mainstream with an asd unit, very worried

[baileyandtinks]

in the area i live there is only two secondary schools with asd units but these are just a place for them to go before schoo at lunchtime and after school, having all lessons (unless needs extra help with a certain subject)in the same classes as everyone else im not very happy with this as my son has specific needs that wouldnt be met and hes emotionally abt 7 the school is a huge one and he would have to negotiate his way around 9 blocks on the campus,so looks like as weve been informed this is prob where they will want him to go , beinng only 1 school in our city thats a special asd school and places are few we will have a fight on our hands hes been excluded twice already i dont want him to spend 90% of his time as he has at mainstream so far getting excluded for fixed periods and being put in the hallway and bullied, ive been to see tham and i think as he is under camhs and self harming and runs away when stressed or goes in cupboards ect to hide it just wouldnt be right , im so worried i cant sleep

Have you talked to the people who run the ASD unit? They may be able to give you more information about how they can support him.

He really shouldn't be excluded (obviously). He should be able to go the ASD unit when everything's too much for him...

If, after more talking to them, it really doesn't sound right, would you consider home schooling?

I always have that as a back up plan....

I have been to the school and seen the unit yes and they said they themselves though he sounded like he needed more support than they would be able to cope with as he is so emotionally behind they really are there to offer support in the asd unit just for before ,after or at lunchtimes but as my son is immature for his age he just wouldnt go there he really needs a special school, i had thought of home schooling but he doesnt work for me at home and im a carer for my disabled husband too but if all else fails i guess hard as it would be i would have to , i mean it seems ridiculous to me , you wouldnt put a 7 yr old in a secondary school would you so why expect him to be able to cope , they just dont seem to care do they

Sorry to hear all that.

I guess then you'll have to fight and fight (tribunal etc) to try and get him into a special school.

Have you been to see the other school to see if that is any better? If not, then fight for somewhere that can meet his needs. Have you done any research on alternatives - out of LA that you are in etc.
Has the LA told you that they will only support the school that is not suitable, or have they suggested it as a choice for their own financial reasons? It also looks like the school might support you in suggesting that they would not be able to meet his needs.
Is your son statemented?
Sorry lots of questions, but then school is a huge issue for most of us, so it needs to be right.

My DS is going through statementing now but PP have said in this area this is usually what they 99% of the time suggest , Ive been to the other school with a unit too its simular so i believe not acceptable i found another SS outside of our LA that might be better and we have a fab ASD school right here which i viewed and walked in and fell in love with it, it was perfect for DS, im waiting for the first part of his statement now but according to my PP she thinks we will have to go to panel then poss trib as they are just trying to get as many as poss in mainstream the head of the ed dept told me herself were trying to close as many SS as poss, and no ones said its for financial reasons no but DS was being temp home tutored as keeps getting sent home and excluded (hes 10)and they cut tat funding hes now at home with no school no tutor nothing , they have ignored all my an PP's phone calls and e-mails so weve got the local MP and CAMHS trying to contact them now,last meeting with the ed psy dept they were rather upset but contained it that i dared to complain to our local mp lol you should have seen the shocked look on her face

Can you get the 'proposed' school to do an assessment on your DS to see if they believe they can meet his needs. Make sure that they are aware of all the documentation you have as to exclusions and situations that have arisen at his present school. If you can get anything in writing from them to say that they do not believe that they can meet his needs, surely that will give you suitable ammunition for the statementing process to put the SS school as provider? If not its the well trodden tribunal route.

ty auntevil , ill see what PP says were expecting the first draft over the next week or so , so ill know more then otherwise yes it will be the trib agghh hope not its only taken (sarcasm) 8 years to get this far ,but if that doesnt work i may have to resort to home tutoring myself but i really would rather not as im a carer for my disabled husband too far to knackering ,lol grey already

Bailey - this is going on our experience and looks like it is going to happen (subject to successful trial at the requested school):

When you get your draft statement they may or may not name a school - did not in ours.

Once we had gone to and fro over the main wording we approved it and enclosed a long detailed letter explaining what school we wished to see named in Part 4 and exactly why. We went through all the other places we had visited and why they would not work (including comments made by staff at them).

They went ahead and named his current MS school.

We appealed to SENDIST, but kept having meetings with LEA. Constantly updated SEN Officer on school refusal, CAMHS involvement etc. They have changed their mind and agreed our request. I can tell you more but best not on here at the moment, please feel free to PM me if you want.

Hang in there though - it can be done.