What to do

[Joels_mum]

Our son was due to start school last September but we deferred a year for a few reasons:

 

1. He is one of the youngest in the school year with an August birthday,

2. He was only diagnosed last April and hadn't yet got a statement, and

3. There is no asd provision in the local schools. We have a choice of two; both are a 45 minute journey away and at just turned 4 I thought the day would be way too long for him once 1.5 hours journey time is factored in.

 

We are in the process of getting a statement and will need to nominate a school. I've been to see one but not the other yet. The local authority have said they will pay for a taxi for him but I am still concerned about the amount of travelling he will have to do. The other options are to home school or for us to move closer to one of the schools. Of course then, we would be moving to a new LEA and we would need to start the statementing process again. I'm not opposed to moving but I do feel this would not be necessary if the local council were making adequate educational provision for asd children.

 

Any opinions on the options? Has anyone moved house to be near a school? We would be moving 15-20 miles; it would still work wih my job but it would involve uprooting my older daughter from school.

Edited January 1, 2011 by Joels_mum

[justine1]

Hi

 

I had the same problem with Sam, he was also the youngest(august 17th) and I never knew he had ASD at the time, but looking back I would definatley deffered his school place.

 

It is obviousley your decision on what to do,personally I would'nt go for the home school option,I feel for my son to understand people and rules he needs to attend school,I know he would'nt succeed if I took that option.However it is a very personal preference.

 

Moving will be hard on all of you as a family,so if you are considering this you would have to weigh up the pros and cons. I have recently moved to a different LEA,my son had just received his statement(1mth) when we left, the new LEA have not changed his statement and we can chose ASD provision or special school.However,I did'nt move because of the schools I moved for a few reasons, the school system is better here though with the option of three special secondary schools.

 

I also have experience of the travel side of things, Sams previous provision was a 45min journey.He often fell asleep on the way back and on the way there he just kept himself busy with various things, I was going to give him his DS but he did'nt need it in the end.

 

You could try and see how he copes with the journey,after all if you have decided on the school then you have'nt got much to lose.If he is'nt coping then you can decide on whether or not to move.

I don't think there is much you can do about the lack of provision, you could write to the MP but I doubt it will change at least not for your son.

[Joels_mum]

Thanks Justine, I did post a few months ago and at the time we thought their may be an option for a local special school but that's off the cards now. There is a lot of pressure for the local authority to provide a school or unit at a minimum but it's unlikely to happen before next September.

[JsMum]

Thanks Justine, I did post a few months ago and at the time we thought their may be an option for a local special school but that's off the cards now. There is a lot of pressure for the local authority to provide a school or unit at a minimum but it's unlikely to happen before next September.

why is the proposal of a special school off the cards now? if you have enough evidence to prove that his needs wont be met in the provisions they have suggested then you can appeal and go to send and the panel there will decide, if you feel his needs are better met in special school then you can request a special school?

 

Who is saying he can not attend a special school?

 

what type of special school is the local special school?

 

When we fighted for a special school the LEA offered my son a place in a Moderate Learning difficulties special school, again this didnt meet his needs, so we declined, we moved J to a school that was in an umberella term of BESD which also caterd for Aspergers Syndrome/ HFA but for us this has not met Js needs either as the behavioural techneques failed to work and they failed to meet his communication and interaction needs as well as his speech and language needs.

 

We have nominated a specific special school now that meets the needs including his Communication needs so getting the right special school is also very crucial.

 

JsMumx

[Joels_mum]

The local special school is only up the road from us but most of the children have severe physical disabilities and the Child development centre at the hospital don't feel that it would meet his needs. I'm inclined to agree from what I've seen of it. They have recommended we apply for a place at a specialist autistic school that has experience of using PECS as Joel is non-verbal.

[JsMum]

The local special school is only up the road from us but most of the children have severe physical disabilities and the Child development centre at the hospital don't feel that it would meet his needs. I'm inclined to agree from what I've seen of it. They have recommended we apply for a place at a specialist autistic school that has experience of using PECS as Joel is non-verbal.

is the specific Autistic special school that is further away from your address? 45 mins each way?

