new here,but looking for advice [scottish school]

[merlin1]

Hello Everyone. Glad that I have found this site. My son is 9 and was diagnosed with aspergers just over a year ago. Since sept last year he has been excluded 13 times! This is mostly due to triggers which have happened at school, but staff are not trained to support him. The school has kept promising extra teaching for staff but that has never happened. They said they would help but decided to take away his auxilliary that he worked well with and his calm room. Since they made changes my son has become aggresive and has lashed out at staff. They have now decided that they dont want him back. In scottish law we can appeal this which I have. We now have to state our case at a meeting with a solicitor.

The main problem up here is that we have no schools specialising in ASD's, and there is no support.

What is your opinions? Also what do you think aspergers get on better with mainstream or a specialist unit?

We are also having trouble with him using bad words and swearing which we cant get him to stop. We getlittle respite [2 hours per week] as there are no services.

Sorry to ramble on.

[Tally]

Hi Merlin, and welcome to the forum.

 

I have moved your post to the Education folder because you've got some quite specific questions about education. I think more people will see your questions here.

[justine1]

Hello Everyone. Glad that I have found this site. My son is 9 and was diagnosed with aspergers just over a year ago. Since sept last year he has been excluded 13 times! This is mostly due to triggers which have happened at school, but staff are not trained to support him. The school has kept promising extra teaching for staff but that has never happened. They said they would help but decided to take away his auxilliary that he worked well with and his calm room. Since they made changes my son has become aggresive and has lashed out at staff. They have now decided that they dont want him back. In scottish law we can appeal this which I have. We now have to state our case at a meeting with a solicitor.

The main problem up here is that we have no schools specialising in ASD's, and there is no support.

What is your opinions? Also what do you think aspergers get on better with mainstream or a specialist unit?

We are also having trouble with him using bad words and swearing which we cant get him to stop. We getlittle respite [2 hours per week] as there are no services.

Sorry to ramble on.

Hi

welcome to the forum.Firstly it is good you are appealing against the decision as it seems your son was not being supported.Did he have a statement?

If you are looking at specialist schools they wont accept him without a statement and you need to prove why such a school is best suited for your son.

 

My son is six and been excluded three times in the past 4 mths,I also dont think mainstream is for him and have started looking for special schools.So the school are supporting this decision and we are awaiting a statutory assesment so he can hopefully get a statement,this is expected to take as long as 6mths!He was on flexi schooling but hope to get him back to full time after the holidays.I have asked a question under education on this forum about mainstream vs special schools if you look here you will find it there is great advice and links.

 

I know others from Scotland will be here to give you more specific advice.Good luck.

[Sally44]

I know Scotland does things differently. Put there are posters from Scotland on these forums and so they should give you more specific advice.

Have you contacted the National Autistic Society in Scotland? Have you also looked at whether you can use Disability Discrimination Law in Scotland as 'reasonable adjustments' might well include having a TA with him and a calm room and additional adjustments to help him cope in school.

Does your local authority have an autism outreach teacher that can come into school and give advice.

Have you asked your local authority for their list of maintained, independent and approved schools to see what is in your region.

Have you contacted www.ACE.org as they have alot of advice about exclusions. They are down South, and I don't know if they also know about laws in Scotland. Have a look at their website. Also look at www.IPSEA.org website as well.

 

Regarding the 'type' of school that is suitable. It all depends on the child's needs and which school can meet them. You are finding that the current mainstream one is not. Would your son cope in a different mainstream school that was willing to make those adjustments? When you get the LEA list of schools phone around the LEA maintained ones and see which of them has got a number of children with ASDs. You might find one that has more experience that another.

[Sally44]

Also have a look at the top of the Education forum page. There is a link for SEN Scotland with alot of useful organisations listed in it.

[trekster]

http://www.nas.org.uk/nas/jsp/polopoly.jsp...571&a=15505

 

Branches in NE Scotland of the NAS. i was trying to find their new highlands resource centre on their website but it doesn't seem to be there.

[cmuir]

Hi

 

Sorry to hear about these issues. I live in Scotland. Sadly, support isn't always easy to find, but it does exist in many shapes and forms – if you tell us where in Scotland you're from, I may be able to PM you with a list of services. There are some ASD specific schools and some schools with ASD/language units with experienced staff. I don't think there's a right or a wrong answer when it comes to mainstream versus special schooling. My son whose 8 and has AS is supported reasonably well in a mainstream school. Granted the school do have their failings, however, I think my child is kind of in the 'twilight zone' - doesn't quite fit into the 'norm' or special schooling. He is to an extent managing mainstream and I think that's positive. His sucess is entirely dependent upon his ability to cope/manage and how well he is supported not just academically, but socially (more important in my view).

