Where are the Sanctions? Why is he not sitting with the other children?

[offwegoagain]

This is what the Head Teacher of ds's mainstream primary with ASD Unit attached, that I was so happy he had got into, said upon visiting him at his current primary and seeing him displaying HFA sensory related behaviours.

This is a brand new unit and so far they have NO pupils starting there because she will not accept any children with "behavioural issues".

Obviously he is not going there but I am now back at square one.

I am confused is anyone as staggered by this as I am?

I have name changed as I don't think this kind of idiocy exists in many places so am instantly recognisable.

WTF!!

How on earth does a school like that get an ASD unit?

Well, she's got a point. A child with SN should have an IEP, and on that plan somewhere should be steps towards encouraging appropriate behaviour. Sitting with your peers when the teacher has asked you to is appropriate behaviour.

So, whilst there are 101 reasons why he may NOT be doing so, I would expect that there would be some sort of small-steps plan to slowly but surely achieve that.

In DD1's class the vast majority of children have difficulties with sitting for any length of time, but they still work on it.

Sanctions perhaps was not the best term to use, though. Positive encouragement will always be preferable to sanctions.

Who exactly is the ASD unit supposed to be for? ASD is only DX by behaviour! If the children had no ASD issues what would they need the unit for? Gah! for you.

So who is going to fill her ASD Unit?
She sounds a right numpty tbh and definitely from what you have put not the best to deal with asd pupils. I am hoping that the LEA will overrule her and get some pupils in the unit soon.

Lougle my ds had serious issues in sitting alongside his peers. He has been at his absolutely lovely SN school for almost 9 years and he is only just sitting alongside his peers. Small steps plans can take a long tiome to come to fruition

Reminds me of a unit I saw who told me when I mentioned ds would have a problem with PE she replied "Oh no he won't, he will comply" Funnily enough ds has never really got the hang of complying just for complying's sake.
Needless to say we went elsewhere and the head made it a longterm target that he would eventually do five minutes of PE per week, which he did after three years.

Does the school get more money for having the ASD unit attached?
Any way you can let someone with authority over her (governors?) know what's happening?
(Anyone else filled with a urge to shake some sense into the head?)

I don't think she has got a point Lougle and neither do any of the other professionals involved with him, they are all outraged and his own SENCO at the school he is currently in said to her "if he was capable of that at this time then we would be keeping him here".

Also what if it just isn't achievable for the 101 reasons you mention? He has intensive OT and she is adament that his sensory issues are so significant at this time he is NOT capable of being in a mainstream environment, and this woman wants to SANCTION him for that! The very fact that she uses that word is a scary indicator of a total lack of understanding of an ASD child imvho.

DeWe Yes I am going to write to the LA, it was at their recommendation that ds go to this unit and I was so happy when we heard, should have known it wouldnt be that easy. Will copy her in to my letter as well.

Yes my thoughts exactly, who on earth is going to be in this unit? Because quite frankly she could beg me to send him now and I wouldn't. If ds was "sanctioned" for every ASD related issue he has on a daily basis, I cannot begin to imagine how desperate he would feel .

The unit ds has attended which has been without a doubt absolutely fantastic operates without sanctions and manages successfully some of the most challenging boys (my own included) in the county. Ds only really goes for rewards and a sanction would only escalate any situation tbh.

I did say that 'sanction' wasn't the best term to use.

I am not suggesting that your children should be made to sit against their will, just that it is an area to work on. My DD1 finds sitting difficult, they work on it.

Well of course it needs working on or would be staying in mainstream. The point is he cannot work on it where he is due to severe sensory aggravation but she suggests "sanctions" to deal with that.