Clarkie

Hi Folks, Thank you one and all for all your support yesterday - it was a nightmare. However, charge your glasses - the LEA have agreed the named school!!!!!!!!! BUT Don't drink yet.... They will not agree to the funding!!!!!!!!! The LEA panel have stated that funding must be met 3 ways - with Health and SS. Health have already said no and...well, you can just imagine what SS are going to say. I can't believe they are now going to make him wait with nothing to do for an indefinite period of time. He's not being educated and they have a responsibility to educate him. It's still another month until Christmas. We have asked that some emergency funding be put in place to allow him to attend the 3 day assessment at the school. They said they would get back to me. So, even though it is going to happen which is a huge step forward he is still in the same position as yesterday. So people, what do I do now? Clarkie

HE SLEEPS

Thanks for the support people Clarkie

BYE

UH OH

Thank You Thank You Thank You Clarkie

Can anyone suggest any games on the inernet? We've been looking but not had much joy Thanks people Clarkie

Glad your Mom is doing better - but why is it we have to fight so hard to look after our families. Good to hear someone else use the expression "Boil yer heed" - are you Scottish per chance - my husband frequently get's my youngest son to say that to me when I'm shouting that he hasn't done his chores!!!!!!! - my husband that is. Good luck with the college stuff and <'> to your Mom Clarkie

Cheers Phasmid and Nellie I know you're both right. Clarkie

Thanks Nellie Social Services are also taking this to their panel on Tuesday . If the LEA decide that he should go to a special residential (which they have too given all the evidence and recommendations) can they then refuse to do it if social services don't provide funding? I feel like I'm on knife edge at the moment. Clarkie

Hi Guys Have started to get a bit nervous now about the impending phonecall on Tuesday lunchtime from the LEA. I have got the minutes of the meeting which very clearly state special residential school educ and that this cannot be met in our county. To me it's very simple, if the LEA can't educate him in county then they should fully fund his placement out of county. Any ideas people? Clarkie

Prague Lots of friends have been there (we haven't coz we're a bit sad and don't go away much - gosh, I'd have to talk to my husband if we went away!!!!!!! or something else!!!!!!!) but everyone says it's cheap, beautiful and a fantastic place to visit. Clarkie

LOTSA SNOW ON DARTMOOR Kids have been going down the paddock on surfboards. It does look lovely outside. Clarkie

Diverting the thread here a little I don't know anyone else with Lupus - and in reading this thread have found out 2 people do. I was dx with RA at 24 and SLE when I was 3 months pregnant (13.5yrs ago). (Am now just over the 40yrs) I take immunosuppresants and live on Co-Prox (how dare they try and take my drugs away)!!!!!. I have never even thought of claiming DLA and don't know really what I would claim for. I have claimed for R recently and am doing the "saving for the future" thing for him. It's very nice to meet some fellow SLE people. Hope you're managing OK. Sorry for the diversion. Clarkie

Oh Viper, That's a shame. Still a stupid rule. They can enforce uniform in secondary but it still sounds really iffy dictating about a scarf. You could always ask for a school prospectus which should state what the uniform is - I just can't see why this should be an issue. It's nonsense. My flabber is ghasted. Clarkie

Just as Kathryn said - we're here to be ranted at and we won't judge you. Quite honestly, personally - with friends like that, who needs enemies. Hold your head up high and keep doing what you're doing - which is being a Mom to the best of your ability. Give the little fella all the love he deserves - and if this other kid doesn't want to play, then that's his loss. Keep ranting on here - we're here to listen. Clarkie

Bid my luverly We love you with or without dx. There's Aspie in all of us. Auriel will be so proud to take after his mom - with or without AS. Hoping to meet you and Jester at a carol concert in the not too distant future....(trying to do a bit of positive thinking here). I'm sitting looking out at a blanket of snow - it is so beautiful. Luv Clarkie P.S. Welcome to the forum too.

