Inclusion policies are not working

[somewherbetweenHoneyandTrunchbull]

I am an experienced teacher. And every year budgets are being cut and more and more children are being chucked into mainstream. Non-verbal, extremely sensitive to noisy kids being put into an overcrowded open plan mainstream school. Some have a little speech but couldn't hold a conversation. Many not toilet trained. Many cannot control their emotions and anger. Some where English isn't a first language. Many with social work involvement and living through ongoing trauma at home.
Meanwhile support staff numbers are being cut, year on year.
I had been managing just about. Spinning many plates. Constantly juggling. But then they enrol another two kids with complex needs into my class on 28 individuals. I just can't do it any more. This week I've been bitten, scratched, hit so hard I thought they had cracked a rib. Violent incident forms all filled in but reality means not much will change as I can't get more that 2 20 minute slots of teaching assistant time each week.
I love my job. I love the kids. I love those lightbulb moments. But at the moment I can't do my job of teaching children. I can barely keep them and myself safe in my class. I try. I'm exhausted. I'm worn out working day and night so that I'm super organised so everything can go smoothly but it never does. If it was just one child having a meltdown I probably coolyld cope. I just do t know which firework will go off when. I don't know what is setting them off and once they go, others follow.
I cry most days at how hopeless it feels. I have some really bright and eager children too. They are also being let down by this system. I'm not sure who the current education policies help. It doesn't seem to help anyone except desensitising children to daily bouts of violence and the language.
I'm very broken tonight. I'm so sleepy but won't help x

What worries me is the distinct correlation people are assuming exists between violent children and disabilities.

There are many children who are non violent being failed in schools due to inclusion. As in they aren't getting an education tailored to their needs.

Many of the violent pupils aren't disabled and their victims are often those who are disabled and therefore the most vulnerable.

Until people stop just blaming disabled children for violence or the issues in classrooms nothing will improve.

It's another example of how governments encourage people to blame minority groups for the problems in public services rather than the blame falling where it actually lies - the government themselves.

I don't actually. If my DD does something wrong to another child I put the other child first and make her apologize, make it up to them and not do it again. If she were persistently a violent threat to another child for any reason I'd put the other child first and keep her away from them. It's within the normal bounds of human behaviour to put your desire to get your child into appropriate education above the rights of other children and teachers to not be assaulted, sure. But no, not everyone does that.

I left education due to the lack of funding, support and the pay for my role was dire.
Injuries were commonplace and the final straw was the vile coverage our profession had during lockdown. I worked daily yet we were slandered.

I worked in SEN and our school was full to capacity. I also worked in mainstream prior to that and had zero training for the 1:1 carried out. It was all self researched.

Back in the 80s I recall having a special class in my primary that had children of all ages and also had some lunch staff supporting. I know things have come along a lot since the 80s but it also feels like we are going backwards too!

Tell me what you would say to that child..those children

Leaving aside the fact that you are seriously projecting here, I would advise the parents to complain to the school and LA. Our interests are aligned - we both want my DS in specialist provision. Only one of us cares if he learns to read and write, and I won’t apologize for that.

Complaints go in every day because this child causes mayhem every day. Sending a child to school knowing full well they could and more than often will seriously hurt another child on the daily just astounds me.

It's an odd kind of culture. I've been remarking on it throughout this thread. I think the answer is that teachers are generally compassionate people and are therefore easily manipulated into tolerating abuse. I suspect part of why the NHS has a different policy is because there are far more men on the frontlines in the NHS (among doctors particularly) facing this abuse.

I am not implying anything.

I was responding to your post about how "normal" my children are.

And was trying to point out that because they are "normal" we have to put up (in silence) with the shit show that is called inclusion.

I do/ did advocate for them... but that is a whole other thread. Unless they get physically hurt, the school can do very little. And even when DS got hurt, the wheels were turning very slowly....

And just for your record: to me a disabled child does not equal a violent child.

"If she were persistently a violent threat to another child for any reason I'd put the other child first and keep her away from them."

Very few parents would keep there own child out of school for years perhaps permanently unless they thought it was better for their child. Maybe you are one of them.

