What support would we receive for this in the UK?

[TheseGoToEleven]

Posting from Canada. DH and I have toyed with the idea of moving back to the UK and one of the questions is how much support we could expect through the schools for our children. There are two that would definitely need help, possibly a third:

DS1
He is 10, was recently diagnosed with Aspergers and a learning disorder. The learning disorder is mostly to do with written language, he has trouble with reading although he can read, and lots of trouble with writing - physically it is difficult for him to write, he has a dedicated laptop at school with voice recognition software on it and various word prediction programs for when he is writing something. At home we have tried to duplicate the programs (he can't bring the laptop home) and we also work on his typing skills. His spelling is, um, can't even think of a word for it! It is bad enough that word prediction and spellcheck software can't always interpret it.

The psychologist that diagnosed the ASD told me that he needs OT for visual motor integration, speech therapy for phonological decoding, counseling for anxiety. He has subsequently also been diagnosed with a visual processing disorder and oculomotor dysfunction and vision therapy was recommended. Right now he is getting none of these things. The pediatrician originally told the school that he needed an OT and ed psych assessment done, the school waiting list was 4 years long, and even then there'd be no guarantee he would get it, only if he was next on the list and there wasn't another child with a more pressing need. He does not cause any behavioural issues at the school at all so is very easily overlooked.

Our only option for therapy is to pay for it ourselves, we already paid for the ed psych and OT assessments, and the psychologist that diagnosed the ASD. We live in a smaller town and the only options for therapy are an hour's drive away, so I would either have to pull him out of school to go during the daytime (and drastically reduce the amount of work I can do) or drag all my kids with us, and when do we get to do fun family things?!

At school he has an IEP, not sure if they are the same in the UK but it basically means that the curriculum is modified and he is entitled to certain accommodations (like sometimes he is taken to a quieter room for testing, doesn't have to answer as many questions, someone to scribe for him, etc). The IEP and the laptop are all we have from the school but nobody with him at school to help him, make sure he's on track, etc.

DS2
He's 5, lots of articulation delays, on a waiting list for speech therapy for the school, waiting list is 2 years long. Again, private speech therapy is our only option.

DD2
Almost 7, has had strong articulation delays in the past but they are more minor now, and just needs help with grammar (which was delayed due to the speech delay). She receives intermittent help through the school after being on a wait list for 18 months.

Sorry, that is all very long. Our main concern is DS1, I have enough experience with speech therapy that I can muddle along with the other two until they can get help. And DS1 has a longer-term issue anyway.

Thank you so much if you have read all this and for any comments you may have.

[Ben10NeverAgain]

These if you ask MNHQ to move your posts to Special Needs:Children you'll get loads of posts. There is a UK mum on there that is in Canada so may know the differences between the two systems. This board is not very busy.

[Ben10NeverAgain]

Sorry meant to say that sorry things are tough for you. There is definitely a possibility of you getting some of the therapy that your children needs on the NHS/ through school but it may be that you will need to go through Statutory Assessment for a Statement of Special Educational Needs to guarantee the provision.

[LIZS]

If you already have reports your gp , when you register in UK, can make a referral to the Community Paed who can request appointments with OT, SALT etc. It did take ds 18 months to get to see an NHS OT on our return form aborad though as this is a particularly underresourced area, and therapies like Sensory Integration and Vision Therapy are largely in the private sector.

If they got into state schools then you may have a more direct route of referral via the SENCO or some schools have S & L units attached with therapy onsite. The issue with your eldest may be that he returns at secondary transfer age and support in Secondary schools may be less without a statement. An IEP is an internal working document in UK schools, which sets out targets of learning and/or behaviour for the child, how they can be supported and when to be reviewed. You'd need a Statement from the Local Authority to enable learning support and adaptations to be enforceable.