Special need schools

[Fairyscary]

What are peoples thoughts on special need schools staying open around the country? Teachers and parents views. Seems like it’s really important for the pupils and their parents but very risky for teachers and their families.

My pupils have severe learning difficulties and complex needs and hardly any of them can or will wear a mask. Staff do wear masks. I have 2 pupils who wear them on transport but with the nose uncovered. Another pupil bought one in with him one day but we found it lying discarded on a bookshelf. I think my school should encourage face masks where possible.

I work in a base in primary school we fiught to stay open and are delighted to be fully open this time as we were only partly open last time.

Most of our children are well health wise, thank goodness, and it's behaviours we have to be aware of. No ppe, social distancing, lots of spitting, bodily fluids and saliva. But we have a great relationship with parents and lots of trust that we all go out our way to stay safe.
Over the moon we are open for our kids, fingers crossed everyone stays safe and this is over soon 🤞

I have a dd with multiple health and neurological conditions at a sen school.
She is in a class of 2 with 3 staff.
We do not socialize outside of the house, carers are no longer taking our dd out and about. So I think as a family we pose less of a risk to the public than vice versa.

I cannot thank our dd's teachers or ta or headteacher enough. They are definitely our favorite people 🙂 without school I can honestly say we were considering putting our child into care as she was violent and having meltdowns all day.
Our dd needs school. She is severely learning disabled and cannot learn at home.

Not all sen schools are the same. Not all sen children have the same difficulties at staying at home. Some can manage, mine definitely cannot. School is an essential service provider for us and gives me my only respite not childcare!

If any sen teachers, ta's or school staff read this, know that I for one am extremely grateful for your working during this incredibly hard time and I'm sure the parents at your school are extremely happy for your sacrifices.

And I believe that all school staff should be priority for vaccine.

I work in a SEN school which takes extremely vulnerable students age 4 to 19 from a large area of the country. Many of our children have been to mainstream, SEN and/or PRU schools first and come to us as a last resort before going to a secure unit. The behaviour in our school is incredibly challenging and there is a risk every day that we will be spat at, bitten , hit and kicked. We are not allowed masks or PPE as this is deemed too intimidating. The school has been open throughout. We know the families linked to some students do not follow rules and allow their children to mix with others. I would love to be given priority for a vaccine as I think we are more at risk than care home staff. I absolutely love my job and will continue to go in, but wish the government/society would open their eyes a bit more as I feel we teach the 'hidden' children. Family circumstances and life aspirations are often horrific. Whilst this is devastating, it does increase our risk.

That should read extremely grateful not happy!

They vary massively.

Mine is SLd/PMLd.

3-19.

Most classes 8/9 pupils and 3-4 staff. No room to SD. Most pupils cannot wear masks. Travel on transport so many have 2 bubbles.

But if 5 pupils on a bus are in 5 different classes ..... you can see what risks are.

Lots of pupils get shielding letters but parents decide to send them in. That increases staff anxiety massively.

It's hard because these are often the most vulnerable children and families. But staff are entitled to same safety at work as MS schools.

Imo if it's deemed schools are too risky to open they have to include all settings because covid doesn't differentiate.

I will add though Ive been the whole time (except when I had covid!) and love my job and the pupils.

I would never make it obvious to parents my anxiety.

But I'm not going to lie that because we've had parents sending in kids with calpol being taken, with temperatures and coughs and send them back in when sent home (or refuse to answer phone!) and then had staff in that class subsequently test positive I do have concerns. Mostly about it being passed to our CEV pupils who will on the whole still attend.

That's awful really to send children in ill knowing that it could be covid and could pass it on.
My son is going back on Tuesday my worry at the moment is waking him up to be at school on time. He has learning disabilities with a genetic condition but school is good for him to have time to be independent.

Sal

I hope they stay open. It is one thing to WFH with a neurotypical child (I have one) and whilst trying to work whilst looking after and home schooling a child like DD who has severe learning difficulties, autism and challenging behaviours who is unable to learn at home independently but needs 1:1 for everything. I am a lone parents and I was physically ill in the Summer from the stress of trying to meet deadlines and meeting the needs of both DC, esp DD's. There is no way I can do that again.

I really really need DD to be able to access school. For her own wellbeing but also for mine.

Well our special school has just announced that they won’t be opening!
They say this is based on the action some unions are taking in relation to safety in school but my understanding was that this union advice was NOT for special schools. There is no way there can be social distancing, mask wearing etc at my child’s school and no way there can be any remote learning so looks like we are alone up shit creek yet again!

@boobybum - That sucks, I'm really sorry that's happened. I didn't think that it applied to special schools either... are you in an area with high rates?

My two will be going back on Monday.

My son with ASD was so distressed in March that it was cruel at home. Both schools seem to be passionate about child protection.

For more severe SEND I dont know how some parents coped. If you child has trac and needs watching while they sleep, but your careers stop coming in? 25/7. I would crack or be so exhausted that I can see how live gets endangered.

I'm not people go into work in SEN to just pay the Bills. It's not a easy choice but yes some of them have to back to be in a community watchful eye making sure the parents can tick over with their care when all services are seemly drying up

DD1 goes to a LD school. She has 13-14 in her class with 2-3 staff.

All the children who arrive on transport wear masks. A lot of parents have agreed to transport their children in exchange for mileage money, so the remaining children can be socially distance.

All the staff wear scrubs and visors, which took a while for the children to get used to. The school was completely closed March - June, then open for a very few children. DD1 was allowed in 2 days per week for 4 weeks before the summer holidays, because she was declining mentally.

So far, they've said they're going to open.

