What support does your child with suspected ADHD get from the SENCO?

[SeeKnievelHitThe17thBus]

Trying to work out if I have unrealistic expectations or my son's school has a rubbish SENCO, or the school just has no money to pay for stuff.

We think that DS has ADHD, with a focus more on attention deficit that hyperactivity, and possible dyslexia. I thought naively that the SENCO at DS' school would help us to put strategies in place to help him, and refer him to an ed. psych for a referral. She used to be his class teacher and couldn't even be bothered to tell the new class teacher who took over from her that he's had reading intervention.

DS is 8 and in Yr 4. I'm sick of being a squeaky wheel at school and I get the impression she's hoping we'll just go away and that DS, as an August baby, will just get over this as he grows. She's been "keeping an eye on him" with no records or formal reporting unless we've nagged for it, since Year 2. The school's SEND policy stats children should always have a personal progress plan, updated and shared with parents each term if they have out of class room intervention. When I read this I asked to see DS's plan as we'd never seen it; that's when the new teacher not knowing about reading support came out, as he couldn't see why DS would have one.

DH doesn't want to meet the GP, as he think's they'll just medicate DS, but we have a kid who in Yr 4 still writes some letters and numbers backwards, has poor pen grip, spends hours at home running up and down as a way of processing stressful homework like spellings, and reads below his age group. Before I go in and meet the headmaster to ask why he employs a SENCO who is shite, I want to know if this is me having too high an expectation of a state school. If it is, what do we do? Local private schools do daily spellings where the state school do them weekly, and DS dies on his arse with spellings anyway, so there is no option to send him private, and the other local school option has mixed year classes which are a disaster if you're struggling. What can I / we do so we get DS the help he [to us] obviously needs?

[KisstheTeapot14]

I'd go in with a book like this (aimed at schools)

100 Ideas for Supporting Pupils with ADHD (Continuum One Hundreds)
by Geoff Kewley and Pauline Latham

and ask what of these ideas are you putting into place to support my child? If not, why not? Push for an assessment through GP and ed psych. If GP says medicate you can always decline, but they may be able to refer you on to something more helpful.

Our DS has dyspraxia with attention span of gnat. I have suggested to school a visual timetable and a timing device to keep him focussed as teachers say he goes off piste easily. He has a SEND plan, has done from when we got diagnosis via GP/Paediatrician/DCD clinic. TBH no reason why stategies can't be put in place even whilst you seek diagnosis. Can only improve classroom experience for all concerned - is how I'd put it!

Good luck OP, stick to your guns. Those who shout the loudest...as our previous SENCO used to say. She was amazing. A very feisty Amazon Queen - just what you want on your side :)

[KisstheTeapot14]

Other useful sources of ideas (I know the SENCO should be doing this and not you, but hey - it pays to go in armed with knowledge of what can be done) -

Specific Learning Difficulties - What Teachers Need to Know Paperback – Illustrated, 21 Oct 2015

Teachers Pocketbooks are ace too - try challenging behaviours, the dyspraxia one, or behavior management one may have ADHD tips. They are really child friendly, and short and sweet to read/digest!

[KisstheTeapot14]

A meeting with the head is always good to concentrate the mind of those at school. You are entitled to help. A diagnosis will mean they have a formal responsibility. Our DS gets motor skills workshop, small group reading (he is at least 2 years behind) and time out for riding for the disabled (we pay) - at least about 4 hours a week of help. DS is still struggling to keep up, but at least it is something.

We have a written SEND plan which we get copies of - with 4 or 5 mini goals per term and a termly meeting to review. Plus a 10 min meeting with teacher every 2 weeks which is helpful. We do lots at home, but we expect school to also put in special help.

[SeeKnievelHitThe17thBus]

Many thanks to all of you. We have parents' evening later this week, so DH will see what they say (we deliberately picked a slot where DS couldn't come along as he has an after school activity and I'll be with DS). DH has a list of questions to ask his class teachers.

I think I'll be having a chat with the head after Easter based on what we've seen so far. Will print this out to get the references, so thanks for these.

