Dual placement

[justine1]

Hi all

 

Subject to my previous post Sam is now going to be doing a dual placement at both the ASD unit(Mon-Wed) and just mainstream(thurs and fri) Then at the end of May we will decide which is best and that is where he will remain

 

Not sure how he will cope but he is going to be doing lots of half days etc which I printed off and put on his wall, he is looking forward to swimming with the unit as he has not been before.It is hectic with my course and these various times but I know its just temporary.

[baddad]

Hi all

 

Subject to my previous post Sam is now going to be doing a dual placement at both the ASD unit(Mon-Wed) and just mainstream(thurs and fri) Then at the end of May we will decide which is best and that is where he will remain

 

Not sure how he will cope but he is going to be doing lots of half days etc which I printed off and put on his wall, he is looking forward to swimming with the unit as he has not been before.It is hectic with my course and these various times but I know its just temporary.

 

Blimey! Sounds a busy schedule, but hopefully will be setting him up nicely for the next 3 yrs or so as well as paving the way for the big transition at year seven.

 

Hope he loves both (but not to the point it's too hard to choose between them) nd that the swimming lessons go, erm, swimmingly!

 

L&P

 

BD

[bid]

Hi Justine,

 

Why did the LA decide on this approach? I thought his needs couldn't be met in mainstream, and he had ASD provision stipulated in his Statement??

 

Hope next week goes well for you all!

 

Bid

[JsMum]

I have responded to your other post, but this also sounds like a lot for Sam to cope with and the constant changes, I recommend you maybe do one of the other part time for the time being, it sounds like too many changes and as Bid says hasnt Mainstream been deemed unsuitable to meet his needs, I would really concentrate on the ASD unit.

 

The swapping and changes I feel will only cause real disruption, MHO.x

 

Js is in a specail school already and he struggles towards the end of the week as it is, so your placing Sam into mainstream at the back end of the week where kids are getting tired and ready for the weekend break, I personally would do it the other way round if you feel you really do need to trail the Duel Placements because the Mainstream setting maybe doomed to fail already basically because the timing of the scedule, all kids struggle thursday and by Friday Afternoon well, do I need to say anymore.x

 

 

 

JsMumx

Edited March 20, 2011 by JsMum

[Sally44]

I know you've struggled for a long time to get something sorted.

But the changes between the two settings maybe too much for him.

Try to keep demands as low as possible (ie. don't include lots of evening activities and weekend trips out - it could equal overload) and keep a daily diary of events to try to help you associate any difficulties with the particular educational environment.

Have a home/school book for both schools and ask them to specifically write down everything he struggles with in either environment. You need to have a really clear picture.

If at all possible try to go and see him in those environments. I found it very useful to just sit at the back of the classroom and see how my son engaged (or didn't). Try to observe him during a lesson and a breaktime.

Don't expect your child to be able to tell you which placement he prefers, but do ask the questions. He may not be able to tell you what he likes/dislikes about either environment. Or he may give an answer to please or state a preference because one setting has something he particularly likes (which could even be access to a particular game or toy).

If he does start to struggle then it maybe better to go for the more specialist provision.

[baddad]

Hi again -

 

just wanted to add that while agreeing there's a possibility he might find the two school scenario challenging in some ways it could actually go the other way. Much will depend on the reasons why he finds school difficult in the first place ('stress' is something of a catch-all that doesn't really identify the underlying dynamics) and it could be that there's a novelty factor to having two different environments that really pays dividends. If you think about it, that's not very different from, say, having an attached autism unit to a mainstream school that kids use part time/for specific lessons. The language unit attached to my son's old primary school (through which he accessed the mainstream on a planned schedule) had children from other schools coming in on a part time basis for specific subjects in the kinds of 'dual placements' you describe and it often worked very well. I think another part of that was the fact that it made each day (or couple of days, depending on the schedule) feel like a 'fresh start'.

So as I say, I do totally agree that it could be problematic, but also think it could go either way and is well worth giving a go if both schools offer different things.

Also agree that you need to be wary of how subjective his take on what might be better about one school than the other might be - a particularly nice teacher or new 'best friend' could be a deal breaker for him, but the benefits might not be quite as long term as you're looking for! Come to that, his idea of what makes a particular teacher 'great' or a particular new friend 'great' might be very different to your own!

 

Very best

 

BD

[Karen A]

Hi.

Just one thought.I have no idea what the holiday timetable is like for the two schools for April.However I am currently looking at a timetable for Ben that wil be a challenge to say the least.I think five days in school in the whole of April a couple at the start and three at the end of the month with not one full weekin the whole of the month.

Well if Royals will decide to get married .

 

Anyway it may be worth pushing for longer than May before making any decision if your timetable is similar.

 

Karen.

[JsMum]

Hi.

Just one thought.I have no idea what the holiday timetable is like for the two schools for April.However I am currently looking at a timetable for Ben that wil be a challenge to say the least.I think five days in school in the whole of April a couple at the start and three at the end of the month with not one full weekin the whole of the month.

Well if Royals will decide to get married .

 

Anyway it may be worth pushing for longer than May before making any decision if your timetable is similar.

 

Karen.

 

 

Js gone back to his resi school part time until Easter Holidays, which is in three weeks time, he then doesnt go back until 3rd Mayxxxx what was the point of going at all in April, its practacly a MONTH OFF.xxx

 

 

Justine I would look to see what respite support you could have in the Month of Aprilxxx0

 

JsMumx