Not happy with placement

[shamu]

DS (age 4) started at nursery in September. He has a statement that is being revised at the moment and his level of need is such that he has been put forward for an SLD school from this September. His current nursery is a mainstream with 3 placements specifically for SEN children, and is on the site of the borough's MLD school. There is an autism base on site, so they have a reasonable understanding of his needs and how to "manage" him.

BUT he's really struggling. In all honesty I think it's the wrong placement for him, and have done for some time. There are 24 children in the class and he doesn't have one to one support, just what's already provided from the budget. We have had a lot of changes in the last year/18 months with a new baby, moving house and starting nursery, but I thought he'd start to settle down now. He isn't His behaviour is becoming increasingly withdrawn (he was in the group of children who regress) and he has regressed more and more since he started nursery. He is chewing, eating paper, ripping up our wallpaper, his sleep is increasingly erratic, he is restricting his diet and is basically behaving in a very distressed and anguished manner. I take him to private music therapy and his therapist can tell which weeks he has been at nursery in the morning because he is so distant and difficult to engage with

So, what do I do? My gut feeling is that he should change provision asap, not wait until September, but how do I go about doing that? Who do I talk with and what are the chances it will happen? The school that he ought to go to (if there are sufficient spaces - a whole other story ) has an early years setting so if a space was available he could go there but I was told in August last year there weren't any spaces for this year.... But I can't sit back and watch the damage that is occuring to my own child In some ways I feel he'd be better off at home/not in nursery at all, but that would be incredibly hard for me (and my daughter who needs time in toddler groups etc to get some "normal" social experiences).

Any suggestions on how to take this forward? I have an appointment with his paed tomorrow but doubt he can influence education that much....

Thanks

Shamu

:wink:

[Guest Lya of the Nox]

talk to the pead

is it an all day nursery?

he may be better off in a playgroup which generally have more staff per child and that could help. There could also be funding for a 1-1

talk to the early years senco, the nursery should be able to put you in touch

good luck

x

[pumpkinpie]

Just because he has a place at this nursery does no mean you have to send him. Its often hard for us as parents especially of little ones to say no and realise we do have a say.

Personally I would talk to your paed, nursery and the school your child is due to start at in sept tomorrow while you are feeling brave. Write down how he is regressing and give examples. If it was me and I was feeling up to it I would consider taking him out or reducing his sessions to once a week to show you are serious - if you can cope.

 

Go with and trust your instincts dont be bullied.

Take care <'>

[ellisisamazing]

My son was in the same situation two years ago. He attended mainstream nursery for seven months but as the months went on and more children were introduced to the group Ellis became quite "lost" in the class, I would go to collect him everyday and find him totally isolated and on his own in a corner...they only had one senco out of 8 staff and they obviously couldn't give him one on one, so luckily the senco contacted the special school he was too attend in the Sept 2006 and she explained the impact this was having on Ellis and they agreed to start him a week later.....in the April 2006, which was much better!

 

You will really need to push your opinions on this, try and speak to your senco.

 

And Good Luck!

[shamu]

Thanks everyone.

My gut instinct is to kick and scream and get him moved asap. He's only there for 2 and a half hours a day but they keep me sane as I need time with my younger one. The LEA are spectacularly rubbish so I may as well get used to fighting them

I just find it so sad, this is the boroughs allocated SEN provision - the only other placement with nursery provision is the SLD school. It makes me so angry that political changes have lead to our children (and thousands of children with other disabilities) struggling away in inappropriate placements . So "Every Child Matters" do they? Doesn't feel like my son "matters" to anyone apart from me and my husband....

I think I will threaten to write to my local MP if things don't change. And I do know some reasonably influential people in the medical world so may be able to throw my weight about there too.

I'll let you know what the paed says tomorrow

Shamu

:wink:

[Guest Lya of the Nox]

if it is only a 2 1/2 hour session and not a whole day, go and look at other places!!!

ask the pead if they have heard good report of other places

x

[shamu]

Just a quick update and to thank those of you who made me feel that I wasn't being an annoying pain asking the paed to get involved.

He asked how things were and I just said "horrific" and then went on to describe all DS's behaviours and explained my gut feeling that he is not getting the sort of education he needs. He agreed with me and is going to make it a priority to discess him with the LEA, the Ed Psych and the head of the SLD school. He agrees that he needs to come out of his current provision, but we need to find somewhere else for him first.

As luck would have it, the local parent partnership was running a surgery in the clinic this morning, so I spent 40 mins with them (paed was running late as usual) and she came up with some suggestions that I'm going to look into from tomorrow. She's also going to discuss DS's case at their next case meeting so I feel as though things may start moving for all of us.

I feel so much better today than I ahve done for a while now, so I just hope it's onwards and upwards from here

Shamu

[Karen A]

Hi Shamu.I am glad you appear to have got some support today.I hope you are able to find alternative provision that is more appropriate.Karen.

[ellisisamazing]

Well Done, Shamu!

 

I am rooting for you!

 

El was only in nursery 2 and a half hours per day but once the school got involved they said try letting him do full days from the offset, I thought it would be too much for him......apart from the first two weeks were he would come home asleep on the mini bus and then be in bed by 5pm, he was fine! (He doesn't sleep like that now, though!)

 

Keep up your fight!

Edited January 21, 2008 by ellisisamazing

[Lynden]

I'm glad you got some good news today - hopefully with everyone on side it will carry some weight with getting J placed asap. Are you going to NASH thsi week??

[shamu]

I'm glad you got some good news today - hopefully with everyone on side it will carry some weight with getting J placed asap. Are you going to NASH thsi week??

 

Unless the vomiting bug hits the female side of the family I'll be there!!!! Meant to email you but got a bit tied up with getting my head round today.... Talk then and we'll sort out an evening out

Shamu

[Guest Lya of the Nox]

i am glad you are getting support

lets hope it give a better education for little one

x

[shamu]

Another update:

I've been in touch with the proposed school who don't have any places for him at the moment :-(

I talked to the lead in SENAS and told her in no uncertain terms what I wanted her to sort out (ie they have until the end of half term to find a placement for him)

I have written a letter to my MP outlining our difficulties with finding appropriate schooling for DS and on the advice of friends on another forum have copied the email to my local councillors

Just waiting to find out what's going to happen from here....

Thanks for helping last week

Shamu

;-)