Kemi badenoch now against autistic children

[Hunnymonster1]

What is wrong with her? Just read that the children commision is saying average wait like to get diagnosed as autistic is 4 years.
So kemi banging on about how parents are pushing gor diagnosis because they see how much extra money etc autistic children get at school is wrong.
The fact is I woukd think judging by lbc many kids are not getting the support that they need.
So js this about her saying the conservatives need to save tax by not helping people or children with autism and mental health issues.
Bare in mind she said similar about maternity pay last week makes me think she's like Liz truss wants to cut alot of stuff
How the hell can anyone support this?
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/kemi-badenoch-autism-tory-leadership-buckland-b2628845.html

I don't like him to ever since he painted over a cartoon in asylum center

TBH they don't even support defence or law n order, both slashed during their 14 years in office.

She is a vile woman, spreading hate just to get elected.

Bloody hell 😳😳😳

There is early research emerging that some trauma behaviours can be misdiagnosed as ASD. But this supports the earlier poster who said we should be supporting on the basis of need not diagnosis. These kids still have huge needs and the diagnosis doesn’t really change anything for some. And it creates a two tier system for those who can pay to get a diagnosis that unlocks support and those that can’t 🙁.

Show me where all this support is for autistic girls then Kemi 🧐. The fact is, there isn’t enough support for anyone with SEN, which means high-masking autistic girls’ needs get forced to the bottom of the list until they reach crisis point. The best you get is assistance at airports, which almost makes me cry each time because you realise how it could be if everyone took it seriously and implemented teeny tweaks that could make a huge difference.

DS1 was assessed at 7yo at the request of the school. I could see he was struggling and arranged for him to see school counsellor. It was after this they asked if they could refer him.

I broke down when the Ed psych told me. I felt like the worst parent in the world. How could I have not known?

He got help at school. Learned coping techniques, was given support and space. It was invaluable and the only reason he's made it as far as he has, doing his Alevels this year.

The school did not get extra staff. I did not get more money. DS got what he needed.🙏

The “teeny tweaks that could make a huge difference” is such an important point - I wonder how many children with sensory needs, for example, could be more successful at school if we didn’t have rigidly enforced ridiculous uniform rules!

@Hunnymonster1 , you may find this article from The Guardian interesting.
PS Kemi isn’t saying she’s against Autistic people. Please read the pamphlet.

amp.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/aug/26/autism-neurodiversity-severe

Can I just say I despise these political views - whilst also accepting she has a point, because there are people who receive benefits and seek diagnoses for conditions who have only a mild need just because they are in theory entitled to receive them. I don’t think anyone thinks this is everyone but it does happen and is blocking those with real need from accessing support early.

Those that I know with diagnosed special needs certainly need access to support in school but also claim DLA which is spent on luxury holidays and taxi transport to school when self transport is no more inconvenient than for an NT child (because they are entitled to it, and hence claim). Anyone can see the public finances simply can’t afford this on this scale - not sure what the answer is mind and I know this is likely an unpopular view.

I am sure you are very proud of him and with good reason. Hope he does well in his A levels.

Problem with basing it on need, in my experience those needs are not always obvious due to masking behaviour (which is very common with ND girls) and coupled with insufficient understanding, this then leads to needs not being supported and a risk of more complex health issues developing. This then requires more intense support and potentially a greater cost to society. Trauma can mimik ADHD symptoms so yes there can be an overlap; problem is ND people are vulnerable to abuse and/or lack of intunement with parent/carers so this is a complex area to unpick. Agree with the potential for a two tier system; we were fortunate to get an NHS assessment.

'seek to' – but do they actually go on to get their children a diagnosis ie are you saying these 'medical doctors' you've spoken to are giving false diagnoses of autism? What is the area of expertise of these 'medical doctors'?Is it autism?

Her comment and a diagram from a different part of the same "essay". Of course I have taken that diagram slightly out of context but it does make me smirk.

I told Ds2 that he should be working on himself but he just told me what flavour frusli bar he wanted to open next. The lad's such a shirker.

To get a diagnosis the needs have to be 'clinically significant'. A 'mild need' won't get you a diagnosis.

Oh absolutely don’t think that a diagnosis shouldn’t be sought but for those stuck in the system waiting we should be looking for alternative paths of support.

@MarkWithaC ,
you might find this article interesting.
amp.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/aug/26/autism-neurodiversity-severe

I think the people posting & commenting on the almost daily Labour & keir bashing threads need to take notice of what the alternative is.

I am and I know that it's down to the early diagnosis and the support that followed. He fortunately never needed 1 to 1 support. But he needed the support that he got and I'll forever be grateful for that.

My heart goes out to all those having to suffer because of delays in assessment, caused by the previous Tory government and because of ignorant, shitty prejudice like what Badenoch spouts.

What flavour was it?

From page 8 of the report. (to add to @PickAChew ’s screenshot of p18)

School transport for children with disabilities is massively a target for the Tories. It's been brewing for ages.

Never mind the fact that part of the reason transport is so bloody expensive for councils is because children have to travel so far to suitable (sometimes still not even suitable) schools! It's all because of the greedy parents 🙄

20 years ago there was a specialist school just outside our village and 15 years ago one of the primary schools had a specialist unit attached. Both were closed in the name of inclusion. My DD4 now travels 50 minutes each way to school despite us having school at the end of our street.

She's a narrow minded, mean little b*h. Generally politicians leave a lot to be desired but she really takes the cake.

I've seen that article before. I don't quite see what it has to do with the discussion here though; it's not news that autism is a spectrum. The idea that this means it may need extra and/or relabelling follows logically.
And as a pp says, to get a diagnosis a person's needs have to be clinically significant.

Which doesn't move us on from my questions: do the parents you are aware of who 'seek to' get their children a diagnosis actually get one? ie are you saying these 'medical doctors' you've spoken to are giving false diagnoses of autism?

Bridget Phillipson has enthusiastically grasped the attendance baton from the Conservatives and wilfully refuses to engage with the primary underlying issue; namely that most long-term absence is among neurodivergent students whose needs are not being met.

It takes a very particular type of politician to read something that describes a growing mental health crisis and decide the best answer is to take away support rather than - say - a flagship new mental health treatment policy.