IS ANYONE OUT THERE ACTUALLY GETTING IT ?

[Daisydot]

Me and my hub have been sitting here totally fed up with our LEA and wondering whether we should move right away from London. We are having to fight for our kids to get any help and there is just no money and no services in the LEA.

 

I was just wondering if any members in any other parts of the country actually think that they are getting a good deal / help / support / an appropriate education for their children ?

 

I have one DS7 with severe receptive and expressive language deficit as main problem with ASD and dyspraxia, one DS9 with high functioning ASD.

 

We are just so fed up with our Borough at the moment, even though we have both grown up and lived and worked in the area all our lives as have our families.

 

Any suggestions anyone ? Is the grass actually greener anywhere else ?

 

Thanks !

Edited August 15, 2006 by Daisydot

[smiley]

Unfortunately - seems to be a fight wherever you live.....

 

<'>

[lil_me]

Same here aswell, just sent my sons appeal letter off

 

<'>

[col]

Looks like i'm not the only one that wants to leave our little hell hole of a borough. Got DD8 family support officer coming on Saturday, so will be chatting with her. Will be quizzing her on 2 certain area's that seems to make up most of DD8 school. And would it be worth moving to one of those area's.

At DD8 sport's day they were doing a presentation for the school leavers and were saying where the children were going next. A lad from our area was the only one that didn't have a school. Quite a few had what i would like for DD8 in a few years time.

 

But i;m just worried that moving to a new area, may make it harder for the little one to get a statement, but thinking about it, how hard will the new area be compaired to how bad our area has got?

 

Also does anyone know of any renovate house shows ??? As our house will need serious doing up!!

[jen]

We have good support and resources but we have had to go to tribunal once (nearly twice) but LEA settled it the week before. If seems those who speak loudest get the resources but it should not be like that.

 

Jen

[dooday24]

nope just as hard here have 2 fight 4 everything i dont think its any different whereever u live. <'> <'>

[Daisydot]

Looks like i'm not the only one that wants to leave our little hell hole of a borough. Got DD8 family support officer coming on Saturday, so will be chatting with her. Will be quizzing her on 2 certain area's that seems to make up most of DD8 school. And would it be worth moving to one of those area's.

At DD8 sport's day they were doing a presentation for the school leavers and were saying where the children were going next. A lad from our area was the only one that didn't have a school. Quite a few had what i would like for DD8 in a few years time.

 

 

Col - PM me with those areas - I know your DD8 goes to the school we want !! I am thinking drastic measures now, like sell up and ship out ! Thanks hun.

 

60 Minute Makeovers (ITV I think) were asking for people for their next series - I like the stuff they do on that show. I wish someone would come and do mine too ?

[col]

this will take more then 60 minutes

[Daisydot]

Yeah, mine would take 60 years to do up, never mind 60 minutes ! We dont even get to the DIY shops to browse or look for ideas, never mind actually doing any DIY (destroy it yourself). We just live like pigs in mud and pretend we like the late '80s gold wallpaper and yellow and blue stripes (courtesy of the last owners).

 

There must be a show that would like to help you - I'd email them all and say you never get the chance to do any DIY due to your kids SEN difficulties you dont have the time, etc.

[LizK]

Autistic Outreach is great here <'> , never heard a bad word about them and DS's school have been wonderful too funding fulltime 1-2-1 on SA+. We have had no problems getting a statement either. I think in part this is due to luck having a well resourced local school with some previous experience in autism as well as us shouting loudly too. Provision is patchy. I know a couple of mums getting equally good support from their schools but I've heard plenty of horror stories about the LEA too and situations that are simply disgraceful. There are cutbacks looming too which is worrying for the future.

 

Lx

[hev]

my LEA werent helpful to me,my social services not been helpful,my cahms not been helpful,come to think of it maybe i should move

[ullean's mum]

my LEA werent helpful to me,my social services not been helpful,my cahms not been helpful,come to think of it maybe i should move

Hi Daisydot,

We have 3children with AS and our local schools have been great,our oldest son 18yrs did his last yr of primary and all his secondary education on the island and our other 2AS plus our1not AS are still at the same primary school and we are really happy with their progress,8 children max in the whole school,our oldest started school l on the mainland and was suspended more times than i care to remember,but since moving to a small island school where you would expect services to be really bad due to the location,they have turned out to be far better than anything we had on the mainland,and many of our friends on the mainland actually comment on the ammount of services,opportunitys etc that we have here compared to other places.

