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cmuir

HEALTH CARE/EDUCATIONAL PROFESSIONALS COLLUDING

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Hi

 

I'd be grateful for any comments/advice/suggestions on this...

 

My son is nearly 8 and is in a mainstream school. He's supported by a LA. For a long time, I've suspected that school/education professionals don't fully acknowledge the extent of his difficulties (he has AS) and so he isn't receiving an appropriate level of support. Lately, school are saying he's holding things together well in school (though from time to time, I have reason to doubt this). In addition, Rs behaviour can be extreme at home and hubby and I are often on the receiving end. I've therefore argued with the school/other education professionals, that whilst he may appear to hold things together in school, his behaviour at home suggests he isn't coping (CAMHS support this - he's been prescribed Risperidone for anxiety) - ie there's a direct corelation between home/school and vice versa. I therefore wrote to someone senior in the LEA making a placing request. This request was turned down and in the same letter the LEA said that audit hours would be increased and X and Y would be in contact to arrange support. None of this came to fruition. I contacted the person concerned who emailed me stating this was an error on his part for which he is sorry. He also offered to meet within a mediation meeting context. I've therefore accepted this offer, letting him know I'm unhappy that he's went back on his word. He's apologised, but I feel that he's no only disregarding my viewpoint, but he's choosing to be influenced by what the school, others are saying, which fits in best with the purse strings. Two strange things happened today. Firstly, I received a phonecall from a community paed who saw R when he was 3. She reported that R was most definitely not on the spectrum, etc at that time. She's advising that R is mysteriously being transferred back to her care. I duly advised her that I recalled that she failed to diagnose R and that I had a problem with seeing her again. I also queried why R was being referred back to her. Second thing was that I received a phonecall from the mediation woman who basically did everything she could to talk me out of the meeting. I also discovered that she's been making phonecalls to various people within the LEA before speaking directly with me (I asked her to arrange the meeting, advising it was at the invitation of the LEA). The principal Ed Psych spoke to me yesterday privately, just before my son's school review meeting, advising me to steer clear, since he said 'I have other things to worry about'. Whilst this could have simply been a friendly warning, he did let it slip that the mediation woman had spoken with him. I'm really starting to smell a rat (should have said, mediation service in XXXXXXXXX is actually funded by the Council - I therefore have concerns about the neutrality of the service). Feel like I'm losing my marbles/getting paranoid, but this all feels like this is all too much of a coincidence. I genuinely believe that various education professionals are closing ranks and are perhaps enlisting support from health care professionals. Has anyone encountered this before?

 

My gut feeling is that is someone senior in the LEA say in writing that extra support will be provided, this should come to fruition. An apology isn't enough (I believe that he's simply renaged on this because the school are saying everything's fine). Despite the mediation woman and principal ed psych trying to talk me out of the mediation meeting, I've advised them both that I insist that the meeting takes place. I've also went back to my son's original consultant who diagnosed him querying why he's to be seen by the very paed that failed to diagnose. Again, it stinks (or is it just me?).

 

Caroline.

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Hi

 

I'd be grateful for any comments/advice/suggestions on this...

 

My son is nearly 8 and is in a mainstream school. He's supported by a LA. For a long time, I've suspected that school/education professionals don't fully acknowledge the extent of his difficulties (he has AS) and so he isn't receiving an appropriate level of support. Lately, school are saying he's holding things together well in school (though from time to time, I have reason to doubt this). In addition, Rs behaviour can be extreme at home and hubby and I are often on the receiving end. I've therefore argued with the school/other education professionals, that whilst he may appear to hold things together in school, his behaviour at home suggests he isn't coping (CAMHS support this - he's been prescribed Risperidone for anxiety) - ie there's a direct corelation between home/school and vice versa. I therefore wrote to someone senior in the LEA making a placing request. This request was turned down and in the same letter the LEA said that audit hours would be increased and X and Y would be in contact to arrange support. None of this came to fruition. I contacted the person concerned who emailed me stating this was an error on his part for which he is sorry. He also offered to meet within a mediation meeting context. I've therefore accepted this offer, letting him know I'm unhappy that he's went back on his word. He's apologised, but I feel that he's no only disregarding my viewpoint, but he's choosing to be influenced by what the school, others are saying, which fits in best with the purse strings. Two strange things happened today. Firstly, I received a phonecall from a community paed who saw R when he was 3. She reported that R was most definitely not on the spectrum, etc at that time. She's advising that R is mysteriously being transferred back to her care. I duly advised her that I recalled that she failed to diagnose R and that I had a problem with seeing her again. I also queried why R was being referred back to her. Second thing was that I received a phonecall from the mediation woman who basically did everything she could to talk me out of the meeting. I also discovered that she's been making phonecalls to various people within the LEA before speaking directly with me (I asked her to arrange the meeting, advising it was at the invitation of the LEA). The principal Ed Psych spoke to me yesterday privately, just before my son's school review meeting, advising me to steer clear, since he said 'I have other things to worry about'. Whilst this could have simply been a friendly warning, he did let it slip that the mediation woman had spoken with him. I'm really starting to smell a rat (should have said, mediation service in XXXXXXXXX is actually funded by the Council - I therefore have concerns about the neutrality of the service). Feel like I'm losing my marbles/getting paranoid, but this all feels like this is all too much of a coincidence. I genuinely believe that various education professionals are closing ranks and are perhaps enlisting support from health care professionals. Has anyone encountered this before?

