Worst LA place to live for SEN

[wasuup3000]

I vote Lancashire!!!

I vote Herts, although I might be just referring to ASD provision. I think some of their SENs that have more NHS involvement are a bit better provided for.

Actually, I DID see ONE quite good state MLD school in Herts that had 'quite' reasonable ASD provision but if you're not MLD you are stuffed.

Where I live there is no specialist ASD provision - apart from one school which obly accepts severe non verbal ASD cases because places are so sought after.

There's no specialist ASD provision in Herts either, just joke ASD provision.

It's just that the Head of Autism in the particular MLD school I mentioned happens to be pretty competent. Just one person in one particular place in the whole of the authority though. I hope she's paid bloody well.

I wish we had that even. All the sen schools here have gone so generic that they are not suitable for kids with asd or adhd.

Durham are pretty good for ASD at primary level - mainstream schools are well supported and you don't have to fight for a statement. It falls down completely at secondary level except for kids with LD and ASD. None of the mainstream secondary schools have ASD support units and we've been told there is no provision in the county for DS1 after primary school. Kids like DS1 seem to lose out universally, though, wherever in the country they are.

I guess that is why you got the result you did today then!

You are probably right Starlight!! He has the most complex needs of all my children and 2 of them have statements!!

Durham sounds good (at least until Primary) wonder if DH work has a head office there!!

WILTSHIRE........

ASD outreach is full of pensionable age old crones who never meet the child.

Ed Psych team never meet the children either.

S&LT team is corrupt and works as LA henchman.

SEN team is useless and corrupt. Lies, cheats, makes stuff up, information shares behind your back, doesn't understand the law, and acts like a corporate bully and victim at the same time.

No HFA/AS provision past primary.

Really, really dreadful, useless and nasty bunch.

Wiltshire ASD Outreach sound like they're of the age where they will lose substantial amount of their pensions without time to do anything about it.

Just a thought!

What a shame.

But anyway - Wilts seem to twin with Herts in all respects listed.

Twin counties of crap.....!

At least I have the satisfaction of hearing lawyers etc who have had no prior dealings with WC say, after 5 mins of mindbooggling crap from their SEN team 'OMG they are dreadful, I mean nasty not just stupid....'

I can but nod sagely and sympathetically...

Aaarggghh.... Dorset perhaps. I have heard some good things but I have only heard of children being sent out of county as Wilts provision is CRAP and dealing with them is even worse.

Having lived in and had children with SSEN in Wiltshire and fought against them for 20 years over one case or another, I would offer this.

The only secondary special provision which is any good is Springfields Academy for Aspergers run by a truly inspirational HT.
The Sec Schs have additional provision which varies form school to school. Some are better than others. Primary Specials units range form good to dire. NHS support pretty much nil.
LA constitutionally inept and I would agree with appropriately employed description of them.
On the other hand if you have a cognitively average child then there are some really good schools.
But you have to remember that in Wiltshire" everybody matters"- Council slogan [unless you have SEN and will cost the LA money in which case you are banished to the ends of the earth].

Yes I've heard good things about Dorset but you have to remember it is a race to the bottom at the moment so if you're doing it, get a move on.

Once parents start flocking into a place they pull the ladder up and hire agressive solicitors. Not surprising really though as no one LA can be the national provider for SEN. It's stupid there is no national policy.

Coventry.

Diagnosed and discharged from Community Peads and CAMHS on the same day!

Nigel1 - we have changed this to 'Wiltshire.....where no one gives a XXXX'

OMG, creamteas, not a million miles from you and we were discharged from both within a week of DX.

Dx and discharged here too - with a recommendation that I contact the local NS branch for help and support..... the one I was helping to run

NAS branch that should be....may as well have given me my own telephone number to ring!

Well we got a dx from paed and although not discharged told never to return.

That way they get to keep ds on their books and get funding for him without ever seeing him.

We were told that all Dd3's care would be handed over to school. That way the school pay for her support and not the NHS.

We were given a leaflet about a course though so I am sure that covers it.