HELP DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO ABOUT SCHOOLING

[cmuir]

Hi

 

My son is currently in mainstream school and receives 1-2-1 full-time support. He's reached primary 3 and has shown no signs of settling. Indeed at home R's behaviour has taken a nosedive and this is also becoming more and more evident in school. The HT says that they're managing, but that R is extremely challenging. I'm worried that staff may only be containing him rather than teaching him and that he's reaching nowhere near his true potential. He recently attended a Social Communication Skills Programme with specialist ASD teachers. It was supposed to be a 10 week programme, but they felt that it was best we discontinue as Robert's anxiety levels were such that he was self harming, threatening staff, aggressive, uncooperative, etc. In addition, he's being seen by CAMHS and his anxiety is being acknowledged now (he's also showing signs of depression and there's a question mark as to whether he may be showing signs of a mood disorder.

 

My question is this ....

 

I'm receiving very mixed reports; his school says they're managing for now, but acknowledge how difficult things are; specialist teaching staff say they cannot see how R can manage in mainstream; his consultant feels he'd be better off in special school. Ed Psy and Neighbourhood Support Coordinator, have said they wouldn't support a placing request application because he's doing okay where he is. Although this seems like a straightforward decision, R can appear very 'normal', and I have massive concerns as to how he'd feel and what impact it would have on him if he were moved to a special school where a lot of the kids were much less able (severely autistic). He clearly has difficulty with social skills, but some kids do accept him. I fear that just as he's becoming more aware he's different, others are becoming more aware of it too and he may end up being alienated. Don't know what to do. I hope this post doesn't offend anyone - my concern is that there seems to be no inbetween school (I've looked at ASD units within mainstream schools, but rule this out because he'd only be there for 1-2 years and then back at square one which in my mind would be far more damaging to R). The school that I'm thinking about is a specialist autism school and the kids are there from age of 6 - 18 and range in terms of ability/where they are on the autistic spectrum. It sounds ideal, I'm just worried that R won't fit in there either (even though, he doesn't fit in well at his current mainstream school).

 

Difficulty is trying to pre-empt situations - I worry that going into P4 in the summer, which isn't that far away, might just tip him over the edge and be incredibly detrimental to his already fragile mental state. On the other hand, he may be fine - we already know that he has great difficulty dealing with change.

 

Any advice gratefully received.

 

Utterly confused Caroline!

[JsMum]

 

 

What about having a look at the specialist able autism residential school, you may be surprised, if you like the support and provisions then set aside a date for your son to have a look round.

 

If it is what you feel he NEEDS then request part 4 state the school you want, the LEA WILL refuse but if you appeal and collect evidence then I am sure the sendist panel will want a child succeeding rather than a mainstream setting just containing him, when he is strapping 6footer I dont think they would be agreeing about the containment either, so this is a first step to his future.

 

Good Luck.

 

JsMumxxx

 

[Sally44]

I am in the UK and don't know what the educational law is in Scotland. So I would advise you to contact the National Autistic Society and talk to them about getting a Statement of Educational Needs in Scotland - or the equivalent.

In the UK the school has to meet a child's needs by law.

Knowing exactly what those needs are, for them to be identified and itemised with recommendations against them is hard to get from any NHS or LEA employee because they run their departments on a budget that they have to keep to.

In the UK, if your local LEA does not have a suitable school to meet all of your sons needs, then you can apply to a private school and the LEA has to pay the fees - no-one will tell you that!

It isn't easy to do. But when you have a child like yours that is showing complex needs, is deteriorating in school, is self harming, needs specialist teaching input etc the cost for an LEA school to provide that level of service can actually work out more expensive than a private school. At an Educational Tribunal they will take into consideration all reports - and you can get your own private ones, and you can employ a solicitor or access the NAS Tribunal service. If it is all down to costs they will go with the cheapest option, which maybe private school. That is why it is important for every need to be itemised with a costing as to how that need will be met in school.

Usually getting a private school place happens at around age 9+ ie. heading towards secondary school with a child failing at primary level.

I was recently in exactly the same situation with my 7 year old son. Differing opinions - LEA wanted him kept in mainstream. LEA Ed Psych and Autism Outreach Teacher recommended Autism Unit (after 3 years of persuading me to keep him mainstream!). I felt that my son had some moderate to severe needs in some areas, but that he did have some social skills and did benefit from social interaction at this stage (by teen years that might all change).

So I get a solicitor through the NAS website, private reports, and went to Tribunal and won everything we were asking for.

It is important to get a full picture of his speech and language and social interaction skills - you need reports from independent professionals who do not work for the LEA or the NHS, and who are expertienced at giving evidence as expert witnesses at Tribunal Hearings.

