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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

My son needs help - please!

181 replies

FitMum87 · 03/05/2019 01:06

Not an AIBU but I've never posted before and need as much advice as possible.

Will try not to drip feed but thank you for reading in advance. My son is 11. He is autistic in a mainstream school. He is is high functioning with low functioning autism. Physically incredible but socially struggles.

He is being badly bullied in his school. For months lots of his classmates have bullied him and then recruited more bullies. This went on for 3 months and weekly I would be in telling his teacher and her response was always 'I'll have a word' regardless of severity. He had no friends, he was broken. He was punched repeatedly, his stuff broken/stolen, slammed into walls. One time a boy pushed him and my DS pushed him back and only my son was in trouble. The teacher would let them get away with anything (she has been very open about her lack of punishments for the bullies and also big punishments from my son).

Here goes the main bulk of my sadness: these are all teachers. Will change names.

Teachers incidents:
1. DS had problems on the school playground with football and struggled socially to play the game properly. The SENCO (who is a cunt) put in place he can have 10mins each week with the ball alone to practice. He went and asked the playground staff (year 5 teaching assistant) if he could have the ball and the teacher repeated what he said louder and in a mocking ‘retarded’ voice in front of all his bullies. This teacher has admitted this 🙄🙄 and when I informed Mrs W (DSs actual teacher) she ‘spoke’ to this teacher but did not escalate it to the headteacher so the headteacher was unaware until I told her about it and DS is still yet to get an apology from this teacher. Headteacher has said it has now been adequately dealt with.
2. Mrs W (DS teacher) I used to have a good relationship with and over the 3 months of so many of his class bullying him I spoke to her about it and got the response of ‘oh I didn’t know, I’ll speak to them’ - regardless of situation, punching, stealing. SEN, bullying policy is to escalate physical or repeated matters, this was not the case. Parents to be updated - didn’t happen. Victim to have confidence building - didn’t happen. Bully to be adequately punished - all she did was speak to the parents at school pick up. Her words 🙄. So after 3 months of her not doing anything DS had nothing left and that’s when I went to the headteacher and Mrs W has told no one anything about it all when it should have been escalated so DS was still being bullied and no one being punished. One kid pushed him, DS pushed him back and only DS was punished. So this teacher is happy to punish DS and no one else. This teacher was NOT happy I escalated it and we had it out on the playground - I quoted every policy and she admitted everything but saw nothing wrong in her actions. - she is still a cunt but will get to that in a bit.
3. So this was all 3 weeks ago and everyone was ‘intensely’ working to improve things. On Monday one of the kids grabbed him by the collar and threw him around, shouted in his face. Then DS told the on-duty playground attendant (his own TA) and the TA said he’d ‘keep an eye out’. No punishment, nothing, didn’t even check if DS was ok, no policy being followed at all! So then the kid that did this to DS then starts crying and telling everyone that DS told on him so now the ‘recruiting bullying’ starts again so he gets other kids in his face shouting at him. Obviously nothing happened and I had to go into school and tell the teacher and headteacher. Headteacher dealt with it and his teacher Mrs W told DS off for not telling her and I told her that he did tell her for 3 months and she did nothing! Funnily enough she didn’t like that. So teacher is still a cunt. DS did what he should of done and no protection from one TA and being told off for doing what he should have done by his own teacher
4. So today.... 🙄 Thursday afternoon he has this Spanish teacher who anytime anyone makes a noise he announces to the class ‘just a reminder if DS distracts anyone, talks to you or makes a noise, just ignore him’. He doesn’t do this to any other child and does this repeatedly each week or Thursday and Friday afternoons. Friday is ICT. This is the last straw. 4 teacher who he HAS to see not helping him, infact making it worse.