Viper What age are we talking here? Primary or secondary? If it's primary then they can take a hike.... Primary school uniform is NOT compulsory - in secondary it is but not primary. I'm sure that this is not a Devon thing and that it is nationwide. Children in primary definitely do not have to wear school uniform so therefore they can't dictate what colour scarf your child wears. Haven't these people got more things to worry about than the colour of a scarf - like teaching our AS children appropriately. Sorry, needed to rant on this one Clarkie

Hi there Annie This is better than "Celebrity". Not for the actual incident "that never took place" - but because we all just want to see the school do a BUSH TUCKER TRIAL. Make 'em eat a few grubs, dangle their wotsits over some snappy crocodiles and then chuck 'em out the plane. We'll hold them, you push them. Keep going girl - you're doing a fab job - don't let the b******* beat you. Clarkie PS - Wasn't gonna post anything tonight but couldn't resist this. Now I'm logging out.

Here's a big <'>

HI You won't have a number for you child under the age of 16. This will be allocated to the child when the form is sent in. If you attach a note just saying the child is under 16 and therefore does not have one yet, then there shouldn't be any problem. I also rang the GP and just asked for my son's medical number which I wrote on the attached note but this isn't really necessary. Clarkie

I have such a big grin across my face Luv Clarkie

Hi there Your little man is having a tough time and I know exactly how you feel - especially when the school won't listen. If you can let him stay home to give him some space from school it maybe would help. Is there something that happens in the afternoon that is different from the morning e.g. different teacher, class, unstructured time....? As the head saw him in the afternoon, in the office sitting in the corner rocking, then this should be reported and also be put in the incident book. This is not the behaviour of a happy, thriving child. Ask them to document this incident for the doctor / consultant. Keep pushing them about statementing. As for you writing something down - please don't think that it has to be written in a certain way - just bullet point all the things your child does and try and keep a diary writing down each day what happens or what you think may have caused your wee man to melt down. The thing that these people don't seem to understand is that it doesn't have to be something immediately before meltdown occurs - it could happen hours earlier, a day earlier (or much longer) and our children sometimes have a very delayed reaction. It's also the case where they do save it all up 'til they get home. When you see the consultant take your diary/list with you so you remember to tell them and then it will all be documented in their notes. Tell them you are at crisis point and say that you need an urgent referral to CAMHS. In the meantime here are lots of these <'> <'> <'> <'> <'> <'> Take care Clarkie

Firstly, thank you everyone for all your help and support - especially Bid, Kathryn and HH. We think it's all going to be alright. Had the big meeting - everyone showed, everyone agreed that mainstream education will not suit our child, everyone agreed a special residential school, everyone agreed there are no schools in county that meet his needs - everyone agreed everything! The school minuted the meeting - there was nothing negative. We wrote the name of the school on the form we had to send back to county today and gave it to the statementing officer. The minutes are being typed up today and faxed over to county today. The statementing officer will then put it in front of the emergency panel meeting on Tuesday. Social Services report will go to panel also on Tuesday. They are going for tri-partiate funding. So we should have a decision next Tuesday on whether he can attend the school of our choice. Of course, the LEA could say NO - but with the evidence and minutes stating that county schools cannot meet his needs - they would be causing themselves a lot of bother. We will just have to sit the week out and keep praying, but so far.....so good. Am I being lulled into a false sense of security - I don't know. Will post the wording from the minutes when I receive them.... but until then thanks people we couldn't have done this without you. Luv Clarkie

Hi there, Quite honestly I think it depends on the individual case, how pushy you are and what your son's individual needs are. Devon do statement - we have just gone through this process since dx in July - the medical authorities are the ones who have pushed things through for us...as well as me being a very pushy mom. All I can say is if you do consider a move, visit the local schools first to find out if you believe that they recognise AS. You'll be able to tell when you ask them questions. If they give you that "oh-your-child-is-just-a-naughty-boy" look, then you know they haven't a clue about AS. On the positive side - it can't be worse than Notts. IAnother positive side - DEVON is beautiful and we wouldn't be anywhere else. Good Luck Clarkie PS Really sorry that you have been made redundant. Sending you lots of these <'> <'> <'> <'> <'> <'> <'> P.P.S Thought I'd reply now coz after Tuesday I may recommend you don't come anywhere near Devon - so I'm trying to be unbiased at this point.