ooo, now my explanations are always a bit of a worry in case I mis-explain, but...
On the SN board there's a) mums who are hopping mad at life and how it is for them thanks to child's disability
b) mums who want to have a general debate and want to look at controversial material as part of that debate
c) mums who need advice on general things
d) mums who need a really quiet safe place because they're not able to handle the Big Debates - often people with ASDs. I think there's about 8 mums so far on there with ASDs. Some can handle debates, some can't. Depends on the brain wiring we end up with.
So I asked if anyone had ideas from mumsnet on how we might be able to keep the people with a disability safe enough that they can join in ok. Any ideas at all. Free ideas, quick ideas, anything. Mumsnet suggested separate SN boards in several months time, but that's not a very good solution for me right now, because I need my friends and support right now and it just seems sad that I'd have to wait months to use the service safely enough for me because I have a disability.
I've even offered to help pay for any redesign that people felt would work - e.g. a board for hefty debate and a space for quiet reflection or ordinary questions. So far, nothing. I've offered free training in autism from specialists. Nothing. I've offered free help with the disability policy work if that needs doing. Nothing. Well, not so far anyway.
It would make sense as a strategy if mumsnet didn't want ASD people on here, but I'm sure they do? Is it that we're only allowed on here if we can handle everything that everyone else does? But that's actually impossible for many of us, so by default we end up having to leave, or not joining in. We can't stop being on the autism spectrum and start behaving in totally NT ways, alas. Wheelchair users can't just stand up and walk up a flight of stairs because everyone else can, either.
And there's only so much adapting I can do myself. So I've had to invent my own rather weird system, to see if it works.
The difficult thing for me is that as an employer and school Governor I've had to read every single line of disability law, and I know that if I set up a service, I have to ensure that there's reasonable* access on demand, and that people are safe, and that I don't make the service users pay for the adjustment. Otherwise 'tis against the law.
But what use are laws? It's not as if people with a disability like this have any way to go to a court - we wouldn't cope with the stress. And neither am I saying I'd wish to - it's just a general point about how utterly pointless government laws are in nearly all service provider situations for us.
More tea needed.
- The House of Lords spent several days debating the precise meaning of the word 'reasonable', without conclusion. There is no case law to help in the case of disability law, because in the last 15 years no person with a disability has the resources or ability to bring a case, espite the legislation being there. Utterly, utterly unfit for purpose. Sigh.