We love it

[LizC]

he it seems to be taking forever here too in middlesbrough! Matthew's diagnosis was fairly quick thankfully but getting the help he actually needs is another thing! it is so silly expecting his teachers to try and deal with him when they have the rest of the class to sort out. (he often disrupts the class and walks out alot) anyway he got dianosed almost a year ago and finally we are meeting the school pyschologist in september! hopefully something will be done.

[UltraMum]

I can't write what I think about the LEA in our area ... and I'm not the only one in this area having problems ...

[mossgrove]

We're happy with the provision we get from our LEA, with both our Autistic children in an autism-specific special primary school environment. Not at all happy with the mainstream school they were in before but that's another topic.

 

We did shout VERY loudly though.......

 

Simon

Edited August 15, 2006 by mossgrove

[CarerQuie]

I am happy with the provision my son is currently getting but it seems harder for those setting off down the Statutory assessment/pinning provision down route now.xx

[Daisydot]

Thanks all for your comments. Sounds like the Inner Hebredes is the place to go then. Interesting.

 

Well, I think we have decided that if we lose this tribunal, we are off. Sod London, we have been let down big time by our Borough. We and our families have paid taxes in this area for years and years, Grandad was a policeman, Nan runs a Senior Citizens centre, other Great Grandad worked on the local paper, not to mention was in the Home Guard. I work for the LEA (oh yes, they dont even help their own !) and Dad works in the locality. We have all input to our local community, been law abiding, tax paying citizens and now that we need a bit of help for one of our kids we just get a kick in the teeth.

 

Sorry folks i am just a bit p***d off at the moment.

 

Daisydot

[ullean's mum]

Hi,

Downside to living in the inner hebrides--Pub,11 mls away ,supermarket 16 mls away ,proper supermarket 1hr drive,ihr on ferry ,but up side is having beach outside front door,keeps the kids happy in summer while mum sits back in garden with glass of vino <'> <'> .

[jlp]

I'm happy with the local child and family unit and ongoing suport we get from them and also support from Barnardoes. Another forum member however lives in the same had a nightmare time and no support so it seems it depends on who you see.

 

ASD liasion seem good too.

 

We're just starting with social services and applying for a statement so will reserve judgement there!

 

We live in Gateshead, Tyne & Wear.

[Daisydot]

Hi,

Downside to living in the inner hebrides--Pub,11 mls away ,supermarket 16 mls away ,proper supermarket 1hr drive,ihr on ferry ,but up side is having beach outside front door,keeps the kids happy in summer while mum sits back in garden with glass of vino <'> <'> .

 

 

All sounds good to me - except the supermarket - do Tescos do deliveries by any chance ? I expect the Scottish system for SEN is different / better than England - seeing as you lot have the reputation of having a better education system all round. One of my ancestors was apparently an MP for somewhere in Scotland, pehaps we should move back !

 

Thanks for your reply

Daisydot

[ullean's mum]

Hi daisy dot,

SEN is not any better in scotland ,we just managed to get kids into a really small rural school which happened to have a head teacher that used to be head of SEN,it was just pure luck.

The school our oldest sonAS attended before moving to the island was awful,unlawful i thought,they taught him by putting him behind a blackboard to stop him distracting the other (normal) kids,in our eyes he was the normal one,but theydecided that the bullies were normal and never lied,with the result that our 18 yr old feels he cannot trust anyone outside family.

It would have been a lot easier if school had just admitted that they knew nothing about AS and sought help instead of making him out to be the naughty boy he wasn't,but they didn't want to look as though they couldn't cope,as that just wouldn't do now would it

[Daisydot]

[it would have been a lot easier if school had just admitted that they knew nothing about AS and sought help instead of making him out to be the naughty boy he wasn't,but they didn't want to look as though they couldn't cope,as that just wouldn't do now would it

 

That sounds familiar. Like the school my two have just left. I think my little survey has shown that its just pot luck. Oh well, back to being a mad mum in London.

[noogsy]

hi hun...i think from everything i have read everything is a lot harder in london.just cos it is so huge and has so little funding for special needs kids. we are in scotland have found that our we boy has been helped by the schools. although it took two years from start to finish to get his funding and special needs teacher in place.he has a aspergers teacher 9 hrs a week one to one...when things were not going well we went straight above the schools head.but we very very carfull not to alienate our selves completly from the head teacher.this is where a certain amount of craftyness comes into play....we are older parents and we used the chatty,cheerfull,smiliey aproach with our head master.we have a understanding with our headie now....ie i want action and i expect it now.and he does try hard cos he knows i will phone mclaren house and put in a complaint.and it doesnt go down well when im moaning.so he tries to please me.i think it helps that i smile all the time and try very hard not to show im anoyed.and then capow i put in a complaint in all fairness i think our headie is totally confused.....ha ha ha.thats it confuse the enemy.love noogsy

[PinkSapphireAngel]

Daisydot as you know I am from the same useless LEA as you and Col and I so know where you are coming from, if we could afford to move we would do it TODAY!

they are totally uncaring, untrustworthy, heartless, the list goes on.....

