joanne1 Report post Posted March 12, 2009 I am relieved now that we know for sure! Ds 13 dx with autism spectrum disorder. I am not sure how he feels at the minute he has gone straight up to his room. I thought we would get dx with aspergers to be honest, as I knew it was high functioning. I asked what the difference was and dr said although he is on the high functioning end they would dx aspergers if intelligence was average or above. Ds isn't, so he has bits on other parts of the spectrum, which is where our dx comes in. I have got this right havn't I? Please tell me if I havn't. School is a major issue and at the moment do nothing for him. I had to fetch him out today because of his behaviour and they have advised me that he should maybe have tomorrow off. In other words they don't want him there!!! I have spent most of the day in tears, mainly because of school as its nearly everyday. Ds is unhappy with school and said he doesn't know whats going off! Joanne Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Clare63 Report post Posted March 12, 2009 Hi Joanne, Firstly good news that you finally got a diagnosis, its going to take a while to get to grips with it all and you'll probably feel on an emotional rollercoaster for a bit. Hopefully school will now sit up and take notice, its not really fair that they suggest he has more time off, they should be planning what support they can give and provide inclusion for him. Once you have had chance for all this to sink in, its probably time to apply for a statement. In the meantime be gentle with yourself, its still early days. <'> <'> <'> Clare x x x Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Enid Report post Posted March 12, 2009 Welcome! To the new diagnosis that is! It will take a bit of time for it to sink in. As for school my lad used to be sent home every day, until I took advice from this board, if they send him home its an exclusion, do not take him home unless they are officially excluding him! there is loads of info on this site if you do a search, too tired now an halfway down a large red! My Lad is the same age so I know how you feel. keep strong. <'> <'> <'> Enid Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dana Report post Posted March 12, 2009 (edited) Hi Joanne, It is a good news that you finaly got dx for your ds and I am glad that you feel relived now. I just wonder, the school is not supportive to your son, he is not happy there, you are not happy the way they treated you so have you ever thought trying to change the school? I know it sounds like a running away from the problems and I am not saying that in another school will not be problems but at least maybe they wil be more supportiv and willing to help your son especially now when he has dx. If this school is sending him home now even when they know his dx I dont see any effort to help from their part so far. I hope I am wrong and that their atitude will change. Good luck! I feel for you and your son. <'> >< <'> dana Edited March 12, 2009 by dana Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kathryn Report post Posted March 12, 2009 (edited) Hi Joanne, I expect you have mixed feelings about the diagnosis, and your son will need time to process it as well in his own way. At least you have something to wave at the Senco - see if this makes a difference to the support they are prepared to give him. Asking you to keep him off school is the easy option for them and what they are doing amounts to an unofficial, and therefore illegal, exclusion. Don't let them get away with this. Th following link gives information on the correct procedures the school should be following and what you should do if a child with SEN is excluded. Sheet 1 applies to you. http://www.ipsea.org.uk/exclusion-support-sheets.htm K x Edited March 13, 2009 by Kathryn Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JsMum Report post Posted March 13, 2009 I am pleased you have answers with the diagnosis, But it upsets me that school are so discriminating your son which is based on his disability, so I would look into Disability Discrimination in the education system, they are treating him less favourably and not meeting his needs, they can not send him home without a letter of why, for how long he is excluded and they should be preparing a individual action plan to prepare his return so they can support him. Repeatedly excluding him for behaviour that is related to his special needs is disability discrimination. Please look up Ipsea and get further support and maybe legal representative to help your son access an education that supports, understands and meets ALL his special needs. It does really upset me knowing there is children suffering all because a school does not care enough and then everyone suffers because the impact effects the family, his peers and others in the school. I really do hope that DX really gets them to act, but they should of done this well before now. Good Luck, I really do hope that there is some change soon and that things start to improve or there is relief soon. JsMum <'> Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
joanne1 Report post Posted March 13, 2009 Hi all, Thanx for your replies. I was also hoping that dx would make a difference. I rang school this morning to tell them and did decide to keep ds off school as they requested. So I rang them to give them the news to be told that they are discussing pemanently excluding him!!!!! I am gutted to say the least. They are saying that they cannot have a child in school that behaves like him. Considering that for a year and half they have refused to put anything in place and him repeatingly being told off etc leads to complete anger and frustration for him. What do they expect from him? He does need to be handled differently to other kids, but they won't try to help or understand him. So I am waiting for the phoncall to see what they decide. Hopefully I will hear today and they don't leave us all weekend wondering! Joanne Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chris54 Report post Posted March 13, 2009 I thought we would get dx with aspergers to be honest, as I knew it was high functioning. I asked what the difference was and dr said although he is on the high functioning end they would dx aspergers if intelligence was average or above. Ds isn't, so he has bits on other parts of the spectrum, which is where our dx comes in. I have got this right havn't I? Please tell me if I havn't. Joanne The line between high functioning autism and Aspergers is very gray. My sons diagnosis is high functioning autism presenting as aspergers. This is due to his developmental history not fitting that which would be considered typical of aspergers. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Enid Report post Posted March 13, 2009 Hi, If they dont want him its best to get him out now, they will just set him up to fail, a fresh start with a new diagnosis may make all the difference. Enid Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
