AIBU to expect some SEN provision despite the pandemic?

[ACupOfTeaSolvesEverything]

Ok before you shoot me down right away, I know teachers are up against it at the moment and school life has radically transformed since this time last year.

However all SEN support has been withdrawn at my son’s school unless the child has an EHCP, those kids are getting partial support.

The reality for my child is that he gets home and completely melts down as he has spent the entire day just coping. This school work is suffering, his mental health is suffering. I feel like I’m sending a lamb to the slaughter every day.

Now I know his small group sessions can’t go ahead, I know he can’t get up and be sent on errands to add movement to his day, I know he can’t use the play equipment at lunch to get much needed sensory input.

Fine.

But I’m fighting school for his wobble cushion which he has used for the last 3 years, it lives in school, it’s in his classroom but the teacher won’t give it to him.
Fiddle toys were banned because other children might touch them - DS took some anyway and keeps them in his tray when he is not using them, no one touches them.
He has been sat on the back row because he’s quiet and no trouble but he has hearing issues and actually can’t hear the teacher so relies on the child next to him. School think this is acceptable.

AIBU to expect basic, reasonable accommodations in a pandemic? A wobble cushion and being sat somewhere he can hear? I’m not asking for the moon on a bloody stick! Or am I?

You need to kick up a stink OP. Years of dealing with this sort of thing have made me realise that unless you make hell, you will be ignored.

It's exhausting but this is not fair on your child and they should not be allowed to get away with it.

They need a replacement SENDCO

They can't just replace someone who is off sick.

OP, YANBU. The school where I work is still offering full SEN provision to students whether they have an EHCP or not. We have had to make some minor adjustments to make things fit with the Covid guidelines but we've made every effort to keep things as 'normal' and consistent as possible for our students with SEND. Fiddle toys and other personal equipment are still allowed, staff just remind students they mustn't share the items and they're encouraged to sanitise them regularly. We're still running small group interventions with kids in the same year group bubbles and 1:1 interventions have been adapted to make SD easier. SEN students who are self-isolating at home still have a morning 'check in' with their TA or their regular mentoring sessions with their keyworker remotely via MS Teams. Paper packs of work have been delivered to SEN students who we know will not engage with remote learning. The things you're asking for are really not difficult to achieve and wouldn't put anyone at increased risk so they have no reason to deny your child this support.

Op it really is not good enough I know.

My DS (almost 16 now) does have an EHCP but the truth is he has not has a fraction of the support he needs. It is clear to me that he will not be taking his mocks as absolutely no preparation has been done with him to prepare him for them (something he absolutely needs). His anxiety is through the roof and his attendance is under 70% this term . I think he will be unlikely to be able to take his GCSEs either.

This is a boy who I was told in year 8 and 9 is fantastically talented in science and who could easily get 7s, 8s and even 9s in his GCSes with the right help in place. As it stands I think he will leave school no GCSEs at all since I think his anxiety and mental health issues will get in the way of him being able to study for them and to take them

We have regular meetings with school to discuss the specifics of what DS needs and we get lots of promises but no actual implementation of most of the things agreed. I know Covid is a nightmare for schools but the reality is that DS was not getting what he needs well before Covid. Covid has just been the nail in the coffin of any hope of DS achieving his full academic potential in school

I have only read your posts but School are being very unreasonable.

Ds has had his full ehcp provision (including sending home things like wobble cushion and lots of other resources as he is shielding and working from home via teams at the moment) pupils without EHCPs are still getting the support they need.

I would write to the head and copy in the govenor with responsibility for SEN

@LD22020 & @movingonup20 Hahahaha from an SEN mum.

@ACupOfTeaSolvesEverything, just get one for home and a spare for home so DC can make them comfortable. The school will want to keep that one there.

Not at all unreasonable. Wobble cushion can be sprayed/ clean at end of the day, fiddle toys can be kept in pocket or around neck and clean at the end of the day. Sensory breaks are trickier with bubbles and the fact staff aren’t meant to cross bubbles. Does the class have a breakout area for group work? It would be possible to do something there for five minutes if TA is able to. It is really hard to fit everything in at the moment especially when don’t have the ability to put groups together across year groups or use staff from other classes. Could you create a sensory area at home to give them that calming down time? Or collect earlier between bubbles to have a quieter exit from school?

I would be more worried about the hearing difficulties and being sat at the back of the class

YANBU

My DD is 15, in year 11 and we’ve been struggling with her.

