placement at risk meeting

[nysnanna]

Looking for some information/advice please.

After a huge battle we finally got our Grandson statemented and a place at a LA special needs school that is entirely made up of pupils with ASD, Aspergers ADHD etc.

Now after a year we are told that this placement is at risk - he will not conform or do a lot of the things he is asked to do, he can be unpredictable and has on 2 occasions hit another student. The school expanded in July and he is now in a different base, much larger (old comp school) and is now able to wander the corridors causing disruption, before the classrooms were small and secure. This is part of the problem but not all of it, his Mother struggles to get him to do anything he's asked and he is now 5ft 11in and doing as he likes almost.

He has diagnosis of ASD ADHD PDA and is almost 15, only recently started to be seen by CAMHS after getting involved with the criminal justice system caused by his impulsiveness and unpredictability. A security guard in a local store grabbed him after he refused to leave ( he was arguing with him about being followed around the shop) and he lashed out at him, common assault.

This week the school will not allow him on site and he has spent the ladt 3 days in various locations being driven around by a member of staff and being taken for macdonalds etc, certainly only being contained.

His head has said they cannot meet his needs and has called this urgent meeting on Friday.

Attending will be Education Officer, Ed psych (never met any of us), targeted support worker, supporting Families worker (I think she's from social care). The head mentioned that they may look at residential for him as his Mum has admitted she is struggling to cope, can they force him to go into residential against our wishes?. What other options are there around? We live in Nottinghamshire, his behaviour is quite challenging and I imagine other schools will also have the same problems with him. I can't even find out what other schools the LA may use and I don't want to go to the meeting tomorrow knowing nothing as I don't trust LA.

Head also mentioned part time one to one done from home and I know this wouldn't work as he will never mix home and school, he would never do homework because of this.

I really don't want him to go into residential as he wouldn't understand why, he really doesn't think that there is a problem with his behaviour, he thinks he's fine, but I am getting increasingly concerned that he will either get hurt himself or he will hurt somebody.

Sorry for the ramble but I'm rushing this as I'm late for work and my thoughts are so mixed up over this.

Any advice/suggestions extremely grateful.

Thanks Teresa

[oxgirl]

Hi Teresa, sorry you're having a tough time with your grandson. I know it is frightening and it is not what you want, but it does sound as if residential could really be beneficial for your grandson. If his mum is struggling to cope with him at home and he is already getting away with difficult behaviours it seems like this could only get worse if he does not get the intervention and help that he needs soon. Sometimes the only place for these needs to be met are residential placements. I am not saying it is an easy option for anyone, but it is worth considering seriously because the alternatives are sometimes thin on the ground.

 

Good luck with the meeting and all I'm saying is don't dismiss the idea of residential out of hand because it really could be the making and saving of your grandson where he gets the intervention that he really needs to turn him around. What other options could you see working?

 

~ Mel ~

[nysnanna]

bhanks for your reply Mel, I'm not sure what options I could see working to be honest. He just doesn't seem to realise that his behaviour is a problem and therefore consequences appear to be ineffective. I am trying to keep an open mind about residential but I know that he would be extremely opposed to it and would feel we no longer wanted him. My head tells me that it could be the making of him but my heart is telling me differently.

We will go and see what the school and LA say tomorrow and see what options they suggest, but we are not feeling optimistic about the outcome. I'm trying to find out what provisions there are that could meet his needs, but that information doesn't appear to be very easy to find.

I will let you know how it goes tomorrow.

Teresa

[oxgirl]

Yes, please do keep us up to date with how things are going. All the best for the meeting.

 

~ Mel ~