What would you define as "appropriately trained" for a TA?

[appropriatelytrained]

I've name changed for this.

We have had no end of bother with DS' statement. It has taken months to get a S&LT porgramme up and running. The TA hired is useless and has no experience/qualifications but worse still doesn't seem to be particularly bothered about DS. She also has an overinflated opinion of herself.

I have complained to the LGO. I actually think that, in addition to the sessions not being set up, the TA has not been 'appropriately trained' to deliver the S&LT sessions as required by his statement.

LA says the definition of 'appropriately trained' is whatever the S&LT thinks the TA needs to deliver the sessions.

Yet, she has had no training at all. Not even an ELKLAN course. She has seen one session modelled by a S&LT. She has never even been a TA before.

I think they are in breach of the statement even if the sessions start until this TA is properly trained. What do you think?

[appropriatelytrained]

She said it in a meeting with me and the EP!

I had a chat with DS this morning to try and make sure the same thing didn't happen again. It is worse than I thought. I had been working on the basis of her story - that he had told her he didn't need her help.

Actually, he asked for help and she said no. She then told him off for speaking to her disrespectfully.

I'm so angry. I will see what school comes up with but I don't want this woman dealing with my son and unpicking all the good work everyone else is doing,

[blueemerald]

'she has said wanted to use this as a basis for trying out her alternative therapies'

Who did she say this to? Because that has got to be incredibly unethical and may be your get out clause. Your child, and the other children around him, are not an experiment for her to play with. What does she mean by alternative therapy?! You didn't spend however long it took to get his statement sorted for her to then come along with some ideas of her own.

I would be tempted to remove your son and kep him at home (if possible), otherwise I would insist on observing a few lessons and also insisting on weekly, if not daily, meeting with his head of year or form tutor or SENCO and if it comes to it start investigating other schools. I suspect his school will be so scared of losing the ££ he brings in that they will find a way for her to be a generic classroom TA (possibly more the sort of role she was expecting) and hire someone else to help your son.

The school I work at nearly allowed my visually impaired student to take a 2 week holidy during term time as they were scared she (and her VI twin sister) would leave (and take the ££ with them). They didn't allow it in the end because the SENCO and I kicked up a fuss.

[appropriatelytrained]

blueemerald - it has gone way beyond this. DS has a book. The TA has had ample time to get to know him and everyone has bent over backwards to support her and accommodate her and her lack of skills.

I have tried for three months to build a relationship with her. She is just not interested. I have organised time within school for her just to 'be social' with DS - play games etc. Yet she's never had one conversation with him about his special interests in three months.

She has a degree. She has no interested in TA'in but she has a child at school so it fits in with that and she has said wanted to use this as a basis for trying out her alternative therapies - she's 'training' in something outside school. She has her own agenda but if she gave two hoots about my son I would put up with it.

I'm pushing at an open door with school which speaks volumes. I'm sorry but I've gone past feeling sympathy for her. She's had too many people running round trying to support her when they should be supporting my son

[purplepidjin]

Find a training course that's only available in a certain far-distant part of the country on only one date when you know she's not available which costs more money than the school can afford

Or just find a bit of legislation that shows they're not living up the their Duty of Care...

I still like the idea of checking her Application out properly. She's covered things up at work already, surely she's exaggerated her Essential and Desirable skills? Job Description Here sorry it took a while, I had to find an advert I hadn't applied for in order to access the info!

[appropriatelytrained]

Oh no, she wouldn't do that, she's too much the wide-eyed passive aggressive!

Oh God, have got to try and tell DS what to say tomorrow if he doesn't want her interfering. That's a pressure he doesn't need.

And actually, it was great that he didn't need help, shouldn't we be praising him for that? Isn't that the point? The world has gone mad

[blueemerald]

Can you try and build a relationship with her? Her frosty/over compensatingly strict attitude may stem from panicking about not knowing what she is doing (due to a lack of training/experience).

My youngest brother (now 19) had a book thoughout his entire school career of likes and dislikes which really helped with new staff.

Is there the flexibility to allow the TA and your son to spent time doing low pressure enjoyable activities so they can get used to each other?

