Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

Original poster

Help for special needs in primary school

13 replies

Itslh85 · 22/11/2023 10:47

Hi everyone. My son is 7 approaching 8 and in y3. He still hasn’t had an official diagnosis but he’s most definitely autistic and prehaps other issues, and non-verbal. He is just starting to try and talk now. I would say he is mentally about 3 years old. He doesn’t understand much. He cant hold a pen etc. I really don’t understand why he hasn’t had a diagnosis yet, nhs are so slow-they are blaming covid waiting lists. I believe he’s finally seeing a neurologist in January.
Anyhow, he is in a mainstream school in wales. He was getting help with an additional teacher at his school but they have since stopped and he’s getting no help. I have a meeting to find out why he is not getting support next week but they have briefly told me that they cannot afford it anymore.
Hes very well behaved and I believe he just sits at his chair and doesn’t make a fuss but he’s falling further and further behind.
I have been told that the school can apply for funding whilst waiting for a diagnosis, so that he has support at school. Is this true?
Can someone point me in the right direction of who to speak to, Id like to go into the meeting fully armed with information as I believe they just aren’t doing what they should.
Hes being failed so badly, even things like he won’t really eat unless prompted too-which sounds crazy, hes such a tiny little thing. Hes constantly coming home with his sandwiches untouched, he needs help to even eat and he doesn’t get that.
can anyone offer advice? Thank you.

OP posts:
Agaplop · 23/11/2023 18:15

Sorry I'm no help but jeez, that is awful 😞

Maybe re-post in the SEN board or even the main parenting topic and you might get more replies.

Good luck!

useitorlose · 23/11/2023 18:23

England and Wales rules are different. Does the school have a SENCO?

Rocknrollstar · 23/11/2023 18:23

Your son needs to a diagnosis and with that will come funding that the school can use to pay for support for him. Schools can’t afford to give 1-2-1 support without that special funding. I’m sorry but I don’t know how it works in Wales.

AssignedNorthern · 23/11/2023 18:32

Try to speak to your local SEDIASS team via your local council before the meeting with school. They will tell you what rules the school must follow and can even attend the meeting with you if needs be.

JustASquareMoreChocolate · 23/11/2023 20:19

This isn’t right. It looks like the service like SENDIASS is called SNAP https://www.snapcymru.org/about-us/ - they have a helpline and information about individual plans for children. It looks like you can start the process yourself

a diagnosis is not essential in England - it should be needs not diagnosis based. I would see what the helpline say. Good luck as it’s stressful

About us

https://www.snapcymru.org/about-us/

cansu · 23/11/2023 20:23

If he is so far behind, you perhaps need to consider whether a specialist school would be better for him.

Msgiggles30 · 23/11/2023 20:35

Unfortunately schools in Wales no longer receive funding for 1:1s. Funding is not attached to children like it used to be in the new SEN role out. They just get a pot of money (which is a dire amount) to split between all the needs in the school, diagnosis etc no longer really matters in terms of where the support goes. I'm a teacher and it is a truly awful situation, we are at a point where things are actually unsafe with the amount of children who need extra support to keep themselves or others safe in a mainstream setting. It is so frustrating for you but I would ask to speak to the ALNco to see what support is provided to meet your child's needs. Do they have an IDP with targets? If so these legally have to be adhered to. But yes contact SNAP cymru who can help you draft something.

PTSDBarbiegirl · 23/11/2023 20:43

With or without a diagnosis your child's needs sound like a specialist provision may be a better fit. I'm in a different country but it's a needs led approach rather than diagnosis led. 10000's of kids in school have various diagnosis. If your child needs adult support to meet their basic needs and if an assessment shows they are developmentally not ready for typical yr3 tasks and need a sensory appproach their needs would be best served by trying for a specialist place. If your authority has a person in charge of ASN try speaking to them. Good luck, your little one is lucky having a proactive parent.

PathOfLeastResitance · 23/11/2023 21:51

AssignedNorthern · 23/11/2023 18:32

Try to speak to your local SEDIASS team via your local council before the meeting with school. They will tell you what rules the school must follow and can even attend the meeting with you if needs be.

I can tell you that where I am in England, this is absolutely not what happens. Funding isn’t linked to a diagnosis in anyway.

PathOfLeastResitance · 23/11/2023 21:52

Sorry, my reply was to @Rocknrollstar

Shinyandnew1 · 23/11/2023 21:54

Your son needs to a diagnosis and with that will come funding that the school can use to pay for support for him

That absolutely isn’t the case in England-is that really how things work in Wales?!

Original poster
Itslh85 · 24/11/2023 08:17

Thank you everyone, i will call the snap charity and see what help they can offer. I think that maybe wales dont quite have the same system as england- i wish he was in an English school as it seems there is more help.

OP posts:
UnbeatenMum · 24/11/2023 08:24

This is really sad, it sounds like your son isn't in the right place at all but because he's well behaved no one in school has advocated for him to get the support he needs. Also can't really believe how long you've waited to see anyone 😞

New posts on this thread. Refresh page