and moved back to Devon over the summer. This has lead to the envitable headaches of changing boroughs with a statemented child, but it had to be done. We had to sign off a far from perfect statement in Cornwall, so as we had a finalised statement to move with. Even though all the evidence from Cornwall suggests that the most appropriate placement for T would be in a special school, and the only reason m/stream was named was because the special school was full etc etc Devon have in their inifinite wisdom have now decided that T's needs would be best met in a local m/stream sec school Well with that I merrily took off round the local schools and drew a complete blank, every SENCO I saw felt that it would be inappropriate for T to be placed in their school due to his level of need and support, even with the funding from the statement, they all felt that the problems T had before would happen again, and that m/stream was infact inappropriate for him ... TELL ME SOMETHING I DON'T KNOW!!!! I did finally find one m/stream that had oodles of ASD experience, and a positive outlook as far as T's statement goes. The SENCO felt should could integrate T, and that school could be a positive experience, her understanding for ASD and triggers, and managing challenging behaviour was superb. Well I made my choice, informed the LEA, they sent the paperwork, the school read it thoroughly and its still not good news. The HT was extremely worried about T's challenging behaviour, as was the Yr Head, when I spoke to the SENCO about it I did clearly state that the majority of T's problems were due to the mismanagment of his ASD and a clear lack of understanding into the nature of his rigidity and use of language etc ... So she's sending it back to the LEA, with their concerns noted, but now it is up to the LEA to decide Round and round we go, if T doesn't get a place their, and no other school in the locale will take him ... what the F**k is he supposed to do. The LEA do not feel he needs a special school, EVERY SENCO I spoke feels he does, the only school that might be able to take him are uncomfortable about it, as they do not want him to have to experience anymore exclusions/failures. At this moment T hasn't been in school since nearly the end of summer term (his last exclusion!) its nearly half term and I am getting a little stressed its gonna be another week before I know the LEA's decision, at this rate its gonna be christmas, and T hasn't had any education, no integration with other children, I am trying bits and pieces of home eding, but with A being out of school as well (###### teenager!) its difficult ... HHxx

Unfortunately Tez this does happen, for some reason some SENCO's feel that they are being questioned in their own ability when it comes to statementing, they can then dumb down information, and some schools do not like having to be answerable for their SEN money, which they do have to be for statemented children. I am hoping though that your SENCO was just ill informed and uneducated about the true nature of your sons dx, ignorance breeds abuse, and her ignorance is culpable. Keep chasing those other reports though, you are entitled to see them, they might make further enlightening reading. hHxx

MINeed, what a great website, well done to your son. Its something I am gonna consider doing with T, just need him to sit still long enough to create a picture ... lovely idea, thanks for sharing it with us. HHxx

If your child has a statement this should also be included in it, but it often only is put in for pupils in their GCSE years. T has had a nightmare with SATS from the off, firstly he found losing his teacher for several weeks whilst she/he was involved in the sats, secondly the disruption to his routine was really difficult for him to handle. Personally SATS I felt were a waste of time, T was aware of them and the pressure, started talking and stressing about revising etc ... since KS2 he has been disapplied. HHxx

All went really well, T was a star, took his bloods without any fights, but he didn't like it don't blame him I wouldn't either. Very brave T XXXX Waiting to hear about fragile x, NF, carrotanemia (not sure how to spell that one), anyway one set of appointments out of the way and done. HHxx

T has his appointment with the Geneticist today .... dreading it, dreading him trying to take blood HHxx

Hi LKS ... I know exactly where your coming from ...! We had exactly the same experience with T when he first started secondary school. 15 hours support, promises of this that and whatever, and the reality was ... uninformed teachers, lack of empathy, a constant battle to get T the help he needed. What I can say is, don't let this go on to long, if the SENCO promised you handouts in lessons where there is not support keep chasing her up. I'd make an appointment with the maths teacher and ask them what they know about ASD ... ASD in mainstream schools, is meant to be a whole school approach, which means the maths teacher SHOULD know about it, but probably won't! This kind of approach by the school will only be detrimental to your son, because there will come a time, when the h/wk hasn't been done, he has a wobble at some sarcastic comment that he's not understood and then got more confused, either he will become challenging within the classroom, or get more challenging for you to get him into school. I don't mean to be alarmist, but this ambivalent approach by the school, and the lack of attention to his statement is exactly our experience with T, take 'em by the horns and give 'em a good shake! don't let them get away with giving your son poor provision ... you can ask for a copy of his t/table and when he has support marked on it, I would also get in touch with the Autistic Team/Communications Team, if he needs support for his recording skills .. where is that support etc ...? Write it all down, and keep a copy, send it to the Autistic Team as well, I'd even be tempted to meet with the HT, but thats me ... in for a penny in for a pound! What does his IEP say? T used to have a 'passport' which he gave to new teachers/supply etc ... that used to give information about his ASD and his needs, this might be a good suggestion for you SENCO. i.e. the literal interpretation/seating arrangements/writing difficulties/toilet problems/ etc ... Hope your ok, HHxx

