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SEN

Here you'll find advice from parents and teachers on special needs education.

School issues.

4 replies

Kt923 · 29/01/2022 11:41

Hi everyone, just trying to get a bit of advice, any help would be greatly appreciated.
My son is 8 and is having a lot of trouble with what I think is anxiety ( could be wrong) Beginning of November lat year I had a meeting up my sons school and was told he is 2 years behind on his learning, also struggles with his reading and writing, I spoke to the Senco teacher who told me my son was on a blue folder which is SEN, I wasn't aware of this. He gets really nervous, scared, felling sick headache tummy ache, racing heart and most morning is a struggle to get him to school. Thursday the 27th he had a complete breakdown in school and the teacher tried to drag him off me to which I wasn't happy, the school don't care theres nothing put in place to help/ support my son so I Brought him back home with me. He is socialy awkward, can't mix with other children and finds it very hard to make new friends. He don't like loud noises crowded places and prefers to spend time on his own. I have expressed my concerns to the point no one will listen and I got to the stage where I just broke down as I don't know which way to turn anymore. On top of this his safe place which is our home (1st floor flat) is no longer his safe place due to our abusive and threatening neighbour underneath us, he is petrified to leave the house and tells me he is to scared to live here anymore. When you hear your child saying mummy why won't no one listen to me, why won't no one belive me is heart wrenching, I'm slowly breaking but need to stay strong for him. Please can someone help, give advice in anyway possible.
Thanks.

OP posts:
Ellie56 · 29/01/2022 16:44

@Kt923

So sorry you and your poor boy are going through this.
Some suggestions:

  • Go to your GP, explain all the problems you've detailed here (if you've already been once, go back again) and ask for your son to be referred to CAMHS and for assessment by a paediatrician.
  • Apply to the LA for an EHC Needs assessment, again explaining all the difficulties your son is having at school, including the sensory issues, anxiety, social problems, and include any school reports as evidence of his delayed learning. Information here:

www.ipsea.org.uk/ehc-needs-assessments

  • If school is really becoming a struggle, apply for temporary suitable alternative education to be put in place. As your child is of compulsory school age, under Section 19 of the Education Act 1996, the LA has a statutory duty to provide this. See here:

www.ipsea.org.uk/getting-temporary-education-put-in-place

  • Report the abusive and threatening neighbour to the police and if it is rented property, report them to the landlord too.
  • Some parents have found this document useful:

www.falkirk.gov.uk/services/social-care/disabilities/docs/young-people/Making%20Sense%20of%20Sensory%20Behaviour.pdf?v=201906271131

Good luck Flowers

Toomanyminifigs · 30/01/2022 14:54

I second everything Ellie56 says.

Your poor Ds! There's a lot to unpick here. The first thing you need to do is to read up on the guidance/law for schools around supporting children with additional needs. This is a good place to start:

www.ipsea.org.uk/how-your-nursery-school-or-college-should-help

His school can't simply do nothing if he's struggling like this. You need to really push this. You may have to become 'that parent'. Email the Senco, put everything in writing so there's a paper trial. Ask for a meeting to discuss what they're going to put in place to support him. If this isn't an independent school, they will be getting funding to support children with SEN. By their own admission, he is already two years below expected levels. (Although that funding won't be ring-fenced for your Ds without an EHCP, it still exists.) Ask in writing what the plan is to help him catch up with his peers and support his barriers to learning.

Find the school's SEN policy - it should be on their website. Or you can ask the Senco for a copy. When my Ds was at primary he was on the SEN register and I had a termly meeting with his teacher to set and review individual targets.
Tell the Senco you would like your Ds to see the school's EP and Speech and Language specialist. (They may try and fob you off though.)

If the school won't work with you to help your Ds, then you can apply for an EHCP assessment yourself, as Ellie56 has said.
You don't need any formal/legal training to do this. I did it myself when my Ds's school wouldn't support me.

As part of the assessment, your Ds will be seen by a range of specialists, eg an educational psychologist, speech and language, an occupational therapist. Their reports will/should set out what your Ds's barriers to learning are and what needs to be done to support him.

Does your Ds have a diagnosis of any condition? If sounds like you have some concerns around some aspects of his development. Have you spoken to his GP?

In terms of your living situation. You don't say if you rent or own. Are you keeping a diary of your neighbour's threats? Have you spoken to the police/the council?

It sounds like things are very tough for you both. With the right support in place though, it can make such a difference to your Ds. I'm afraid you may have to be prepared to fight for it though. Don't take no for an answer.

There are very helpful, knowledgeable people on this board who are invaluable sources of advice and information so do post back if you have specific queries about the process.

Kt923 · 31/01/2022 19:33

Thank you both so much for the useful information and advice I really appreciate that.

I have already been to the doctor who advised me to see the Senco, his reply to everything was bring him in late and pick him up early, laughable really as its a struggle to even get him out the door so we're late all the time.

The doctor said any problems to go back to him which I think is my next step as today up the school I spoke to 2 different people. Explained everything to one teacher and the look of disgust on his face when I said I will get a referal was shocking, his words was " why? What's wrong with him!. after explaing everything. My son was really upset so asked to spend sometime alone. That teacher never came back, instead another teacher came in and she said that it's all down to me because my son has Seperation Anxiety.

I have told them they have till the end of the week to get me a full report of my sons learning, where he's struggling and how far he is actually behind and what is going to be put in place to support that as I have been asking since November. My next step will be to the educational welfare officer.

I'm currently doing a 6 weeks cause to understand Anxiety in a child, belive it or not that was arranged by the school but I think because it's not on paper officially they feel they don't need to help (maybe)

The housing situation has been resolved somewhat, I'm housing association and they are pretty good, my son is still on edge and scared, me and my neighbour had a chat, whether that will help only time will tell but everything that happens is logged and the police are aware. Hopefully one less stress to worry about.

OP posts:
Imitatingdory · 31/01/2022 19:46

Push the GP to refer, don’t let them fob you off with getting school to do it.

As Ellie and toomanyminifigs posted, apply for an EHCNA yourself, too.

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