Advice About TA Support Please

[elainem]

Hi,

 

sorry that my first post in ages is to seek help but I wondered if anyone could give a bit of advice.

 

After a long struggle my ds ASD was finally awarded full time TA support. Today and I suspect not for the first time his TA has been allocated to another class for the morning. The Teacher informed that he had been told by SENCO that as long as they provided support it didn't matter who by. The upshot is that the permanent CLASS TA was allegedly supporting my son this morning instead of the whole class. This sounds highly suspect to me. And my argument would be if the perm TA is not needed for whole class support to support my son then why not send her into another class instead of my sons TA and disrupting my ds.

 

Do I have an argument here? How do you think I should handle, I hate conflict and never think of the right thing to say until later!

 

Thanks for any advice

 

Elaine

[pearl]

Hi

If the full time support is on his statement then I would think the funding should be for that particular TA. Of course it matters who the support is provided by. The funded TA should be getting to know your son, not being moved wherever it suits the school.

 

As an example of the funding issue, JPs TA moved with him from primary to secondary school. The funding was attached to her.

 

Hope this is some help.

[PinkSapphire]

Hun is your child statemented?

As they cannot mess you or them aobut if it is in a statement.

I would ask for a meeting to find out exaclt what is going on, maybe with PP as witnesses so they cannot back out of any agreements you manage to reach.

[Minx]

Hi,

 

sorry that my first post in ages is to seek help but I wondered if anyone could give a bit of advice.

 

After a long struggle my ds ASD was finally awarded full time TA support. Today and I suspect not for the first time his TA has been allocated to another class for the morning. The Teacher informed that he had been told by SENCO that as long as they provided support it didn't matter who by. The upshot is that the permanent CLASS TA was allegedly supporting my son this morning instead of the whole class. This sounds highly suspect to me. And my argument would be if the perm TA is not needed for whole class support to support my son then why not send her into another class instead of my sons TA and disrupting my ds.

 

Do I have an argument here? How do you think I should handle, I hate conflict and never think of the right thing to say until later!

 

Thanks for any advice

 

Elaine

Hi

 

If you son has been awarded full time TA support, then a specific TA should be assigned to your son. In my case my son was awarded full time support. A TA was advertised specifically for my son and has been present since he started in reception class. I have noticed however that this TA helps the rest of the class as well as my son. Therefore the whole class benefit from support because of my son and the question is whether he is getting the right level of support, but the TA is present in his class all the time.

 

Mandy

[oxgirl]

Hi Elaine, I would be concerned if this was happening on a regular basis but I'd probably let it go if it was just a few isolated incidents, because things do crop up sometimes and rearrangements sometimes do have to be made. I'd keep an eye on the situation, maybe note down how often it is happening and take it from there. <'>

 

~ Mel ~

[caren]

Hi

 

If you son has been awarded full time TA support, then a specific TA should be assigned to your son. In my case my son was awarded full time support. A TA was advertised specifically for my son and has been present since he started in reception class. I have noticed however that this TA helps the rest of the class as well as my son. Therefore the whole class benefit from support because of my son and the question is whether he is getting the right level of support, but the TA is present in his class all the time.

 

Mandy

 

My son's TA is same some times she's with a group some times just with K , if your not happy then speak with senco , good luck

[Kazzen161]

In our County, funding is not attached to the TA. I was working with one child (who has now left), and am now working with another child. I work with the rest of the class when the child does not need me (but keeping a watch on him) - it is not good to be always sitting next to him.

 

If the Statement says full-time 1:1, then that is what he should get (but not necessarily by one particular TA, unless that is specified in the statement). If it does not specify 1:1 then it can be in groups.

 

It is not good for the child to be used to only one TA, as there will always be times when that TA is ill or on a course.

 

Karen

[elainem]

thanks for the replies. The thing is his TA understands M's difficulties whereas other TA's don't. And school has double standards if they say it doesn't have to be a specific TA, because when she is off he never gets any support so they can't have it both ways. The reality this morning was that there was no additional support in the classroom just an alleged re-direction of the TA who is always in there and I suspect she gave very little support but M can't tell me. I accept M's TA will work with other children in the class and with M in small groups (statement says 1 to 1 and small groups) and yes the whole class benefits which is great but I feel the school misuse this resource. At the end of the day if M's loses his funding then it's this lady who loses her job not one of the other TA's. I am going to try and clarify with the SENCO tomorrow and if not satisifed I shall write to the Governors. Thanks again for the help, will keep you posted.

 

Elaine

[Karen A]

Hi We have had a battle during the last year over a similar issue.It was resolved after a complaint to the LEA.In my experience the fact that we did not act on initial concerns led to the TA allocated to Ben being used more and more for other roles.Hence I think it is worth raising the issue with the Senco.If your child is funded for TA support via a statement then that support should be provided.If the class TA was able to provide the level of support needed then the LEA would not have funded one via the statement.

I think you are right to speak to the Senco-if nothing else is gained then at least the school will be aware that you ''have an eye'' on things. Karen.

[Karen A]

Hi I thought I would add that after our complaint to the LEA a TA is also found to provide support if the regular TA is off sick.Hence it may be worth raising that issue also.Karen.

[Karen A]

Hi I thought I would add that after our complaint to the LEA a TA is also found to provide support if the regular TA is off sick.Hence it may be worth raising that issue also.Karen.

[elainem]

Hi

 

I spoke to the SENCO today and she did move off topic a little as the current TA is not going to support M as she will be going p/t so she tried to say that the change was to assist M in the transition. However the crux was that she agreed that save for emergencies the TA designated to support M will not be removed. The thing is he can cope with the big changes eg he will get used to a new TA, but he would struggle to cope with daily changes. Anyhow all seems ok and thanks everyone.

[Karen A]

Hi Pleased thing appear to be ok.If the TA is going pt keep an eye on what support is being provided to make sure your child still gets level and amount of support documented.Don't allow pt TA to become pt TA support.

Sorry I am becoming more cynical in my old age.Karen.