To take my SEN child to the beach?

[coronaandtired]

DS is 7 and autistic and we live ten minutes from the beach. He is struggling greatly with being made to stay at home and is used to going out to the beach park etc every day. He also has sensory needs and obviously the beach provides a lot of input.

I'm not sure what the guidance is for SEN kids or if they are exempt from the 'only go out for exercise or to buy meds/food' rule. I wouldn't take DS unless I knew they were exempt, so don't think I'm going to just load him into my car and drive down there!

Just wondering if anyone has heard of a relaxation of the rules in this regard?

All our green spaces have been closed. With farmers blocking off pathson their land on mountains. Parking by beaches is not allowed unless needed for key workers and the police are checking that, no idea how though!

Unfortunately it's proven necessary here as people were congregating in these areas ignoring social distancing, including the beach which got packed with "locals". I'm sure my police force is one of the ones being criticised but it is necessary; we even have road blocks set up by police and locals as well. People are still trying to come here in caravans and mobile homes, even tents to isolate.

We've no hospital. More than 50% of GP surgeries have closed here in recent years.

What an eye opening thread. There are a lot of things in life where different rules apply for different groups and there was talk of allowing disabled people a different pattern. People sound delighted to put OP right. Really odd..

As it is the exceptions to stay home include going out for some excercise for everone. So you will be fine going to the beach.

It's somewhat impossible to show you evidence of there being no exceptions / exemptions when in fact there are no exceptions / exemptions to show you evidence of. The rules are focussed on keeping people safe and healthy and with the utmost respect, children with SEN do not have some sort of superpower immunity and the same safeguards apply I'm afraid. As long as you can walk to the beach (not drive), then you can exercise there as per normal. And before you ask, there is no limit on the amount of time you can exercise as long as you keep a safe distance from other people (including children and dogs). Best of luck.

Why do people keep quoting 1 hour exercise - there is no time limit on how long you can exercise.
I have been walking every day for up to 2 hours or more getting my 10000 steps and more on my fitbit!
Exercising is very important - you are putting your health at risk by not regularly exercising.

The government have been clear people are to stick to both the letter and spirit of the law. Sticking to the spirit of the law means no searching for loopholes. The spirit of the law is that people should stay at home except for very limited reasons, one of which is exercise. It is tough. Lots of people are finding it tough including people with mental health issues.

Practically if you need to drive you will most likely find car parks closed and police moving people on if they stop. How will your child respond if he’s sat in the sand and you suddenly have to pick him up and drag him off the beach. Is that worth the risk?

I understand it’s tough. Can you try and recreate something of the benefits your son gets at home, either a sand pit if you have a garden, a blow up paddling pool with sand in the kitchen if you haven’t.

Yes, maybe the government could give exemptions so SEN children, but then why not children and adults with mental health issues. It could end up being never ending.

If you mean ten minutes walk to the beach, then go there for your daily exercise. For an hour, and make sure that you follow common sense about how the virus spreads.

Ensure that neither you nor your DS are a risk to others - it's the potential of risk to others which is why we're all in lockdown. It's not about us catching it, it's about us spreading it to others.

Equally, take common sense precautions so that you don't risk catching the virus - maybe wear gloves, or at the very least, make sure that the first thing you do wen you get home is wash your hands - you & your DS.

cerise here the police are asking for evidence of where you live; it's the only evidence I have I can take with me; you may have something else. I was asked for mine today when out. So in some areas it is needed.

No, you can't do this. We know it's tough. But there aren't exemptions.

Yes she can if this is their one exercise trip out per day.

It's not really in the spirit or the letter of the lockdown, but if I were you I would go and be prepared to be turned back. Go early or late and avoid using public toilets etc. Can you go before 10am ish or after 4pm? I find that quietest in the parks round here.

I'm not delighted to say what I am at all. Without knowing where they are, and I'm not asking, it's impossible to say as different places are doing different things clearly, our police are moving people on who are not living local to the beach/driving there and sending them home when they find them - I responded because I was wondering how would the OPs child react to that.

All our green spaces have been closed. With farmers blocking off pathson their land on mountains.

It's interesting how different it is in different parts of the country. I wonder why different forces have such drastically different attitudes.

Unfortunately the rules apply to all, otherwise everyone would have an exception, its the wine and water situation.

You only have to google to see that the government says “up to an hour” walk, less for a cycle.

If you are walking to the beach, ten minutes, doing the beach for 40 minutes and walking home or ten fine.

If you are driving 30 minutes, walking for an hour, driving home. Not OK.

I dont understand the exceptions, and misinterpreting the rules, its so easy to understand.

There is a lot of nonsense on here masquerading as fact.

Matt Hancock said at a recent press conference that it was OK to drive a short distance in your local area to exercise.

He did not specify how far or how long that distance should be.

People just should use common sense. OP, in your situation, I would think it's fine.

