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?

It’s fine, provided you can park. The most recent guidance from the government to police say people shouldn’t be fined for travelling a ‘reasonable distance’ to exercise. The stuff about travel was to stop people driving for 3 hours to climb Mount Snowdon, not driving 10 minutes to let a child with autism run around on a beach.

No exemptions because you don’t need one.

some will insist it's your right to do whatever you like as long as it's not prohibited specifically in law (conveniently ignoring that nowhere in law does it give the exemption on driving to exercise)

That's the way the law works - if something isn't prohibited, then it's allowed. You can't have implied laws, that really is the route to chaos.

The question of exemptions simply doesn't arise if the activity is perfectly legal in the first place - which, in this case, it is.

The beach carpark have been closed for a reason. Now we have people parking on the roads around the village. Even parking in front of the closed car park gates!. 10 minutes on an a road can be 10 miles. Just follow the advice for a while and we will be out of this earlier.

You can, I would say in this circumstance being not so far away, but I have seen this a lot recently where people expect exemptions with SEN.

As a SEN parent we all have challenges and some of them we have to help our children adapt as there is no choice. It is worrying that some see there should be exemptions. We are ALL struggling with lack of routine, company, freedom. Let’s pray it’s not for too long.

If you have to drive to get to the beach it's not allowed
That is completely untrue.

This article needs to be compulsory reading for the "No exemptions" brigade on MN.

SEN parents aren’t one mass, saying we are all struggling is a failure to empathise that some children are throwing themselves around and hurting themselves and others due to lack of adequate sensory input.

The irony that people with autism are supposed to lack empathy!

Absolutely this! There’s a complete lack of empathy shown by many posters on this thread. Take him to the beach op. I have a dd with ASD and I get it.

Where do people find their version of the rules?

People come in here telling others that this is not allowed, this is the time constrain, this is the rule.

Yet here are no such things written down at all.

The Q and As following briefings have clarified some points but even then they've not said what some MNetters claim.

There are no restrictions on time, though Give did give a rough idea of reasonable timings, dependant in the needs and capabilities of the person, following one briefing of:

• An hour walk
• 30 min run
• Cycle of somewhere in between

But even then it wasn't a time and he stated it would vary for different people's needs and abilities.

It was clarified after another briefing that ideally the exercise should be local but that in some cases it may be safer or more suitable to drive a short distance to exercise in a different location.

Not all parks and beaches are closed. That has never been the case. Some have. Not all.

Some posters are so keen to say x is banned and y isn't allowed yet the Government are actually not staying that at all.

saying we are all struggling is a failure to empathise that some children are throwing themselves around and hurting themselves and others due to lack of adequate sensory input

It’s not. We are all struggling, some more so than others. My empathy is there, I recognise we all have different volumes to deal with.

The lass can go to the beach fgs. It’s local, and if it’s quiet where’s the harm.

We live close to countryside - all walking distance.
Never been asked for ID or prove we live there.

My parents live walking distance to the beach. The country park is closed but not the beach. Again they've never been asked for proof they can walk there.

My sister lives a cycle ride from the beach and open park land. Again no requests for proof and all are open.

What I would say is that in all three locations there are not crowds of people gathering or sat around. There aren't people playing football etc. People are walking, running, cycling, scooting etc. Everyone is distancing themselves and using the spaces for exercise.

And there's no police checking every two minutes or stopping cars. That's three totally different locations in the country.

Whilst some posters might have police forces being over zealous not all are.

This thread is depressing. It completely illustrates the unwillingness of people to understand the difficulties faced by SEN Children and their parents.

This comes down to what is reasonable. It may not be reasonable for most people to drive to take exercise but where it is not possible to take exercise from home DUE TO A DISABILITY then it is perfectly reasonable to drive a short distance.

If anyone had bothered to read the links that have, helpfully, been posted on here then they would see that their is legal advice and opinion on this.

Clearly common sense should be applied, I have two children with SEN (ASD, sensory needs and one is clinically depressed) but they can exercise from home so I am not driving them. But I absolutely would if it was the only option.

Perhaps the posters who are unwilling to understand the particular difficulties disabled children face should look at their own exercise habits. Is it really necessary to ride bikes for hours, what about walking dogs more than once a day?

OP take no notice and do what is best for your child.

"If you have to drive to get to the beach it's not allowed"

Incorrect.
The rule is you should not be out without reasonable excuse and you should take your exercise locally. You are also allowed out to provide care for a vulnerable person and to prevent harm. There is no rule saying you must not drive because anyone reasonable would understand that is the safest course of action in some cases.

We take out a letter from a professional ( who has already contacted the police about it and they have no problems with it).

Some people are dealing with children and adults with severe self injurious behaviour and/ or who are attacking family members on a regular basis.

It's better going out than having to involve police, medical staff, hospital admissions, sectioning, children going into care and suicides than not doing something that is causing no problems with social distancing.

This thread is depressing. It completely illustrates the unwillingness of people to understand the difficulties faced by SEN Children and their parents

I have a kid with SEN, I totally get it

But I'd rather keep him alive, the risk is unacceptable to me no matter how much it makes my life easier.

What's the risk?

I’ve had the official govt leaflet today - no mention of a one hour limit, or anything about permitted car travelling distances.

It can’t be that much of a hard line in the sand if it’s not important enough to go on the leaflet

What is the risk? there isn’t really a risk but if everyone starts taking their child to the beach then there’s a risk? This is why the rules are in place.

The best thing to do OP is not to post on here, not to tell anyone your plans and just go, it’s only ten minutes away.

We have decided not to drive anywhere and despite my DD’s both being autistic they have not left the house (they refuse to go on a walk), luckily we have a garden which they can use.

I wouldn't. Beaches have been unusually busy and car parks are mostly shut. Residents wont thank you for parking on street and I know police are moving cars on in many coastal areas. Sounds like more stress than you need right now.

The government advice has just updated with a specific refrnce to autism and possibly needing to leave the house more frequently and travel.
Its point 15

The gov advice has been updated to make it clear that this is now permitted. www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do#can-i-exercise-more-than-once-a-day-if-i-need-to-due-to-a-significant-health-condition

Can you link to that advice I can’t find it. Will be very helpful to one of my friends

Sorry I just saw the above part

Surely falls under “reasonable adjustment” to the guidance?

If you or someone you care for NEEDS to do something to prevent harm, then this is a necessity (NB needs to do it, not just desperately wants to do it).

I want to go to to the beach but won’t have an uncontrollable violent meltdown if I don’t go. So I’m not allowed to. That seems fair to me.

I just came back to post a link to the government update! The clarification is good but there are posters on this thread who should be ashamed at their responses and their lack of empathy and understanding. Taking a child with SEND out more than once / a little further in order to their health safety and well-being is essential (of course following all social distancing guidelines). And essential journeys were already covered.
OP I hope this puts your mind at rest.

I was just going to update with the post above as i have child with sen and relate, lack of understanding by some posters unfortunately doesnt surprise me