SEN after school childcare

[zoeheidismum]

anybody else frustrated at lack of SEN afterschool provision? DS daughter due to start mainstream Reception in Sept, but can't find anywhere/body to take her for couple hours after school. We're surely not the only full-time working parents of an SEN child?

Well - unfortunately an awful lot of us have had to give up our jobs because of our SEN kids

DH works and i work pt so totally get the issue. I'm lucky in that ds goes to a childminder who has had him since a baby by coincidence she is very sen friendly and experienced.

your local authority will probably have details of childminders who take on more challenging children(if her SEN aren't at all challenging then I'm that it is an issue at all for the people you have asked).
or the local branch of the national childminding assoc. NCMA

I am chronically frustrated about a lack of childcare. I am a parent-trustee of an inclusive afterschool club which was started by parents who were fed up with no childcare for their SLD kids. It has been a great success, but still can't offer many hours to SN kids as they cost so much for 1:1.

I have come to the conclusion that unless the Govt makes SEN childcare a statutory duty for LA's to provide, we will continue to suffer gross inequality.

thanks for that - hadn't thought about NCMA, will give them a try but have exhausted all other avenues of enquiry. LA is useless- 'appreciate that there's a shortfall, working party is to be set up, blah, blah....'
particularly hurt when we thought we'd found a childminder, but then she gave back word saying she wasn't prepared to take on Z .

Could both you and your partner work flexibly? you have the right to apply with a disabled child.

If you could both work a max 4.5 days a week you'd only need a childminder to cover 3 pick ups. It might make it more manageable for a sen nervous childminder.

Could you ask at any local SN schools if they have any trained staff who are interested in extra work. They could pick up your dd and look after her in your home for a few hours in the eve. More expensive than a childminder so depends on your earnings.

I'm a teacher so can't get to dd's school in time and often have meetings anyway. dd has been in local SN nursery/Early years unit with wraparound care who are fantastic, but the problem seems to be the fact that she's going to mainstream. Have heard about direct payments today so will check that out too, but I think we would still need to find someone anyway.

Have you tried Children's charities? Around here, there are after-school clubs for SEN children and they are usually run in Special Schools. They do holiday programmes as well. Direct Payment should be able to help as they will probably know and in contact with the local providers.

ASk at the school - often LSAs are willing to do a bit extra. At my last school one of the LSAs had two kids she would take for weekend respite.

We've recently had to let our lovely nanny go because our DS has far too extreme and complex needs for her to cope with (and she was fabulous, a Montessori trained teacher and mum herself, really the best you could ask for, bt even so, it was too much to ask of her...).

I have no idea what we will do now.

Between me, DH and my mum we are juggling DS's school drop-offs and pick-ups, but when I go back to university in Sept it will be very hard. There is very little after school provision full stop where I live, let alone for SN children. DS does go to an after school club for ASD children once a week, but parents have to be present.

There are some holiday schemes in our borough, but places are scarce.

Like INdigo, I never got back to work after my degree because of childcare; have extended studies in the hope but....

the silly thing is I'd love to do SN childminding but the lease won't allow it. Seems wo work against peopel from all angles doesn't it?

DS3 (ASD) was lucky as we called a CM who ahd an ASD child herself but it was very much a one in a million thing and his behaviour albeit very ASD isn;t that challenging: ds1 (less ASD on CARS, more challenging!) has never managed to find a placement he can cope in though and for the moment I have given up. DH and I are trying to look of ways we can work around each other when he qualifies, only soultion I can think of, hopefully we'll both be self employed.

Oh and it's not even just the behaviour issues-

DS3 attends an SNU that drops off same time the local schools kick out

Ergo, all childminders (not amny, village)busy and not available to wait around for a car that can arrive any time over about 30 minutes depending on traffic.

when my ds was in the primary, I had a childminer whom I offered to pay extra over and above what her rate was. It worked for at least 4 years until school set up after school club

I experienced a LOT of prejudice, trying to find child care. When I explained that I had a child with SN it was "Alacazam"!

As if by magic, they were sorry, but there has been a mistake, they didn't have a vancancy/could not pick up from X school/ couldn't do those days....

In the end, found fantastic child minder, totally open minded, about my child, we had a trial run (for both!) and it has worked out fine.

But it was a soul destroying experience finding the right child minder.

Didn't want to use an after school club, due to the fact that little Kick gets very, very tired after a day at school.

I started a thread here a few months ago asking whether anyone managed to work full time with a severely disabled child and and hardly anyone managed it. One person I think.

I've come to the conclusion that it's impossible unless you have complete control over your hours - e.g. By being self employed/running your own business.

Hiya

My DH and I currently work full time but I'm about to go on maternity leave and dread to think what it will be like when we've two. One of us will have to reduce hours and try to work more local.

We can only do this because my MIL lives nearby and picks up DS, takes him to groups etc. DS also starts nursery in October and again will rely on MIL to help out.

None of the other parents of SN kids I know work full time. It's just too hard.