how to identify apropriate schools?

[NobbyNobbs]

today we had a crisis meeting with CAMHS with regards to K and how to manage her behaviour which is getting worse and worse. the CAMHS person was amazing and we've been referred to a behavioural specialist for an assessment. she also said within 15 minutes of the appointment starting that K was clearly on the spectrum and they're pushing through a full assessment for ASD at the same time despite her being below the age that our county are willing to assess children. all this will be started within the next 4 weeks!!! they're also contacting the nursery to inform them that they WILL be starting a program of getting K to comply and complete structured activities on the grounds that she has to be prepared for school.

 

we still dont have a school place for her, so i'm now trying to look at the wider area for the school that will best meet her needs, but i have no idea where to start. i know some schools have SEN/ASD units attached to a mainstream school and this sounds ideal for K as she is always going to be challenging and need more support than other kids (and other ASD kids because of her background), but i have no idea how you find out what schools have them.

 

does anyone know where i should be looking?

 

 

[Kazzen161]

If she does not yet have a statement, she will probably not be able to get a place in a unit.

 

Your LA should be able to give you a list of all their special schools (or it may be on their web-site). Once she has a Statement, then you would be able to look at independent schools also.

 

Local support groups are the best place to find out which schools are most ASD friendly.

[NobbyNobbs]

If she does not yet have a statement, she will probably not be able to get a place in a unit.

 

Your LA should be able to give you a list of all their special schools (or it may be on their web-site). Once she has a Statement, then you would be able to look at independent schools also.

 

Local support groups are the best place to find out which schools are most ASD friendly.

yeah. i was more thinking that she'd go into the mainstream part for now and then move over once things are sorted. since we likely can't get her in a local school anyway it seems silly to put her in a random one somewhere then move her in 6 months/a years time when things are sorted out.

[Sally44]

Phone your local authority and ask for their list of schools for children with autism.

If her behaviour is as you say, I doubt she'll make it mainstream. So if a Statement is not in place it would be better for her to start a primary school with an autism unit. Alternatively the LEA will have special schools where all the children at the school have a statement. But you may feel that is not her peer group, especially if she appears capable. However, if she has such language and communication difficulties there is a strong possibility that she will have associated learning difficulties.

I would recommend you visit all potential placements to decide where would be most suitable.

[Sally44]

Also the Educational Psychologist is the professional who is able to recommend the kind of placement a child needs. But their recommendations usually depend on what is available. If this child is getting near to starting school age, then all the placements for that year group get snapped up quickly. There are not enough places for all the children that need them. But it is possible for a child to start a special school without a Statement IF everyone involved is agreed that that is going to be the named placement in the Statement.

[NobbyNobbs]

Phone your local authority and ask for their list of schools for children with autism.

If her behaviour is as you say, I doubt she'll make it mainstream. So if a Statement is not in place it would be better for her to start a primary school with an autism unit. Alternatively the LEA will have special schools where all the children at the school have a statement. But you may feel that is not her peer group, especially if she appears capable. However, if she has such language and communication difficulties there is a strong possibility that she will have associated learning difficulties.

I would recommend you visit all potential placements to decide where would be most suitable.

i dont think anyone expects her to make it in mainstream in the long term, unless by some miracle school is a magic switch for her and she can deal with it differently to the rest of her life. we spoke to nursery today and asked them to do 2 things - she has to keep her socks on, if she takes them off she has to put them back on, and she has to keep her uniform shirt on... they freaked out and started saying they couldn't do that because she'd never go for it and she'd just scream all day. yet in meetings they say shes perfectly normal and they have no trouble with her

 

local authority is being contacted to find out what is the best option.

[Sally44]

i dont think anyone expects her to make it in mainstream in the long term, unless by some miracle school is a magic switch for her and she can deal with it differently to the rest of her life. we spoke to nursery today and asked them to do 2 things - she has to keep her socks on, if she takes them off she has to put them back on, and she has to keep her uniform shirt on... they freaked out and started saying they couldn't do that because she'd never go for it and she'd just scream all day. yet in meetings they say shes perfectly normal and they have no trouble with her

 

local authority is being contacted to find out what is the best option.

 

Both those requirements (keep socks/shirt on), could be down to sensory issues, which I think should be checked before attempting to make her comply. It is very common for those on the spectrum to take off clothes due to tactile over sensitivity. I remember reading an article about a boy who used to continually attempt to strip, and the advice given to parents was to give him a chocolate biscuit if he managed to keep his clothes on. Eventually the parents saw an OT who said he did have tactile oversensitivity and that no amount of biscuits was going to be an incentive to keep on uncomfortable or even painful clothing. First see if you can find seamless socks, remove all tags, and just soft cotton T-shirts. You can help test materials etc by running them over your lips (sounds strange, but I was advised to do that and it works!). Your lips are very sensitive, so if a material or seam feels scratchy to your lips, then a child with a hypersensitive tactile system may struggle with that item of clothing.

Even in clothes that I have cut the tag out of there is sometimes part of it left sewn into the seam. My son has to wear boxer pants with those trousers or the remainder of the tag upsets him - otherwise he wears slips.

I have over sensitive tactile sensation and I cannot over emphasise how uncomfortable and even painful it can be.

However I know the wait for OT is years. But I would definately ask for a referal. If the nursury attempts to make her conform and it is a total disaster, that might be your opportunity to raise sensory integration issues and ask for a referal to OT. It is best to be on the list no matter how long it takes.