 

In Scotland, what generally happens is that an Educational Psychologist is assigned (initiated by the school) - has that happened? The EP is then tasked to assess in consultation with the school and yourself how kiddo is doing academically and socially. It's their job to make recommendations and seek external support if appropriate. The fact that kiddo has been excluded 13 times clearly indicates an issue there – that kiddo isn't coping with something and he isn't being supported appropriately (ie auxiliary support withdrawn). A school can exclude (there are various types) is a child is deemed a danger to him/herself or others. My own feeling is that a specialist placement is best sought, only after other avenues have been tried/exhausted and I'd certainly question precisely what the school has done. Also, does kiddo have an IEP (individualised education plan) or a CSP (coordinated support plan)? If so, were the targets achievable/met and how was kiddo supported? In Scotland, the Support for Learning Act Scotland 2004 is changing - new one comes into effect from August (Support for Learning Act Scotland 2009). Enquire are worth contacting and are very knowledgeable about this act in terms of your child's rights, etc. They can also advise on tribunals, etc. The Govan Law Centre Education Unit are also a good source of help and advice.

 

http://www.enquire.org.uk/

http://www.edlaw.org.uk/

 

There are all sorts of procedures and avenues open to you in terms of moving forward, and the aforementioned are great.

 

NAS has a list of Scottish legal firms who specialise in education matters:

http://www.autismdirectory.org.uk/Pages/Br...p;gn=&hi=-1

 

I do think it's worth sticking to the various procedures, before venturing down the legal route (Govan Law Centre may be able to provide free legal advice). For one thing, it's a costly process, and once started, there's no going back. Also, it's a difficult one (I appreciate I don't know all the details), but it may be that the school are actually doing the best thing for your son by saying 'we can no longer support him' (only if they can demonstrate they've tried). The EP should then make recommendations in terms of a suitable placement and can even arrange un/accompanied visits, etc.

 

Not sure exactly what advice to give, but if you can tell us a bit more, I can have a think.

 

Caroline.

 

 

[merlin1]

thanks for the advice.

He has been seen by the EP, and we are in the middle of LIAP meetings including her. She has said that he may be better elswhere, but we live in a small place on the coast in Moray and there is only one other school in the town. I don't want it to be a case of "out of the frying pan". He has had an IEP but latterly is not meeting the targets. I asked about a co-ordinated support plan for him but they didn't take me up on it. There are things that school has done to make things worse. They have also tried some things but have given up if they havent worked. They seemed to have given up on him. He has latterly also become physical towards a couple of staff and they said they have more or less had enough. I am appealing against their exclusion because they have done some wrong things to him. He was physically hurt by a member of staff on the last day of school that left a mark on him and we also contacted the police.

I think that a big problem here is that it is not well populated and there are not the services but there are needs. We have asked about respite but have been offered only 2 hrs per week. It is very difficult at home as he is very hard to live with sometimes.

If you need to know more just ask. Any advice and info gratefully recieved.

 

Thanks

[Sally44]

Have you considered ASD specific residential schools?

If the local school cannot cope, then you may have a good case for seeking an independent placement which is residential as well.

Your local authority should be able to send you their list of all LEA maintained, independent and approved schools. Most LEAs do have some children at independent or approved schools and they pay the fees. That is because they cannot offer the environment or professional input that these children need. Being in such an isolated place may also be the case for you. And you may find that an ASD specific school that is also residential may help him grow up and learn some life skills as well. But getting a place at such schools is not easy - but if your LEA cannot offer anything else?? What is being offered to you currently? What are your feelings about a residential placement?

[merlin1]

Have you considered ASD specific residential schools?

If the local school cannot cope, then you may have a good case for seeking an independent placement which is residential as well.

Your local authority should be able to send you their list of all LEA maintained, independent and approved schools. Most LEAs do have some children at independent or approved schools and they pay the fees. That is because they cannot offer the environment or professional input that these children need. Being in such an isolated place may also be the case for you. And you may find that an ASD specific school that is also residential may help him grow up and learn some life skills as well. But getting a place at such schools is not easy - but if your LEA cannot offer anything else?? What is being offered to you currently? What are your feelings about a residential placement?

Do not think there are any specific ASD schools in Moray I have to find that out which I am going to do tomorrow.

I am not wanting him to go to a residential school as I dont think he would cope and also a school like that would be at least 150 miles away near edinburgh I think.

Have been busy today getting copies of the exclusion policy, ASN policy and my sons notes from school which I dont think are all there. Does any one know what exactly the school should hold.? THere are no notes of meetings or things that have been done or he has done in some instances.