I think part of DS' issue is that he tries really hard to concentrate at school so they mention that he doesn't sit still well, but otherwise is calm in class, and we get the result of trying like hell to concentrate and sit still when he gets home. We also have friendship issues again - we've told the school before that he ends up playing by himself, they told us he had a small group of friends. School trip last week, travelled there and back sat by the teacher as no-one wanted to sit by him. Something isn't adding up here.

Anyone want to pay my mortgatge so I can home ed?

[KisstheTeapot14]

Ha ha, join the club! I have been tempted to home educate too.

Activity breaks can sometimes help stop the 'bottling things up' effect. If he can get some time with TA then a ten minute run round the playground can really help. If the teacher is really on the ball, they may incorporate a bit of activity in classroom for all the kids. Boys generally struggle with the whole sitting still thing. A classroom and a hefty curriculum to march through was not designed with boys (or humans?) in mind.

Active learning (e.g. active phonics, involved balls and running about in the hall) is a great way to engage kids with ADHD and similar.

It comes down to how receptive the teacher is, it is their classroom after all, but we can certainly advocate on behalf of our children.

The more I think about it, the more I think about most of human history - we have spent it actively, not sitting quietly.

Good luck and get things in writing xxx

[SeeKnievelHitThe17thBus]

Thanks KisstheTeapot. He doesn't have a 1:1, and those in the classroom who do have on occasion found them being coerced into class teaching when the usual teacher isn;'t available.

I suspect that, at Year 4, they'd argue against activity in the classroom, but it can't hurt to ask. Thanks for the suggestion.

[Scoutedout]

I could almost write this post myself my DS is the same. He tries to concentrate in class but can’t. He can’t sit still and is more immature than his peers.

He is getting assessed for adhd and or asd but it could take 12 months. Apart from not sitting still he’s generally well behaved!

We have a ed phys report that suggests lots of points for the school to work on but it’s not happening at all. In fact we are due a meeting but the senco won’t call me back to arrange it!! I’m very frustrated!!

[WeaselsRising]

We have been so lucky with an absolutely wonderful SENCO. I had suspicions when DD started school that she had ADHD, as one of her brothers has it. So I met with the SENCO and her class teacher when she first started and told them my concerns.

She has had every intervention known to man over the years. OT in the hall rolling on a giant ball; handwriting practice; horse-riding paid for by school; wobble cushion; chew toys. Best of all is the SENCO listens and if you go in with a concern she follows it up.

I'd wondered for a long while if DD was also dyslexic and after a chat with the SENCO I paid to have her tested. Turns out she is, to add to her other issues.

She's in Y6 and I'll be sad to lose our SENCO, although I'm confident her new school will be good for her.

I don't know whether it would help, OP but initially I was really disappointed that we didn't get the better school in our area. Ours has a high % of FSM and SEN and now also EAL. But it turns out that the school is effectively geared up to dealing with children who may have issues and they are much better at it than the more MC school I actually wanted DD to go to.

If your school really won't help your DS is there another school nearby that would be better for him, that you might not have considered?

I can't see why you won't see your GP. As far as medicating, your GP can't do that. He would have to be referred by the GP to a paediatrician or psychiatrist to be assessed and they would only medicate if it was in your DS's best interest. It is something they consider a long way down the line, not as a quick fix. School can refer to an ed psych but they don't like to as it is costly. My DD saw a trainee one at school when she was 6 but generally that is something you would sort out yourself with the GP.

[SeeKnievelHitThe17thBus]

Thanks ladies. I'm really not sure where to go with this. We learned this week that DS' teacher is leaving (he has 2 job share teachers a week) so this will mean a 4th teacher for him since September. I also looked at how to complain about the SENCO, but the board of govenors only has one teacher on it - want to guess which one?

I phoned our GP to ask about going through him for an ed psych assessment but they only offer same day appointments, you cna't book online or in advance, so I'm going to try and phone on a day when DH is around so I'm not taking DS with me at this stage.

We've looked at other local schools this week, having learned about the teacher going, but we need to use the 7.30am breakfast club. One school has a BC from 8am, which is too late for me to get to work, the other (which has exclusively mixed year classes) has no BC at all. We've also got a new baby due this summer and the nearest childminder, who looked good for the baby, only drop off at the school he's at now. I could cry (stressful week with baby deciding not to move and conversations about high risk pregnancy plus hormones but the teacher leaving thing really hasn't helped).

