Autism Advisory refuse to work with parents because......

[StarlightWonderStarlightBright]

their support is to the schools.

How do I tackle this one.

They don't work with parents because they support the school. If parents want to know what their advice and strategies are they should speak to the school.

I have requested that I am liaised with when forming strategies and recommendations as I have a wealth of knowledge about ds, and also so I can support their work.

I have asked for this to be done through a weekly 'log' with 5 headings. All other services have agreed to this and after almost half a term have fed back to me that they like the system and find the feedback from the parents helpful, as well as the opportunity to correct or challenge one of my suggests to improve it.

The autism outreach spend 3 hours a week in ds' nusery and says filling in this form will detract from hands-on time. The SLT spends just 30mins a week with ds yet still manages it (in fact she's got so enthusiastic about the form she fills it in and then continues on the other side).

But the autism lot still refuse any direct liaison with parents. The say that isn't how they work.

My argument of course is that the way the work should be in the best interest of ds, not their preferred methodology, but I'm told that is tough.

DS' statement says that their service will support the school, but it doesn't say that this should be done without parental involvement.

Any clues/ideas?

Nice post Agnes.
You will be glad to know however that the tide is turning. The storm is brewing, there are many people who will be held to account for knowingly endorsing stuff that is a waste of time and resources. Effective intervention does not have to be any more time consuming or costly than what is currently on offer. In fact it is less so? How do I know? Because I am actively involved in this on a day to day basis with an exemplary LEA and PCT who pull together and do their very best for the children in their care, who openly acknoweldge that what has been on offer and who actively seek support in turning around their provision from people who know what they are talking about.

It is a joy to behold.
We will be leaving behind many who can't cope with always thinkning they know best despite myriad evidence to the contrary.
Hallelujah.

I couldn't fault them, I really couldn't.
Natuirally, the stunning results we achieve (not to mention the delighted parents and motivated staff) speak for themselves.

I would love to know which LEA you work for Moondog. If there is really good practice going on, it would be so great to spread the word to other LEA's. It might give burnt-out professionals who provide lacklustre services a much welcomed kick up the arse. There is nothing like new knowledge to reinvigorate professional practice.

That's what we are hard at work on DD.
I can't say of course who they are on a public forum but they are exemplary.

I am sure it is much less rewarding to work in the way that professional obviously does, with an anti-parent attitude (unless they are compliant and uncomplaining). It must make her feel as if parents are out to get her, like the enemy

I am much heartened by a professional I know who reads the MN SN section. She is in one of the most 'unpopular' services, but takes the time to find out what parents are frustrated about. As a result, all encounters with her have been positive for me and she is widely respected, unlike many of her colleagues.

Really interesting thread everyone, gotta say I was a bit gob smakced by professionals post, as a fellow professional myself, (and a lecturer for professionals in training) If I got a letter like star's I would be mortified. (I hope I never would) because to get to that stage I would have to be failing badly and repeatedly.
I have always found being transparent about what I am doing and what I can provide works wonders,(sorry if that's a bit simplisitc). sometimes we cannot provide specifically what service users ask for, but we should always be clear about why, and also we should be aware of the legislation we work to. If parents need to remind of that , well shame on us!

part of the joy of the job is being able to work flexibly, saying well I can't do X, and give reasons but what is it about X that you feel would be beneficial, would a comibination of Y and Z, with funding from A and B actually meet that need? Do you have any ideas or recommendations yourself?

If I end up saying I can't do X, go away. Or even worse I am doing X knowing I am not, of course you will p$*^ people off.

As a parent I have found that quoting the legislation works, but as a last resort... but stars fight has been so long and hard that of course she is at that point.

I always say to professionals that I would much prefer to work with them, that if we can be snuggly and happy and stroke each other of course that makes things nicer all round, however if they want to stand toe to toe and nose to nose and shout the odds, then 'bring it on'!

I have some lovely professionals I trust who work with ds and me and dh, and some whoes reports I read with a fine tooth comb, and whoes contacts I document fully. I work from the premise that you are trustworthy until you prove otherwise, but once you have, be sure I will have my eye on you!

Sorry that's very long and lots about me, but I just found professionals post very, well, unprofessional

wow professional do you work in leicestershire? no wonder parents of autistic children HAVE to battle with the LEA just to get what their children need......MMMMMMM EVERY CHILD MATTERS??????? I dont think so.!
with regards the OP, i have a very similar situation to yourselves. We have autism outreach in our county and I have been trying to get them involved to help with strategies etc for years. After a 3 year battle, 2 mainstream school and a pupil referral unit my son was finally given a place at an autistic specialist private school......not my decision, its an amazing school but at the time NO LEA funded children had been given a place and i didnt think we had any chance, DS was refused a place at all the specialist schools within a 25 mile radius and all the mainstreams within a 15 mile radius so the LEA had no choice but to award this placement.

NOw im told that because DS is at this school autism outreach CANNOT help at home.....obviously autism is a term time only problem lasting from 8am -4pm monday to friday!

Okay, so I´ve been thinking about this, and have come into the shade from 27 degrees (oh yes, I WILL be smug about that) to respond to something that has been bugging me about this.

At the risk of patronising professional I wanted to comment on something I have observed in relation to Moondogs post about why LA staff aren´t shouting from the rooftops about the shoddy service so many of their clients receive.

Could it be that NHS professionals are respected in general by the public and the government, whereas every new government we have feels charged with ´doing something about education´ and starts with blaming teachers and then begins ordering them around!?

Could it be that now those in the teaching profession are just so damn defensive that they daren´t complain that they aren´t managing, aren´t meeting the needs of their children etc.

Just a thought.

I´m a bit sad that ´professional1* hasn´t been back because I think we could learn from each other. I have every reason to believe that her ´yes dear´ reaction is simply self-preservation but would like to hear more about it.

I´m not an agressive person, but I have become agressive in my defence of my child who cannot do it himself.

There is a fundamental difference between my belief in the ´battle´ and those of many LA employees. They appear to believe that the pushy parents grab all the resources, whilst I believe that the pushy parents demand and achieve better services for all.

What would happen without those that demand? Well I reckon budgets would dwindle to nothing and they´d shortly be out of a job.

I would be very interested in professional take on this.

Star - ...pushy parents grab all the resources, whilst I believe that the pushy parents demand and achieve better services for all.

I wish that were true Star. At least at the school level, whilst school is reluctant to support our move, they are giving a lot of resources to supporting ds. I know that if I went into school and ask for a meeting to discuss ds's whatever, I would get one pretty quickly. Compared this to another parent whose dd is underachieving academically - she's had 2 meetings scheduled to discuss ways she can help her ds and they were both cancelled by CT at the last minute. Before the end of term, she went in to get another meeting set up and was given a date in February.

I think only if there are enough pushy parents will there be better services for all.

..help her dd (not ds) - sorry.

trying But is that other family losing out BECAUSE of you?

The thing is, if no-one demands anything then resources get cut, and cut, and cut, because they can be. No-one benefits from parents who just roll over and be thankful that their whilst their children are being failed education-wise, they are still getting laptops, so hurrah - or whatever!