scotland - where to start!?

[isw]

Hi, After a all to brief holiday with family in edinburgh we are seriously thinking of moving back to scotland after living abroad for over 10 years! But omg where on earth do we start?!? DD is 3.4 yrs has spastic quad cp. She is crawling with slightly speach delayed but this could be due to being bi lingual with no apparent sensoral or learning difficulties.
Am I right in thinking GP, CAB and RDA should be my first ports of call?
She has adaptive seating, a standing frame, an SN buggy, AFOs etc etc
OMG I am panicing where to start? Here she would be starting a main stream school in sept with support. We are not in a rush but just feeling more than slightly overwhelmed

I think GP/HV to be put in touch with services to provide adaptive seating, a standing frame, an SN buggy, AFOs and the Educational Psychologist in the area ( you can find details on Edinburgh Council website to get advice about entry to nursery/school. But hopefully someone more knowledgeable will come along as ds' issues are different - but I do live in Scotland

Well she won't be starting school yet, she's not old enough - just nursery this year, so that's not something you need to do as soon, but the school year finishes at the beginning of june till mid august

I think GP for referral to health services, the expectation is that all children will be in mainstream to start with anyway, with support - it's not that special schools don't exist, but Scotland has bought into inclusion in a big way, so you apply for nursery and mention the support she'll need and take it from there

You would enrol her in local nursery, through nursery and gp you will allocated a health visitor. All three will and refer you to all other points of contact which may include, physio, ot, LTetc etc. Not too sure of exactly who you will need to see but Scotland has a fantastic policy and everything is so easily linked. Your wee one won't be able to go to school for at least of year so everything she needs will be in place by then. Good luck and welcome back

A good source of information regarding education is Enquire Scotland (enquire.org.uk/) which is a government funded information source for additional support for learning. The definition for this is broader than SEN in England. They have a helpline as well as the website.

Thanks so much. Spoke to the local Health Centre they were less than helpfull :(. Just repeating I have to go in person and register with GP and they will sort everything out. Am worried about Baclofen presciption for example as its not a drug you can risk stopping suddenly and here it is prescribed but neurologist not gp. Will contact Equire Scotland and see if they can help. Any more tips?
Thanks

The neuros at the Sick Kids Hospital in Edinburgh are fab so i dont think the Baclofen would be a problem and you could get refferred quite quickly by your current GP if you were moving to that area.
We are nearer Glasgow and ds who has Quad Dystonic CP attended the Craighalbert Centre in Cumbernauld for his nursery provision and now goes to a SN school in Glasgow for kids with physical impairments

Hi glittery, We went to craighalbert last week and was blown away with hoe fab. She was assessed for the flexible program there, actually it was the final piece of the puzzle that clicked into place for us. Glad to hear good things about edinburgh sick kids neuro too, we have never seen the same neuro twice where we are now.

give me a shout if you think of anything else you need to know! :)

Hi, Are you planning on moving to Edinburgh? My advice would be , if possible to try and get into Fife, just across the water. Services here for disabled kids are good in comparison to most of Scotland. Cities tend to be more opf a struggle when it comes to services simply because of the number of people tying to access them.................

Luuk has had great support and attended a development centre from the age of 20 months (because that's when we moved back from Holland) and had full time 1-1 support at nursery and now 40hr per week 1-1 at school, all without a fight.

We have done the moving back thing, si if I can help at all just shout. We initially saw G.P. who did referal to Sick Kids in Edinburgh. My little man is 'unique' and so when we moved back, it was arranged that he'd be admitted to hospital for a week so that all/any consultants who would be involved with him could get to know him and arrange any tests etc they felt needed doing. Sick Kids have been great for us.

He also has a fab local consultant and a great community paed and community nurse.

I would recommend translating any important letters detailing symptoms/hospital admissions/surgery reports etc............I did this and it was really helpful for the docs here

Good Luck. xxx

i knew you'd be along soon Shaz!
BTW Shaz, did you notice we're organising a wee night oot in Edinburgh, Friday 22nd July if you fancy it?

Thanks Shaz, I don´t actually have that much useful paperwork from the doctors here. I think the most useful is a brainwave report from England! But I was planning on making sure I have as much info as possible. I am a Fifer originally but family are now in edinburgh so in terms of support day to day it may be easier to stay south of the water. Urgh so many decisions!! we are looking at staying with family, then rent until we are sure.
Does anyone have any nursery recomend or avoids? Sort of city centre to musselburgh?
glittery: If it was 22nd Aug (and I was invited ;)) I would so be there

Glittery.....i missed that one. Where, when? WIll go and see if I can find the thread. Still waitng on Luuk's op date so if he's not in hospital I will probably be there. If you have the night off then you're welcome to crash here if you like. x

ISW : Edinburgh is probably going to be better for you then in terms of daily support.........no idea about nurseries in Edinburgh I'm afraid. Sorry. x

ISW of course you would have been invited!
Shaz its a Friday so i do indeed have the night off!

Me again. Who should I contact with help for DLA etc? Cerebra? CAB? We are in receipt of the highest level here so hoping it wont be too painful to go through it all again

Yes - Fife is better than many other areas - I come from Fife and when visiting parents, I see many autism groups/services that just don't exist here in Glasgow - I know that is not your issue but Fife does seem to have better organised services probably because it is a small area to cover.

Thanks so much. I think we will start in the city with a view to moving across. My googling also seems to be bring up lots of fife groups etc

Well let us know when you come over and we can arrange a welcome coffee/kids play etc. We don't mind coming over the bridge :)

We are here!!! So far East Lothian has been fab. Had a multi meeting today with Paed, SALT, OT and physio. The physio called me this afternoon with an orthotics appoitment for tomorrow. Wow so far am loving it. But definately up for a night out if there is one soon.
Thanks again everyone

East Lothian is good choice - different council than Edinburgh so services generally better, but Sick Kids is your 'home' hospital. When it comes to school time they seem to have a really integrated policy, with SN 'hubs' into MS schools. Although some of the posher country towns can be a little less welcoming... anyway, welcome home!