rickT Report post Posted March 1, 2005 Hi from Australia, My wife and I are English and have an 8 year old child diagnosed with level 6 ASD. We are planning to return to the UK within the year and are seeking information about the UK system of help for ASD children in education. My son has, so far, coped with school and has achieved good results but at the same time suffered from high levels of stress from a seemingly lack of understanding about his problem from his teacher and headmaster. Having moved up a grade his is now expected to work more independently but, because of his condition, he is rapidly falling behind. He is allocated two and half-hours of one on one help a week. With his severe difficulty in concentrating it seems he is likely to fall further and further behind. These may seem like silly questions but can anyone recommend a LEA, as we are flexible in where we live, or a school in particular? How much one on one time in general can a child with ASD receive? Would the Australian classification be recognised in anyway within the UK? Regards, Rick T Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Amanda32 Report post Posted March 1, 2005 Morning rickT Welcome to the forum There is lots of information on this site and if you cant find anything just ask someone. Is your son been statemented at all for SEN in australia or uk? From my experience there are schools here that have a mainstream and SEN base linked together. My son is in one of these and dx with ASD he is nearly 9 some of the teachers have had training recently in teaching them as i think there may be a few in his school. They are all individuals none are the same, my son is the more able end. There are Autistic units here if your child is more severe and i think there is one close by me. There is lots of things i could say but not very good at giving advice but try my best. Where abouts in Uk will you be going? Im sorry if you have been going through are hard time it's difficult when some teachers and head teachers dont understand. Recommending a LEA, school, Australian classificaton you could ask another member in that area. About how much help and support a child with ASD can receive will depend on the child and how they cope etc. Sometimes you may have to fight for more extra help with the Ed dept to get what you want. Nellie is very good at giving advice and so many others, when they are online no doubt you will get your questions answered. Take care Amanda Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mossgrove Report post Posted March 1, 2005 Rick Wecome to the forum! You'll find plenty of help here. I am not sure what 'level 6' means in this context, you may find that term isn't recognised over here. A good place to start would be the National Autistic Society website at http://www.autism.org.uk They also have a helpine you can ring, and can probably put you in touch with people in any areas you may be considering. We have two children with Autism, one is in school full time, the other part time, both have 1:1 support for all the time they are in school. (They wouln't cope without it). Please keep coming back here! Simon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
denise2 Report post Posted March 1, 2005 Hi the national autistic society have just released their on-line information site with details of all sorts of facilites nationwide. The web address is www.info.autism.org.uk/Pages/Index.aspx this may be of some help. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
annie Report post Posted March 1, 2005 Hi Rick, We, like you are English. We lived in Melbourne from 1995 and returned to the UK in 2002. Our Son (15) was diagnosed with Asperger's in Australia in 1999. Ultimately we decided to return to the UK as our son suffered due to a lack of understanding of his diagnosis. We had the same probem with our son's stress levels too. The first thing we did when we returned was to get an appointment with a paediatrition, you will probably have a long wait. When you get your appointment, take along with you any paperwork (we had a six page report from when he was diagnosed), any school reports, our's highlighted exactly where Alex' difficulties were. In fact, take anything which relates to your child's difficulties and strengths. The Australian diagnosis was accepted here in the UK. Contact the LEA Special Needs and inform them about your child, their ASD and anything else that may be relevent. Adding to what everybody else has said LEA's are hit and miss. You never know what they are like until you actually have to deal with them. Please PM me, as then I can give you more information. Regards, Annie Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oracle Report post Posted March 1, 2005 My husband has been told today at a hig level Government meeting that parents are actually moving into Redbridge a broough in London, because their provision is so sort after? Carole Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rickT Report post Posted March 1, 2005 Hi again and thanks for all your help, We have do not have preferred location in the UK. Wherever we have a chance of improving his development best that?s where we would like to re-locate. We were thinking of Kent or Cornwall. Here, in Queensland we have an SEU (special education unit) attached to a mainstream school. My son gets to visit a specialist once every six months (usually not the same one). My son's school refused a visit from Autism Queensland when we requested it. AQ were going to assess his classroom environment and provide any obligation free advice to the teacher and the school in general, all for free. We also have a constant fight to get assistance for him. Level 6 is the highest level of help you can receive from SEU and this is level is suggested by the school to a separate board who then decide the child?s final level. The maximum amount of one on one time in the classroom for a child at the highest level is two and a half-hours a week. Haydn also has an IEP (independent education program). This is a program that is put together for Haydn's personal education needs and this is run in conjunction with his main stream schooling. He also spends sometime in the SEU building, out of class but how much of the time we can't determine. We are finding that the need for parents to know what is happening at the school is not taken as a priority. Thanks for the link to www.info.autism.org.uk/Pages/Index.aspx an excellent source of information. Thank you Annie, we have PM'd you and would very much like to ask you some questions. Regards, Rick T Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nellie Report post Posted March 2, 2005 Hi Rick, A bit late, but welcome to the forum I will PM you some information. Nellie xx Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
