Hi, not sure whether to put this in health or education...but here goes!
My DS who is in Year 1 has Perthes Disease in one hip, it was diagnosed in June this year, so the school have known about the diagnosis since he was still in Reception. I had always told the school that the likelihood was he would end up having surgery which would require a period of about 2 to 3 mnths in full hip to ankle plaster casts and a wheelchair. As it happens the hospital has decided not to go ahead with surgery yet, but want to immobilise him totally by putting him into casts and a wheelchair for a period of 2 months just to see if the total rest and lack of impact on his hip might kick-start the healing/regrowth process. So for 2 months he will be his normal self (ie will not have had surgery) but will be in a wheelchair. DSs school is on one level, has no stairs at all, has full disabled access in terms of doorways etc and also has a disabled toilet. I really want him to return to school full time as soon as possible because assuming he ends up having the major surgery a few months down the line he will miss enough school then, so now that he is just in a wheelchair and, according to the hospital, there is "medically no reason" for him not to attend school, I really don't want him to miss his education or feel excluded socially. The school though have talked about him coming back on a part-time basis and initially with me having to stay with him all the time (not terribly practical, so husband will have to take time off work to look after our other child!). They have talked about him coming back full time 'eventually' but only building up to that very gradually (all left a bit vague!). The fact is he is a healthy, undemanding child who will happen to be in a wheelchair for 2 months and I don't want him missing school when medically there is no need to. I appreciate it's a bit inconvenient for the school that someone will have to help him get to the toilet a few times a day but beyond that I cannot imagine he will be particularly in need of much additional help. The head teacher is apparently looking into whether the school can get funding for a TA to support him (but I'm personally not sure that's even necessary!) but he goes into the plasters/wheelchair next week, and despite knowing since June, the school are only just making initial contact with the LA!! So basically I anticipate that I will have a bit of a struggle on my hands to get him back to school full time and although I have agreed to accompany him every day during his first week back I really want his life to be as normal as possible for him during what is obviously going to be a tough time for him, and having your mum at school all the time is hardly normal!! Just wondered if anyone knew whether I have a right to expect that my temporarily disabled child should be accepted back full time by the school??