Resourse base question

[MommyUpNorth]

Hello. My DS has just been diagnosed with Autism, but I've been around on this board for a while as he also has a rare genetic condition as well. As we received the panel decision on the Autism, we were also delivered the information that they don't feel he is getting the most out of his mainstream nursery placement. He's split placement at the moment between mainstream & a specialist Autism nursery.

They're recommending that he move to a resource base at another school. We've been round to see it, but there weren't any children in the rooms at the time. My gut feeling is that this isn't the right setting for him, but the problem is that there isn't another option. We only have an Autism centre which is for children who will be in full-time mainstream by the end of P3, or this resource base (for everyone else). The next nearest SS is about 100 miles away, but it is the most fantastic place!

Does anyone have a child in a resource base which really works well despite lack of staff training/support? DS communicates by Makaton mainly, but the resource base hasn't had any training yet (they'll get 4/6 hours training if he goes in August). There are no children his own age to form a 'peer group', so he'll join in the m/s P1 class, but the LSA's aren't able to differentiate the curriculum enough, so he'll just when it's appropriate.

They keep banging on about the soft play area, tv, sensory room, etc... which is all very nice, but they never mention any actual teaching?

At the minute, the m/s nursery sends the plan home, and I send in various activities that we've used at home, and then he does them at nursery with a small group or whole class... whichever works at the time. Because all these resources are being used already as we do a lot of his 'teaching' at home, I'm happy to send them in.... but when he's in full time education I can't possibly do all of this for a P1 level & higher, but we've been told in the transition meeting that we cannot expect the school to differentiate this much, so they would not provide these resources for him.

Sorry this is going on a bit, but they're putting the resource base option before the panel in May, and then apparently that's settled then in their minds.

How do you prove to people who don't really care that your child needs an eduction rather than sensory play all day long?

I am sorry I don't really have any advice. We do have recourse bases here but they do get a lot of proper education.
Where are you? Sorry to be abrupt but I find it hard to believe there is nothing else available within 100 miles within the UK. Not that I am saying you are not telling the truth I am just very surprised the authority is allowed to get away with that sort of lack of provision. I know you are in Scotland and things are different to england but even so they can't be that different.

Way up on the north coast of Scotland. We're very remote, and the nearest town is Inverness which is about 100 miles south. I think they get away with it as no one really knows what the alternatives are, and no one kicks up a fuss.

'I think they get away with it as no one really knows what the alternatives are, and no one kicks up a fuss.'

I think that really says it all for Scotland in my experience anyway. The only thing I can think of is - do you have a CSP ? If not, get one started and insist on Makaton as his main means of communication and the required expertise to deliver it within the base (ie not PSA's more used to supervising soft play who have had a few hours training in the basics). I think that if you can't move closer to the special school ( probably not realistic I know) is to try to force better provision into the resource base.

Yes things are quite different in Scotland - There are no Statements and parental involvement in decision making about educational placements is more limited than in England. In isolated areas, special needs provision may only be token 'inclusion' in mainstream which in practical terms is isolation within an attached unit where staff may be well meaning but not specifically trained to work with SN children.

Thanks for the replies. That sounds like a plan willow (to get in better staff), but the teacher is retiring at the end of June and they can't seem to find anyone to replace her... and the LSAs are either fresh out of uni (most of whom are very lovely and eager to learn!), or not terribly interested in what they're doing.

I think being so remote is probably what puts people off coming up this way, so I'm not sure where we would find all these fab people... BUT, I will bring this up with the powers that be.

We've just asked for a CSP, so the forms are all filled in and we're doing an IEP annual review next week so that we can add in relevant, current targets... and then off it goes. He's ticked all the boxes to get one, so hopefully it will just get done (wishful thinking!)... :)