Week long residential trip (outward bound) and ASD. Advice needed please.

[moosemama]

Me again folks, different dilemma this time.

As per the title, ds1 has a week long residential, the second week of the September term. He was really distressed when he had to make the decision about whether or not to go at the beginning of this year and his outreach teacher said it would be ok for him to say yes, then pull out the week before if he still couldn't cope with the idea. (Ahem, yes he'd be ok, but we would be £300 lighter for no good reason. )

Anyhoo. The final meeting for the trip was this evening and I have come away feeling somewhat disquieted about how much they get what it will mean for them having ds there and just how massive a thing it is for him.

I had a feeling I should be asking them if a risk assessment pertaining to taking ds had been carried out - but wasn't sure if I was right, so didn't ask.

I did ask if the centre had been informed that ds has ASD and they said yes, we also discussed his need for a coeliac diet and after some comical anecdotes during the talk re children not eating certain foods and how they don't want to know if x won't eat potato etc, I also raised the fact that he has sensory issues around certain foods. (So not a humorous anecdotal type dislike, more - give it to him and he will almost certainly have a meltdown and then throw up.)

Also explained that he still cannot swim a stroke, or hold his body up in the water and so am obviously concerned - as is he - about the water sports (canoeing and kayaking).

The teacher is lovely and in fact taught ds a few years ago (pre-dx). I just came away feeling that they have no idea what they're letting themselves in for, as having only seen him at school they don't realise the true extent of his ASD and how much it affects him in every day life.

He has been on a two night residential with school before, but the HT took personal responsibility for him that time, right down to ensuring that ds and his best friend had a room to themselves, next door to his own room. I also had a long meeting with him and prepared briefing notes that the he shared with the entire team and the centre before they went, as part of their preparation.

So, can anyone offer any advice about things like risk assessments etc and how we can ensure that the school understands the full extent of ds's needs and makes sure they are fully prepared for them.

Obviously all parents are nervous when their dcs go on these things, but I have a list of additional concerns as long as my arm. Not least of all that it's the second week of term, at a time when ds will already be all over the place due to transition and usually needs a massive amount of emotional support just to cope with not being in his old classroom with his old teacher.

Honestly, no sooner do I just take control of one lot of stress than another pops up to add to the fun.

Suggest you speak to Senco and get them to put together a risk assessment pronto. Don't have much advice unfortunately as when ds's school had a residential trip it was made quite clear that as soon as there was any 'trouble' HT would be phoning us to collect him. In the end we didn't think it was worth all the stress to either him or us

Thanks Desperately. I was afraid of that. Hoping to avoid SENCO for a while until the fuss over us going to appeal calms down a little. Maybe I'll send dh instead. (I am such a great big wuss. )

What actually happens at a risk assessment. It sounds good, but what does it actually mean?

On a slightly more positive note, I have just googled the centre and it seems they are experienced in running SNs programmes and have a specific Autism policy for both SNs groups and children who have ASD but are in mainstream schools. Unfortunately the link to said policy on their website doesn't work, but I thought I might email them and see if I can get hold of a copy.

Contacting the centre directly sounds like a great idea.
How old is your DS, and is this trip optional?

That sounds positive about the centre . As far as I know the risk assessment will consider all the things that may go wrong on the trip and have a plan in place to prevent these occurring and state what actions will be taken if they do occur. If a child with a disability is attending then there should be an assessment taking into account their needs I think (not an expert but used to be a school governor). They have to be very thorough because of school safeguarding regulations

Hi SauvingnonBlanche, he is 10. The trip is optional, but his best friend is going and there are only a couple of children who aren't. The alternative to going is spending a week in the lower year's class - which of course will be a really bad idea for a child who is already resisting transition upwards from that year.

My original idea was to book a family holiday that week - unfortunately dd is due to start the school nursery the week before and I also have ds2 a couple of years below ds1.

Thanks Desperately. That's what I thought. If there is a child with a disability attending this sort of trip then there has to be a risk assessment carried out and iirc, it should have been done before they invited him to go on the trip.

I think you'll get an idea from the centre when you speak to them how they'll cope with your DS.
The group meeting are always terrifying, can you arrange a private meeting with the teacher in charge of the trip rather than the SENCO?
Putting your concerns in writing may be advisable.

Hi. My sons love going away. The autistic one loved all his trips and had a ball. He loved the outward bound type activities and is a good sailor. Hated anything like football or obvious teams type things. He went to France for a week for the year six trip and I was really worried in case he needed collecting but all was fine. Was also worried about the diabetic son last year but gave all the stuff to a TA and had a couple of meetings and briefed his friends and he was fine. It would be worth giving the TA who should be with him your mobile number with a contact me whatever questiond you have. The water sports I wouldn't have thought they would let a non swimmer do. Usually you have to say athat they can swim 25 m unaided. Re the food. Whatever you say they are not goiing to believe you. just let it happen. He won,t starve as there will be something he can eat. Also children do behave very differently away from parents so I'd wait and see on that. Clearly if after s day he hasnt eaten anything then they will call you. schools are massive on safeguarding now so if there is any hint that he could be a danger to himself or others the. You will get a call. It's really cworrying and I didn't sleep the first time they were away but it's a huge confidence boost to them and you when it all turns out ok. Just be prepared for the fact that he will be absolutely knackered when he comes back and be too tired to function normally. DS1. takes a good week to get back to normal so the first week after the trip is always a tricky one.