joanne1 Report post Posted March 13, 2009 Hi, If they dont want him its best to get him out now, they will just set him up to fail, a fresh start with a new diagnosis may make all the difference. Enid But where do we go? Is another secondary school going to make any difference to how he copes with it? Its a nightmare, no wonder some of you are practically pulling your hair out with the education side of things. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JsMum Report post Posted March 13, 2009 But where do we go? Is another secondary school going to make any difference to how he copes with it? Its a nightmare, no wonder some of you are practically pulling your hair out with the education side of things. Do you think another secondary mainstream with a statement would enable your son to function and learn, if not then what about looking at spersific special school designed for children with ASD. Some offer day placements, others offer residential that comes under the 24hr curriculum as some children require the consistancy and after school curriculum to develop their social skills and access activities they otherwise can not access due to inadequate support. So what kind of education enviroement do you see your son learning in? If they expell him for ever now also he could end up following this path for the next two or three years, exclusion after exclusion. Also depending on why he is expelled because if his disability again they are discriminating him. JsMum Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dana Report post Posted March 13, 2009 Is there any other school near you where perhaps you could go and try? I would start looking for a new school now .They didnt do anything to help your son and they are considering to exclude him permanently?! Even after you told them about dx! Schools differ form each other ,a new school might be more supportive and has more possibilties to help your son better cope. His problems will not disappear but the least he needs now is the school which doesnt wont him in! Maybe it is indeed time to have a fresh start, I dont think you can loose anything by doing that. Good luck! dana Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
joanne1 Report post Posted March 13, 2009 Do you think another secondary mainstream with a statement would enable your son to function and learn, if not then what about looking at spersific special school designed for children with ASD. Some offer day placements, others offer residential that comes under the 24hr curriculum as some children require the consistancy and after school curriculum to develop their social skills and access activities they otherwise can not access due to inadequate support. So what kind of education enviroement do you see your son learning in? If they expell him for ever now also he could end up following this path for the next two or three years, exclusion after exclusion. Also depending on why he is expelled because if his disability again they are discriminating him. JsMum I am not sure if another secondary school with a statement would work or not. At the moment he just can't seem to cope with lessons or anything. I really do think he needs quite alot of 1-1, probably more than his current school will give him if they allow him to stay. As for education environment, he definitely would need a smaller school. They have said 'it is abundantly clear that K cannot cope with the demands and expectations of a large secondary school.' I have thought about a school for ASD kids. You have to be statemented to get in, which we aren't. School are supposed to be going for it once we were dx. Joanne Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JsMum Report post Posted March 13, 2009 if the school have said he can not cope with the demands and the expectations then they are either not giving enough adequate support or the school can not meet his needs, if they expell him due to these reasons they are almost certainly discriminating him, the school cant just expell him anyway, they have to provide evidence that they have tried to impliment support, they have not done anything to support him, so lea will want a school that can provide the support first and let that fail before they agree to a statement, then that has to fail before a special school is considered, its going to be a long road, but fight it all the way. JsMum Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
joanne1 Report post Posted March 13, 2009 I have had a phonecall from school. Ds is excluded until a week on Monday! We have a meeting then to get him back in. They are hopefully going to reduce his timetable by about half with some ta support and then the other half learning support in the unit. So hopefully its a start and I hope they actually do it, it isn't written in stone, so we will see. If they do it I only hope it lasts and it isn't short term. Joanne Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Karen A Report post Posted March 13, 2009 Hi.I am not an expert on exclusion.However I think that you may well have the right to ask the school to document and plan what support is to be put in place on return from the exclusion.Although it may be difficult to get them to write something in stone it is reasonable to expect some commitment.You may also have a right to appeal.It may be worth obtaining some advice. The link to the ACE information on fixed term exclusion is below.They also run an excellent exclusion advice line.The number is on the page.Karen. http://www.ace-ed.org.uk/Resources/ACE/Mig...d-exclusion.pdf Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Karen A Report post Posted March 13, 2009 Hi.I thought I would add in case you don't know.You can also request a Statutary Assessment yourself as a parent.The LEA may turn down the request.However the ASD dx and the fixed term exclusion may well support your request.If you are thinking about looking for another school then it may be worth thinking about requesting a Statutary Assessment.A Statement should enable your son to have more appropriate support.If you are considering specialist provision then a Statement is likely to be needed anyway. http://www.ipsea.org.uk/sevenfixes.htm#RequestingAssessment This may be helpful.Karen. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Karen A Report post Posted March 13, 2009 http://www.ipsea.org.uk/exclusion-support-sheets.htm I thought this might be useful too. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
