To think they may as well say "don't send children with additional needs back in September"

[drspouse]

The current plan is:
All in bubbles of 30
All in the classroom together
All facing the front (WTF has that got to do with virus protection)
No use of shared spaces except at your rota time and after it's been bleached.
Teachers at the front, 2m away
AND focus on behaviour.

My DS has an EHCP and needs a space to escape to when the classroom gets too much. He's often been using a work space outside the classroom. We just looked round a lovely mainstream primary that has a behaviour base and a nurture base. Oh and a library and an ICT suite that children can access at lunchtime.
His previous school had very little space and the corridor was the library etc.

So how are schools supposed to cater for children who need time out of the classroom to prevent meltdown?
This includes children who are having a hard time at home, can't cope with playground noise etc. Not just those who have a diagnosis of SEN.

And children like my DD who have small group teaching outside the classroom most days - you can't do that with 2m separation and all facing the front even if you can disinfect the break out area.

So I'm guessing nobody really wants a child like my DS in their child's classroom if he's not allowed to go out to his calm down area when he needs to?

Well, I guess I knew the government didn't really want to deal with inconvenient children who don't fit their mould, but this confirms it.

I really feel for teachers, yet another impossible task.

[Segmentationfault]

@xenia yeah, it's really easy for someone with a disabled child who needs constant care to just walk into a high paying job.

Fuck off.

[Boulshired]

DS2 special school has quoted the following paragraph to inform us that they are looking at implementing the risk assessments prior to the autumn term and during the autumn term to get as many children back as soon as possible. So I am not expecting DS2 to be back at school any time soon.

Risk assessments may prove useful now and over the autumn term, in identifying what additional support children and young people with EHC plans need to make a successful return to full education. Risk assessments may also prove useful if children and young people have to self-isolate, or if a local outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19) requires a setting to return to more limited attendance, or temporarily close.

[StrawberryPea]

We had a weekly call from the SENDCO whilst my DC wasn't at school during lockdown.

[hiredandsqueak]

They've phoned me but probaby because dd has been going to school so they can tick her off as duty done. All the people I know who have been really struggling with no provision with children with complex needs haven't been contacted. I imagine if they don't phone they can't be expected to help when they are asked for help.

[danni0509]

Apparently our LA for those children with ehcps were phoning each family during lockdown to 'check in' school told me to expect a call.

Never heard a peep!

[hiredandsqueak]

Yes we probably need a threat of Judicial Review early on to get all LEAs and consequently schools to toe the line but it's there. Our LEA will be gutted they were hoping to drag this out for two years I think. They have never been productive nor adhered to statutory duty anyway but seemed to have given up the pretence in lockdown believing one phone call a week was their part fulfilled.

[NannyPlumsJellyFlood]

Thank you @hiredandsqueak that's a relief.

[hiredandsqueak]

@NannyPlumsJellyFlood from another board I'm on "The Secretary of State for Education has just announced in Parliament that he will NOT be issuing any further notices to modify the duty relating to education, health and care (EHC) plans during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

Statutory duty in relation to section 42 of an EHCP will be fully restored in time for September.

This may or may not have anything to do with permission yesterday given for a rolled up Judicial review hearing at the end of July against these modifications."

[NannyPlumsJellyFlood]

Dignify, not signify. Sigh!

[NannyPlumsJellyFlood]

I am gobsmacked and disgusted at some of the comments on here. I won't signify them with a response.

A question for your parents in the know. We got our EHCP finalised today (yay!) ready for my child starting reception in September. Does anyone know when we are going to change from 'reasonable endeavours' back to 'must do'? I'm hoping by September the rights of SEN children to access learning just like everyone else will be put back to what they should be!

[x2boys]

Well ,yes I'm sure some private schools do help children with dyslexia ,but I can guarantee that they couldn't meet the needs of my severely autistic ten year old son ,whose non verbal even if we could afford the fees .

[10brokengreenbottles]

Xenia in 2015-16 the average independent SS cost £52K. source. Likely significantly more now. Many MS indies that claim to be inclusive actually aren't when you dig deeper.

DS1's provision costs in excess of £100K pa. It is EOTAS so if I worked I would need to employ someone to care of him during the day, take him to therapies, pick up the pieces after a meltdown etc. DS3's has significantly less funding attached, but more than some earn pa.

Wrap around care wouldn't be too difficult for DS3, but nigh on impossible for DS1. He has been through 3 respite providers in 18 months. Then consider who would take DS' to their numerous appointments? Attend to the never ending paperwork, phone calls and emails? Sort medication, treatments, equipment?

[wagtailred]

I think (hope) she is just trying to be helpful. She is considering the children who need a bit of a boost but arent in the realms of needing an ehcp. And she is right that if you were currently not working and had a child with dyslexia, a move to private might get that support. I know a few people who have done this and seen their children thrive.
Personally, i'm in the 'no wrap around care, no holiday care, fees of 40k, mixed with regular appointments' zone so I'm not an employers dream.

[Boulshired]

xenia a child who is likely to be risked assessed, pressurised to stay at home or excluded is unlikely to be acceptable at a low fee paying independent. DS respite package is over £30k.

[Realityofsen]

And high level provision is frequently in the 40k plus region

[hiredandsqueak]

@Xenia my dd's school fees are £68k pa covering 9am to 3pm term time only. If you could point me in the direction of any roles that would allow me to work those hours and pay me enough to pay the fees or the fees plus care for wraparound school hours plus school holidays that would be great I'd like to go to work for a rest tbh.

[Realityofsen]

@Xenia genuinely what planet are you on? Do you not grasp how difficult it is to maintain full time work and care for these children?

I had good employers, fair and reasonable but it just was not fair on them and it couldn't be managed.

[Xenia]

Sometimes it is possible and some private schools do cater to certain needs such as dyslexia. For some mothers who don't work getting a full time job on say £25k a year is enough to cover one set of private school fees.

[StrawberryPea]

Sometimes where possible it pays for mothers to work full time to pay school fees.

@Xenia are you having a laugh?

You'd need to be earning a very decent wage just to to pay for enough special needs wrap-around childcare to do a full time job, let alone earn enough to pay private school fees.

Even if money was no object, private schools that cater for mainstream SEN pupils aren't exactly on everyone's doorstep. I'd have a 45 minute drive to our nearest independent school that would even consider taking my child.

[mbosnz]

I am angry, horrified and sad reading this thread. SEND parents, you have my utmost admiration with what you do for your children/young people. The system was broke before Corona Virus and is just getting worse.
I fail to understand how anyone doesn't understand the issues or have emphaty for you and your children, some shocking remarks on here from people who wouldn't last 5 minutes if they had to walk in your shoes.

This.

[SugarPlumFairyCakes]

I am angry, horrified and sad reading this thread. SEND parents, you have my utmost admiration with what you do for your children/young people. The system was broke before Corona Virus and is just getting worse.
I fail to understand how anyone doesn't understand the issues or have emphaty for you and your children, some shocking remarks on here from people who wouldn't last 5 minutes if they had to walk in your shoes.

[drspouse]

In an inexplicable burst of efficiency, one of my DS consultants noticed that another one he's seeing can deal with all three of his main conditions. So instead of 4 we now see 1, and another one annually.

[PablosHoney]

I’m getting so angry reading this thread.

[Sirzy]

Ds is under 15 different consultants. His attendance for last school year (until they shut obviously) was 84% which is pretty good for him.

I would love to work but it’s simply not possible

[ChavvySexPond]

YANBU, bit honestly, I don't think anybody's children are going back in September. Or not for long, anyway.