Excluded again

[jlp]

I've posted a few times lately about ds#2 who started school in September. He's just been diagnosed with PDA with a possible ASD diagnosis when the S&L assessment is completed. Last week he had his first formal exclusion from Thursday pm till Monday.

 

We had a meeting on Friday and it was agreed that he'd go part time Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and that there would be support in the mornings. Strategies suggested and a tent to be provided as a safe calming space.

 

Monday he went in - no support (ill) and not a good day, Tuesday (again no support) he threw cars at the other children, pulled work off the wall, knocked over furniture and repeatedly kicked his teacher. Spent most of the morning with the Head. And today excluded. He's having nothing to do with the tent!

 

I've shed a few tears today, this is beginning to really get me down.

 

Today he kicked a boy in the face (when on the playground equipment) and scratched a little girl. His reasoning that he didn't want to play with them and they didn't go away.

 

He also slapped a teacher and was being held by two members of staff kicking them as I arrived.

 

The worst bit was I was asked to sign him out in the book (that everyone uses to sign them out for dentists appiontments etc) it was written in red ink ' 'his name' - sent home for hitting other children'. Is it just me or is that a complete breech of privacy for a child with special needs?

 

When I went back to collect ds#1 later I saw the deputy head and she agreed they won't do that in future.

 

Tomorrow I'm going to be making lots of phone calls and maybe making some appointments to look round some special schools, this situation really can't continue.

 

I applied for him to be assessed for a statement yesterday but we can't wait 6 months.

[Cat]

I would respectfully suggest that this placement has broken down. The school are making promises which they can not keep, appear to have no regard at all for your feelings, taking away the fact that what they did by writing about your son in red was in my opinion discrimination. Having to wait six month for an assessment is not on at all. The LA could make arrangements to assess your son while he was attending a special school if they wanted to. I would be contacting whoever is in charge of SEN within your LA and making it clear that the placement has broken down if I were you. You can not be expected to go on like this for another 6 months plus.

 

Cat

[Kazzen161]

It sounds like the school are not providing the support that they said they would. How do you (or the LEA) know that the placement would not work if that support was provided? I am sure a lot of the problems could be avoided if he had support. He will need help to know when he needs to go to the tent (ie: when he is starting to get wound up - not when he has lost it). He will need support at playtime to learn how to say "I don't want to play with you" etc. The LEA will want evidence that everything has been tried before they will assess a child for a Statement, and that is not there yet.

 

Keep very good notes about what is happening on a daily basis (eg: that he had no support). Did you get the "promises" in writing?

[Enid]

Too tired to write but sooo know how you feel, sending you <'> <'> <'> . Enid

[Cat]

My point is that the placement has broken down because the school has not delivered the support they had said they would. I for one would not be sitting around waiting for them to deliver what they have promised. If your Local Authority (we no longer have LEAs) is made aware of this fact you will probably find that they will instigate a meeting between their SEN Team, yourself and the school. This will put everything on a much more formal footing because the school will not be able to wriggle out of supplying the support as easily.

 

I have known parents whose children were failing in a mainstream setting whose children were put into a Special School while they were assessed for a statement. LAs can always do something if you force their hand.

 

Cat

Edited October 9, 2008 by Cat

[alisonatt]

hi, you at going through the same thing i am at the moment, my son was excluded from school all last week, it is really heartbreak to hear the things that our children are doing but in no way do i blame my son, his school find him more of a pain and just want him off there hands i have asked for him to just do mornings but as always it takes them ages to get round to do anything, i dont blame you looking for a special school for your son that is what i have been doing cos i dont have any faith in my sons school any more and i do feel they make him more stressed and upset, i also shed a few tears last week you just feel so alone and feel life is always just a fight but thanks to people on this site i will fight back and know what i am doing without them people god knows where i be now. hope things get better for you and your son <'>

[jlp]

Thanks for replying. Advice is very welcome as it all seems quite complicated.

 

The support isn't provided through school but the LA SEN support service. Who have promised school this support in an attempt to stop ds#2 being excluded. We were also collecting him at lunchtime as he was only there for half days. But the promised support hasn't been there this week because of illness and no cover resulting in his exclusion.

 

There was a multi agency meeting last Friday where all this was sorted out for him to return last week after last week's exclusion and he returned on Monday to no support.

