Is this reasonable?

[Mytwopenceworth]

Do you think it is ok for my kids school to ask that I go to the swimming baths each week (well, it will be twice a week, they will be going of different days) to get my kids changed before and after swimming so their LSA can get dressed?

I don't work outside the home, but I don't know how I feel about this. Does anyone else do it?

well I suppose all schools ask parents to help in some way sometimes but I can see twice a week every week might be a bit excessive.

sorry, I don't know what special needs your children have - its just a general comment

Autism.

I would have thought that was part of the LSA's job, my ds still needs help getting dressed and I've never been asked to help. They can hardly expect you to pop down the swimming pool twice a week.

I feel it is the schools responsibility to cover this. What if you did work?

NO, NO, NO, NOT ON!!!! Bloody inclusion- I spent the 5 terms ds1 was at mainstream running round like a headless chicken doing stuff for the school when they couldn't cope, keeping him at home when his LSA was off sick. None of that nonsense at special school. It's up to the school to deal with your sons.

no, personally i would make up an excuse like you are looking for work or something. It really isnt on and it leaves guilt at your doorstep, not fair at all

IMHO it would only be fair if they asked all other parents to do exactly the same thing. Somehow I doubt that every child's parent(s) have to go in to school to help out twice a week.

the school should provide support for your son to go swimming including getting changed, having said that i do help with swimming at my sons school but i do make it clear that i am not there to help my son as that is the LSA'S job, i help at my twin girls special school with swimming, cos i just love going into there school and its great to see how things work there , its a whole different world to mainstream, i would tell them you can't go at least for the first few weeks and see how they manage, then if they do o.k they will feel more confident with your child, don't feel guilty about it at all.

Definitely not. When DD starting swimming with the school they realised she would need someone with her in the water and to help her get changed and this has always happened. They have not asked me and I would not feel (in my case anyway) to be appropriate - if you are around, it alters your child's behaviour totally. We would have had the clings and playing up etc. etc.

I asked about this recently as my ds starts swimming with the school next year and I wanted to be prepared that he'll have help if he needs it (he's very slow at dressing and I can anticipate him in fits of laughter at the sight of other boys' willies in the changing rooms). The SENCo and teacher looked at me like I was daft - their response was that there will be assistants on hand all the time and if he needs more help than they can provide then someone will give it to him. There was no assumption that I'd have to provide it, it's the school's responsibility. I'd be telling the school you're not available.

I dont think that is reasonable at all. I think the school should have to find some other way round it.

Sounds like they are understaffed for the trip. Occasionally my ds needs two people to handle him at school when he has a tantrum. This would definately apply if he went swimming so i would expect them to know that and to budget for it out of his award.