I would ask her to watch some of these type of videos

I would really try to find out why she has chosen this career path, there isn't much room for progress (unless you want to teach) and the pay is rubbish so she must have a reason....

[EllenJaneisnotmyname]

Try anything, AT. The lack of appropriate training may just lead to her getting trained, of course, which is better than nothing, but won't change her personality. Can't you get her to swear at you?

[appropriatelytrained]

That's an interesting point. I had thought of adding stricter training requirements to the working statement for that exact reason!

[purplepidjin]

Heehee, AT, very diplomatic!

I think you're going to have to take the risk and offend her and maybe shell resign by pointing out what she should know already.

[mariamagdalena]

Tongue in cheek but then i started to wonder if it could work... Could a need she definitely can't meet be added to the statement? Eg DS requires a male staff member to assist in boys swim changing room, staff must have at least grade 3 of a musical instrument so they can accompany music based communication sessions, be proficient in touch typing so he can read back conversational scripts.

[appropriatelytrained]

It's definitely a case of them just not matching as personalities although I'm not quite sure whose personality would be right for this TA.

I think once you've lost confidence in someone, it's very hard to get it back. She has just consistently led him down.

It's a very tough thing to raise though.

[purplepidjin]

I prefer the 1:1 stuff too, but have only had the one job in mainstream which is a whole other thread I would put up with a knobend of a teacher if I felt i was having a positive effect on my 1:1, or the class, but when it's the HT undermining you at every turn it's an untenable position. From what I've read of this particular situation (this isn't the first thread) the TA just isn't right for either 1:1 work or TAing in general, I don't know. Sometimes, it's just a case that two personalities don't match well and there's nothing either side can do to change that, which is why you need flexibility IME. What do you think?

BTW, I was hired as a 1:1 to start in January as an "effort" by the school to keep the child there. They blatently didn't want the child in their school, which is why the parent's decided to move schools. The school would ask me to respond in a particular way to a behaviour, I would do so, then the HT would call me into her office to tell me that I had done it wrong and should try x strategy. X strategy usually being one I had suggested previously and been told that it wouldn't work. This pattern was repeated at least once a week leaving me dispirited and thoroughly lacking in confidence in my ability (which in other cases has been proved so I'm not trying to big myself up iyswim)

[EllenJaneisnotmyname]

Hi purple, I've been a 1:1 TA and a general class TA, but prefer the 1:1 stuff due to my experience with my own DS. I've had to leave schools when my 'charge' left to go to secondary. I left one school when I was a general class TA with a permanent contract because of the bloody horrible teacher, but also the school wanted me to do some extra 1:1 with very odd hours. Eg 11am start, hour unpaid lunch, one hour after lunch til 2.00 on my 2 days off. In other words, 2 hours pay for the whole day taken up. That's the sort of inconvenient hours that might put AT's TA off, or a 8.45am start if she has her own young children at a different school, etc.

[appropriatelytrained]

Thanks EJ. I know you are right. School have said they will try and find a workable solution. DS was upset tonight as he couldn't figure out what he had done wrong when we spoke about and neither could I to be honest. She told him 'you are not supposed to speak to me like that' when he said he didn't need help finding friends

Yet this was enough for her to march into the SENCO and tell her she was being disrespected and DS was being defiant. Fortunately, as I say, he has no history of defiance or difficult behaviour at school

How is that supposed to help a child with communication issues? He didn't know what to say but doesn't like to do things wrong and feels very anxious when he doesn't know how to work people out = he's got ASD fgs.

I really despair.

[purplepidjin]

I was employed as a 1:1 TA, and my contract was dependent on that child being at the school. I was also employed for a few hours a week in a different class, and when it came to the child leaving (trust me, I did what I could unfortunately I was constantly undermined) I was left in the position of either working 4 hours a week or leaving...

[EllenJaneisnotmyname]

AT, you know I'm a TA myself, so biased, but unless the school can swap this TA with someone else already employed the school is going to find it hard to get shot of her. There would probably have to be some gross misconduct stuff. I think you said it would be hard to change schools, but unless they swap this TA, changing schools (or HE) may be the only option, long term. If they have someone new at the school in Sept who needs support, a swap could be arranged, maybe? Or perhaps her hours could be 'changed' (start and finish times) to make it too inconvenient for her?