Moose - is it a PGL centre?

Our local outward bound centre is used by schools from around the whole of the south and they are v experienced with children with SN and even run special Sunday sessions for children with SN.

Definitely speak to them but I'd speak to the school too to make sure they have risk assessed his trip.

I think I am going to approach the centre for advice, then ask for a meeting with the lead teacher for the trip - haven't met her yet, but know she's been every year ad infinitum, so should have the knowledge and experience to answer my questions.

Inaflap, he won't have a TA with him, as we will be mid-appeal for his statement.

Ds did the 25m test after a year of 1:1 lessons, but still needed full body support, as he has hypotonia which is particularly pronounced in his upper body and core. (He had arm and ankle bands and swim noodles supporting his body.) He also can't do any upper body type rope climbing for similar reasons.

The teacher I spoke to today said they would be happy for me to provide separate sandwich making stuff and she would take responsibility for it herself. (Of course he needs to be able to make a sandwich himself as well, which brings a whole new set of problems.) I did point out that if he does get cross contaminated with gluten he will spend the rest of the week with chronic diarrhoea (sp?) headaches, enuresis and reflux and I think they'd rather get his food right that risk having to deal with that little lot.

Apparently they did have one child last year (not SNs) that refused to eat anything at every single meal, including breakfast and made himself very ill as a result - they didn't call the parents though.

He did absolutely love the weekend one he went on last year and I do believe it was good for him. So, if we can get things planned right and he still wants to go, I really want him to have this opportunity. Such a pita that it's that close to the beginning of the new term though - worst possible time for ds, unfortunately.

Auntevil, no not PGL. Small independent centre.

Ben, I think you're right. I need to speak to both the school and the centre to make sure they are both on the same page and have properly assessed any risk.

They let a boy not eat anything for a whole week! WHAT!

I guess he must have eaten something, but at tonight's meeting they said he wouldn't even try most of the food, despite it being basic, home-cooked comfort food and wouldn't even eat cereals for breakfast. They said he 'made himself' ill and was very weak and wobbly.

I know, I was - surely the deal would have been, either start eating or we are calling your parents to fetch you and that's the end of your trip.

The making your own sandwich thing: there must be a way round it.

School might understand 'danger of allergy-type reaction' better than "For f* sake, his academics are ok but he has ASD, so has major delay in simple life skills"

Otoh, letting them sink or swim might be good evidence for tribunal...

Sorry just had genius brainwave. Can you ask for school OT to see SOS & write a programme to develop the skills he'll need for the resi?

I'm hoping we will be able to help him to learn to make his own sandwich in three months. He has tried before, but tends to destroy the bread as he struggles with arm and hand control. I'm pretty sure he'll end up with something edible, but probably not very attractive and possibly not capable of holding itself together in sandwich form.

We don't have a school OT afaik and NHS OT discharged after assessment after assessing him bang on the cut-off point for support.

Read the schedule last night and discovered they have a film/movie night and a disco. Ds is phobic about feature films but is slowly improving. He has now watched Despicable Me and Puss in Boots, but it took a lot of doing and lots of support. He went to a film night at the church to please his best friend in October last year. They were watching Cats and Dogs. He held himself together through the film, but was genuinely terrified and full of panic. His friend's mum dropped him off saying he'd been fine and loved it, but he was white as a sheet with green tinges. He stepped through the door, collapsed and went into shock. The thing is, they just aren't going to get his reaction or understand that he will try his best to hold it together - they will of course assume I am being a precious, over-protective mum and tell me he was absolutely fine with it and we will have to deal with the inevitable fall out.

The only way he could cope is if they can tell us in advance what the film will be and we try watching it with him at home. Don't think that will be an option though, as they usually get the kids to vote on what they want to see. Ideally he should be allowed to sit it out and do something in another room, but of course he won't want to be seen as difference and will feel pressurised to join in.

I need to write a list of concerns and send it to the trip leader asking for a meeting to discuss and address each one and make sure they understand the extent of ds's self-care and emotional delays and ask for an assigned adult to be responsible for his pastoral care.

Ds went on the year 6 trip this year. It was a weeks PGL one.
His normal TA did not go, but one of the others he is familiar with did.
We were most worried about the allergies. That was fine - although he did get into trouble one day for only eating bread and butter for lunch as he didn't like the look of the main course ( curry I think and spicy food on his tongue feels the same as an allergic reaction). Mind you my DS can swim so I was not worried about the water sports. He came back having had a fantastic time and the teacher seemed to be fine too ( not a nervous wreck at all ).
I had discussed concerns with them before he went and they handled everything fantastically. ( BUT it turns out later that while he loved all the activities he had problems with the social aspect of it all and being with everyone else 24 hours a day!)

Thanks alison.

Yes the social side and having to 'perform' socially 24/7 is another concern. Generally, he can just about manage to hold himself together until we get in the front door after a day of trying to act nt around his peers. How he's going to keep it up 24/7 for a whole week is an interesting question. Last time it was two nights and he was given a room with just his best friend, so could escape for some peace and quiet. He could also lose himself in a book to destress back then, but has since lost that ability.