SEN but not SEN enough, and sometimes too much SEN

[elliejjtiny]

Apologies for the rant, I know we are very lucky really.

I have 5 dc with SEN, 3 of them are severe enough to get DLA/PIP, 1 has an ehcp, just to put it into context.

I'm really struggling to find activities for the dc to do in the school holidays. Most mainstream activities won't accept them without a carer (which we tried but after 3 hours of other children asking them why their mum is there, they understandably didn't want to go again.) The local special needs school does activities in the holidays but only for children who attend the school so my dc aren't severe enough. Our local soft play do an SEN session once a month which was our lifeline but it's become really popular and my younger 2 dc spent most of the last session crying because it was too loud. Parks and other outside stuff is a no unless I have 2 adults because youngest is sensory seeking autistic so puts things in his mouth, runs off and hugs random strangers. I can manage the pica and the hugging by myself if he can't run away but not all 3. Youngest 2 were invited to go to a free playscheme because they get free school meals but they aren't allowed to go without a carer. I sometimes feel like we are stuck in the middle, SEN but not SEN enough. Although I know that the children who qualify for the provision I would like need a lot more than they are getting too.

[x2boys]

It's a mine field isn't it my son is severely autistic, non verbal.etc in a special school.he gets one day a week every school holiday in a special needs play scheme and every other Saturday
The local disabilities groups. ,which ironically might suit your children better are too much for him
Have you looked on your local offer to see if their are any suitable disability activity groups local to you ?

[elliejjtiny]

Thank you. I've had a look at the local offer and there are a few other soft plays further away that do SEN sessions. So I'm going to give them a try and see if they are a bit quieter. I find with these things they are always really popular so they either get booked up within an hour of them being announced or they are extremely busy.

[TheSnowyOwl]

We have a few local Facebook groups who recommend activities and places as well as the school senco/sen support giving us additional support.

[x2boys]

@elliejjtiny

Thank you. I've had a look at the local offer and there are a few other soft plays further away that do SEN sessions. So I'm going to give them a try and see if they are a bit quieter. I find with these things they are always really popular so they either get booked up within an hour of them being announced or they are extremely busy.

I know that's the problem ,I hope you find something suitable that meets your children's needs I think the issue with autism etc is that the spectrum is so huge it's not one size fits all even disability groups struggle to.meet the needs of all children