Ds#2 (5) sent home till Monday

[jlp]

I posted last week about ds#2 who's just turned 5 and just started Reception.

 

He's averaging being sent home twice a week now.

 

Yesterday his new support worker spent the entire morning running up and down the corridor after him (she's only there for mornings), he then moved on to the head's office where he tipped out all her drawers, hid under her desk and rang the - large and noisy - school bell continously. then spend the afternoon photocopying his hands with a teacher who was supposed to be doing her PPA time.

 

At 2pm they'd either had enough or ran out of breath so rang me to collect him.

 

The head says they're going to apply for a statement as soon as possible (needs to be 2 cycles of IEPs first but she says they'll make these as short as possible) and will really have to look at if a mainstream school is the right place for him

 

Unfortunately G's unit is only for Key stage 2 (although if desperate they've had the odd younger child) and the head says there's a Key Stage 1 unit at another school, at the other side of our area. I know the school and it's excellent but I can't see L going in a taxi and we only moved him from his old school so he could be in the same school as G.

 

Today he was sent home at 1pm after hitting the TA so hard she needed an icepack and may well have a black eye, and prior to this he was generally disruptive as usual. This time is a formal exclusion till Monday and in future all exclusions will be formal.

 

School are beginning to think he needs a specialist ASD placement but as yet we have no diagnosis or statement. There's to be a multi agency emergency meeting tomorrow.

 

I'm gobsmacked at how quickly things have escalated since he started school. I really didn't think he was as bad as ds#1 (AS) let alone worse and didn't even anticipate him needing support at all in the first few years of school.

 

Sorry for all the recent moaning posts!

Edited October 2, 2008 by jlp

[Enid]

Oh God, you poor thing! what a nightmare, especialy when not expecting it, perhaps you could look on it as a positive in that at least he is getting the help early so may be better for him in the long run. <'> <'> <'> Enid

[JsMum]

In light of his behaviour and that it may connected to a developmental disorder I do feel that exlusion is totally unfair and sets him up to look like a case for EBD rather than looking at whay, why and how things esculated to the point he lashed out causing injury, I understand that there must be a zero tolerance on violence, but from what you describe and the age of your child, barring him from school because of lack of support, provisions, staffing is very unfair, its almost they let him fail in the first place, I think I would be feeling rather disapointed with the school that things got to the point were someone was hurt. Expelling him will not change his reactions to a placement that may not be suitable in the first place.

 

Was there any transition into the school, was there any signs that your son could react physically, it seems to me, the exclusion is an excuse to give time to go ahead for emergency meeting tomorrow.

 

I would contact ipsea to see where you legally stand as it will do your son no favours been constantly expelled for behaviour he has no control over.

 

JsMum

[Suze]

Hi sorry things have got so bad <'> , the multi agency meeting is a good start.Don,t worry about the lack of dx , during the assessment process for a statement an ed physch , and camhs will get involved and they will do an asssessment as part of the process.This happened when my son was statemented.He was year 3 and just dx with dyslexia, however things got very bad and the school urgently referred him to camhs, during this process a occupational therapist came in and flagged up AS and dyspraxia, my son was dx both these conditions during his assessment period of the statement.I understand the school can,t apply for a statement till 2 working iep,s have been used, however it may be worth querying this at the multi-agency meeting as things do seem to have escalated.I would try to work with the school on this as they obviously realise he needs over and above provision that they can provide and they may prove to be an ally for you.Hope the meeting goes well, makes sure someone takes the minutes etc, best wishes suzex

[madme]

As you may be aware you can apply yourself. I fail to see why two IEps should be required in such extreme circumstances. They should be calling in the experts now. Call IPSEA asap. THere is a book by ACE which is great and I found invaluable. Hope that you get somewhere. Good luck

[connieruff]

can't you ask to keep him at home for another year? He doesnt sound ready for school yet.

[Karen A]

Hi.Although it is common for school to have two sets of IEPS I do not think that it is a statutary requirement.There is provision within the Code Of Practice for an urgent assessment where it is needed.For example where a child is involved in an accident and has an injury that results in sudden significant disability there is a requirement for an immediate assessment to be made where needed.Similarly if a child with significant SEN moves into a new area an urgent assessment would be made if required.

I think if your child has started in reception and plans have not been put in place for appropriate provision and the situation has escalated in a couple of weeks to the point where exclusion has become the only option then there should be a case for an urgent assessment.

As others have said you can ask for an assessment yourself/We obtained a Statement having asked for an assessment because Ben's school were not coping.He had had very little support and had been on the SEN register for a very brief time when things escalated.

There is a draft letter requesting assessment on the IPSEA website.I will post it for you.

Although exclusion is very stressful you may find that it supports your request for assesssment.This may especially be the case if school can show they have attempted to cope but do not have the resources.Karen.

[Karen A]

http://www.ipsea.org.uk/sevenfixes.htm#RequestingAssessment

This is the draft letter on the IPSEA webpage.Karen.

[Karen A]

http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/_doc/3724/SENCodeOfPractice.pdf

The Code Of Practice [ section 7:30] outlines cases where an imediate assessment may be needed.

Edited October 3, 2008 by Karen A

[bikemad]

<'>

[jlp]

Thank you for all those helpful replies - I did ask about an emergency assessment but they were adament (sp?) that this can't happen. I'll have a good look at the links provided and take them into school on Monday, there's another meeting next Friday. It is an emergency situation and school can't cope with him any longer and were not happy hearing that they need to keep him till a statement can be provided.

 

Today's meeting - there's been lots of complaints from other parents, including some formal written ones, that's the bit that really hurt me. I can understand it but it really upset me.

 

Our consultant was there and said that ds#2 has PDA definately, they can't give an assesment of ASD till he has speech and language assessment which will hopefully be quite quick. We're (dp and I) quite shocked at this partial diagnosis, especially dp who thought the assessment process would be just to put my mind at ease about my concerns.

 

School said he's a real Health and Safety risk to himself, the staff and other pupils.

 

Ds is only going to do mornings now when the support worker is in to chase him up and down corridors, and a full day on Friday as she does full days then. I can understand this but he's exhausting and those hours when he's at school is a real respite.

 

Can't really keep him back a year as he's 5 already and he urgently needs some specialist input - I know ASDs inside out and can cope with ds#1 but ds#2 just doesn't respond to anything as yet.

 

Head's buzzing now and have bought wine for tonight.

[jlp]

http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/_doc/3724/SENCodeOfPractice.pdf

The Code Of Practice [ section 7:30] outlines cases where an imediate assessment may be needed.

 

That's fantastic Karen thank you - I do have a copy of the SEN Code of Practice gathering dust on a cupboard but forgot what it contained.

Will take the relevant references in on Monday.