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    • Anonymous
      Inactive
      Post count: 20

      Note: SFTAH transferred this from old data base when site was updated, thus date and name lost, all dates 2006 & 2007 changed during changeover to odd dates.I have a daughter aged 13 she goes to a special school for SLD she has a diagnosis of severe autism,severe learning difficulties and behavioural problems ,she is non verbal (can say a few words) also having Absence fits she is around the level of a two yr old ive been told ,she has been on a statement since she was 3 it has never changed and mentions nothing about ASD,the school are not now coping with her she has started to lash out alot at school not so much at home ,they cant contain her in a class room she is wandering the school and the staff are not wanting to confront her with fear of being hit ,i am having a meeting with the school friday to discuss things and a meeting with her consultant about possible medication ,but i dont know what to do the teacher is fantastic but the rest of the school are not geared up for her and it is when she comes into contact with other teachers who dont know her or understand her the conflict starts eg someone screamed in hall, my daughter is noise sensitive she hit a child teacher who didnt know daughter shouted NO at her which is one of the worst things you can do so then she started lashing out all round there have also been many changes in school and her routine is out , i would like my daughter to go to a school that specialises in Autism but i think my LEA would be unwilling to fund any such thing as they dont even fund 1-1 support anymore (i live in the west midlands ) i dont want her going to a boarding school she wouldnt cope she is still in primary and is due to go to secondary school next september ,how do i go about finding such schools ? apart from home schooling i dont know what the school want me to do i cant be there all the time she has already been unofficialy suspended once i am frightend to go anywhere incase the school need me to fetch her ,what do i do ?? or can anyone point me in the direction of help ??

    • Anonymous
      Inactive
      Post count: 22

      Hi Debs,

      it is difficult to give advice as counties vary in the way they manage statements but i would try to insist that your daughter has a completely new statement. This is what some of the families i work with do – especially since the orginal one is 10 years old and won’t take into account how she has changed and her different needs.

      This would mean that you would be able to get new assessments for her and reports and advice about how she is now.

      In order to be able to access a school that specialises in ASD i think your daughter would probably need to have ASD on her statement.
      Having the diagnosis on the statement, i think, is essential as it gives you evidence to ask what the school are doing to meet her needs. It is also good as it makes LEA, Ed Phyc etc focus on autism specific targets and interventions to help achieve the targets.

      It must be really difficult for you having to be available to collect her if she needs to come home – it certainly sounds as if they don’t know how to manage your daughter when she is anxious or distressed.

      We work with a number of families who have had their children ‘unofficially excluded’ and this is sometimes a bit of a cop out for the school. If they have to come home school should register it as an official exclusion – this won’t be a reflection on your daughter but will highlight the fact that school are not coping with her and therefore not providing her with a stress free education that she is entitled to.
      This will also be good ‘evidence’ to have if you do want to move your daughter to another school.

      At the end of the day the school take the money that your daughter’s statement provides and have, therefore, made the contract that they can meet her needs.

      I don’t know if this helps at all.
      I think it is most iportant to push for her statement to be completely re-written or substancially reviewed at least.

    • Anonymous
      Inactive
      Post count: 20

      Thanks Jayne you have been a great help ,i was worried that i was putting to much on the school ,you have put my mind at ease and given me strength for tommorrows meeting
      Thankyou
      Deb

    • Anonymous
      Inactive
      Post count: 32

      Hi Debs, I can’t really add any more to what Jayne has suggested but, despite your understandable reservations about residential placements, I would suggest you have a look at Sunfield School at Clent, near Kidderminster in the West Midlands (hopefully, fairly local to you). Our son is there and they have an excellent reputation as well as being a TEACCH training centre. Whilst it may not be the school for your daughter, it would give you some idea of what is available and of good practice and may help you ‘know what you are looking for’ when visiting schools. We visited dozens throughout the UK expecting to have a huge ‘shortlist’ of appropriate schools and ended up with a list of two! Best of luck with your meeting. Dave.

    • Anonymous
      Inactive
      Post count: 20

      I Have thought about Sunfield as i know they do take a few day pupils but was told they wouldnt take my daughter as she is being violent at the moment ,thanks for your help Dave
      Deb

    • Anonymous
      Inactive
      Post count: 32

      Hi Debs, I know I don’t know the current situation but I would guess the violent behaviour may well be linked to the current, innapropriate placement/support. If she had an appropriate placement, hopefully the violence would diminish. I am suprised that Sunfield (I believe they have an ‘outreach’ programme for just such issues) haven’t offered assistance, although, as mentioned previously, the innacurate statement may have led to them not being consulted or approached. I would be tempted to approach them directly and explain your situation. As a ‘local’ school I would presume that they may know the best/fastest ‘channels’ to go down to obtain an accurate diagnosis/statement/support in your area. Dave.

    • Anonymous
      Inactive
      Post count: 22

      Hi Debs,

      hope your meeting wasn’t too horrendous and you managed to get your points accross. More importantly I hope the professionals listened to you.

      Just to add to what Dave has said I have heard some really good reports back from parents about Sunfields.

      Jayne

    • Anonymous
      Inactive
      Post count: 20

      Hi there well the Paed managed to point my point across and better he was behind me all the way,we have made another appointment for the review of her statement and i will make sure it is reviewd ,we delayed the Meds as her absence fits were in need of taking care of first so she is now on Epilim which may have a positive effect on her moods too he wants to see how that goes before anything else is given , all there at the meeting confirmed that LEAs are no longer funding out of area placements and all special schools have to get with it and cater for all special needs , My daughters Paed had a go at the head not in front of me said he couldnt have a go at the boss in front of parents , and told him what i was telling them was basic info and they should have all that in place for her now and should have had for a long time !! i was pleased about that ,Sunfield looks great but it is mainly Boarding and i didnt want to go down that avenue yet but they do an outreach programme and that intrests me too and i am going to bring it up in the next meeting as i said which will be a statement review ,i also learnt that her local secondary special school has a new low sensory autism area which will be futher improved by a whole new building ,i dont think i helped much at the meeting but how i deal with my daughter at home would be largely different to how they treat her at school because this is her safe zone i can probably get away with more here ,i mean her class teacher thinks she doesnt like red but ive never noticed a dislike to any color ?? but anyway more staff training is being orderd as my daughters Paed said there will be more children like my daughter better get prepared now ,so it went okay but it seems my daughter is the guinea pig for later pupils ,so i am happier but not totaly happy ,oh and they have also got her a TA 1-1 but her class teacher doesnt appear to be happy with her and there going to try a new one and keep trying till she bonds with someone okay ill leave it there for now ,thankyou for both your help no doubt ill be back for more [:D]

    • Anonymous
      Inactive
      Post count: 97

      http://autismandaspergersinthefamily.freeforums.org/schools-uk-usa-worldwide-f20.htmlIf she has a statement you can choose which school she atends,it does not have to be in the same district that you live.In section 4 of the statement it shoud say which school and why fill it in,theyhave to take your comments into accounthttp://autismandaspergersinthefamily.freeforums.org/parent-partnership-uk-t374.htmlThese are a go between for you and the school they are independant of the LEA

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