Does the support from a statement apply on a residential trip ?

[wineattheendofthetunnel]

Does anyone know the answer ? If your child attends a mainstream school and has a statement which gives 20 hours a week 1-1 and small group support, what happens when the child goes on a residential trip ? Does the statement still apply out of the school setting ? Can the school refuse to take the child because they may not be able to maintain the level of support needed ? Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated.

Good question, I would have thought through the policy of inclusion that all pupils should be able to access school trips (residential or not).

Possibly through concerns of health and safety and general child well-being, they may say that they haven't got the resources (i.e. a member of staff) to accommodate your child's needs.

I guess it would also come down to what your child's needs (and statement) is for and what the residential trip is. E.g. if your child has a statement for physical needs and the trip is an outdoor pursuits, then you and the school will need to make sure that particular provision is made.

As parent, your main concern will be if you child will be kept safe and sound. This should also be the main concern of the school too.

Obviously, the best thing to do will be to talk to the school.

When my DS went on his y6 residential trip his usual TA couldn't attend, childcare issues, and she wasn't replaced. DS did go and enjoyed himself but managed with only a 'weather' eye being kept on him. I have heard of DC whose parents have been asked to attend residentials to provide full support, which is a shame as who wants their mum to come?

The DDA definitely says school trips need to be accessible to all DC and excluding a DC due to their disability isn't allowed. The Equality Act isn't quite so specific, but I think the school would find it hard to legally justify excluding a DC.

DS went on a residential trip in Yr5. His TA (25hrs pw) went too - because she was able to. AFAIK, she wasn't responnsible for DS outside the activities in the day. Ds was put in an annex part of the accommodation at night with a small group of children which the HT was in charge of (HT slept in room next door). It was just the way the accommodation was set up - so it worked out better for DS.
Was discussing the issue of school trips and students with SN the other day with some LA staff (not education) and we were all wondering how schools get away with excluding pupils from after school activities/trips without falling foul of the DDA/EA, but none of us knew the answer - just that some schools seem to.

My DD has AS, her statement gives her 20 hrs support on a 1:1 basis and small group work. she is in year 6 and is about to attend her residential, 4 nights away. We as parents have no concerns over allowing her to go, the school have not said that they have any concerns over allowing her to go, they also havent mentioned how she will be supported whilst away. However, school have said that if things go sour, we as parents will have to arrange to collect her. Im not really sure what they are expecting to happen or what behaviour she will have to present that can justify them asking us to collect her. Does that seem fair ? Should all of the parent receive the same brief regarding the collecting of their child if behaviour is an issue, as far as i'm aware its only us that have been told this.

I wasn't asked if I would be prepared to collect my DS, I would have, had he been very upset or anxious during the trip, but I would expect the school to have dealt with any behavioural issues as they would for any other child. What sort of issues are they expecting?

ellenjaneisnotmyname, we agreed that we will collect if necessary, we wouldn't want to leave her there if she was in anyway distressed. They haven't given any details over what sort of issues they are expecting, im guessing its her reluctance to join in with all activities. In the past she has walked out of her classroom, not the school grounds though. If they were concerned that she may try and leave then surely they should say that and perhaps suggest that she doesn't go ? I have no concerns whatsoever over her trying to leave the setting, if i did i certainly wouldn't have agreed to her going. Im just feeling that my DD is being singled out, that they don't want her going on the trip but aren't allowed to exclude her.

They won't ask you to collect her if she won't join in.

They would ask you to collect her if she was very distressed and they couldn't console her and thought it really wasn't fair on her to let her stay.

At my school all parents were told they would have to collect their DC if their behaviour was unacceptable.

Schools aren't breaching the DDA by excluding kids if all reasonable accommodations have been made.