Should all people keep all kids off school if they absolutely can?

[Morph2lcfc]

Schools are allowing/actively encouraging Sen kids into school this time which must be part of the reason for the large increase in kids attending. Obviously there are some parents who decide not to send their Sen kids in for various reasons of their own but for others should they keep them off unless both parents are a keyworker?

I have a child with asd and ehcp who wasn’t allowed in school first lockdown but is this time is and I’ve accepted the place but am now being made to feel guilty about it. have had a slight disagreement with a friend on this. She said it’s not fair that Sen kids are getting face to face teacher time when other kids aren’t and that it’s hard for everyone having kids at home abs that people sending kids in will be extending the lockdown for everyone else.

Your friend is right, you are part of the problem, by sending your child and not being a responsible parent and member of society by playing your part, keeping your child home and educating him.

And yes I am a lone parent of a child on the spectrum too. Oh and yes I wfh and make homeschooling work! Because I'm a parent and my child deserves the best, safest opportunities

yes, because every child on the spectrum is the same and needs the same level of support. You are wonderwoman. I must be a shit mum only to hold down a job and not being able to home school my teen with with severe LD/autism (and the younger sibling) on top.

thankfully, I grew a thick skin over the years and could not care less about judgemental twats like yourself. If people see me as part of the problem, then I let them if it makes them happy feel superior.

My DC are in school. Both me and DH are critical workers (front line NHS) but I am part time. I have 2 out of 3 children with SEND. Last lockdown we had no keyworker places (complicated situation) and we were ALL broken. People saying it is hard for all children are right, but not all children are screaming, self harming, assaulting their parents and siblings in order to achieve the absolute minimum of any kind of home schooling. My mental health was destroyed as was that of all 3 of my children. BUT I still feel guilty that they are in school this time because there are some days I'm not working even though I am on call on those days for short notice cover for sickness to keep my service open..

I’ve accepted 2 days a week for my two children. We are a one keyworker (not at home) family, plus me WFH full time. DS1 has ASD (but no ehcp), and I’ve mainly done it for well-being reasons. School full time would be best for him but not best for everyone else, I think this is a good compromise. People who don’t deal with it have no idea what the reality is like. All they see is a lovely well mannered child because he holds it together out of the house. They don’t see the screaming/shouting/tears/lashing out. Or the two hours trauma just to get him to do 10 minutes of home school last week.

Because I'm a parent and my child deserves the best, safest opportunities

I know, I don't love my child as much as you love yours, that's ok.

And in my dd’s school all students get the same learning. Out if school they are on Teams, in school they are also on Teams in the same lesson.

Don't really care if they made DS stand on his head whilst doing the same work in school. He won't do work at home, because you don't do school work at home. That is absolutely logical.

flamingo and Didi

People really don't appreciate how difficult it is to get some of our children to do any work, and as you said it isn't just being objectionable it is traumatic for everyone.

We are simply doing what we feel is best not only for our SEN children, but for the whole family.

Only echoing what others have said OP but I honestly can’t see why on earth your friend would even say this. Let alone think it’s unfair or wrong.

My child with an EHCP had no zoom calls all of last lockdown, work they couldn’t access and absolutely zero social contact with the outside world - can’t access FaceTime/ Zoom with friends and family.

The impact on his (and my) mental health was huge let alone his education.

He went back today - I’m nervous as I don’t want him catching or bringing Covid home; but it’s the least worst option. I would LOVE to be able to home school and keep everyone safe, unfortunately for us that isn’t reality

"But the point was that for some children they are getting the same provision inside and outside school."

Children with EHCP's won't be getting the same provision as the rest of their class because if they only needed the same provision, they wouldn't have an EHCP.

Thank you @TheGreatWave - that’s exactly it. They have no idea. It’s not being a bit difficult, it’s a child who has lost all sense of reason losing their shit because they are incapable of understanding what is happening, and if they do understand it just brings massive anxiety. And it’s traumatic, for everyone involved.

Many people really have no idea.

The idea that having a child with SEN is and advantage is laughable.

My DS has SEN's..ASD/ADHD . Last time not one phonecall to myself or DS. He ended up in crisis . ending up in a lot more services involved. He is secondary school. AS soon as 2 week clsing was announced I put his name down as it was obvious this wasn't going to be a 2 week thing.

I have reduced my hours so he can be at home more but I am a LP and still rely on my job to put food on the table.

There is practically no support , I just manage the best I can... I don't listen to people who have no idea what I am dealing with.

You know your family and what is best/

I am a keyworker and have

If you are at home, your kids shouldn’t be in school, unless vulnerable. End of. I’m sick of hearing people who have a parent wfh yet send their children in.

Dee1975- kids with ehcps are included in the vulnerable category that’s the point of the thread.

But the point was that for some children they are getting the same provision inside and outside school.

a lot of children with severe/complex SN cannot access remote learning at all. I am always gobsmacked why some people seem to completely unable to understand this. same provision. my arse!