We'll see what the GP says and go from there.

ScoutedOut how did you get your ed psych report?

[SeeKnievelHitThe17thBus]

Weasels did you find that the school take notice of a private ed psych report? What I've read suggests that schools refuse to acknowledge private ed psych reports and only act on ones that they've implemented themselves.

[WeaselsRising]

For dyslexia you can only get a private report. I took DD'S into school and they implemented all the actions suggested on it.

[GreenTulips]

Have a look online to see if you're LA has a dyslexia policy or an ADHD policy

Sounds like he needs an OT for his lack core muscle strength
Dyslexics are know to find any timed activity difficult - so shouldn't be timed
They should do -

Touch typing
Spelling
Daily reading
Work to be broken down into small chunks rather than all the instructions in one go
Child should be checked to be on task

There should be records of interventions - a log of what was done and when and progress - and more importantly a review to check if that one of working - if not try something else

[gfrnn]

Re: "DH doesn't want to meet the GP, as he think's they'll just medicate DS," The NICE guidelines are fairly clear that behavioural strategies / management should be the first line treatment. clinicians in this country are fairly reluctant to medicate and would probably only do so if it was clearly needed. And in that case the medications are beneficial for most people. In any case the GP probably wouldn't diagnose or prescribe without input from specialists.
Have you looked at omega 3? it has a clinically significant benefit for ADHD. It has to be high-EPA and marine sourced.
There is a huge overlap between ADHD and dysgraphia. It's worth being aware of this as well as dyslexia.
Touch typing can make a big difference. So can input from an OT.

[Shybutnotretiring]

'clinicians in this country are fairly reluctant to medicate' - not the ones I've met!

[gfrnn]

@Shybutnotretiring - here are the : NICE guidelines
The relevant bit being :
"Offer parents and carers of all children and young people aged 5 years and over with ADHD, group-based ADHD-focused support that includes education and information on causes and impacts of ADHD and advice on parenting strategies.
Offer medication for children and young people with ADHD aged 5 years and over if their ADHD symptoms are having a persistent significant impact in at least one domain of their everyday life after environmental modifications."
i.e. behavioural / environmental support as first line intervention, medication only if problems persist when that has been tried. Which is in line with what a clinician from GOSH told me.

[Raaaaaah]

I was just going to point you towards the NICE guidelines too. Our local authority has a SEN helpline and they should help you navigate the process of accessing help at school.

Out of curiosity where did he get his diagnosis? In our experience (and I am aware this varies massively) our school only took note once the LA Ed psych had written a report. The private ed psych report made not a jot of difference. Our DS was seen by developmental paeds and has now been referred to CAMHS. He has an EHCP and 1:1 support at school. He is learning to touch type. To be honest despite all the interventions there has not been a massive improvement and we would consider meds in the future.
gfrnn could you recommend an Omega 3?

[gfrnn]

@Raaaaaah . it needs hundreds of milligrams of marine source EPA per day to be effective. The triple strength stuff from Holland and Barrett has 680mg which is fine, whereas some of the chewable tablets from other places only have ~8mg which is negligible. Possibly worth saying that even with a good dose the effects are small (effect size maybe only a quarter as large as stimulant medication?) and variable from person to person, but enough on average for an effect to be demonstrable in group-based studies.

[Raaaaaah]

Thanks gfrnn that’s really useful information.

[Checklist]

Afaik, Ritalin (forget its generic name) is a controlled drug and only CAMHS or a secondary level service can initiate prescribing it. They should monitor DC on it at first and only when they are satisfied with how its going, would they then write to the GP to take over issuing routine prescriptions. At least that was how it worked for adult DD under adult mental health services, when she was diagnosed with ADD and put on Concerta. Even when she lost a prescription, the GP refused to do an emergency prescription - I doubt the system is less stringent for children!

So DH need not fear GP is going to medicate, because I doubt they can, unless instructed to by a psychiatrist or paediatrician!