Inconsistent messaging between milestones and access to help

[Fortunerookie]

There’s a lot of press about being “school ready” in various areas be it toileting or speech and language. However, for children with issues in these areas, the age at which they are able to access help, is much higher. There is a huge mismatch between the two. It’s not just lengthy access to waiting lists - it’s the thresholds to meet the waiting lists.

There’s a large range of differences between the vast majority should have achieved a skill and actually needing active intervention. My dc (autistic) was late potty training but still achieved it before school so no need to actually intervene before then as an example.

the truth is that dc today are significantly later in a variety of skills on average so something is amiss, giving parents and childcare settings a clear list of what should be achieved by typically developing dc by school is a good thing. (We had to tie a tie and shoelaces when I was 4!)

If your child hasn’t achieved that by school, despite you and them trying and wasn’t eligible for intervention, then what?

My daughter has speech issues. I have banged on so many doors and got so many referrals, yet received another refusal today. Her hearing has become impacted because of viruses and obviously schools are like a party for viruses, so it’s a bloody nightmare.
Something has changed, I agree, but I think lazy parenting is a lazy trope. This forum is full of parents trying to seek help. I don’t think there has been a sudden increase in parents saying “meh, I’m going to keep my four year old in nappies because I don’t fancy toilet training” or whatever. Austerity, difficult access to services/help/intervention, increase in ill health etc play a part.