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Here are some suggested organisations that offer expert advice on special needs.

SN children

Advice on daughters 1 -1 continual absences .What can i do?

15 replies

squatchette · 30/11/2007 20:56

I have a 4 year old daughter with a tracheostomy.She has a statement and requires one to one support at school because of this.
She started school in September and i attended with her for the first 6 weeks or so whilst the teaching assistant did all her training and we all felt she was ready to care for dd alone.
After i stopped going with dd school said that as the TA needed a lunch break i would need to come in to cover this time at first for half an hour then they increased it to an hour.They then found someone else to cover the lunch hour but she left after one day of the training.
They have now got another TA who helps another SN boy during lessons to start training so she can cover the lunch hour.So that problem will soon be resolved hopefully.
However the TA that looks after my DD during lesson times has been of sick for a total of about 5 weeks all together now.
Each time this happens the school phones me and either i go in with dd or she has to miss school.
I can only attend half the day due to the hours my other dd attends her pre school so i can drop her off and collect her.So all in all dd is missing lots of school.My dds father is also having to miss work to look after our 3 yr old in the afternoons when her pre school is closed and i am at school with our other dd.2 days this week i have had to take her with me as he's been unable to look after her so this has been another problem.
I really want to go back to work and was hoping to do this in September but it would be impossible never knowing when i will be needed to cover for the TA and now with only a few weeks until xmas i feel upset that i am doing the TAs job whilst she gets payed for it.
I understand that school is in no way free child care but surely i don't have to put up with this.How can someone be allowed this number of sick days when a childs education depends on her being there to do the job.
Does anyone know if the school have an obligation to find cover in the event of sickness?Going on the TAs health so far i'm just really worried that if i don't do something now the school will just continue expecting me to pick up the slack and live on benefits because i can't go back to work.
Sorry this is so long but i'm at the end of my tether.TIA for any advice.

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Sidge · 30/11/2007 21:07

Poor you that's a totally unacceptable situation.

I'm no expert (we are just starting the whole school thing) but surely if she has a statement then the school is legally obliged to ensure she has the 1-1 she needs, and if the TA is off sick they should find someone else??

Or am I incredibly naive and it doesn't work that way.

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moondog · 30/11/2007 21:16

First thing to do is see the head.
Completely unacceptable.

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moondog · 30/11/2007 21:16

First thing to do is see the head.
Completely unacceptable.

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moondog · 30/11/2007 21:16

First thing to do is see the head.
Completely unacceptable.

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daisy5678 · 30/11/2007 22:06

The Local Authority have a legal responsibility to provide the provision in your dd's statement. They will have to pay for someone to cover if necessary. That is the law!

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yurt1 · 30/11/2007 22:22

Totally unacceptable (although they did the same thing- to a less extreme degree when ds1 was in mainstream). I think you will have problems sorting it out before the term after she is 5 - because that's when legal school age starts (so that's when you defer your right to educate to the LEA iyswim). A lot of ds1's reception she he only attended for 2 hours twice a week as the school wouldn't take him any more- he only went full time the term after he was 5.

I'd talk to IPSEA though, talk too them before you see the head perhaps so you know the score.

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squatchette · 30/11/2007 23:01

Thankyou for the replies everyone.I will be speaking to the head on Monday as she wasn't in today.I will also phone the LEA but as giveme sleep said they can probably get away with it until she is 5.
Yurt what is the IPSEA ? Sorry if that's a stupid question.
It's just so frustrating because i want and need to work but can't because of this.My daughters teacher said i should consider training as a TA as 'you're so good with the children'.Shame i can't apply for the job myself .

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yurt1 · 30/11/2007 23:19

IPSEA They deal more with SEN but they will know the legal responsibilities of the LEA and be able to answer the pre/post 5 question etc.

VERY hard to get hold of. Phone asap and leave a message (it always goes through to answerphone) they will ring you back. Volunteers, and inundated.

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Christie · 30/11/2007 23:28

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

yurt1 · 30/11/2007 23:35

Good advice form Christie - thinking about it - in order to get the LEA in a position where they had legally to fund a carer, no matter the situation it would have to go in parts 2 and 3 of the statement (which I'm assuming its not as its not an educational need).

Are there any websites dedicated tracheostomies. You need to find someone who is dealing with the same situation.

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Christie · 30/11/2007 23:48

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

squatchette · 01/12/2007 00:06

Thanks Yurt that looks like exactly what i need ,will phone asap.I think i'll have a look on the TOFFS website too I had forgotten all about that as haven't looked at it in years.

Christie i know exactly what you mean.It has been difficult finding one TA and then she had to be trained ,let alone getting another for if and when cover is needed.I'm not sure what a paediatric carer is.Is this someone with nursing experience rather than educational iyswim?

My main point of contact for dd is the paediatric outreach team at our local hospital.They told me that now dd is of school age most of the responsibility passes to the school although they have done all the training for the TAs.Maybe it depends on where you live to some extent.
I will look into the paediatric carer though Christie.

It just all seems so stupidly complicated as though no one seems to really know what they're doing .The women who was to be dds lunch time cover(and left after a day) told me her only experience was of running a mother and toddler group.They seem to be looking for the cheapest help they can get.
DD will be 5 on the 5th Jan so that may help our case too.

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squatchette · 01/12/2007 00:12

Sorry didn't see your last post Christie.DD does have the option of respite at our local hospice but have only ever used it once when i gave birth to my other daughter.I think the staff there were all nurses.
I think we do have a critical care team so that may be another avenue to look down.
Once again thanks for all the good advice.

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video · 01/12/2007 20:19

Hi,

My child has a tracheostomy and the school has employed two LSAs to look after her ( one for am and one for pm ). This works well but I do have to cover any sickness but having two LSAs it doesn't happen too often!

If your child is in mainstream school you will find that Health is reluctant to pay for any carers as it is the Education boards responsibility.

I hope everything works out for you and please do contact A.C.T ( Aid for children with tracheostomies ) and they can put you in contact with a another parent who can help you out with all of this. Good luck and let me know if you need any other advice!

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squatchette · 02/12/2007 18:51

Thanks Video i'll check out A.C.T hadn't heard of that either before.Am pleased to see that there are so many sources of help and info out there I wasn't aware of.Really glad i posted ,thank God for Mumsnet!