To be rampaging about classroom staff changes?

[WelshMaenad]

Dd has just started year 2. She has cerebral palsy, her specific problems include mobility problems, mild speech delay, visual processing issues and problems with continence. She is not currently statemented (though we are considering asking for a statement) and is in mainstream.

When she was in reception, we had numerous issues with the TA at the time, lets call her Mrs A. She had obvious objections to having to meet Dd's additional toileting needs and we had put dd in pull ups for school to try to minimise stress whilst we dealt with the constipation that was causing in continence issues, purely because this TA got so arsey with me every time she needed a change. Shortly before the Easter break I was phoned by the school to come in to change dd because of an 'accident'. I arrived to find the rest if her class in PE but dd sat in the classroom, excluded. She had a little skid mark in her pull-up. Mrs A had refused to change her and as a result she missed PE and was upset and humiliated. I went slightly bonkers with the school, had a meeting with the headmaster, patiently explained how they had breached the Equality Act and required assurance that this would never happen again.

At Easter the TAs switched classes and we got Mrs B who was amazing, super supportive and net DD's needs with nary a blink. She stayed with DD's class through year 1 as well so the prospect of a new teacher AND TA for yr 2 was a bit stressful.

Anyway, it all went well, new TA was Miss C and a half term in, we love her, she's young, enthusiastic, warm, supportive and adores Dd. we were very happy. Until this morning, when we turn up at school to find that with no warning or explanation, TAs have been swapped and we have lost Miss C and back with DD's class is Mrs bloody A.

I am tamping. Though not specifically allocated to her, the TA invariably works more closely with dd than the others, and if all the people to swap our lively one with, the head has paired DD's class with someone who allowed her personal distaste to compromise my child's wellbeing and happiness, and breached the EA. she has made her dislike of my child plain and obviously resents meeting her needs so how can I trust that she will meet them properly when she's failed to do so in the past?

I am waiting for a call back to make an appointment yo see him. AIBU to be angry?

[BigFatLegsInWoolyTIghts]

It sounds like DD needs a one to one...but I am no expert...this TA sounds horrible though! I am not knowledgeable enough with this kind of thing at all but I know that no TA has the right to make a child feel like this one did your DD!

[Quadrangle]

Horrible. Mrs A sounds unsuited to the job. Good luck with your meeting with the head to explain the problem. Good for you for fighting for your dd's rights.

[Tweasels]

No YANBU. The head was aware of previous issues and should have at least discussed this with you. There may be no option/very good reason why they've changed round but you should have been made aware.

I'd also recommend you do fight for a statement. The statement could unlock funds for a specialist TA who stays with DD throughout school.

Hope you get this sorted.

[CwtchesAndCuddles]

Ask for this post to be moved to children with special needs and you will get lots of expert help.

School are well out of order.

[WelshMaenad]

Thanks cwtches - I did genuinely want to know if I was being a PFB overprotective mental person first! Can always rely on the AIBU lot to set you right...

[Dawndonna]

If you get a statement, you can request that the TA stays with her throughout her schooling, obviously as long as TA is happy to do so. I have a friend who has just finished with a lad in sixth form, having been with him since Reception. She's now starting again in Reception.
Good Luck!

[BigFatLegsInWoolyTIghts]

That sounds much better...I hope they listen to you Welsh...it's horrible sending your child off and not being sure they're looked after. Kick up a stink!

[WelshMaenad]

To be honest, she really doesn't need a full time one to one, I actually think it would hamper her independence a bit (she's a feisty, stubborn little creature and gets shit done). The setup of a class wide TA that was just weighted towards her a bit worked perfectly - when we had a nice one!!

[BigFatLegsInWoolyTIghts]

I wouldn't say some extra toilet help was weighting it towards her though Welsh....it only takes a few minutes to help her I'm sure.

[HairyMaclary]

You do need a statement, DS has CP, is mainstream with mobility issues but not anything else. He walks around the school but uses a wheelchair when we are out. He has a statement and his 1:1 does physio, handwriting and the odd social skills group with him as he doesn't need full time support and objects to being seen as different.

You can make surethat a statement has a care plan in it that will specifically deal with the continence and changing issues. It is not really a job specific for a class TA and unfortunately I think you will find she is within her rights to not change your DD. if it's in a statement then there has to be someone available to do it. A statement does not need to have a 1:1 specified on it, in fact the LA would prefer it didn't to save themselves money but without it you cannot guarantee that your daughter will get the support she needs for the class TA as she is for the whole class and as she gets older the class TA will become less and less anyway.

Sorry a bit of a ramble there but do come over to special needs children where we have lots of experience of this and can help you get the right stamens properly worded!