I really feel for you, I know I've been lucky to get on fairly well with my DS's TA, but she wasn't my first choice. The lady who didn't get the job is truly lovely and just accompanied my DS on his residential trip. She's just easier to talk to, somehow.

[purplepidjin]

Unfortunately, this is the result of "you can do whatever you put your mind to" which, while an honorable sentiment in encouraging folk to try new things, doesn't take into account that sometimes you're just not right for the job. It's why I'll never be a filthy rich accountant or banker!

No amount of training will make up for the fact that she's not in the right job. Luckily there's loads of lovely people like blue who are suited to it

[appropriatelytrained]

Blue - I sympathise, I really do and you sound very dedicated. I think my appeal for training has been because it is so much harder to say what the real problem is i.e. no amount of training will make you connect with my son.

That is a very tough thing for a parent to conclude and even harder for them to say to a school but I've had enough of her self-interest, her moaning and her failure to support my son.

[blueemerald]

I'm an SEN TA in a secondary school and whilst there is no excuse for her attitude I just wanted to chip in that I work with a visually impaired child who has MLD, SpLD and has English as a second language (as well as a possible hearing impairment) and two Irish Travellers who have MLD and can be very volatile have ESBD. I'm half way through my second year working with these girls, and whilst we are all getting on very well (increased their reading ages by years, attendance percentages up by loads etc) I have not had one single minute of training for my job. I love my job and have tried and tried to get training but nothing ever comes of it. And I get paid naff-all.

Of course a poor attitude is much more destructive than a lack of training, but sadly much harder to correct.

[purplepidjin]

Or if you fancy a coffee and a moan

[appropriatelytrained]

Oooh we are very near. Will let you know if they ever get to readvertising!

[purplepidjin]

Your poor DS, he must be so frustrated They must have other TA's in school who can swap, this clearly isn't working! I'm Hants/Dorset-ish gizza job

[appropriatelytrained]

Thanks. SENCO has noted all concerns and will talk to head.

There was another incident today that SENCO and not TA told me about. DS tells me she accused him of swearing when he didn't want her help at playtime. He didn't know what she was going about so stood there while she told him off.

School know he has no history of defiance of difficult behaviour. Even if he is doing this, he's clearly getting stressed out with her. When we spoke, he said he wished she wasn't helping him.

I don't know what the answer is but I've told school they need to work out where we are going with this.

[purplepidjin]

Nev, I have 6 years experience working with people with SN, 5 of which was in school environments, and never knew that. Thank you.

AT, you got the statement. This is part of an ongoing political and sociological battle to get fair treatment for SN children, and fair recognition for SN workers.

PS I get £6.25 an hour in a residential home pulling 12 hour shifts. And I've got NVQ3!! So you can battle on my behalf too - for the respect those of us who have got training (done in our own time) deserve

[mycarscallednev]

If you have a statement you should have a 'caseworker' based at County Hall (ours only came out of the wookwork when we discovered we were covered by DDA and Human Rights Act - Access to Education - as will you be).
The Lamb Enquiry a couple of years ago sited all these as the reason schools fail SEN children. You can take a look at it on-line at the Equalities Commission site. Our sons TA wasn't trained in anything at all - she had no idea what to do, so did very little other than sit our son by himself in front of computer games - he was 6. We had a full SSEN on physical needs. Our son couldn't cope, there was no one there to help him cope. He was critised in front of his peers and their parents - it had a lasting affect on him. He has PTSD now thanks to his school. He is now Home Educated - and I don't know if I will ever trust a school again. Our teachers teach the children without the SEN, the SEN children get taken out of the classroom and put with the unqualified TA or parent helper. How can this be right? It happens accross the board - the children who need the qualified quality teaching miss out. Our schools fail SEN children and put the blame on the child and their parents. It's as if we asked for our children to be different, it's not asking for much. It's a basic right. Access to Education and Disability Discrimination Act - quote that at them - it should make them sit up and take notice!