Looking at special residential schools

[stressedmumto2]

I am back looking again for residential schools and could do with some advice from those who have children in resi placements and others who just have an opinion.

 

My son displays very challenging behaviour at school and at home, this has led the local authority to place him in a ebd school which in my opinion made his behaviour worse/different. Social services are now kind of in agreement with education he needs resi so I need to find a school to meet his needs, because he's very challenging and has PDA diagnosis many ASD schools will not accept him, even on a trial placement so that leaves us to ebd, many which I have looked at which I also do not think will suit him.

 

Today I found the most fantastic school, they understood his needs and could see even when we were there when he was getting anxious and put in the appropriate things straight away, for instance going in playground for a play and into the sensory room. This school works on 1-1 basis, I loved just about everything about it, how they structured the building, how the classrooms were structured, how they work on behaviour etc. There really wasn't anything I could complain about which was strange considering as I have looked around two others both ebd this week and have found many things I didn't like about them. This school I felt could meet my son's needs, the high staff ratio would mean he's very well supported and they have big links with the community which I think is a good strong point.

 

The downside is my son is 10, the youngest child they have currently is 13, they do take them form 10 , the 13 year old would would be at the same level as my son, there was a mixture of verbal and non verbal children there and I just don't think that there would be a big enough peer group for my son, they have said there is a peer group for him based on his ability and interests of about 3 children and as they do 1-1 everything is individual to the child, they have had some children do gcse's and a-levels but not many. It's a very small school, children wise but has so much space, chill areas, playgrounds etc.

 

My question is how important is it for the child to be mixed with more peers like himself, the school have told me that they do help parents fight if it goes to tribunal and that they often the age thing comes up but they don't feel it is an important factor as they don't mix children in that way.

 

I asked son about his views on it and he really liked it and when I told him that I didn't think there would be enough friends for him his age etc he said it would be ok as he would have the staff to talk to, which is true I suppose.

 

Can I have some opinions please, how important is it for children to have a peer group of their own age and ability, plus bear in mind that it's difficult to find a ASD school that will take him and I worry if he goes to a ebd school and his needs are not recognised again the placement will break down??

[Enid]

What kind of a school is it then? Enid

[stressedmumto2]

Hi Enid, it is a school for ASD but also caters for children with additional diagnosis. Many of the children are on the more severe end, non verbal etc, my son would be the minority of higher functioning.

[mossgrove]

You have a PM

 

Simon

[stressedmumto2]

Thanks Simon, have replied <'>

[Enid]

I too am still looking at schools, LEA have not yet agreed on residential but the one we talked about is so far away, and the two I looked at nearer to me I didnt like, Like your son mine is very challanging, so If he goes to a school that cant cope, he would be excluded and we would be back to square one, interestingly he is doing very well at school at the moment, and whilst obviously I am very pleased about that it is not helping the LEA to come to a decison! Enid