JakB saying hello

[JakB]

Sorry I've not been around- totally strung out with school situation etc. How are you all?

[Fio2]

hello

[Davros]

Very well thanks, and you? Any news?

[heartinthecountry]

Hi JakB - sorry to hear things still not sorted - I thought things sounded better from your last post about the school - is it a case of her statement now?

dd's statement came through a few weeks ago and it is hopeless and totally ignored everything I said .

[lou33]

hello jak

[JakB]

The stress has just got too much, TBH. School were very supportive but still no statement and another mum (whose little girl has got the same deal as DD) has been told by her assessment manager that there is 'no way the LEA will fund one-on-one in a special school' . The head of the other SLD school (sorry, it's complicated- the other SLD school has been 'sent' three severely autistic children and has no unit) has written a letter of complaint and said he will not accept the children without the right provision. Whichis great. But what the hell is going to happen?

[heartinthecountry]

• I can see why that would be stressful.

So unfair you are still having to fight for your dd.

[motherinferior]

Oh f&ck. I'm so sorry, sweetheart. A banal cliche, I know, but it's all I can offer.

[Merlot]

Lovely to hear from you Jak - Sorry that things are still unresolved about your dd's school. Not surprised that you are feeling stressed out. Hope you get some good news soon.

[maddiemo]

Fight for one on one it is necessary as the SLD school does not have the asd unit.

We are at a unit with 1:3 ratio but some children have 1:1 as well, although the LEA try their hardest to block it.

It just shouldn't have to be this hard though, should it

[Blossomhill]

Hi JakB So sorry you are going through all this sht at the moment. It is stress you can really* do without. Why is everything so much hard work when you have a child with sn?
I really hope they sort something out and soon. They are going to have to do something. Have you all thought about getting together and going to the local paper to show them up for the incompetent people they are??? Good luck, really hope it all resolves itself soon xxx

[mizmiz]

Can I just add my bit? As a SALT I have severe misgivings about 1:1 support. (Although I am obviously not au fait with your individual cases, in a 13 year careerI could count on one hand the people that I feel it has truly benefitted.

[Blossomhill]

Hi Mizmiz haven't spoken in ages. Hope u r ok xxx

[mizmiz]

And you and family bh!
Everything ok?

[Blossomhill]

Yes thanks. Did you see my annual review post?

[mizmiz]

No!! I'll look for it now.

[Blossomhill]

ok (sorry to hijack jakb)

[JakB]

By 1:1 I mean an individual curriculum in part (ie: DD is at a specific level in Pecs and needs specific training, infact, at a specific level in everything and group work wouldn't 'work' on some levels for her to learn new skills, know what I mean?) and that she is kept 'safe' and stimulated educationally (if in a group, she would just stim round the outsides of the room). I don't mean the same person, day in , day out. But of course, would love her to do lots of group activities too. Just the staffing levels and the expertise appropriate to her needs. Does that make sense?

[JakB]

PS Sorry, just thinking about this. I just want DD's rights to appropriate provision. To fulfill her potential. To have an education. Just like all those parents who do not have children with special needs. Just like I want for my ds. It's just that with DD, to get that appropriate provision and to fulfill her potential, it's just a little bit more tricky. And alot more expensive. And that's why it becomes difficult. She has so many difficulties and it would just destroy me to think that she was being 'cared' for all day but not learning. Which she is SO capable of doing with the right input. Do you know what I mean?

[heartinthecountry]

I know what you mean JakB .

I remember someone (Jimjams I think) saying something once about denying a child with special needs the right educational provision was like saying to a parent of an NT child 'we won't teach your child to read because we don't have the resources' or words to that effect. Which of course would be unthinkable... so why is okay not to provide the education our children need?

[coppertop]

Welcome back, JakB.

Sorry you're still having to battle to get what dd is entitled to.

[mizmiz]

JakB, you put it so well. This is exactly the scenario I am describing,just having a (rather bored) carer to basically watch over a cild in a sort of 'damage limitation' way.It frustrates me beyond belief and is such a waste of potential and staff. (I have long argued that training lessstaff properly would be far more cost effective than having hordes of untrained people around certain children which is unfortunatley often the case.)

A friend of mine has applied to be part of a team working with a child who is using PECS and ABA. He doesn't really know that much about it,soI filled him in,then asked how his interview went,having assured him that he would be properly trained. He was told that he would 'learn on the job.'


Anyway,that is an aside.

What you aspire to is of course completely different and as a PECS fan I know how important it is to maintain and develop skills otherwise it all goes very quickly to pot.

Hope I didn't come across as critical and dismissive.
Certainly didn't mean to.

[JakB]

Totally agree with you marvellous Mizmiz!
The education system in this country has a long way to go...
Although it was heartening at recent PECS course in Brighton that there were LOADS of teachers and TAs there (course FAB, BTW).

[MABS]

Hi Jak, maybe we could get a coffee sometime? Saw our mutual friend on Sat who was telling me the whole sorry tale about her ds. I'm here if you wanna shout at any point!

[RnB]

Message withdrawn

[Davros]

Sorry to hear things are still not sorted Jak
So, anyone else coming to the PECs conference in November? So far me, Jimjams and possibly Mizmiz. COme on, you know you want to