SENCO - oh boy - what an arse! One who doesn’t want an EHCP for a severely autistic boy in DDs class as it’s ‘a lot of work’. All the SEN parents hate her. DS was repeatedly (like 20-30 times A DAY!) bulled by one kid (KID R) and when it was brought to their attention (SENCO and headteacher) rather than punishing the bully and teaching them to be better they wanted to ‘rebuild’ the friendship in play therapy session. I then said ‘DS doesn’t want to do that as he doesn’t feel comfortable around KID R and has requested that he just stops bullying him’. To which the SENCO replied: ‘yes he said the same to me but I thought it would help’
🙄 WHAT THE FUCK. DS (victim) has expressed he doesn’t want to be put with the bully as he doesn’t believe he will stop and doesn’t feel comfortable and the SENCO was forcing that he does that!! Funnily enough DS was told that KID R is going through some ‘family struggles’ so they are giving him some extra chances!! my Ex destroyed DS for many years emotionally and physically and is never allowed near him again. If anyone has family struggles it’s him!!! 🤬🤬🤬

OP posts:
eaglejulesk · 04/03/2020 04:09

I am so sorry to read this OP, and can't believe the way your son has been treated by the adults who should have been looking out for him. He sounds like an amazing young man. I'm so pleased to hear that things are going well at his new school, and I really hope that some sort of action has been taken at his old one. Flowers

DonKeyshot · 04/03/2020 04:11

ZOMBIE THREAD

DropYourSword · 04/03/2020 04:23

I just read the whole OP and then noticed the date and wondered why this was resurrected. Saw the OP has named changed and provided an update - I’m so glad your son is doing much better. It was awful reading what he was going through in your OP and it’s so good to hear there’s been a positive resolution!

DropYourSword · 04/03/2020 04:26

Also, if your crazy ex is stalking you via Mumsnet, do you need to NC again because this ties your new name back to your older one.

CalmdownJanet · 04/03/2020 04:49

DonKeyShot the op updated it under a name change

Igmum · 04/03/2020 04:49

So glad there's a positive outcome for both of your DC - wonderful Thanks

TheGirlWithAPrince · 04/03/2020 05:21

To be fair I never understand how people allow it to get to this point.... I would have removed way before any of this had chance to spiral.

Both of my children will be home educated due to this as I don't want theire spirits broken by ass holes that haven't been parented correctly

Daftodil · 04/03/2020 05:57

Haven't read all the responses, so apologise if this has already been mentioned, but please notify Ofsted and send a log of all incidents mentioning "failure in safeguarding policies". There was another post on AIBU recently about bullying and posters were stressing the importance of mentioning "safeguarding" as this triggers a particular follow-up for the school.

So sorry this has been happening. I hope your DS bounces back once he is in a new environment 💐

Mummyoflittledragon · 04/03/2020 05:59

That’s fantastic news. I missed your thread the first time around. My dds primary school (I have been told by parents with children with additional needs) was not good for sen children because it had so few. It also failed to safeguard dd in an appalling manner. Sadly I think primary schools can be very ill equipped, which may lead to adults acting in a disgusting way.

I’m so glad to hear that you’ve found a receptive and cooperative school and that both your children are happy. 😄

ThumbWitchesAbroad · 04/03/2020 06:01

strongtea - thank you for updating and I'm so glad that your son and DD are doing so well in their new schools!

It is beyond disgusting how teachers like the ones in their previous school are allowed to behave like that, with no one pulling them up on their appalling discriminatory behaviour!
It beggars belief that these atrocious excuses for humans are "educating" a new generation, and providing such a dreadful "example" to them. I fear more and more for British society, when this goes on to such an extent (I have a few friends with ASC children who have similar stories to yours - it's heartbreaking).

Well done to you for helping your son out of the horrible situation in which he found himself. And good luck to you all for the future.

Giroscoper · 04/03/2020 06:18

strongtea thank you for updating, so pleased he is happy and that your daughter is out of there too.

It is nice when such an awful situation turns into a happy ending. I do hope you complained about the school, just a list of failures all round. Sad

FieldOfFlameAndHeather · 04/03/2020 06:34

It doesn't sound as though mainstream school is right for him. You may have no choice, however.

Definitely remove him. Find another school, preferably a specialist one.

WhatWouldYouDoWhatWouldJesusDo · 04/03/2020 06:46

Pull him out today.

WhatWouldYouDoWhatWouldJesusDo · 04/03/2020 06:49

Oh just seen its an update 🙄

So pleased he's happy now and things are going well for him.

