To not want non disabled children using our hard fought for sensory room ?

[ApocalypseCheeseToastie]

I'm probably going to get murdered for this but meh.

We live in a town with 3 softplay areas and various activites for nt children to do, for special needs children there is sod all, no softplay sessions, no sensory room. Nada.

A few years back me and some others started to go to meetings with our local council to arrange activities and eventually, after much fundraising a softplay area was built in our leisure centre and sensory room was built in our softplay area, it was entirely funded using money allocated for children with disabilities although the softplay is open to all and we get 8 hours per week when it is soley for use for disabled children up to the age of 15. HOWEVER, only disabled children are allowed access to the sensory room, the sensory room is also used by disabled adults and is the only one for 100 miles, it's a valued facility.

Parents have been complaining and demanded access to the sensory room and a meeting is being arranged to review the situation.

Bearing in mind the children/parents who use the softplay aren't always entirely respectful (taking food etc in) and the sure start centre does have a small sensory room for babies/toddlers, aibu to think, sod off, we only get 8 hours a week as it is, I don't want this expensive, specialist equipment being trashed by kids who don't need to be there and have 1001 other things to choose from ??!!

YANBU and good luck with the meeting

There are signs up, about times etc Although they still turn up an hour early and stand glaring at us through the door until we leave

Leisure centre also shelled out 800 quid on huge signs stating the obvious, no drinks, food etc

I'm not entirely sure if there are signs up stating where the funding has come from, tho there is one up stating it was funded using money for children with disabilities iyswim ?

I think AitchTwoOh idea is a winner.

Maybe the sign should also say something along the lines of ' The equipment in this room is specialist and very expensive. We can not afford to replace it if it gets damaged and in order to preserve it for the children who really need it we do not allow access to the general public. If you feel your child would benefit from this room please contact X .'

yyy or something like that, switchoff. i am sure that for the most part people think 'my kids would enjoy that' and not much beyond. it's managing expectations, or whatever they call it.

the only reason i mention the donations is because it really underlines that this is a 'private' area in an otherwise public institution, without actually saying 'piss off proles'.

YANBU OP. Best of luck protecting your hard won resource.
I think the posters who would like access for their kids have little understanding of the purposes and benefits of these rooms. I don't doubt that some NT kids could get some benfit, but most (including my youngest 2) would run riot. I don't think they would sit still long enough to really benefit. The costs of the equipment could not be justified by the benefit gained for NT kids IMO. If they could, there would be one in every town, with parents queuing to use the facilities and pay through the nose for it.

YADNBU.

if my NT boys had had access to a room like that, they would have prob wrecked it within seconds

Remember that sensory rooms differ hugely; you could kit one out very basically for under £100. But you could also easily blow £10k on one as well.

Two of my boys are counted as NT (they're certainly living with an eye on SN but you know - SEN?) and they'd not trash a well arrnaged sensory room when supervised BUT that doesn;t mean I woudl expect access either; tehy used to use the one at BIBIC with their SN brothers when we went. We're considering soring some kit in ds3's bedroom as well when we've decorated it all (we're having to convert the dining room as he could no longer cope with being on the same floor as ds1, sadly). DS1 alreadfy ahs soem sensory stuff in his room, plasma lights etc.

I DO think there should be more sensory spaces in NT spaces that isn't really part of this at all. Schools etc benefit hugely from them though as calm down / time out zones, and our local pre school has one they use a lot with the boisterous ones or those who separate badly.

When is the meeting? And whereish? Could MN turn out in force?

I have two NT children, so I have no experience, but I think that you are definitely NBU and I am at the meeting that wasn't going to include you.

I would hope that once the other parents realise -

1. where the money has come from and
2. how much the equipment costs that they will back off.

60 quid for a wooden toy. Holy fuck, that is such a rip off.

Just to drum home some of the costs for the little things

Unruly, it won't be a huge row hopefully, we have plenty of 'ahem' 'outspoken' people to go freaking nuts speak

Aitch's idea is really good. You do need a sign saying who has funded the equipment.

OK - I just think it's awful for you to have to do this.

And I don't have an SN child but reading this has made me think I should do something to support those who do as it's obviously an area where actually other parents/children can be part of the problem.

Sorry - just read that back - a child with SN not 'an SN child'

I know, it's amazing.

And don't get me started on the cost of carseats

Switchofftv had a great idea with regards to wording if you do put up signs. Informative, yet inoffensive, and highlights that it is a specialist room, with specialist toys not just an extension of the softplay area.

Some idiot parents are jumping on the me, me, me, bandwagon thinking they should have rights to this room.

But,

Others, perhaps, could simply be unaware of the time effort and money that has gone into it, and what it is really intended for.

Knowing about the rooms purpose and expense from this sort of sign would help previously misguided yet decent people realise and respect your need to keep it for children/adults with sn.

This whole thread has opened my eyes to how lucky my 3dc and I are. We have so many opportunities of play and freedom in safe enviroments. It is astounding how few facilities are accessible, safe and enjoyable for those with children who have sn.

We have one of those things at work (work on a childrens ward), I never realised it was so expensive . It wouldn't last 2 minutes with my DD

I'm sorry if my post somehow came across wrong then, It doesn't read back the way I was thinking as I wrote it and I hope I haven't offended you with sounding flippant

I meant it in sympathy for you cheesie, that some many people just don't understand how difficult life can be living and caring for children with disabilities.
I also meant to show you how I am at those who don't seem to even want to understand.

My respect goes to you for standing up for the rights of all the children and adults who deserve to have this facility allocated to them and them alone.
I wish you luck with your crusade

Crusade

No, no, pombear, of course you didn't offend me, I don't seek offence out iyswim ??

However I do want things to be right and fair and I will suggest signs so people know who funded what and maybe a map, giving them directions to the surestart sensory room just around the corner

YANBU I agree with you.

YANBU at all. I run a service for children with disabilities and have spent £50,000 on our sensory room, and it's not even finished yet! I wouldn't even consider opening it up to the general public.

I meant the charity I work for have spent £50k, not me personally, obviously!

Signs and a map would be a good idea. I keep thinking this whole thing over and over, I just can't believe that people would have some strange sense of entitlement to this facility.

I am hoping that many of the people making a fuss are just in need of some serious educating. Perhaps if they turn up at the meeting they will leave with different opinions. Obviously its sad that people are so small minded but maybe if it is explained to them the purpose of this room and the why its soooo important for those with disabilities in your community they will change their mind set?

And for those that are still being arsey, I stick with what I said in the previous post perhaps you should put that up on a posterboard too

' If people are really that bothered they should do something a little more pro-active like get off their arses start fundraising to improve the ss room they already have.

Sorry just have to say that again, if they are that bothered they should be raising money to improve The Sensory Room they already have. Once again The Sensory Room they already have. '

Apocolypse does your fundraising team hgave a online donation option?

Cause I would like to donate an amount towards your SN toys for sensory room.

I don't have SN children myself but my mum works with them and I think the lack of provision is shocking, apols for dodgy one handed typing

YANBU at all-you need more time as in unlimited daytime access to sensory room and nonSN children dont need it all.