Different areas call them different things, some have a specific autism team, some have a communication information disorder team, but each lea are meant to have some kind of ASD plan and team ... the reality isn't always the same tho. HHxx

I haven't ironed for 8 years and proud!!!! I sold everything I owned after my husband died and converted a 44 seat coach into a home and travelled around with my tribe ... I know I was a bit barking at the time but hey ho!!! Up until that point I had ironed for as long as I could remember, I think it started with tea-towels at age 7 and then a gradual progression on from there. When considering a life living on a bus, I took into consideration the fact that I didn't think it was necessary to be ironing on a bus, getting washing done was difficult enough But back in the real world (a house that is) I never returned to the ironing ideology ... its all in the folding, shaking etc ... I am extremely fussy, we never looked unironed and if anyone wants anything ironed they know where the iron (that doesn't work very well) is! There is a knack to it, and life without ironing is so much better. HHxx

Its a term that doesn't bother me, either for use for myself or my son. I agree with Lucas on this one, it is not a term born out of ignorance its a term used with familiarity to the condition ... in fact I take the mick out of my partner sometimes when he is being very literal about everything or being over anal about things i.e like insisting bags of stuff in the freezer have to have a peg on them so as the contents doesn't spill out ... then I turn to him and say 'feeling a bit Asperger's today honey ..!' I'm not being derogative about any of it, but I like to see the lighter side of things, life would be so dull if everything was sooo serious. Asperger's/Aspie/ASD/Autist ... labels ... schmabels! I just think me and T are just quirky. HHxx

I knew there was an easier way .. you can tell I've been out of the loop for a while ... dooh! HHxx

I found this 'strategy and provision for pupils with need on the austistic spectrum' from Devon LEA http://www.devon.gov.uk/asdstrategy.pdf I know its not linked directly to the banding enquiry, but it carries on from Phas's links earlier. HHxx

I think it depends very much on the school and the level of the childs needs, some schools are great and can accomodate accordingly, some are nothing better than c**p!!!! and thats on a good day. Unfortunately what there isn't is any consistent level of the standard of schooling and meeting of needs for children with ASD. It is very much a lottery. Bullying is a problem for children with ASD, T has been a victim on numerous occasions, the hardest bullying to get acknowledged is when he is deliberately wound up by another child who nows exactly what they're doing and T subsequently explodes ... the distress that this causes T is awful, first he gets in trouble for something in his eyes he didn't do (the being wound up) 2nd he meltsdown completely when he gets more and more confused by it all, 3rd he gets sent home, finally he gets home to continue to meltdown, usually ending in me trying to leave him till calm and talk him into a lavender bath ... sometimes works sometimes doesnt ... This is still bullying, the other child knew exactly what they were doing and what would happen! But it is T who had to spend the complete day in an anxious and confused state, long after all the poking, prodding, mimicking, stealing from etc has finished. HHxx

It took just under a year, but we had to go down the private route, the nhs waiting time was 18mths to 3 years for initial assessment ... at that time T was a permanently exploding bomb, school was hell, home was hell, and I couldn't wait, I was fortunate in that my partners parents paid for his assessments. What I wish I had known about then was BIBIC, which is a charity and does the complete range of assessments over a 2-3 day period, it does cost but there are burary's available to those on low incomes. We haven't done it .. yet, giong later in oct as a follow up to everything else that has been going on. But those that I now that have, thought it fantastic but very draining, worth every penny. HHxx

Found this on ACE's website a complete A - Z of education jargon, covers the lot, all the fancy titles and abbreviations, with explanations .. http://digmeout.demonweb.co.uk/advice/jargon.html HHxx

gvce welcome to world of abbreviations ... its like some sad american military/political drama, but once you get the hang of it, its ok. Learning the lingo is definitely worth it, I'm sure I've got a link with loads of them on somewhere, I'll go and have a dig ... HHxx

Awwww you guys ... thanks for the warm welcome back, LKS great to see you still here, I've really missed being on line, only prob now is northing is getting down .. house looks like a bombsite ... I am trying to catch up on threads so excuse me if I bumble around a bit. HHxx

Yep you got it, they can be called a number of things depending upon borough or training .. T A = teaching assistant S N A = special needs assistant HHxx