EThreepwood · 04/03/2020 07:38

I'm so sad to have got to this thread a bit late.
The teachers need to be reported to the LADO (Local Authority Designated Officer)
Bullying is now coming into the category of emotional abuse and anyone working with kids has a responsibility to protect the child from abuse and harm or they can get in A LOT of trouble especially if they added to the abuse.

Please still shop them in. I'm sure they will still be doing it to other SEN kids and really they should be removed from their posts

StoppinBy · 05/03/2020 01:07

@TheGirlWithAPrince it gets to this point

because you are meant to be able to trust the school when they say they will do their best to fix it.

because you don't want to rip your child away from the friends they have made, that seems cruel and unnecessary........if only you can fix the problems that are going on.

because moving your child rather than the bullying stops means that your child has now learned that the bully is the winner, they get to stay with their friends while your child lost and must now move to a place where they no no one and start over.

because in moving your child you may not be moving them to a better school and similar issues may arise but now your child has no one familiar to help them through it, better the devil you know kind of thing.

Lots of reasons that you hang in there hoping to fix it until the straw arrives that breaks the camels back. Parents do not leave their kids in these situations on purpose, we chase down teachers and principals and education departments hoping to find that one person who will care enough about our child to do something to stop what is happening, unfortunately most of us find no one who is willing and able to do that.

I am glad that you have chosen the education model that suits you but each family must make the choice that works best for their family.

user1473878824 · 05/03/2020 01:15

@anotherusernameinthejungle Read the bloody thread.

user1473878824 · 05/03/2020 01:16

@TheGirlWithAPrince “to be fair” doesn’t mean you then just shit on someone?

FagashJackie · 05/03/2020 02:13

anotherusernameinthejungle what you have written is really horrible. Can you not just teach your neurotypical child not to respond in anger?

FagashJackie · 05/03/2020 02:15

Well done op.

strongteawith2sugars · 05/03/2020 22:48

Thank you everyone for your responses, I will try and answer all the questions now Smile

strongteawith2sugars · 05/03/2020 22:56

@donkeyshot - ohhh what's a zombie thread?

@anotherusernameinthejungle - hi, my son does have outbursts yes but from what the teachers and students (and him) have said is that he aims them at objects so flips chairs and tables, etc.

Sadly (and for the life of me I cannot understand why) all my knowledge of these incidents come from finding out from my child and then having it confirmed by teachers and students. I WISH he would fight back some day's, I WISH I could physically fight back for him, but it breaks my heart to say that he just takes it.

Referring to 'starting it?' I suppose potentially in a way that he socially struggles when people don't adhere to the rules when playing games like football but then he says it a few times and then leaves and cries. He will also tell a teacher - people hate a snitch.

From what I gather he doesn't physically start anything. He also had his own table in the classroom so he couldn't distract other children but also so he could not be distracted by them also (this was his choice).

My son isn't perfect by no means. I haven't found a person who is yet. Part of me wishes he started it so I could help him become a better person and this would end but sadly this is just a really shit situation of a child being victimised because they are an easy target and will take it and take it and take it.

strongteawith2sugars · 05/03/2020 23:01

@anotherusernameinthejungle

  • sorry just remembered something re-reading your post. So when we got out diagnosis for him years ago, he was taking it out physically on myself and his dad. He was tiny and we tried everything and had no clue what would work.

SO.... when we found out he has autism we received an amazing bit of advice which has always stayed with me.

On situations like his SPD, social issues, etc, support him, help him and be patient. However, anything that can put himself or any other person in physical danger, forget the autism and make sure everyone is safe.

So regarding physical stuff, he wouldn't never ever get away with hurting himself or another child/person, but through supporting him, helping him and being patient we found there were no more physical outbursts towards another person. A few to himself sadly, but we'll keep trying.

Maladymaker · 05/03/2020 23:02

Well done op. So pleased to hear the good news. Well done you and all the best to your son Flowers

strongteawith2sugars · 05/03/2020 23:04

@stoppingby

I'm so sorry you went through something similar. I agree about the lip service and a special place in hell. I'm so happy to hear that things are more positive for you now.x

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