ASD and help at school

[nems]

If anyone can offer me some advice I'd be so grateful.

One of our twins needs to be refered for an ASD diagnosis. I understand this happens through CAHMS in our area. We had no luck getting a referral from the GP as he believed it would be better coming from the school, but for some reason the school are dragging their heels. When I asked the teacher to speak to the SENCO about it I was told that the SENCO just said there is a long waiting list and that was it. I have no idea if they have referred DS or not. I should add that while we have our concerns about DS it is not something that we are worried about coping with at home. The concern has come from his teacher with my support but since identifying that there is a concern the school have done nothing about it. I've got another meeting with the headteacher tomorrow and this time the SENCO will be there.

Can anyone tell me how I should approach the whole thing? I feel like I've gone into this all blindly. DS has been put on a programme by the school to help with emotional and behavioural difficulties, I expressed my concern at him doing the programme as I don't feel it will help him at all especially if his behaviour is just a manifestation of ASD.

I was really saddened today when we went to his summer show and saw that he was made to sit at the back with a TA who clearly had no idea how to handle him. Now he has completely spun out and is impossible to talk to.

I promise I am not just an idulgent mother who can't recognise naughty behaviour. DS does need help and so do I.

xx

Hi

If I were you, I would go back to the GP and insist on a referral to a developmental paediatrician. If there are no dev paeds in your area then it might be the community paediatrician that you end up seeing, but they should be able to refer you on to the relevant people for assessment.

As for the school, things can and do take ages when done via school referral, but, once they have identified there is a problem, which they have, they should be putting strategies in place to support your ds.

He should have been placed on the Special Educational Needs Register at School Action, which basically means they are going to try some different strategies to support him and help him progress, but no external professionals are involved. The SENCO and teacher should devise an Individual Education Plan (IEP) that sets down strategies for working on specific areas of difficulty, how they are going to be implemented, by who, how often and what the outcome should be. Ideally, you should be included in the meeting to draw up the IEP and you should definitely be given a copy for your records.

Have a read through this website which explains the stages of the Special Educational Needs system. Then come over to MNSN and post there as there are a lots of parents of children who have ASD over there and it gets more traffic.

Thank you moosemama.

That was really helpful.

xxx

Hi nems,

it is very difficult to navigate the NHS and educational systems. I also think that you could try to get a referral from GP and get as much in writing as you can from the school, even if its just your notes of discussions with CT, SENCO and HT.

My DS was also sat at the back with TA in the show and I was upset. It's like putting a banner out to the rest of the school saying "SEN HERE" It is very hurtful but I guess that other people are not thinking what we think they're thinking iyswim.

In my area schools cannot refer for a Diagnosis only a parent can ask for it and via the GP. I went to Gp with my concerns and a written list from school of their concerns and GP referred us. In my area it is CAHMS too.

You could ask for the school to get the Educational psychologist in to see your DS and ask if they can get outreach from the SS's in the area. That will at least give them some strategies to work with in the meantime.