To send DS to school next week.

[Lalalalalalalalaland]

Really unsure what to do!

DS is 6 and has severe ASD and attends a special school. We have 2 Neuro typical DDs.

For info we pulled our children a week before schools shut because of Coronavirus, none of us are classed as at risk though DS does have sleep apnoea.

Today the head of his special school has phoned and offered for DS to go to school next tuesday and Thursday, she said she was only extending the offer to a dozen families who they considered would benefit most (DS was preciously on a child in need plan due to us struggling to cope with some very severe behaviour and his dad having a breakdown nearly 3 years ago, he has been off the plan for 2 years)

I am torn, we are struggling, he is not getting any of his usual sensory diet and would really benefit from this, however I don't want to put our family or the school staffs family at risk.

Head said max 5 people in the room. But will most likely just be DS and 2 staff members, possibly another child if their parents accept.

Class has its own playground and equipment and lunch will be a packed lunch from home eaten in the classroom. School day will finish at 3 to allow time for cleaners to deep clean.

I need to let her know by noon tomorrow but i keep flitting between taking the risk for his welfare as he is struggling to have his sensory needs met and is having increasing bad behaviour, and not wanting to risk him and the staff.

My son is going to his special needs school 3 days a week. My in laws are still providing childcare as usual ( they are not in vulnerable group) as we are both key workers. My son is so much more settled for going to school for those 3 days and ot is a bit of respite for my in laws as he was very unsettled and destructive without the routine of school.
I think you should send him if he is struggling,its got to be pretty miserable for all of you. X

At risk definitely covers mental health too. Ds has been hitting and biting himself in a way that we have not seen for years as all his usual means of self regulation ( being outdoors, long drives) have disappeared and his world has completely changed and he has no understanding of why.

Would he be with familiar staff that he knows? That is what would sway my decision, I think. If it was having him in with people he’d never met before in an unfamiliar room and unfamiliar routine, I’d worry how he would respond.

I'm a special school teacher and a parent with a child with ASD and one without

This is actually a really difficult decision and I can see why you are wrestling with it

In terms of infection control it will be very low risk so I wouldn't worry too much about that

You may feel like he needs the routine of school but school doesn't feel much like school at the moment -different staff teams, regular events not taking place, not having access to certain areas due to trained staff not being available etc etc

If you feel he can cope with school being different then I would 100% send him with a view that it is respite rather than education

If you think he might be able to cope with it being different then I'd send him so that as a family you have some time and his siblings get some more of you -you can always pull him out later, it's not compulsory

If you think he won't be able to cope and that his response to not coping will make his and family life harder afterwards then don't send him

You know your children best, but whatever you decide there will be no judgement from the school or any other agency involved with your child (OT, SALT etc etc)

I've sent my own dd (ASD) back to school. It was the right thing for her. She misses school, she misses the OT and SALT input and she was getting very low. She did Wednesday Thursday this week and will do three days next week. It's independent specialist so only three in her class (usually more adults than children) but the school have multiple buildings and learning areas (and a farm) so they are managing to ensure the children come into contact with very few people anyway.

I understand op. Both my nephews are on sensory diets and my sister and I have both had training to be able to deliver it. She has a trampoline, swings and climbing frame and I have a hot tub and massage chair etc. It's worked very well for us moving the boys from her house to mine every other day so they still get what they need. I am a carer for one of the boys so our and our families have basically quarantined over 2 houses so we aren't risking the kids or my own health but so I can still help out. I know how much stress kids with additional needs can put on you when you are stuck inside. My own adult son is autistic .

Under the lock down legislation you are allowed to take you child out of the house for exercise or therapy several times a day if their physical or mental wellbeing is at risk. So you CAN go to the park. I really hope you get some relief with him going back to school.

Send him in, I am a teacher and am on a rota, so go in some days to look after children like your ds ( though ours as less severely affected as mainstream)
If they have made the offer then I would accept, I don’t think it will put your family at more risk than eg shopping as they will Have strict protocols in place.

Hi.op.my son also has severe autism and learning disabilities we have heard bugger all from his special school difficult decision,I'm not sure I would want my son to go to school.if he was offered a place I would worry about how they could social distance him ,by the very nature of his disabilities he has no concept of keeping away from others also how would your son be getting to school? Would you have to take him or is there still school transport?

Send him. Definitely.

I don't think they are just offering it to kids they see as 'at risk'. They've rolled this offer out to kids that have more educational needs than others, more special needs than others. Our DS is being assessed for autism but we've had no such offer. Haven't heard hide nor hare from the speech therapist either. We just have one child though and I'm furloughed so I'm doing what I learnt on the more than words course. His needs aren't as great as the OP's child (sensory needs) and he isn't diagnosed and he also attends mainstream nursery so I can see why he isn't a priority. Glad to hear that there's offers being given to children that benefit from the space, structure and strengths of special needs teachers

I wonder how they decide which children in a special school to offer these places too though ,genuine question btw,as by the very nature of being in a special school like my sons school.( and op,s son sounds like he has similar needs to mine )means all the children have complex disabilities.

I Have just got off the phone with the head.

His usual key worker has agreed to work the 2 days he is in, she has travelled with him through 3 classes now, and he will be in his usual classroom. Though the other member of staff may change i feel he would be ok with this.

He has had no issue transitioning from class to class over the years as long as he has his key worker as he is very attached to her.

We have decided to send him. We have declined school transport as I can take him.

Thanks for all the advice I very much appreciate it

@YappityYapYap

In our area NHS speech therapists (other than those that deal with swallow issues) have been redeployed into other areas as speech therapy has been deemed non-essential

I know many privately employed therapists are working remotely at the moment so it depends on how card is funded for your child

Send him x

@worldweary45 thanks for that. I did think that might be the case. His speech therapy takes place at the school nursery he goes to but he only had one session before all this started. I did more than words with another speech therapist before his sessions started but as he's 3.5 now with full understanding and able to communicate but just no speech, we're kind of stuck on how to get his speech going now that everything else seems to have come along. I thought we would maybe get a letter saying obviously sessions will not be happening but you can use tools from X place or X website but we haven't. It was 14 months we waited just for a session so I'm a bit worried with all this now that he'll be 4 and have only been in one speech therapy session

The children in at my son's special school all have social workers and would be considered the most in need of the children in need. Often with mental health problems or challenging behaviour. It depends on staffing how many can be accomodated.

All the children at the school have very high needs so it then came to order of priority.

Interestingly next doors children who are LAC hsve been offered a place next Tuesday and thursday at their (,non special) school.

I oresume some sort of guidance has been released.

I would send him in, he'll likely get lots of benefits from being back at school, doing activities & seeing friends/peers

I'm a teacher and have been staffing a hub school. There is NO social distancing, the kids are all over each other despite being reminded to keep apart. There is no cleaning during the day. There have 20 kids in a small room which was about 4 m by 10 m at most. The kids come up to the adults and the adults, despite best efforts are never 2 m from the kids, often they are closer than a meter.

I would not send my child unless I had no choice.

Can his school not provide some sensory items for home use?

The OP's school set up will be different from that.

@lewisville1 he won't be going to a hub school. Schools with additional provisions have different set ups anyway, the staff will be aware of the challenges of social distancing in that environment and can advise accordingly.

It will not be a hub school, each class has its own toilets and playground so no reason for children to mix anywhere

Send him. Better for him, better for you.