 

They clearly enjoy being complained about and being taken to SENDIST etc for some reason from what I can see, anything rather than actually just do the job they are meant to do and I seriously do not know how some of the most senior even got their jobs in the first place!

[Daisydot]

I seriously do not know how some of the most senior even got their jobs in the first place!

 

 

Pink Sapphire Angel,

 

Thanks for your reply.

 

To be fair some of the LEA people work their asses off for little recognition and are totally dedicated to the children they work with (ie my boss, but I think she is in the vast minority). I do actually think there are some who get off on actually causing misery to familes with SEN children - otherwise why would they do the jobs they do ?

 

Did you read in the local paper this week how much the CE gets ? And now they want to recruit another deputy CE at another amazing salary. And theres me working my butt off and being paid peanuts. Oh please, move over fat cats, you me and Col should run the Council !

[PinkSapphireAngel]

Daisy I hope I didn't offend you, I'm sure you probably know who I was really refering to at the LEA.

I am sure there are some very dedicated people there in places (including you) but its hard when there seem to be some with the power to do good for our children only use it to cause misery like you said.

 

I think we would do a great job running the LEA, shall we apply now? lol

[col]

Was it the freebie or the gazette?

[bjkmummy]

after bens dx we moved from lincolnshire to rutland as told it would take a year in linclonshire to see an ed psych!!!!

 

within a week of being in rutland, ben had a place at a special school where he is going to be for another year - then he will move back into mainstream school with a good autistic unit attached to the school. they have provision for as kids up to the age of 18.

 

they run a special needs kids group once a mont at the school and he gets to go on loads of trips etc plus they do special needs swimming. he got 2 days a week childcare during the summer holidays which hes really enjoyed.

 

my 3 year old who we belive is also as within 2 months here has seen the special needs hv, the ed psych, the paedatrician - all agree that he is on the spectrum. he has a place at the same school/nursery for 2 days a week in september (full days!!) plus as they are insisting its a dual placement that are paying part of of his mainstream nursery costs as well.

 

i also go to a grup on a monday afternoon where i can take my nt daughter swiiming a nd meet other mums like me - they run evening out for the parents and various help workshops.

 

have to say that living in rutland has been amazing!!! as its the smallest county the people know each other on a personal level and actually talk to each other!!! getting a place for both children at the school was too easy really whereas if i had stayed in lincolnshire i would have had a real battle for any form of help or support

[bramblebrae]

Hi I am in North East Scotland, the school was meant to be good for SEN practises but frankly I've not seen much evidence. I do believe they try, they just aren't as aware about spectrum disorders as they need to be and they will not ask outside agencies for help. I have got one to one support for my son and the autistic outreach teacher comes to school for an hour a week and does a social group with him and a few classmates which the auxialary is then supposed to do back up work on at other times during the week (Ive not actually checked if they do this). The support and help from outreach teacher only came about by me bypassing the school as they did and continue to misinform me of what S can have or can't - the outreach teacher has been a blessing she really helps me with any school related problems. I've not applied for the equivalent of a statement up here as he should be provided with all he needs without one according to the 'laws' or guidlines up here I'll see what happens when I can't get something I believe he really needs in future though or when it gets closer to secondary school. There is a very good setup for high functioning autistic students called (name removed by moderator) here where they get good support within secondary there were just 8 places based in one school for this but it has now doubled to 16 places across 3 schools I would hope if needed S will get a place in one of those in the future.

I have written more about school in general on my new blog (link below - shameful plug *blush*). If you can stand to hear any more ramblings please visit , any and all comments critisms welcomed

 

Lorraine

Edited August 22, 2006 by nellie

[Daisydot]

Was it the freebie or the gazette?

 

 

Col, I am not sure as I binned them all but I think it was the H*******n Times. Anyway CE gets like one hundred and something grand a year and the new deputy CE will be recruited at another one hundred and something grand. HOW MUCH ? I cant wait to see my boss in September and see what she has to say about that !!

 

Daisydot

[Daisydot]

Daisy I hope I didn't offend you, I'm sure you probably know who I was really refering to at the LEA.

I am sure there are some very dedicated people there in places (including you) but its hard when there seem to be some with the power to do good for our children only use it to cause misery like you said.