For more severe SEND I dont know how some parents coped. If you child has trac and needs watching while they sleep, but your careers stop coming in? 25/7. I would crack or be so exhausted that I can see how live gets endangered.

I agree. But the difference is actually these children were safer at home with 1 carer or 2 doing shifts than they are in school with 5/6/7 other children in class. Also most children with this level of need were clinically extremely vulnerable and shielding.

Also they have deep suction and it took months for the RA to be released and it can be done by a nurse in a room that can be fogged, no one else uses etc.

It wasn't just schools closing it was the whole lack of joined up working together because they suspended EHCP - which is meant to bring it all together.

Dd's independent specialist school was open throughout the last lockdown and we have had a letter saying they will be open to all pupils as planned from Tuesday. Only 30 pupils in the whole school with split sites so dd is unlikely to come into contact with more than half the school and Steiner school means there are plenty of outdoor learning spaces with shelter and firepits.
The generic maintained special schools closed to all pupils the week before official lockdown here last time and parents have already been warned they may not reopen again on Tuesday.

All SEN schools are different but need a balance approach I guess.

My son attends a specialist ASD school (5-19) where everyone is physically well, no clinical conditions bar ASD. Classes are 8 children with 2 adults in normal large size classes with hand washing facilities in class and a bathroom each. Good rules and procedures that they follow well and lots of outdoor space and activities as usual.

All of my sons friends communicate over computer games but never see each other or anyone else outside of school. My son only sees us, (parents) and school people. He doesn't cope well with others and is extremely isolated without school.

All of sons friends have missed A LOT of education already due to lack of schools to meet needs. My son didn't attend school or receive any education for all of year 2 and 3 and then lock down through year 4. This is not uncommon for children with ASD. He can't access remote learning in any way nor do his friends and his teacher said it's pointless pushing it as it will make their anxieties worse.

I can't face him not going to school again. We're close to loosing his entire primary education at this rate. SEN children should be seen and treated differently

If you have children with SEN (severe LDs type of difficulties), how on earth do you manage to work? That is my biggest problem as DD needs 1:1 for everything. But work comes in via app, needs printing out and then I need to spend hours with her which I don't have. How do others do it?

@flattyres

If you have children with SEN (severe LDs type of difficulties), how on earth do you manage to work? That is my biggest problem as DD needs 1:1 for everything. But work comes in via app, needs printing out and then I need to spend hours with her which I don't have. How do others do it?

Depends on personal circumstances I suppose?

If you aren't working then you have time for 1:1 working. If you are then ask for keyworker place? If you aren't a keyworker do you have a SW and get a vulnerable child place?

I wouldn't be doing anymore than you or your dd can cope with though.

If you aren't working then you have time for 1:1 working. If you are then ask for keyworker place? If you aren't a keyworker do you have a SW and get a vulnerable child place?

not a key worker, I don't have a SW and I am a lone parent. Furlough refused by employers. I guess I will just leave DD without an education if school won't take her the. She is in a SS, not classed as vulnerable and all children have an EHCP plan. School is still checking if they open next week but reading the latest news, I am not too hopeful. Was just wondering how other parents manage to get work and home schooling done in such circumstances. I also have a primary school aged DC which also needs homeschooling.

Specialist schools and kids with EHCPs absolutely should be in full time still. Everything needs to be weighed up and for this group the damage of not being in far outweighs the risk of being in

That's awful flat with severe LD you should have something that puts you as vulnerable.
My suggestion would be to ring SS and say under section 17 you are entitled to a SW and need support now. Contact has template letters if you need back up.

Your dd though is classed as vulnerable because she has an ehcp under the governments guidelines.

My suggestion would be to ring SS and say under section 17 you are entitled to a SW and need support now.

DD is a teen. We never had any type of SS assessment, respite etc despite me making numerous requests. I just keep getting turned down. My LA is horrid. Unless shit has hit fan, they rather throw you under a bus then give you support. I will not try them again. I have only been advised by th to use DD's DLA for respite (I need it to pay the mortgage though) if we need a break but nothing else they can do for us as DD is not 'deemed at risk'. I learned to pick my battles and Social service support is not one worth fighting for. It just drains me and the outcome is zero (other than a few more grey hairs).

@flattyres

My suggestion would be to ring SS and say under section 17 you are entitled to a SW and need support now.

DD is a teen. We never had any type of SS assessment, respite etc despite me making numerous requests. I just keep getting turned down. My LA is horrid. Unless shit has hit fan, they rather throw you under a bus then give you support. I will not try them again. I have only been advised by th to use DD's DLA for respite (I need it to pay the mortgage though) if we need a break but nothing else they can do for us as DD is not 'deemed at risk'. I learned to pick my battles and Social service support is not one worth fighting for. It just drains me and the outcome is zero (other than a few more grey hairs).

So sorry to hear this. My autistic DS attempted to take his life and I was refused support. I had to watch him 24/7 and I'm also a LP. He attempted this after being a victim of knife crime and police were fantastic and also put in a referral.

SS response was I didn't need support because I knew how to support my ds.

It's horrid. I empathise. I really hope you find a way that protects you all.

It'sgetting that is just awful. I don't understand actually what the role of SS is because all they seem to do is throwing families like us under a bus in the name of saving money. I hope you and DS are in a better place now.

DD is actually a very happy child which makes a big difference.

@itsgettingweird
if you aren’t working then you have time for 1:1 working
I’m presuming you’re being sarcastic? What about parents of children who barely sleep at night? Try doing 1:1 learning when you’ve had about an hours sleep. Also what if you have other children - how do you teach them whilst looking after a severely disabled child that needs 1:1?