blagged my way into a DCC presentation

[Hectorshouse]

One of my locals (for those of you that don't know I work in my local pub part-time) I found out the other day is a manager for DCC, she is part of the young offenders team. We got chatting like you do about the kind of young people that come her way, and as I am such an ASbore it took about 5 mins for me to ask if she had many AS children coming her way.

 

.... that was it, 1 hour later .... well it turns out that she spends a lot of her time at the PRU's and said there has been a noticeable increase in the number of young people/ children coming into them with AS that have been missed by the system, or appropriate support not been put in place etc ... well we all know that one don't we! I then told her about T's story and generously gave her the cuttings from the paper, after I had confirmed that she was definitely nothing to do with the LEA/SEN dept, she said she would be very interested in supporting me with my campaign to get more ASD provision into the secondary schools in Exeter and a heightended awareness of ASD in general to the professionals that work with our children. .... all good so far, not boring you too much I hope ..

 

Then she tells me about this presentation/seminar she is attending in January by a senior CPN who specializes in ASD, all those involved with AS children either SENCO's, youth workers etc ... are attending, I then gently asked do you every involve parents of children with AS in these kinds of meetings, as after all it is us that are living with them all the time and know are children better than anyone else or whatever a criteria specifies, she thought this was a brilliant idea and has formally invited me all expenses paid to the seminar, not to hyjack it, but to give her feedback, answer questions etc ...

 

She is of the same opinion as most of us are, the earlier the intervention the better, she is very passionate that these children don't get seem in the wrong light and that a much deeper understanding is needed by professionals in the system.

 

Also, on another note, we discussed the EBD school that the DCC have said would be the only other alternative for T if his placement fails, but even then won't be able to access it as it is full, she confirmed what I already knew .... wrong move, they are only set up for EBD, the ASD children their have real real problems and do not get the support they need, hence many of them are coming into the PRU's she works with.

 

I think I may have myself an ally here, I'd like to know what anyone else thinks.

 

HHxx

[littlenemo]

 

reminds me - last week I was on the train to Newcastle where I'm doing my AS course with my head stuck in a pretty intense and heavy research paper when two well dressed men in suits sat down at my table. I really tried hard to concentrate but my ears kept pricking up and finally I sat up and blurted out, 'who are you two?'

 

turns out they were from the Family fund on the way to negotiate a deal with a holiday company in scotland

 

spent the next hour discussing the needs of autistic people on holiday and left on very good terms with their email addresses in my pocket - they want to contact me for advice on ASCs in the future 'if that's OK?'

 

slowly but surely people are starting to listen

 

it is strange though that many of those who are beginning to think and ask questions are met purely by chance - when we go out looking for people to listen to us they just don't seem to want to know

 

Zemanski

Edited December 10, 2005 by littlenemo

[Brook]

HH,

 

maybe that chance meeting was meant to be.

 

Brook

[lindy-lou]

wow talk about fate intervening!!well done to both of you!

[Kathryn]

Well done to both of you and I hope something productive comes of these chance meetings. The only conversations I ever seem to overhear are the boring kind - people planning where they are going clubbing next weekend and what they are going to wear.

[Suze]

Hector.....must stress the need to make the most of this opportunity , perhaps you could suggest you make a presentation and address the floor , bit of a white board and your away ..............you know make sure they leave with a true understanding

[phasmid]

When these things happen, as they do, sieze them by the 'whatevers' and go for it. Well done to both of you. Who knows what will come of these chance meetings? Nothing but good with a bit of luck.

[Hectorshouse]

It just gets better it turns out my DCC manager's partner also works with children in care and a lot of AS children, she is going to dig out loads of research etc that she has, and having passed them T's story and newspaper cuttings they are chomping at the bit to talk to me more ... so this really does look like a golden opportunity, and I am definitely going to take it with both hands.

 

First though, I know I can tell it like it is from my perspective as a parent to T, but is that enough? I know that I'll be able to talk about the difficulties of accessing the SEN system (mild understatement I know ) and the difficulties we face when dealing with professionals etc ... any advice or tips?

 

HHxx

[phasmid]

Tell it like it is. This may be the first time they have ever had the chance to talk to a parent who is talking to them in a reasonable mood. I should imagine they have had more than ore or two parents rant at them in their time. However I doubt they have had the chance to have a proper sit down conversation with someone from 'the other side' of the divide as it were.

 

No doubt they are going to be interested in local problems so what you need is eveidence from your region to take to them...perhaps the paper can put out a subtle appeal on your behalf (or have it done through a third party). This has got to be a godsent opportunity for both you and T and oters to be really heard for once.

 

Get emotional about it (but NOT at them), get upseat and angry too (but still not at them). They may not be able to fix things themselves but they may well have the ear of those who can start the ball rolling.

 

 

What a chance to have!

[call me jaded]

One of the big things in Every child Matters is parental consultation. Now they've found a 'tame' parent, you'll get invited to loads of things.

[Hectorshouse]

.... hmmmm 'tame parent' .... thats an interesting term, and not one that has been applied to me before

 

HHxx

[littlenemo]

depends how you tell it whether or not you stay a 'tame parent'

 

Zemanski