Very few parents would keep there own child out of school for years perhaps permanently unless they thought it was better for their child. Maybe you are one of them

I am unashamedly not. Particularly because DS is so bright - I will do everything in my power to get him into a specialist school, but I won’t keep him from having an education.

Exactly @itsgettingweird . Many children with SEN are not violent and many violent children don't have SEN.

Yet he can stop 29 other kids from getting one and a few black eyes into the bargain... ok then.

All the ‘in-year’ children we get are always significantly behind into the bargain. They are usually undiagnosed with something, so I assume the parents are moving them because they are frustrated with a lack of progress. We also have a lot of military children with significant needs - honestly don’t know why the stats swing in that direction in those cases.

I wonder if they're undiagnosed because they haven't sought referrals, or if it's because they have to wait so long for assessment and diagnosis? Friend's son finally had his autism assessment this week. He was referred to CAMHS in May 2017 - over 6 years ago.

I really hope his wait isn't typical.

The only solution is to vote out the Tories.
They've raided the state coffers to enrich their friends, and the general population is paying for it.
There's no good state provision under a Tory government and there never will be. They don't believe in it.

Yet he can stop 29 other kids from getting one and a few black eyes into the bargain... ok then

And the LA could fix this in a heartbeat by offering him a place at an appropriate setting, but here we are, demonizing disabled children over an abject failure of policy.

My DS attends a school which is very fortunate to be well funded as it has a specialist base. DS attends MS Plus the base and it is working amazingly for him. And even though there are probably more kids with SEN than other schools there is little to no violence, quite a few kids have 1/1s and the base has loads of great resources. It gives all children a fair chance at a good education.

We all know it is the governments fault but it doesn't mean that your child's violence against others can ruin 29 other children's education and health. Knowingly sending your child in to cause that much damage and destruction, to affect all those lives and then say to the parents of those kids that we are demonizing yours? It's the other way around. My child has the right not to come home with injuries and broken bones just by going to school.

I don't see why the calculation would change over time. It would always be morally wrong to place my child's right to an education over another child's right not to be assaulted. I understand why people are doing it, but the more I think about it the more I realize actually I wouldn't do it and I know I'm not alone. The lack of special school places is not the fault of other innocent children. Even if it were it wouldn't justify allowing them to be attacked.

Problem as well is say you’ve a sen child who is violent you then can’t really complain when other parents don’t want their child to play with yours or invite yours to their parties etc because why would they want their child near someone who is causing them actual harm which you see time and time again on posts people complaining.

Earlier in the thread I linked to articles from Ireland, France and Germany demonstrating that they have the same problems. And not a Tory in sight...

No one's demonizing the children. They/We could be said to be demonizing some of the parents, if you wanted to be dramatic about it. Specifically the ones who are knowingly placing their child's right to education above other child's right to not be attacked.

So please explain why the centre left governments of France and Germany are also unable to provide sufficient education and help for SEN children, as evinced by PP.

Anecdotal evidence only, but I am told that things are fairly similar in Spain and Greece as well. I don’t think the ‘Tories’ are controlling these countries.

There is obviously a serious problem amongst children in many ‘developed’ countries, and one which should be highlighted and discussed , but political diatribes are not the answer, IMHO.

I think you’re massively projecting because of your relative’s poor experience here @toomuchforonewoman and you should step away from the internet for a bit. If there was any sensible alternative to MS for my DS, I would snatch it with both hands. However, I won’t apologise for educating my child through the only available setting. He trounces most of the other kids academically btw.

I don't think anyone is saying otherwise. But the parents with violent children who don't have SEN are wildly unlikely to be on this thread!

How patronising, her experience as as valid as yours.

Specifically the ones who are knowingly placing their child's right to education above other child's right to not be attacked

Yes, I do that. I’ve admitted that and I don’t apologise for it.

I’ve been waiting 4 years for a specialist place with DS in mainstream. How much longer do you think I’d wait if DS was at home not being the school’s problem?

You are blaming parents for a problem that is not of their making.