Whats Devon like for Special Needs?

[JonnyT]

Having just been made redundant, my wife and I are considering moving to Devon for a simpler more relaxing life.

 

We have a 7 year old diagnosed with Aspergers and perhaps other complications and currently live in Notts. At present we are getting little or no help at School and it just seems to be one constant battle with School and the LEA etc. Our medical advice is that our Son needs a Statement but the LEA say no one in Notts needs a statement!!!

 

Is this likely to be the case in Devon or are they an LEA that doesn't try to fob you off at every opportunity?

 

i.e. What is Special needs provision like in Devon?

 

Thanks

 

JonnyT

[Clarkie]

Hi there,

 

Quite honestly I think it depends on the individual case, how pushy you are and what your son's individual needs are.

 

Devon do statement - we have just gone through this process since dx in July - the medical authorities are the ones who have pushed things through for us...as well as me being a very pushy mom.

 

All I can say is if you do consider a move, visit the local schools first to find out if you believe that they recognise AS. You'll be able to tell when you ask them questions. If they give you that "oh-your-child-is-just-a-naughty-boy" look, then you know they haven't a clue about AS.

 

On the positive side - it can't be worse than Notts. IAnother positive side - DEVON is beautiful and we wouldn't be anywhere else.

 

Good Luck

Clarkie

 

PS Really sorry that you have been made redundant. Sending you lots of these <'> <'> <'> <'> <'> <'> <'>

 

P.P.S Thought I'd reply now coz after Tuesday I may recommend you don't come anywhere near Devon - so I'm trying to be unbiased at this point.

Edited March 18, 2006 by Clarkie

[Tally]

I live in Devon, but I was not educated here, so I cannot comment on that.

 

There is very high unemployment here, so unless you have a job lined up, you might struggle to find work. I also found some people in Exeter very unpleasant. When customers heard my London accent, I was told at least once a week, "it's because of outsiders like you coming here and taking all the jobs that my son/sister/friend/etc is unemployed." That said, I served a lot of other customers in the average week with no problem. Now that I live in a town outside Exeter, I have only had that comment once.

 

The roads in Exeter are very poorly managed, and there is terrible congestion. Something to consider if you were planning to work in Exeter, especially if you were to live somewhere else.

 

This is a part of the country where people think "darkie" is an appropriate term to describe a black person (or actually anyone who is not white). Racism is an issue here, but I do hope that it is one that will change.

 

It's a beautiful part of the world though, and it's home so I do like it. Even though it rains a lot (but rarely snows).

[Hectorshouse]

Hi JonnyT read my thread 'new area new problems'

 

Just off to work now or else I'd say more.

 

HHxx

[mossgrove]

JonnyT

 

Sorry to hear you have lost your job, I have been through it twice so I know how hard it can be.

 

Have you enlisted the support of Parent Partnership, IPSEA etc. in your stuggles with the LEA? We have family in Nottinghamshire, two of which work in Special Needs Education and they have not mentioned to me that Notts LEA were taking that stance. Did the LEA tellyou directly that they no longer intended to issue statements (In which case you may wish to contact IPSEA) or was this a comment that someone made?

 

It might be advisable to spend some time checking that the outlook for provision in Notts is as bleak as you think it is, as uprooting your entire family to an area a long way away isn't guaranteed to 'simplify' thinks in quite the way that you imagine it will. If you don't have a statement in place when you move, bear in mind that you may have to restart the process of getting help from the very beginning. There are a couple of people on this forum from Nottinghamshire as well as people from Devon, so hopefully you will get some more advice soon.

 

Simon

[Hectorshouse]

IPSEA recently took Devon LEA to task for stopping the issue of statements, check their web site out.

 

http://www.ipsea.org.uk/devon05.htm

 

also this is the link to my thread and the problems I had when I changed boroughs. the one thing I will say now is that had I not had a statement for T then our move would have presented even more problems, all LEA's are becoming more and more reluctant to issue statements.

 

http://www.asd-forum.org.uk/forum/index.php?showtopic=3913

 

Sorry about being made redundant, I hope that things get better for you, <'>

 

HHxx