 

My gut feeling is that is someone senior in the LEA say in writing that extra support will be provided, this should come to fruition. An apology isn't enough (I believe that he's simply renaged on this because the school are saying everything's fine). Despite the mediation woman and principal ed psych trying to talk me out of the mediation meeting, I've advised them both that I insist that the meeting takes place. I've also went back to my son's original consultant who diagnosed him querying why he's to be seen by the very paed that failed to diagnose. Again, it stinks (or is it just me?).

 

Caroline.

 

Nope I think it stinks too. Someone has asked for your son to be referred back to your son's old Pead and it wasn't you was it? There does appear to be a strong smell of fish wrapped around this. It would not be the first time that an LA have asked a medical professional to back track about a child. Although this there is a difference between what is happening to you and what happened to Sarah Spiller http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-...ols-chiefs.html I would be asking questions about the re-referral were I you. I would hate to think that this Pead had been asked to look at your son again with a view to his diagnosis being removed.

 

Adding together all of the other little niggles that you have about what is happening at the moment then I think that I would also be seeking some advice were I you. You could go to IPSEA but they are not always easy to get hold of. Or there is Network 81 and ACE. You could also have 30 mins free advice from a SEN specialist solicitor like Maxwell Gillott who specialise in SEN Education and Health issues. I will post a link but will understand if the mods remove it :)http://www.maxwellgillott.com/ Sometimes an LA just knowing that you have back up can often back track themselves.

 

Cat

Edited by Cat

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Just wanted to offer some >:D<<'> >:D<<'>

 

I think some of the key professionals dealing with my son are also in cahoots with each other and I am currently deciding on the best thing to do. Good luck to you and stay strong. It always amazing me that these people who are the figure heads in education are some of the biggest bullies around!

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Hi

 

Many thanks for your replies.

 

Thanks Cat. Remember reading that article. Sometimes I think I'm losing my marbles, that this surely can't be the case - I'm pretty sure this is what's happening. I've managed to enlist the support of a specialist organisation that are keen to help.

 

Caroline.

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Hi carrieq

 

Been in touch with them, but problem is cost. I'm just not in a position to have to pay legal fees.

 

Thanks anyway.

 

Caroline.

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I might have thought you were paranoid before I experienced myself what LA's are capable of! It's always wise to be wary.

 

K x

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I only smell a rat too because like Kathryn said, been there before too, it sounds like there very cagy about the fact he has a dx of AS because they know that the symptoms your son is showing could well be related to his dx.

 

I would stick with the symptoms of your son, and go with the word NEEDS, as they shouldnt be trying to take away a dx in hope they wont have to meet his needs.

 

If there is anyway of getting any Legal help it would be worth every single penny, I admit I did get legal aid for my son is there any way of having similair needs assessed?

 

Still use National Autistic Society, they may know more on how you pay for legal representaives and they will defo help you with the educational situation.

 

I really do wish that when it comes to funding SEN it was an independant body seperate from local authority budgets.

 

You have evidence of his behaviour at home throw his camhs psych could he not write a letter to support your requests.

 

Its absaloutly normal to feel paranoid at this point especially when some of those in the system that could really help your son dont have the backbone to do it.

 

Get help and dont give up, fight back, all the way.

 

They probably want you to be paranoid so you give up.

 

So Don't.

 

JsMumxxxx

 

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Hi

 

Thanks for your replies.

 

I've enlisted the support of a local organisation and have arranged a meeting for Wednesday. I've also discovered that another mum, whose child is in the same class as Rs is having similar issues which involve the same circle of people. Basically, her child's neuropsych advised her that she was recommending that kiddo move to a special school and that she'd make a case for this (she advised kiddo was somewhere on the spectrum). Suddenly, when mum sought a report, the neuropsych has done a complete u-turn, saying that she now feels kiddo is best placed where he is. Transpires that the Ed Psych has recently spoken to the neuropsych. It's scandalous. Obviously, I can't 'use' this, but now that I know what's going on it's going to make me more determined that they won't get away with it. Also wondering, whether collectively, mum and I could join forces. I've also phoned paed to advise her that she won't being seeing myself or R given the history. After a big of digging, turns out that paed is married to someone senior in LEA.

 

C.

Edited by cmuir

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