Karen A Report post Posted July 10, 2006 Does your child have 1:1 during lunch and playtime to help with social skills? If yes do you think it has helped or does child depend on adult too much? We are checking the draft statement for Ben-[8 years,asperger traits,DCD]and need to decide whether to ask for 1:1 for lunch time to be documented.Thanks Karen Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oxgirl Report post Posted July 10, 2006 Does your child have 1:1 during lunch and playtime to help with social skills? If yes do you think it has helped or does child depend on adult too much? We are checking the draft statement for Ben-[8 years,asperger traits,DCD]and need to decide whether to ask for 1:1 for lunch time to be documented.Thanks Karen It's a very tricky balance, isn't it. When my son (now 12, AS) was at primary school he had full-time 1:1 and he was totally dependant on adult help/supervision, etc. I did feel that the only time he got a bit of freedom and a breather from their interference was at break times. He never socialized at break-time or lunchtime, he used to just stroll around with a toy on his own, but at least he could do his own thing and the other kids felt free to come over every now and then and see what he was doing. Sometimes I feel that having an adult there all the time restricts freedom so much and might even prevent other kids interacting freely with the one whose being continually chaparoned. If the helpers can set up activities that your son might enjoy and give him the opportunities to get involved and then STEP BACK and let him get on with it, that might be a good solution. The last year my son was at primary (before we took him out to home educate) they set up a table outside for the kids to Beyblade on and he was there like a shot! Like I say, it's a balance between leaving them struggling where they might be vulnerable to teasing, etc. and having an adult continually interfering and coaxing. I personally felt my son needed to have a break from all the nagging TAs and a chance to just relax on his own at lunchtimes if that's what he wanted. All the best. ~ Mel ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cmuir Report post Posted July 10, 2006 Hi I too am facing the same dilema. My son is 4.5 and will start mainstream school after the holidays. When he plays literally right outside my front door I sit on the doorstep and watch like a hawk. Main reason being because there is still that element of doubt that Robert might take off (he has done several times and has tried to deliberately run out in front of a car). Also, the kid that he plays with is a year older than Robert and really knows which buttons to press in terms of winding Robert up. I feel I have to mediate. I've often asked myself whether I'm being too overprotective, but hand on heart, I don't think so. Everyone else may see me being overprotective and neurotic, but I know what could happen! When Robert starts primary school it's a case of me building up trust that the staff will get to know him for the lovely little boy that he is, despite the horrendous behaviour and that they will genuinely look after him. Have to say, I'm finding that really hard just now. Fact is, I don't trust them, but think that's something that will hopefully come in time. Robert is getting a full-time learning assistant. As yet, I need to find out exactly what will be covered. I've been told that there are 2 playground assistants to look after 80 kids. I know they don't have eyes on the backs of their heads so worry that perhaps Robert does need someone to watch out for him. My worry is also that Robert is easily led (neighbours kid is a good example) and I doubt very much he'd know if he was being bullied. Neighbours kid accompanied by 2 older boys kept running away from Robert leaving him sobbing. That infuriated me. I know that could easily happen at school. Guess it's a balance of knowing when to give them space and when to watch closely. Personally, I'll be watching very closely over the next year. Hopefully after then once I've learn to trust the staff and once Robert has settled (and the others in his class too) that things will be okay. Hope this doesn't add to your confusion. Just wanted to offer my take on it. Best wishes Caroline Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mossgrove Report post Posted July 10, 2006 If you request a 1:1 support for lunctimes in the statement it can be gradually withdrawn (By agreement only!) over the cause of the year if it turns out to be inappropriate, if it's not in the statement you're chances of getting one if you need one are negligible. Don't forget a 1:1 can also be used to give the child the option of not going out if going out isn't right for them. Simon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Daisydot Report post Posted July 10, 2006 I would like support at lunchtime for my ASD son (7) as its not so much him but other children who know they can take advantage of him and bully him. I have not had any success getting that help specifically, have had to use part of his 25hrs p week 1-1 support. I wanted someone to just keep an eye and intervene when he had difficulties he could not handle. Better to have it first and then have it gradually withdrawn. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bagpuss Report post Posted July 10, 2006 I'd like 1 - 1 support for my dd at playtimes etc, but hadn't realised it could be provided. She has a statement and is in an assessment class with 10 other children, in a mainstream school. There is one member of staff for the playtimes and our dd's TA commented recently that our dd is abit of loner, tended to play be herself with hoops etc, the other children often ran off and she struggled to keep up (she has muscular dystrophy too) . We had specifically gone down to the school to observe our dd at playtimes to put our minds at rest, and this comment made last week by the TA has left us feeling really low. I'm fine if she's choosing to be alone, but so sad that she may be trying to join in, and struggles to Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KATHY BLAIR Report post Posted July 10, 2006 Rachael has 1 to 1 a lot of the time at lunchtime - she is 7. We didn't get this allocated specifically in her statement, as I believe this is hard to get, but the head master agreed to push for thehours so that her classroom assistant could do it. Rachael was very unhappy at lunchtime in theplayground - she couldn't stand the noise, couldn't find anyone in the crowd and didn't know how to join in the play. By the end of her second year in school I was having to bring her home at lunchtime and then take her back after because the school couldn't provide supervision to allow her not to go to the playground. Her occupational therapy report also stated that she was at danger of taking risks in play and this gave us leverage from a health and safety point of view. At the beginnig of last year then, she had the option of not going out at lunchtime at all or else having 1 to 1 in the playground. She knew she had the option of not going out if she wanted, but she never took that option. She also knew exactly who to go to when she was in the playground. She knew she was there to help her, but she supervised from a distance and only interevened when necessary. By the time she finished school at the end of June she only had the help if she really needed it, but it can be put in or left out. It really has benefited Rachael she is so much more confident and has developed one really good friend. I think it really does depend however on the classroom assistant and how good they are also. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
av16 Report post Posted July 10, 2006 My son, due to many and varied incidents during lunchtime has a lunchtime club everyday, other children just get 1 a week. He also has his TA for the last 10mins of break to calm him down and 'prepare' him for the afternoon. (Unfortunately they finish this week so there may be some upsets next week). They are all sports orientated which suits him; if you could think of anything your son might enjoy it might be worth suggesting. If they are kept occupied in something fairly structured they enjoy with adequate supervision it really does help them. BW AV Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Karen A Report post Posted July 10, 2006 Thanks to you all for your helpful information.It is really useful . Karen. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LizK Report post Posted July 10, 2006 My four year old son has 1-2-1 at lunchtime, it is not in his statement but he needs it and hte school have got someone for that hour. He finds lunchtime hard as he can't cope with large amounts of unstructured time and the reception playground is busy then. At lunchtime he really needs to be able to chill out to process the morning and allowed some time off to be autistic. I was finding he was coming home shellshocked in the evening when he was spending all his lunch hour with his peers. Now he has part of his lunch in the hall and part of it outside. He goes for a run around in the playground for 10 minutes and then gets asked if he wants to go inside. More often than not he will choose to and him and his dinner lady often go off to the music room where he listens to CDs and relaxes. Over time they hope he will spend longer outside but at the moment this chill out time is very important. So his one-to-one isn't for socialisation, he gets enough of that during classtime, but the opposite really to allow him to not have to socialise. Maybe as he gets older and classwork is more academic and less playbased he will need that time to socialise but not at the moment Lx Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