 

I've spoken to the LA SEN liasion team and there's another meeting before ds#2 goes back on Monday where they should have an idea if there's likely to be support in place. This week's exclusion is being blamed on the lack of support but really even if the support was there she'd spend her days chasing ds up and down the corridor. It means she can take him out but he's still not accessing any learning. The LA had been trying to get cover for ds#2 from their other staff but there's a lot off to illness right now.

 

Just really fed up.

[Karen A]

Thanks for replying. Advice is very welcome as it all seems quite complicated.

 

The support isn't provided through school but the LA SEN support service. Who have promised school this support in an attempt to stop ds#2 being excluded. We were also collecting him at lunchtime as he was only there for half days. But the promised support hasn't been there this week because of illness and no cover resulting in his exclusion.

 

There was a multi agency meeting last Friday where all this was sorted out for him to return last week after last week's exclusion and he returned on Monday to no support.

 

I've spoken to the LA SEN liasion team and there's another meeting before ds#2 goes back on Monday where they should have an idea if there's likely to be support in place. This week's exclusion is being blamed on the lack of support but really even if the support was there she'd spend her days chasing ds up and down the corridor. It means she can take him out but he's still not accessing any learning. The LA had been trying to get cover for ds#2 from their other staff but there's a lot off to illness right now.

 

Just really fed up.

 

Hi.I think it may be worth contacting the LEA officer responsible for monitoring exclusions to express your anger that your child with SEN has been excluded because the support promised by the LEA was not provided.Follow up the phone call in writing.Also copy the letter and send it as a formal complaint to whoever in the LEA deals with complaints.

ACE offer some excellent phone support to parents in cases where children are excluded.Phone them for advice too.

Perhaps if you have a written complaint in the offering it may encourage the LEA to find appropriate support for Monday.Karen.

[Karen A]

It sounds like the school are not providing the support that they said they would. How do you (or the LEA) know that the placement would not work if that support was provided? I am sure a lot of the problems could be avoided if he had support. He will need help to know when he needs to go to the tent (ie: when he is starting to get wound up - not when he has lost it). He will need support at playtime to learn how to say "I don't want to play with you" etc. The LEA will want evidence that everything has been tried before they will assess a child for a Statement, and that is not there yet.

 

Keep very good notes about what is happening on a daily basis (eg: that he had no support). Did you get the "promises" in writing?

 

Hi.I just thought it worth saying.Although the LEA do usually expect school to show that attempts have been made for some time from internal support to provide support,there is provision within the COP for immediate action to be taken if needed.This can even include placement at a Special School as an emergency measure prior to an Assessment of SEN if the LEA considers the case is urgent enough.

I think that if a child is so distressed that the behaviour they are exhibiting is putting the welfare of other children and staff at risk as appears to be the case here there should be a case for the LEA to take prompt action.Karen.

[Karen A]

http://www.ace-ed.org.uk/advice/index.html

The ACE exclusion advice line is on this site.They will be able to give you expert advice regarding what action you can take.Karen.

[Karen A]

http://www.ace-ed.org.uk/advice/booklets/FixedExclusion.html

This is the ACE information regarding fixed period exclusions it may be worth checking whether the school are following appropriate procedures.If not then complain about that too.Karen.

[Karen A]

http://www.ipsea.org.uk/exclusion-support-sheets.htm

This might be helpful too.

[jlp]

Thanks Karen

 

I did print off and take in the information from the Cope of Practice saying how there could be emergency assessment and emergency placements which the school were very interested in, not sure if they've used the information though.

 

I have rang the exclusions officer before I read your post and he will be getting back to me after he has spoken to the head.

 

Parent partnership are investigating how assessment placements come about in our area.

[Karen A]

Thanks Karen

 

I did print off and take in the information from the Cope of Practice saying how there could be emergency assessment and emergency placements which the school were very interested in, not sure if they've used the information though.

 

I have rang the exclusions officer before I read your post and he will be getting back to me after he has spoken to the head.

 

Parent partnership are investigating how assessment placements come about in our area.

 

Good news that things appear to be moving on a bit.At least the fact that school are finding it so difficult to cope might encourage them to push the LEA to take action sooner rather than later.It is very sad that children who do not create problems but just retreat quietly do not atract rapid intervention.Karen.