[schoolgovernor]

I agree with the above, you should pursue the statement.
Re the change of TA I don't think you can start quoting EA because there is nothing to state that, because of her special needs, your daughter has to stay with the same TA. As it stands at the moment the headteacher has moved things around, surely to meet a wider agenda that will benefit a large group of pupils. Her new class may need the benefit of some particular expertise she has to offer. It would have been nice of the head to have told you, but I don't think you have a right because of the lack of a statement. If the head had told you, what would you have done?

[ericandernie]

I'm afraid if the TA is for the whole class she may not always be available to see to your DD. TA's have many duties and perhaps she wasn't there to see to your child when she needed changing and the teacher may have asked for you to come in and change her.
A TA will spend most of her time taking/teaching groups of children especially in year 1 or 2, of course Reception is a little different.
From what you say perhaps your little girl needs a special needs assistant (SNA) not a TA? Unfortunately this will probably need a statement though to get the funding.
Also TA's do not have to change your child, some schools do ask the parents to come in if it becomes a regular problem, this happened to my cousins little girl.

[Quadrangle]

In the light of what others (with more knowledge of SENs) have written, it does seem as if it would be a good idea to fight for a statement to ensure your dd's needs get looked after properly. Good luck.

[tethersend]

She should definitely have a statement; ask the head or SENCo about an EP(Educational Psychologist) assessment and the SA1(application for a statement of SEN) form.

Relying on the class TA is not enough- the school could decide tomorrow to restructure the way it supports children and pull TAs out of class altogether, leaving your DD struggling.

WRT toileting, the school has a duty of care to ensure that your DD is changed. Whilst teachers cannot be compelled to change children, TAs can.

Have a chat to the head/SENCo and explain that your DD needs more support than this particular TA can provide; ask them to solve the problem.

[tethersend]

"Also TA's do not have to change your child, some schools do ask the parents to come in if it becomes a regular problem"

Schools must ensure that children are not left in faeces or urine, and must minimise the impact of identified physical needs on children's learning.

Put simply, all schools must change children who have accidents.

[ericandernie]

well I need to tell my cousin then tethersend!

[WelshMaenad]

Ericandernie, maybe I wasn't clear - she wasn't too busy to change my child, she refused to.

[slappywappydoodah]

I'm sorry but whilst this TA does sound like a bit of a cow, it does sound like your DD needs to be statemented. i am not convinced that TAs in normal, mainstream schools are really to be expected to do these things for your DD.

Mrs B sounds like a saint, but I think you were just lucky with her.

[threesocksmorgan]

there is no way I would allow that woman to care for my dd
she sounds horrid

[BigFatLegsInWoolyTIghts]

It doesn't sound like she's allowed to refuse! BUt i agree that your DD needs a statement so that she can access some decent and willing help...you don't want her with this ta right now....ask them what they plan to do then if the TA won't change her.

[Lovewearingjeans]

I work in a school in reception, and we have a child with CP and he has a one to one. He has continence problems and needs changing. The changing shouldn't be seen as an inconvenience, as you could create a big stink (excuse the pun). Does DD have an IEP? If not, it sounds like she should. All us TAs at my school support various children during what we call a booster time. We have big meetings with the SENCo once a term, and support each other at our TA meeting once a week. Perhaps the TA you mention is more used to working with older children who are more capable. It does seem crazy to have moved the TA that you loved away from the class. Go and have a meeting and ask to speak to the SENCO and class teacher as well if possible. Good Luck xxxx

[ericandernie]

Oh I see sorry. I'm afraid this happened to my cousins DD but it wasn't the TA it was the school who told her that her DD must be able to clean herself after an accident. This was in Reception too :(

[WelshMaenad]

Lovewearingjeans she is on school action plus.

[halcyondays]

Yanbu, of course. I would start the statementing process ASAP, it usually takes a while for it to come through. My dd has AS and she has a statement, mainly because of her continence problems.. So she has a one to one, but she doesn't hover over her as such. But she is there to help if needed. The benefit of getting the statement is that the TA will have been employed to deal with her toileting needs, so cannot say that it's not in her job description, as a regular TA might.

We had a terrible time when she was in nursery as the teacher and head were hugely unhelpful, claiming the school had no staff who cold help and expecting me to come in to change her, but when she started p.1 we put her foot down, and the TAs changed her, until she got her statement. I have to say, all the TAs were great about it, it was only ever the nursery teacher who was awful.

I would complain to the school about them swapping the TAs.

[halcyondays]

TAs can refuse to change children , but if they do it is up to the school to provide someone who is willing to do it. They are not supposed to call parents in to do it.