Wwyd? School issues

[notsureyetcertain]

My son is autistic, he is 9 in mainstream school. He has a ehcp and higher level funding, he has a full time 1:1 for his emotional regulation and processing issues. He is working at or above age related.
until this year (year 5) he has managed quite well in school in fact last year he had an amazing year, no issues at all he enjoyed going to school and did well. I’ve never had any major concerns about how they manage him.
This year he has a new (to the school) teacher, unfortunately there was a mass exodus last summer and there are 7 new teachers (in a junior school where only 11 teachers are employed) All three of the year five teachers are new. He had have his 1:1 from the previous year though.
initally there were a few minor issues (messing about, shouting out), I spoke to the teacher each time and made suggestions to support him (based on what had worked previously) these were ignored. He then got bullied by a boy in the class (with other children joining in). Thankfully that boy left the school. Since then there has been a few issues of hitting that’s been mentioned. (3 in one term) They also have issue with his echolalia, I’ve asked about strategies they can use but again not sure it’s being implemented. He hates school and doesn’t want to go

Recently I’ve been given a behaviour management form to sign saying they will use restraint where necessary. I’m concerned that that would be extremely distressing for him (as a person who doesn’t like to be touched) and I’m concerned they are not being honest about his behaviour and what’s happening in school. (He doesn’t tell me anything)

I’ve lost trust in the school and I’m also aware they brought a new extremely strict behaviour policy in this year and there has been 12 exclusions since all Sen children.

Would you move schools? Bear in mind there one year left.

I would be very shocked if they were asking to restrain him for things like echolalia and not being able to complete work, no teacher wants to restrain a child for fun.
it’s pretty obvious it would only be a last resort if he ran away again during altercations with children. You say he’s hit 3 children in the last term and pushed another and you can’t expect the other children to just put up with that because it would upset your son to be restrained and pulled away from them.

Not all SEN schools cater to children who are non-academic. Maybe have a look for independent specialists near you that cater to children who have high cognitive abilities but also need the additional support of an autism specialist school. They're few and far between but they do exist.

So we had the meeting. They completely played it down saying they have stopped doing ABC forms and combined in it with positive handling plan. Said nothing has changed about his behaviour it’s just a new form that’s been updated. They apologised that I was given it in the playground to sign.

im relived nothing major has changed in his behaviour but I’m not convinced they are being honest. They also said all staff are team teach trained which I would’ve surprised at purely due to cost.

id spoken to ds last night and asked him if anyone has ever held him so he can’t move and he said yes all the time. I asked him where and he said they hold his wrist tight and it hurts. When I asked about team teach restraints they showed me a wrist one that they use. But then said they had never used it on my son, I explained what my son had said and the senco said she would look into it and wondered if he meant when his ta was leading him back to the class room.

im still not happy I’m getting the full story. And my son communicates minimally so it’s difficult getting information out of him.

Holding or escorting by the wrist is known as “ caring C” in terms of the grip and shouldn’t hurt or leave a bruise. Obviously if a child is autistic even light touch can be painful , depending on sensory needs.
If they are regularly “having to” hold him you would see 3 chairs in a corridor taped together. An adult would be either side using a hold that they are trained to use.
A positive handling plan should outline any triggers and de escalation strategies. It doesn’t mean that they can’t use a behaviour observation such as STAR or ABC.
Could he have a workstation in class for when he needs to concentrate away from others?
Hope everything settles down soon at school.

I’m concerned they have combined the ABC with positive handling plan as it means most Sen kids will be on it on the basis they benefit from a ABCplan. My dd says in their (Sen) school a positive handling plan is a step 2 on behaviour management with stage 3 being moving class, APs and exclusion. So it feels a step close to exclusion.

Make notes of your meeting, and email them asking confirmation of what you have understood they said.
They’ll be hard pushed to exclude him if they are telling you everything is still OK, and this is purely an admin matter.
They’ll need evidence to exclude.

Yes that’s a good point

Do not agree to restraint! I very much doubt they have training to do this safely - and it should always be a last resort.
( I have known classrooms be emptied of the other children for their safety, but not restraint).
The school in general is now “failing” at least your child. I would be looking for another school - either mainstream or SEN.
It may have been fine for your child until this year, but with 7 new teachers out of 11 it is not the same school.
Behaviour is communication - and your son is communicating feeling unsafe and frustrated. Teachers could be scapegoating him to cover their own lack of control of the class. Who knows what micro-aggressions he is experiencing?
please get him out of there ASAP

A lot of mainstream schools now do have staff who are trained in "positive handling" - this includes guiding and holding children to keep themselves and others safe. Clearing a classroom of other children is not always enough to ensure everyone is safe.

Sounds a very stressful situation.
i agree the numbers of teachers changing must be distressing as there may be a great deal of coping with the unexpected in the various encounters with staff throughout the day.
i understand the effect a change of classroom assistant has too, this happened to my GD losing a beloved assistant who moved jobs and having her replaced. The initial assistant could read her perfectly and the relationship was great. Like your experience the replacement is just not the same.

However I think by moving as your are being urged to could some mean jumping from the frying pan into the fire at a crucial time. I think he has only one more year at Primary (I am not in England and year groups are different) particularly as he is expected to go on to mainstream due to his ability.. I would pursue all support available, not sure what this is in England but there is an autism support service here. Here they would go in and see what strategies are being implemented and make suggestions as to how to manage things . They also help prepare for transition to the next level.