Who should do DS's physio in school?

[skewiff]

I'll try to make this as succinct as possible.

DS is in reception. He has mild Cerebral Palsy and has a statement. In the statement it says that he should have daily physio carried out in school - following a programme set by the physio.

When he started school I agreed that I would start him an hour late in the morning - so that I could do his physio at home.

School now feel that DS is missing out on important settling down and class information. So they want him to come in earlier.

I would have to halve his physio programme to achieve this and he is going to be too tired at the other end of the day to do the other half.

I would prefer to just carry on doing his hour at the beginning of school as I know it will only work for this year. Once he's on Year 1 he'll have to be in at the beginning of the day.

However I want to try and accomodate the school if possible. I am thinking that I could say that I'd bring him in early if the school do the other half of our physio programme in school.

What I want to know is: are they actually legally bound to do this if it is a private OT who is setting most of DS's programme (and not his NHS physio - the statement says that the physio is to set a daily programme for the school to follow).

At the moment the school is not doing any kind of physio for DS (I haven't pushed them to, as I think he already does enough in the morning).

If the school were to get someone to do the exercises ... DS has no TA (again I am happy with this at the moment and think the school are working in my son's best interests) so who would they get to do them? Does it have to be someone with physio or SN experience or just anyone?

If it is just anyone then I would rather carry on doing our hour of exercises at home first thing, as I know they're getting done properly.

Sorry this was not succinct at all.

Mmmm. I think I would put the ball back in the school's court first of all. Remind them what it says in his statement and ask what they are going to do to provide this; it may be that they then go back to the NHS physio.

THe legalities are difficult and I think it depends on the wording and where in the statement it is. If it is in parts 5 or 6 (?) - non educational needs, the local authority have no obligation to provide it.

My dd also has mild CP and the school are doing a physio/OT programme with her called 'Fizzy'. This is carried out by a trained TA. It is not every day though - more like once a week.

I would have thought a TA could be trained to do the physio with your ds in school although I know I feel happier doing it at home myself!

Even though he doesn't have his own TA - there will be a class one, and this is one of the many things she could be expected to do (with the appropriate instruction)

This is really the point of class TAs - to work with the kids on School Action / School Action+

Good point zzzzz - surely he'll miss out on the class stuff anyway even if a TA does it!?

Also just to add that my dd has just started in reception too and we have to do her physio at tea time when she is really tired..

Well, I've written them a letter (I would rather do that because I can be clear and not forget anything). It is informal - but I hope it doesn't put their backs up.

I have said that I want to carry on going as we already are (with the hour late for school). This is our last year (before Yr1) to do proper intensive physio.

Perhaps next year DS will be less tired to do some stuff after school - and I have mentioned that I would like it if some daily exercises could be done in school next year.

But for now DS already goes to bed at 6.30pm and if I woke him up before 7am he would be appallingly behaved all day. I've said this in the letter.

He is not 5 until March - so I don't know if he legally has to be in school until the summer term ... I'm not sure. Not that that really makes a difference. I'm not sure why I am mentioning that.