Changes to travel arrangements for children with S.E.N. ...

[GossipWitch]

A friend and I went to our local autism drop in centre this week to find that a council official was there and was telling us about the proposed changes for our children and their transport to their special needs schools.

Just so that you understand what I'm writing about there is a link here.

The government are trying to put these measurements in place across the country, you just have to google it and find out for yourself.

I personally feel that this is discrimination against the disabled children and young people of this country and I don't think this is fair to us or our children at all.

This could also have a huge knock on effect to other organisations like the social services etc. Have a read through and tell me if you agree please.

lol bakelite my nan said something similar with Davie's wife claiming that her jumper cost three hundred quid, my nan spouted that's more than what she gets a month and she has worked all her life!!!

I know MrsD, me too, don't watch news any more

It's the drip drip erosion of support which is concerning me. I don't need or get school transport but I know one or two families where it is a lifeline. problem is that if the powers that be don't look at individual circumstances then families will fall through the net. Simple really but who cares as long as those in power are okay.

Well said justa/

Dilly I agree also. By need basis is what SSD rely on; if we go to that we as a family are stuffed. SSD do nothing for us to teh extent that I have now developed agoraphobia (as some will know a few years back I was verbally assaulted at a very threatening level and scared for my safety by a Dad at school, whilst other parents stood by- just started using same school for ds4 and panic attacks started immeidately). I jave to say one of the best side effects of ds1 being in a SN Base and taken there is that I am no longer in that position: and nobody knows where the house is to come knocking either (jas also happened).

But SSD know this and say we cope fine, we don't, or at least DH does and I don't really, at the own health level. I am honestly not sure I can withstand another cut right now, another stress.

Well said justa !!

I have never felt so much anomositity (sp) towards what families with SN 'get' before.

Where is all this coming from?
Ok I dont like the patronizing 'poor dears look what they have to cope with' attitudes but must they be replaced with 'should be bloody greatful for what they get and put up or shut up' attitude.

Along with the drip drip erosion I think there has been a subtle conditioning, encouraging the traditionally comfortable to feel hard done by. Presenting them with reasons why their lives are getting worse.
1.feckless chavs
2.immigrants
3.Them disabled lot.

Its vile and deliberate and its working.

There is certainly a change in the climate. I've seen it all before: when I first emigrated into this country it was gays. Then shortly afterwards it was single mums. Then it became immigrants and now it's moving to the disabled.

But this is not to say that everybody who is in favour of any one particular change is buying into this whole mindset.

Though it does explain the stress experienced by some of families whose lives will be affected. And one thing it does reveal- depressingly- is how many people never really understood in the first place; they just kept their mouth shut because it was politically opportune at that time

Say what you will of Tony Blair- and personally I loathed the man- but the tone, the way people spoke of one another was more pleasant in his day.

You know justa, if the kid has diabetes at a level where she has to test at midnight I really can't work up teh energy to mind her maybe having some cash stashed for her future. I;ve a friend whose diabetes was pciked up when he was a teen and it apaprenlty massively impacted on his self esteem for years. He also ended up losing his leg becuase he rebelled against the meds.

Hmmm...I really don't want to minimise the dangers of diabetes but HRC? Unless the diabetes is constantly completely unstable, I really think this is a rare example of where the system occasionally gets a bit silly.

HRC should really reflect the need for HRC.

I know parents with very severely disabled children with very challenging needs, who cannot be left alone for a second while they are awake, but happen to sleep ok at night (or at least stay in their rooms at night). Because they sleep, they don't quality for HRC. Someone with diabetes who might need quite a high level of blood sugar (and diet) monitoring including a nightime test, but who can be otherwise independent...? Do they really need HRC for their disability?

Not sure I'm convinced though I'm sure someone will come along and tell me I'm wrong!

I posted elsewhere on transport charges.I think you are legally on stronger grounds if your child is compulsory school age i.e. not post 16. I was hit with a £290 charge with very little warning as my son was 16 in August. I think there may be an argument under the Equality Act that the council should not introduce charges without some assessment of ability to pay which has not happened in my case. The attitude in the letter I received was also surprising (and to me it seemed a bit threatening) on the lines of pay up or the transport will be stopped and you can pay by credit card!Yes it may only be a few pounds a week and is not the full cost of the transport but I have not budgetted for it, I domnt want to add it to the credit card and its not just this year its next year too. My son does get highest rate DLA care and we have a mobility car but the money just does not cover all the extra costs associated with his disability. I do think that in this recession easy targets are being picked on and there is little real understanding of how some people are living. We are not all in this together.

that is shocking zebra i didn't think they would be enforcing it so soon, I thought it would be in 2 years at least. you have my sympathies.

wants to yell ITS NOT FAIRRRRRRR !!!!

Absolutely Justa.

they have been doing it here for as long as we have used Sn transport, so > 3 years? We are in the distance limits anyway but know of a fair few people hit and it's a shock to them, 'yes I know you were happy with your son attending the lcoal school Mrs P but he can't any more and by the way whilst we are at it it's going to cost you £10 pw to get him to the Base now as well. IF we have a space on the bus, otherwise you can find a way to get him there'

I am seriously hoping ds1 makes it into the mainstream school 100 yards away, a 3 mile walk to school in the morning isn't sounding great right now :(

IIITTTSSS NNNOOOTTT FFFAAAIIIRRRRRRRRR!!!

sorry

Don't apologise GW

But you know 3 miles should be covered within existing rules anyway- it's 2m for primary here. 3 for comp.

peachy thats where they get me, my house is only 1.7 miles from the SEN school, however ds1 cannot cross a road safely but is able to walk that distance , i also have ds2 who will be starting a mainstream primary school that is only 0.7 miles from my house but is 2.6 miles from SEN school, ds2 will only be 5 and if i did it the other way round (drop ds1 off first) ds2 will be walking a whopping 4.2 miles to school. making it 8 miles a day, I'm also a single mum and you know what the bain of society we are !!!

Ah we''re all banes of society GW- I deleted the bit I typed about ds3 attending the same comp as ds1 I hope and it being several miles and us taking 1 / 6 places so better if I had been neutered at birth saving state a fortune.

What if you tried to pretend to insist on a place at MS with 1.5 TA - your child and tried for transport as a bargain?