Is ADHD a special educational need?

[1legmummy]

Advice please, I am struggling with ds secondary school.

He started ther in Sept 2010. They had been involved in his CAFF meetings for about a year.

He is on medication for ADHD, has OCH, severe anxieties and sickness phobia.

School have him down as having no SEN, even though he is getting daily detentions for lacking attention, talking in class and his behaviour.

They did not even think the teachers should know, but I wrote them a letter each.

I have been turned down for DLA due to the school no supportingmy application.

I have asked to meet the Headeacher and the SENCO, am I wrong? does he have SEN because of his behaviour - he was always on IEP at other schools.

Also wring anoher request as due to take DLA to appeal and my fight is dwindling

Thanks

The problem with many who work in and run the UK education system is that do not like talking to and listening to the expert advice from other professions especially if it may contradict or question what they believe, or means that they may have to learn something new. This is why all Educational Psychologists have to have trained and worked as a teacher so that they understand and put the education system needs fist rather than any child's psychological needs. They are not professionally independent, and therefore not always able to provide an independant medical perspective of a child's needs.

In the current terminology many children who have SEN requirements have a "Specific Learning Difficulty" which is new education speak for dyslexia.

Dyslexia is about having problems accessing a man made communication system the visual notation of speech, the written word. Or having problems decoding graphic symbols representing speech sounds chosen by our society. (We use the graphic symbols of the Latin Alphabet writing system)

Dyslexia is the most researched learning disability in history, PubMed the online medical research library list over 6000 dyslexia research papers related to dyslexia, some 2,500 of which are from the last decade.

International dyslexia research of the last decade has been describing 3 cognitive subtypes of dyslexia, those who have auditory processing problems, those who have visual processing problems and those who have attentional problems.

Many who have attentional problems will have a clinical diagnosis of ADHD.

So this is more about those who control the money of SEN provision, not wanting to fund the support our children need rather than recognising what to most parents and medical professionals is the blindingly obvious.

You migh like to have a look at my online Invisible Disability research paper collections which includes a n ADHD collection of research papers.

If he needs extra support to survive at school then he has SEN - diagnosis or no diagnosis.

So, yes, categorically he should be on the SEN register and getting whatever support he needs to 'access learning in the classroom'.

My son is in year 5 at school and suffers with ADHD and conduct disorder and is on medication. I also have a CAF through the school and at present my son receives the Individual Pupil Funding but is still struggling in school so I am also considering asking for a Statement of Educational Needs which I believe he should be entitled to. Personally I think you should be able to receive DLA for your ds as I was awarded it, anyone who is involved should be able to help with your application

Good Luck

ADHD can be understood as falling under cognition and learning in terms of the SEN code of practice, as a result of the impact on young person's learning potential. It can also be understood as linked to Social,Emotional and Behavioural difficulties (SEBD) partly because of the nature of need and the impact it may have on a child's behaviour in the classroom. But please be mindful, as much of the literature indicates, SEBD as a 'label' is not understood and it is difficult to define...

Also to correct the above poster since the new training procedure for EPs,EPs do not have to be teachers but you need to have worked with children and young people in an educational setting. This is similar to clinical psychs who do not have to be mental health nurses before they are a clin psych but they MUST have an understadning of psychological theories which contribute to mental health. Subsequently EPs will have to have a clear understanding of school systems. Throughout the training Eps develop their knowledge of school systems but fundamentally the role of an EP is to apply PSYCHOLOGY to support children, families and schools in realtion children's learning. This is fundamentally different to working from a medical model. The role is not about diagnosing, it is about understanding the barriers a young person may face, the implications in the learning environment (i.e needs) and describe the provision (i.e support) which can best the needs of a child. Fundamental to an EP principles of working is assessment over time to build a picture which takes into account context, interactional aspects of learning and differs from a medical diagnostic appoach. we are not qualified to 'diagnose' we are qualified to undestand/identify the difficulties a child may have and the implications in the classroom, school, home setting. This does not mean that EPs cannot work alongside medical professional, I do all the time. Also while Eps may work for a LA my "clients" are Children, Young People and their families....

Thank you - yes it is affecting his learning an also his behaviour is affecting the class.

I think they now understand where I am coming from, although they are trying to move him to a different class away from the children he falls out with.

I am trying to explain it will happen in every class until we can work out how to hhelp him