Interesting double page in today's sunday times

[mogwai]

Scandals of our special schools, or something like that.

Very thought provoking in our house this morning. Minette Marin's article spot on, as usual.

[kalex]

Can you do a link?

[mogwai]

a link?

I can't even work my mobile phone!

[heartinthecountry]

What section mogwai? Am looking on-line and can't find it.

[Jimjams]

it was in news.

[mogwai]

news review I think. If not, it was in the main section

[heartinthecountry]

Found it! here

[mogwai]

what did you think jimjams?

[coppertop]

Someone sent me a link to it but now I can't find it. Is it the article that mentions the Jacksons too? (Luke, Jacqui etc)

[coppertop]

Crossed posts with HITC.

[Jimjams]

something that shocked me from the same page was that if ds1 goes into residential care as an adult we will have no say over what happens to him anymore He will be under the care of SS. And considering how completely useless SS are, I find that very worrying.

It wasn't very clear about what happens if we remained his carers- I think SS could sideline us if they wanted.

[Jimjams]

Thought the description of Special schools still being run by elderly matrons was bizarre. Ds1's school couldn't be further from that. (and the other SLD school we looked around was hardly run by elderly matrons either).

Personally I think inclusion for ds1 was a joke. Long live special schools.

[mogwai]

yes that bit was surprising

[coppertop]

I think it made a good point about there being a lack of provision for children who are (according to the LEA) too bright but special schools but don't have the social skills to cope with mainstream.

[Jimjams]

some of the the stuff about the jacksons was wrong as well. Acutally am off to find out if they knew it was being done (they don't always).

[mogwai]

and the bit about the LEA deciding whther the child needed a statement or not, this being at odds with the fact that they also provide the money - that hit the nail on the head.

In my last job, it was widely known that the EPs had been told not to give out as many statements, year on year. They were under a lot of pressure to play down the child's needs

[coppertop]

A minor point but I also didn't like the use of the word "handicapped" either - but then perhaps I'm being a bit too PC. I thought that the usual term now was "disabled" or "with a disability".

[onlyjoking9329]

no jacqui didnt know it was in the paper, it was an old telephone interview she did and like jimjams says it wasn't all correct, the photo was an old on too

[mogwai]

thats unbelievable

[onlyjoking9329]

yes i disliked the term handicapped which they used lots and would not have been a term that jacqui would ever have used

[onlyjoking9329]

she was in another paper today too but i forget which one

[coppertop]

They used an old interview?? I would be seriously p*ssed off about that!

[pixel]

This seems to have been in several different newspapers. I'm just hoping it means the end of the hideous 2020 campaign.

Was it right about Ben Jackson being in a wheelchair. I'm sure I don't remember that from the documentary I saw. In fact I thought he was the one most like my ds, lots of spinning and jumping up and down.

[heartinthecountry]

CT - the first thing I noticed about the article was the journalists use of the word handicapped. You would have thought they might have cottoned on to the fact that everyone else (IPSEA, Disability Discrimination people) was using 'disabled' or 'disability'. Oh apart from Baroness Warnock who did use the word handicapped - but was quoted from the 60s FFS!!

Not really surprised they used an old interview from the Jacksons - unless the rights to the interview/photos are limited I believe they can be used whenever they like.

[Fio2]

Its amazing that they have actually closed a few special schools where i live and guess what? they are having to increase class sizes at other spoecial schools. They are also having to build a large extension on my daughters school as the intake of children is increasing each year.

Ran by matrons with no training? snort! I think our headmaster would be most disturbed by that comment

[Fio2]

I really hated how they highlighted "retard" and "mentally subnormal" aswell, but thats just me being sensitive. I didnt like the fact they think we "dump" our kids in special school either

I really think alot of what was written was quite ignorant but my brain is foggy this morning