An Ed Psych should be able to tell you the cognitive ability of your child and what kind of school environment would best suit them. This is important because LEA schools tend to be either mainstream or special needs with children who have lower IQ. My son has high IQ, but learning difficulties including dyslexia/dyscalculia - severe receptive speech difficulties, CAPD, Semantic Pragmatic Speech Disorder, SID, etc. The LEA refused my son a placement in an Enhanced Resource school and refused to meet his needs. But, there is case law, and case law always wins over LEAs departmental procedures.

If you get private reports done, one thing to consider is whether you want your son in a mixed setting or a special needs only setting. Then find the professional who agrees with your opinion so that they argue that case for you.

I had a look around a wonderful school called PM poster for details It is private, and if at 9+ my son is still having difficulties and the gap between him and his peers is widening, I will go back to tribunal and try to get a place there. All the children have speech and communication difficulties associated with ASD, but many of them attain exam results and go on to be independent as adults. There is no evidence that inclusion works for children who cannot learn from their peers because if they could they wouldn't have a diagnosis of autism. Schools like PM Poster for details recognise the anxiety behind the disorder, and by removing them from a mainstream educational system that reduces their anxiety straight away because high functioning children are well aware of their difficulties and that they can't do what their peers do, that is why they tend to develop depression. They need a peer group they are comfortable with, not one that places hugh demands on them on a daily basis. If we were put under the same amount of stress/anxiety and pressure that these children are put under we too would develop depression and mental health issues.

We need schools for our children that prepare them for life in the outside world. Many need explicit teaching of very basic social interaction skills such as initiating speech, holding a two way conversation etc - and mainstream schools cannot do this because they don't have the experience of expertise in ASDs.

 

 

 

Name of school removed - against forum rules to discuss named schools or individuals. You need to exchange PM's if you want to do this - Simon

Edited March 26, 2009 by mossgrove

[Kazzen161]

You will find that you can judge if your child will fit in if you go and visit the school. I visited lots of schools (mostly good) but there was only one that I could see my son fitting right into - where all the other children were just like him.

[Daisydot]

My son DX (ASD, Severe receptive and expressive language disorder, dyspraxia and SID) was in mainstream until year 3. We eventually got him a statement, but even with that his needs were not even understood in a mainstream school, let alone met. The TA they employed 1-1 forh him had no experience of ASD or language difficulties and didnt even know when she started working with him what his particular difficulties were (school policy - we found this out later). Our son made no progress in mainstream, was anxoius and stressed all the time and was bullied towards the end. He used to cry all the time and completely withdrew.

 

To cut a very long story short the school were officially saying they could meet his needs, but the two deputy heads both said to me privately that we were doing the right thing by pushing for a special school. We employed a very good solicitor and went through the tribunal process. The LA folded before the Tribunal and we got the special school we wanted.

 

My son now attends a school for speech and language difficulties and two years on the progress he has made has been fantastic. He is a very happy little boy and loves school. He is making progress academically, albeit he is still several years behind. He is confident again, and has completely stopped the stressing and crying. My son has average levels of IQ but his learning is hampered by the language difficulties. Going to this school, which is independent and supported by a charity, has made all the difference in the world to him. The school is specialist in dealing with children with these particular difficulties and expert in helping each child access the curriculum, despite the language difficulties. The other children have similar difficulties, some have ASD or dyspraxia as well as other conditions. I can only talk from the experience I have had, but I would urge you to look carefully at special needs schools, independant and LA run, because they all cater for different types of needs and abilities. I honestly believe that its best for a child to be in a school where his/her peer group have similar needs. There is a lot of support and camaraderie goes on in my son's school amongst the children, and that certainly never happened in mainstream where my son was concerned. When we first decided that this school was what our son needed, it was quite upsetting because I suppose we were having to face the fact that he had special needs like the children we were seeing when we visited the school (and I hope I dont offend anyone by saying this) but it was a shock.

 

I dont know the law in Scotland. In England there is often a legal battle to get a child into an independent special school, which is costly both emotionally and financially, but its been the best decision we ever made.

 

I have another son with a DX of high functioning ASD who is in mainstream, and I dont think a special school would be right for him, its a purely individual decision and what is right for one child is not necessarily right for another.

 

Good luck with it all <'>

 

 

 

 

[lynne]

 

 

The most important thing is your child is in an environment where he/she is happy. It does not matter what name they give to the type of schooling.

 

If they are happy they will progress to there potential. If they are unhappy than they will not learn or become frustrated and anxious, which can lead to mental health difficulties.

 

 

Some child may need some time in mainstream schools and special school.

[purplehaze]

The most important thing is your child is in an environment where he/she is happy. It does not matter what name they give to the type of schooling.

 

If they are happy they will progress to there potential. If they are unhappy than they will not learn or become frustrated and anxious, which can lead to mental health difficulties.

 

 

Some child may need some time in mainstream schools and special school.

 

Couldn't agree more!

 

My son is 15 and in mainstream-failing with a statement. He attends a special school one morning a week, which is going positively but he refuses to go fulltime. You need to visit a variety of schools and maybe you could have a dual placement if you think you your son will learn from both. X