please can I have help from those who have had similar experiences?
warning as there is a lot of details 😫ðŸ˜
I have an 11 year old currently in year 6 and has autism.
we are currently in a fight (likely to involve solicitors) with our local authority for failing to communicate or engage with us for 4 months, failing to provide an EHCP following a review and failing to name a school as part of a phased transfer. And all outside the legal timeframes too.
The lack of not knowing which school is stressful and creating exclusion in the school my son attends as he can’t join in those conversations that happen in the playground and the classroom between both peers and teachers.
In the last 18 months he has gone from confident and resilient to anxious and tearful. The school is extremely small and rural and he isn’t coping. I am constantly trying to engage with school to resolve but he is a high masker and appears well at school.
There is extreme pressure on scrambling in sats practice and revision everyday all day and it makes him spiral. He is also experiencing a break down in friendships and even some bullying which I have made an formal complaint about.
Although school are doing what they can…. They can’t do a lot because he appears like he is capable. We are seeking a Sen provision for high functioning autism with the option of an academic route. Just smaller classes, minimal staff changes, access to senory support and breaks. That sort of thing … no homework and no strict uniform policy and the learning is more tailored.
in the meantime… he is either asleep or tearful, he struggles to eat when in this heightened state and it’s so distressing for me too see. He cannot communicate during these episodes and I have to wait and reassure which is hard because he hates hugs etc .
these break-downs are very different from his standard meltdowns he has when overwhelmed.
I feel i have given school plenty of communication and time to resolve and the local authority are aware despite the EHCP situation .
But myself and his dad feel it is time to intervene. So I sent emails to both to state that he will be temporarily absent from school for respite and to seek help from a GP.
I have been refused by the head to remove him from his SATs. (Neither the Sen school or the mainstream my other children go too use them)
I fear for his wellbeing and I can’t bare to let things continue until he has an updated EHCP and some respite. And a named school place. I will continue to engage with all parties with a view for him to return end of May/ June.
i generally fear we are nearing a crisis point.
will the dr agree to signing him off either school and SATs or at least SATs to remove some pressure at all?
I think a neurotypical adult would struggle with all of the above let along a neurodivergent child.
no child regardless should be left to feel this low.
some guidance or helpful experiences would help me right now.
many thanks