 

Unless you uproot and move closer to the school there really isnt any other option but to travel further away, my sons special school was in oxfordshire, 4hrs away from our home, but that was the closest we could find at the time, thankfully the nominated ASD specific school we have requested is two hours away but he his school is residential as he requires the 24hr curriculum, I wouldnt get J to school if it was a day school.

 

Js communication is severe, and at four had limited speech and language, which is why he didnt meet the criteria for Aspergers Syndrome, Js speech and language needs are more pragmatic and samantic, receptive and Expressive needs.

 

Also add in Sensory intregration needs too.

 

I would at least give the transport a go, if he settles then look at moving further down the line, you can appeal if a new LEA decide they do not want to fund a specialist provision.

 

I would get him in the Autistic school, with transport, escort, and see if he benefits from the provision this will also add evidence if you do decide to move and the worry of a new LEA.

 

Basically see how it goes if you are successful in getting him into a Autistic Specific school and then make decisions on the outcome if it is better to move closer and look at provisions for your daughter that may be in the new LEA duristictionsx.

 

JsMumx

Edited January 1, 2011 by JsMum

[Kazzen161]

Do the specialist schools belong to the other LA or are they independent?

 

I would not even consider moving until a) the statement is through your son has tried the school to see if it goes OK c) you get some idea of how likely the neighbouring LA is to keep your son at the school.

 

If you move and the school does not work, it will have been for nothing. If the school is independent, the neighbouring LA may not agree to continue to fund it - they may have their own (LA) asd provision.

 

If the statement is not through yet - how do you know there will definitley be a place for him at either school in Sept? If it is a LA run school, then they are likely to fill it up with their own children. If it is independent, then they will not allocate a place until your LA agree to fund it, which is unlikley until the statement is finalised.

 

When he starts school is he going into Yr R or into Yr 1?

[call me jaded]

I think the key is finding the right provision.

 

Just for info my son went to my borough's own primary special school and the journey was one and a half hours each way. He enjoyed the bus ride immensely though I found it hard to load him up and just wave him off. He normally had a power nap on the way home and was full of ADHHHHHHHD when he got home

[chris54]

A 45 minuet journey to and from school although not ideal is more common that a lot of people think. A lot of children at mainstream schools have them sort of journeys or longer. When we are told we have choice, it is tailored by what that choice is.

We have just the same choice local non specialist school or a long journeys each day. It really depends on each child what would be the best choice.

We opted for the local school, time will tell if that is the right thing, all seems OK at the moment.

 

Our council is just at the start of reorganising special school provision, to make it more "local", but of course that will have the effect of making it less specialised. The reorganisation will take something like 10 years befor completion, so what make a lot of difference to us.

[Joels_mum]

Thanks for the replies. The schools are in two different LEAs (in opposite directions) and are state, not private. We are visiting both schools this week; Joel's statement should be completed by the end of the month. Both schools have told us they have places in September at the moment so we just need to find the best fit for him.

[bensmum2]

Hi please dont take this the wrong way , but you are very lucky to have an lea that have already agreed to pay for transport or your son,most people even when they get schools , still have to fight for the transport.I think it is worth giving one of these schools a try , he will have an escort in the taxi who will probably keep him occupied and there are games and stuff he can take and if you vary it he shudnt get bored ,my own son (although he is `15) travels an hour each day to school , he never complains of being bored as they talk about things i give him a drink and snack for on the way home he has severe anxiety and panics easily but he always arrives home really calm even when they are in rush hour traffic. If the lea are already saying your son can go out of area then i think you are in a good position to look at other out of area schools including independant espcially as they cant provide him with a place anywhere until september. i also know of people who travel locally on school buses to special schools and some travel over 1 1/2 hours round the area picking others up before they even get to school, and that school is only about 3 miles from their home x You can always thinks about moving if and when he is settled in a good school,if you still feel you need to x