Playtimes are a nightmare

[firelighter]

Could someone help me clarify/focus my thoughts please. Am tired and in tears and need someone to put some fire back in me. My 6 yr old DS has mild Aspergers. Has a diagnosis, is on School Action Plus and his IEP says he needs help at afternoon playtime to join in games etc. Last year was very good - had a fantastic one-to-one for 20 mins every pm. This year he has someone else who is not so good. The trigger for tears today is have found out from TA that he's delaying playtime by saying he has wet pants and then spending time in the loos changing etc (up to 20 mins yest lunchtime).
So...can I ask school to provide more help? at ALL playtimes? Can I apply for a statement myself or are playtime problems not enough to warrant a statement (he's fine in lessons = structure). Am confused and unsure just how much I can push for help or should DS just tolerate playtimes.Will sign off now. Sorry for long post.

Apply for a statement yourself and now and ignore the naysayers. It could all easily fall apart further in Junior school as well and you're not far away from having to go there in Y3. Junior school is full of unwritten social stuff and your DS could find it very difficult indeed.

Talk further to the SENCO by all means but they may not be able to provide any more help than they are currently giving hence also the suggestion to write for a statement now. More help at playtimes is often only given if there is a statement in place, it can be put on a statement doc (you may well have to state yoru case v stongly to the LEA in order for them to do this though).

You can make the request personally and you do not need anyone's permission to do this. If you're wondering what to write use IPSEA's website which is wwww.ipsea.org.uk. You will need to write to the Chief Education Officer at your LEA and give them six weeks to reply.

You are your child's best - and only - advocate here.

Thank you Atilla. It's time to get tough. I still find it a shock to see DS in the 'normal' world. He lives in such a bubble at home with friends/family and is very happy but it's a jungle out there and it fills me with fear. Thank you again.

Yes you can apply for a statement, but depending on local policy TA hours of less than 15 or 20 hours are usually expected to come from the school budget. That said if the school are not putting in the right support you can ask for statutory assessment. However chances are for a few hours you would get refused or if you had an assessment you would have a note in lieu.

Can you speak to the school? Its a training issue and really its not reasonable for a TA to know how to run a social skills programme without training and also, maybe she is not comfortable with the playtime cover. Like any of us some of us are more comfortable with social situations than others.

Is there a chance of a different TA or this one getting some specific training? Teaching social skills to a child with AS is not easy if you have never had training in how to do it.

You can get books on it too - sure you can get recommendations from people on here.

I would raise it as its going to be easier to have TA support in the playground at 6 than it is at 10 or 14. You can't be wasting precious time.