 

I think we would do a great job running the LEA, shall we apply now? lol

 

 

 

Pink Sapphire Angel

 

No of course you did not offend me. I am quite in agreement that some in the LEA are beyond redemption. The only ones I have any time for are the PP. I dont actually work at the Civic anyway, so fortunately I dont have to deal with them except on the phone or make an occasional cup of tea for a visiting officer. My boss would like to ring some people's necks in the LEA as well !

 

Yeah ! lets run for the next council elections ! The Pink Daisydot Col party !

 

Daisydot

[Suze]

Were in cheshire and although we, ve had ups and downs on the whole the LEA side of things has been good, they have fullfilled their obligations, getting his primary school to do that was another matter .

[Daisydot]

[

I have written more about school in general on my new blog (link below - shameful plug *blush*). If you can stand to hear any more ramblings please visit , any and all comments critisms welcomed

 

Lorraine

 

Hi Bramblebrae

 

I did read your very interesting "ramblings" in your blog. I was interested about the food bit. My son is also very limited in what he eats, will never try anything new and likes to wipe his tongue on anything available immediately after eating something he finds distateful (when he did it on the curtains the other day it reminded me of that film Gremlins where the Gremlin wipes his nose on the curtain). My son's list of "will eat" food is even more limited, although he has excelled himself recently and ventured into a new flavour of crisps. I, like yourself, do not believe that starving him is the answer. I think he would just not eat and then get really sick. I have sought the advice of our local hospital, where they have a feeding clinic,. They tell me not to worry as he is the right weight and height for his agegroup so is getting enough from what he IS eating. The Psychologist told me eating difficulties is typical of many with ASD. My son also seems to have a highly sensitive sense of smell. He once told the Ed Psych in the LEA he didnt like her perfume (snigger) and was pulling a really disgusted face. She said only one other child had ever made such a comment. The Feeding Clinic Pych said use a reward to get him to eat something. ie, he can play on his x-box if he eats a slice of apple.

 

Thanks for the info about SEN provision in Scotland.

 

Daisydot

[AliG]

I wouldn't advise moving to North Wiltshire! There is absolutely nothing in the way of support! I have a 19 year old needing social activties and there is nothing for him. He has had to travel the other side of Bath for Education! The only one I can advise for anyone to go and see is (name removed by moderator). They do sometimes take out of county students and have hostel provision ofr secondary age!

 

If not too far out of your way it's worth going to look round!

Edited August 22, 2006 by nellie

[Daisydot]

I wouldn't advise moving to North Wiltshire! There is absolutely nothing in the way of support! I have a 19 year old needing social activties and there is nothing for him. He has had to travel the other side of Bath for Education! The only one I can advise for anyone to go and see is (name removed by moderator). They do sometimes take out of county students and have hostel provision ofr secondary age!

 

If not too far out of your way it's worth going to look round!

 

 

Shame, I like Wiltshire. We love going to Cirencester to our parents caravan there, although thats not North Wiltshire I think. We looked at some really nice places in Swindon too. Thanks for info about North Wiltshire.

Edited August 22, 2006 by nellie

[AliG]

North Wiltshire has some lovely places to visit and some beautiful scenery! But lacking so much in resources and help! There a couple of schools now which are making provision for Autistic Students. One is called xxxx (name removed by moderator) ! It maybe worth looking into! I have found the website for the school in the Bath (website removed by moderator) They have an online Prospectus! and is very much becoming a resource and learning centre for parent/carers and porfessionals!

 

I hope you will find this useful!

 

PS I'm not far from Cirencester! My boys love going to Magicland!!

Edited August 22, 2006 by nellie

[nellie]

Can I just remind everyone of the following forum rule.

 

10. Posts should refrain from naming schools, organisations or professionals without having obtained the prior consent of the individuals concerned. For the avoidance of doubt the moderators will remove any postings where there is any doubt that prior permission has been obtained.

 

Nellie xx

[lil_me]

Well as you will see from my Yayyyy post in Education I have eventually been listened to, never give up hope <'>

[AliG]

Can I just remind everyone of the following forum rule.

 

10. Posts should refrain from naming schools, organisations or professionals without having obtained the prior consent of the individuals concerned. For the avoidance of doubt the moderators will remove any postings where there is any doubt that prior permission has been obtained.

 

Nellie xx

 

I am very sorry about that! I only joined yesterday so still finding my feet!

[nellie]

No worries. If you can find the time to read them, the Guidelines and Rules are in the top left hand corner of the page.........and a warm welcome to the forum Alison.

 

 

Nellie xx