She has Tourette’s and the tics are horrendous when she’s anxious.

All her usual support networks have been removed - her mentor, the “Oasis” where they can go if the need timeout/someone to talk to and her best friend are all in a different bubble so she has no access to them. They’re unable to change her bubble

She’s supposed to have a scribe in mock exams/formal assessments but they haven’t been able to provide one as so many staff are off - understandable, but still difficult

I’ve been in the phone almost constantly and we are starting to get somewhere - they have found a different mentor for her, but she’s only part time so not always available, and promised she’ll have a scribe for the final 2 mocks

I totally understand school are having a complete nightmare at the moment, but I am disappointed that she’s been pretty much left to it

If the teacher isn’t listening and the senco isn’t there, send a friendly but assertive email requesting a seat change, wobble cushion and fiddle toy for your DS to be included in his provision. Ask if there is a problem with those requests, for the head to ring you ASAP.

She has some fidget type things that help her control her tics, but she was also told she couldn’t have them in school as they were a Covid risk - we did argue that one and they backed down

@SensibleHatOn mine has had full provision. School have made it clear that ehcp provision and SEN support provision is to be continued.

Teacher said that he needs an NHS audiology report to move him!!

Poppycock.

@LD22020 that would be great if we were discussing your child.

@SensibleHatOn no idea why you are being rude. I said that all provision needs to be provided. You laughed at that idea and I said mine is being received.

Our support plan is going ahead, small groups (from class bubble), fiddle toys and sitting near the front because it's in her plan. What does yours say?

I work as a 1:1 in a primary school and all of our SEN provision is still in place.

Movement breaks are still happening. They just have to be more carefully timetabled so that children from different bubbles aren't there at the same time as each other.

Work with small groups is still going on. Where possible we're having appointments with people like the SALT done online. Children are still getting all their usual aids to help them through the day. There's no reason why a wobble cushion can't be cleaned at the end of each day if necessary.

Many of the children receiving this help don't have an EHCP or even a formal diagnosis.

In my school all of those things are still going ahead for the children that need it!

Its all still happening where i work.

Could you contact your local teacher of the deaf and ask her to contact the school regarding where he sits in the classroom. Ours is an invaluable force of nature who makes adjustments happen promptly.

SEN provision is still very much happening at the school I work at. My own DS is on a very long wait-list for evaluations for his learning difficulties, and even without a formal diagnosis or ECHP, he's even receiving support at his secondary.

Honestly, I'd be looking for a new school, Op.

That’s absolutely appalling. My son (ASD) has just started Reception and has no EHCP. The support he has in place is fantastic and I couldn’t be happier with how things have gone so far.

The wobble cushion situation is just bizarre. The teacher just won’t let him have it, even though it’s been agreed in the past? Sounds like the problem lies squarely with the teacher and I’d be complaining to the head/governors pronto.

Gosh thanks all for your replies, I didn’t realise provision was going ahead literally everywhere else. I’m even more angry with school now, they’ve totally thrown him under the bus.

His plan is very wishy washy, “teachers to accommodate DS’s sensory needs and provide any other support to respond as his needs evolve” something like that. Wobble cushion and fiddle toys are mentioned though. Movement breaks have been provided in previous years although not specified in his plan.

He’s not actually deaf, he has trouble with auditory processing. There’s actually a host of accommodations he needs but school have mostly focused on his sensory needs up to now. The rest is a battle in itself.
This year it’s all gone out the window.

Am going to email the head over the weekend.

@MrsMariaReynolds

SEN provision is still very much happening at the school I work at. My own DS is on a very long wait-list for evaluations for his learning difficulties, and even without a formal diagnosis or ECHP, he's even receiving support at his secondary.

Honestly, I'd be looking for a new school, Op.

He has a year left before we apply to secondary and he needs to stay at this feeder school to get into the good high school.

YANBU at all.

You need to put it in writing (e-mail - for a paper trail) to the HT .
Explain how reasonable adjustment for your dc to be able to access the curriculum have not been made.
Keep it about your ds's needs rather than a complaint about the teacher although he does sound like he needs to be complained about. You can say that you understand it must be difficult with the SENCo being off on leave, but that you have tried to explain the adjustments that have been previously made by the school, and how they have helped your ds to the teacher but there seems to be some issue with them being implicated and you'd like to know how that can be resolved.

OP we are still having intervention groups (within the class bubble) wobble cushions and fidget spinners are still allowed. Surely now it is even more important than ever that these children are supported. I would definitely keep pushing!