Eva Report post Posted October 9, 2007 Hi, just after a bit of advice! The other day it was the school's swimming lessons, held at a centre close to the school. The swimming bit was fine, however problems started with getting changed back into the school uniform. All of J's clothes were scattered about the changeroom (he needs tons of help getting dry and organised) and he was in there crying and shivering . I poked my head in at one point but saw a gentleman's bottom so had to retreat. There were two dads helping out and I did ask one if he could give J a hand, but he must have been busy with other kids, not his fault. Lucky I was there to calm J down as he was very upset because he had lost his name tag and other clothes and I managed to get him dressed outside the changerooms. (It took two other kids to locate J's stuff ) This then is my question: does a school have a responsibility to provide support in this situation, (they are fully aware of my child's diagnosis) or am I dreaming? What happens if I can't turn up to the next swimming day - does that mean he can't go? The dad I asked to help was really nice and apologised and said he'd be ready for J next time, but it's not his responsibility. And there's no guarantee that the dad will be able to make it to every swimming day either. Just wondering if others have been in a similar situation. Any thoughts most welome. Eva Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KarenT Report post Posted October 9, 2007 Hi Eva Schools here should provide general support/supervision for children in changing areas at swimming pools. I don't know of any that don't. It shouldn't matter whether a child has a dx or not. However if J needs additional support (and he clearly does) then it should be provided for him. I'd question if the dads there are police checked and authorised to be there. Are they there only to look after their own children? I think you should raise this with the class teacher or whoever organises the swimming activity - they may not be aware that J has such practical difficulties (I know J's school aren't particularly on the ball with regards support) but someone needs to be taking responsibility for helping him get changed. My J started swimming in school a couple of years back, but we were pre-warned so I had plenty of time to prepare him. It might help if you take J swimming yourself if you can, and teach him about getting himself ready afterwards while he's with you so he is then more able to do it after his lesson. It took J about a year to crack it, and sometimes we'd be in that flippin' cubicle for almost an hour, but he got there in the end. I still owe you an email, but haven't forgotten! Karen x Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Eva Report post Posted October 9, 2007 Hi Karen! Thanks for your reply. Joe goes swimming every saturday and I've been working on the getting changed bit for ages. He gets stuck just getting the wet top off over his head - it stretches a lot in all sorts of directions. I'll raise this issue with whoever's in charge and see what happens...this is in between raising awareness about two other issues now - they love me there! Cheerio, Eva Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
baddad Report post Posted October 9, 2007 Hi Eva - a couple of 'quickies'... I'm assuming this is full-time junior or secondary school... not pre-school? And a 'standard' mainstream or special needs school, not some sort of parents teaching co-operate or somthing else like that(?) Is this school swimming (as in a PE lesson) or something organised 'around' school outside of normal lesson times? If it's the former, then I don't think any parents should be there, except for non-school parents who happen to take their kids in at the same time. Generally though, in the latter case, swimming pools allocate certain times specifically for schools, so the only parent/child groups you'd see would be the overlapping ones (i.e. getting out as the school hour starts/getting in as it ends) Depending on the above, then if it is recognised and agreed that your child has additional support needs the school should be providing them - either through the teaching staff accompanying the children, a 'general' LSA or the childs 'individual' LSA. Any other sort of support (i.e. a parent going in etc) would suggest an unusual degree of differentiation that would greatly influence how the child was perceived (for good or bad) by his peer group and other parents. Hope that helps; but if you could give some more info about the kind of school provision and the way your son is supported there somebody might be able to offer something more specific. L&P BD Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SarahSH Report post Posted October 9, 2007 Hi Eva, not sure what stage your son is at, but when my son was at primary school he had an LSA to help him get dressed after swimming. Don't think I had to make a fuss, they seemed to think it was their responsibility to provide an extra pair of hands to help him wriggle into clothes if he wasn't going to end up in a writhing damp tangle, long after everyone else was ready! The good news is, it does get better. we have the odd crazy tie or oddly buttoned shirt moment, but on the whole he dresses himself fine now, some years on, even after a swim. Good luck! Sarah Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sesley Report post Posted October 9, 2007 well my son is 8 this year but up to August i took him in a ladies cubicle to change him i still do if we go for fun swims,just to stop him messing about and to get quickly changed before the big ones come in for their lesson,(in the school time lessons)the school did stipulate,we would have to provide transport and swim support for son so he could swim, now my oh or a older brother helps him change in the boys changing room. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sesley Report post Posted October 9, 2007 well my son is 8 this year but up to August i took him in a ladies cubicle to change him i still do if we go for fun swims,just to stop him messing about and to get quickly changed before the big ones come in for their lesson,(in the school time lessons)the school did stipulate,we would have to provide transport and swim support for son so he could swim, now my oh or a older brother helps him change in the boys changing room.Thats because i work on thursdays now. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Eva Report post Posted October 9, 2007 Thanks for your replies everyone <'> . Just to clarify a few of the points that Baddad mentioned. My son is 6 and is in prep (that's the first year of school). The school is a mainstream one and they do rely a lot on parental support. The swimming is part of PE so it is expected that all kids attend, however there are also lots of parents going along to help out, including the two dads. There is no other male teacher going to the pool so it's just those two dads helping out. (Karen, funnily enough, to be a parent helper in the classroom you have to have a police check, but to help at swimming you don't need one!). My son doesn't have a LSA or any other support, besides me going into the classroom two mornings a week to help. (The school stuffed up the funding application form but that's another story). The school has a very passive approach to integration, yeah come along but don't expect us to actually do anything. SarahSh, I was hoping that my school would have the same approach as yours! Sesley, did you ask your school if they would provide extra support? Oh well, another day, another letter. Eva Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KarenT Report post Posted October 10, 2007 I'd be a bit concerned that when you put your head in the cubicle you saw a gentleman's bottom. A naked bottom?! So are these dads actually getting undressed in the presence of the children they're supervising?! And no police checks? I wouldn't feel comfortable with that at all. Karen x Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Eva Report post Posted October 10, 2007 Hi Karen, I'd better clarify that what I did was quickly peer into the changerooms from the doorway and the naked bum belonged to a member of the public I just happened to see J as well. The dads were fully clad at all times. Yeah, the police check thing is silly. Next year it's going to be compulsory for anyone who works with kids (as a volunteer) to have a police check. I'm not happy about it either. Cheers, Evaxx Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Karen A Report post Posted October 10, 2007 Hi I followed this post a bit and thought I might drop in a quick comment.I think perhaps that some of the advice was based on common practice and guidance in Britain-where things like child protection appear different-which is a bit confusing.I hope one or two of the other forum members may be able to help out with info re your part of the world. <'> <'> Karen. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
