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Hi,

Just wondering if anyone can give me the benefit of their experiences to tell me if this is typical or not.

My daughter with ASD+ADHD (non verbal, very active, zero understanding of danger) has just started in reception. She has a statement for fulltime 1:1 incl lunch/break times. Her 1:1 has breaks at different times from the children so that she can get cover in the classroom and have her usual 1:1 at lunch and in the playground. As far as I knew this was all working well.

I found out from her cousin who is in Yr 5 she got out of the playground on 5th day in. He has seen her many times in the playground on her own without the 1:1. However, as another member of staff caught her immediately the school don't see the problem. The 1:1 was with another child at the time. Problem for me is I feel it was mostly luck she was caught.

When I initially asked a couple of questions about all this the 1:1 has quite happily told me that she is helping with other children in reception and is not solely looking out for my daughter in the playground. Long story short I have questioned this further and all at the school seem to be totally puzzled by my not being happy. Just wondered if anyone else has experience of this, am I being unreasonable in expecting her to have the constant supervision (as per statement and transition meetings) or are they allowed to decide to go against statement and have the 1:1 helping other children if they judge it to be safe?

P.S. Had originally put this in another topic but reposting here in the hope of more responses so apologies if you're reading for the second time.

Does it specify one-to-one EXACTLY in the statement? It is just that most areas no longer think one-to-one is ideal, and word it slightly more vaguely - which gives the school leeway to utilise the TA in slightly different ways.

Without knowing precisely the wording on the statement it is hard to say if the school are using the TA appropriately or not. However, it could be that when your nephew is seeing her on the playground alone that she is still being watched, just not "hovered over". If the TA stood over her in the playground it would really effect her ability to interact at all with her peers, and most children would not like this.

Within the class it is fairly normal for even a 1-to-1 assistant to keep an eye on a couple of other children as well, and offer them help where possible. As I say - it depends on the wording of the statement and the level of assistance being offered to other children - and what your child is doing when this is happening.

Thanks for the reply oakmaiden. It does state 32 + 1/2 hours 1:1 by a LSA on the statement. The 1:1 is quite open that she is not doing this. A big part of her problem is that she won't approach or attempt to socialise without an adult encouraging her and the statement does specify that this will be part of the 1:1's duties. The other side is that she has already managed to leave the playground whilst the 1:1 was with another child. The school recruited her for this job and say she is there for her needs. I have requested a formal meeting but just wondered what others take on this might be as I just can't understand why they are so surprised I'm concerned.

Well, in that case I would go into the school and speak to the SENCO about your concerns. I would go gently though, because it could well be that they are acting within the allowed parameters. Just ask them about exactly what support is being offered and what impact the assistance the 1 to 1 is offering to other children is having on your child. And ask them what their strategy is to prevent another "escape" incident.

It could be that the 1 to 1 is setting up your child to do some work, and then helping other children whilst your child is occupied. You wouldn't really want her to be sitting watching your child constantly, if your child is sat getting on with something, would you? If this IS the case then the impact on your child is negligible, and there really is not a problem. Also, it is very difficult in a playground to act purely as a 1 to 1 - as you are likely to witness other children doing things that need to be challenged and dealt with immediately. You can't really ignore one child trying to thump another one just because neither of them is your specific charge. It could be that something of this sort was what distracted the 1 to 1 on the occasion your child left the playground.

However, this is all just hypothesising - what you need to do is pop into the school and ASK.

My daughter has 1;1 in the playground, it's important for her safety (she has no appreciation of danger)and the school respects that. And in class work too. It probably helps that we run the programme and recruit the tutors. One idea on socialising the teacher has innovated is a play buddy scheme. Every day a child is given the "honour" of being our child's play buddy, and extra fun equipment to play with. It's been successful over a short time. Children now are less tentative with our child (who doesn't speak a lot). Our tutors/me (I like to see what goes on)help encourage the play but step back mostly. That would be one way of sharing the resource!! Other way (suggested by my ex head Mum)is for a "buddy" to read with our child. It makes it much more exciting for both.