You only have to google to see that the government says “up to an hour” walk, less for a cycle.

There is no official restriction.

The figures mentioned by Gove (I think) were an example. There is no one hour limit whatsoever.

OP are you ten minutes walk or ten minutes drive from the beach? Big difference.

You shouldn't be driving to the beach/anywhere else to take your exercise. I live five minute walk from the beach so I go there for my exercise but it's so close and is very quiet.

If you love ten minutes walk to beach it's fine to go there for exercise but you can't just sit on the beach and spend a few hours like you might usually.

I know it's shit but please don't think you are the exception.

My son has ASD and ADHD and I struggling a lot so I do understand but there are no exemptions for SEN kids. The simple reason is this virus is not picky about who gets it so your child is at risk of either getting it or passing it on like anyone else is. If you can walk to the beach do so as your daily exercise. If you have to drive there you can’t do it as it’s not essential. My son has s standout if you have a garden try order one as does a water toy.

Sorry that was meant to read sandpit.

MY DS 15 has SEN and he too loves a drive in the car with DH so I do feel your pain OP.

My DS asks all day every day to go out in the car (totally non verbal, so points) however for his safety, ours and that of the wider population we have told him it is a no no, then explained repeatedly why not using pecs.

It is hard but the right thing to do.

If it is of any help to you, Nosey Crow publishers have just released a free children's book which you can download online to explain the situation more easily.

It's brilliant and illustrated by the illustrator of The Gruffalo.

It's free, but they do ask if you can to make a donation, all of which are going to the NHS.

nosycrow.com/blog/released-today-free-information-book-explaining-coronavirus-children-illustrated-gruffalo-illustrator-axel-scheffler/

It's helped us a lot.

Some fairly brutal posters on here, intent on making the OP feel as miserable as possible.

Nobody has said you can't drive a short distance to exercise. There is, in fact, part of the new Act that applies to SEND - as I understand it, it hasn't been made law yet and needs the Secretary to do so, should he see the need. But these are guidance notes on this part of the act, written by a legal chambers.

Everyone interpreting the Act according to your own lights - please do stop it. It helps nobody to circulate inaccuracies and outright incorrect information. OP's child has autism and just by that alone, she and he will be struggling.
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There are no exemptions because anyone can catch it, where would you stop?
I know it must be hard and you have my sympathy. If you live near to the beach look at your council website it will say if open or closed

My colleague has a boy with a global development delay and quite severe autism and she is literally pounding the pavements either with him in his chair or walking slowly, hours a day. He’s not great on his legs but he is very strong and has given her a few black eyes since all this started. He gets really upset, bless him, and can chuck a dining chair or a Hoover or whatever over his head at her.

She can only work school hours so she is in a two bed flat with a shared courtyard that neighbours aren’t happy for him to use (totally fair).

She approached a local Bobby and explained and he actually said to her ‘just do what you’ve got to do’.
She’s completely on her own, no support from a partner any other adults in the house not even any other kids to help. She is absolutely on her knees with it, I think if she couldn’t take him out he might have to be taken to some sort of secure unit or something, I don’t know. She’d end up having to call SS anyway.

I wish people wouldn’t persist in telling OP she can’t drive them to a place to exercise. Matt Hancock couldn’t have been plainer when he said you can last week.

13. Can I go to the park? You can still go to the park for outdoor exercise once a day but only alone or with members of your household, not in groups.

Communal places within parks such as sports courts, playgrounds and outdoor gyms have been closed to protect everyone’s health.

We ask that households use parks responsibly and keep 2 metres apart from others at all times.

Unless you are with members of your household, gatherings of more than two people in parks and other public spaces have been banned. The police have the powers to disperse gatherings and issue fines if necessary.

14. Can I drive to a national park or other green space to walk? We advise you to stay local and use open spaces near to your home where possible – do not travel unnecessarily.

You can still go to the park for outdoor exercise once a day but only by yourself or within your household, not in groups.

We ask you to keep 2 metres apart from others outside your household at all times when outdoors.

It’s a case of whether you deem driving, if you’d need to, “necessary”. And there’s a huge variation in how police are dealing with this issue around the country.

the rules are the rules just because your child is SEN doesn't mean that you cant flout them , unless it walk-able then you shouldn't go its about minimising the risks , i know its shit but it is what it is ... we all need to follow the rules so we all can eventually leave the house im shielding , with 3 kids 1 with mild autism its not fun (husband and kids are shielding too to protect me so cant even go for a walk) but if everyone does what there supposed to then we can get back to our lives , i dont see why you would think anyone was exempt theres been no statement to say so ? x

You can drive a short distance to do your exercise!

National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) and College of Policing makes it clear that people can drive a reasonable distance to exercise.

The instruction to officers reads: "Use your judgement and common sense; for example, people will want to exercise locally and may need to travel to do so, we don’t want the public sanctioned for travelling a reasonable distance to exercise.”