advice please - horrible, inaccurate report from SENCO

[newbrunette]

I've been in a state of shock for 2 hours since reading a report from ds's SENCO. Ds (4) is in reception and has been struggling to mix socially. He's waiting for a second appointment with a paediatrician - when he was seen last year, we were told that - while there were some autistic traits - there were lots of other things that didn't suggest ASD so no diagnosis was made and we are waiting for the follow up appointment.

So the hospital has asked the school for a report and this is what ended up in Ds's book bag this afternoon - just shoved in an envelope with no explanation about what it was and no discussion with us beforehand.

We've had a few meetings with class teacher and SENCO over the last year and, each time, we've been reassured that all is fine and made to feel that we're making a bit of a fuss about nothing re. his failure to mix and his problems at playtime.

So... I was quite surprised to read SENCO's report to the hospital, which paints a very grim picture. It exaggerates his difficulties, makes sweeping statements that aren't wholly true, and contains lots of factual inaccuracies (eg about what support the school has provided). It also says that he's on School Action Plus, which isn't true as far as I'm aware (isn't that when they involve outside agencies?)

If the things really are as bad as the report makes it sound, then they certainly should have involved outside agencies before now. And they clearly should have told us - rather than reassuring us and dismissing our concerns. The only thing I can think is that she's trying to make it sound worse than it is so that we get a diagnosis, which maybe she thinks we want. Frankly, I'd much rather she gave an accurate picture of him.

Anyway, does this all sound a bit odd to you? (sorry, I'm rushing and probably not explaing properly due to anger/upset). What would you do?

I was thinking about this last night and I think the best thing about the label is that it provides a shorthand that helps people to understand that your child is not NT. You don't have to explain that actually your child isn't rude/lazy/deliberately difficult or a bit slow but that they have a condition that may make them appear that way from time to time. It helps even if people don't understand the specific difficulties your child faces.

Just to be clear, statements often don't come with funding. Anything that is high incidence which includes mild to moderate ASD won't get additional funding unless there are other issues, at least not in our county. That isn't really relevant to you because if your child needs help they need help and the cost isn't your problem, but if you get the feeling that a statement would be useful but the school aren't keen, that will probably be the reason. A statement legally requires them to provide a certain level of support but often with no extra financial help.

Thanks again so much for your replies. I feel bad for taking up space with all my questions.... To update, we had a meeting with head, SENCO and class teacher yesterday and they almost managed to apologise about the confusing picture they have painted. It became clear that they have exaggerated (and in some cases, frankly made things up - eg saying he hates playing in the sand when in fact it's one of his favourite things) because the head thinks that a diagnosis will = a statement, which will = extra funding.

It's clear that they've cottoned on to the possiblity of ASD and run with it. They've definitely tried to paint an "autistic like" picture in their report (eg saying he has obsessive behaviours, which I really don't think he does). He does have big problems socially and may well be on the spectrum - but paed needs an accurate picture (who knows what else what else is going on for him that could be causing problems) not a flawed one, made up in the hope of some extra funding.

Headteacher is a bit of an idiot all round. When I was explaining ds's problems at playtimes - that he often struggles to find somebody to play with, often asking people and being rejected - the head said (quite aggressively): "Well I saw him once when he was crying on the playground. I asked him what was wrong and he said he had nobody to play with. I said 'well, let's find someone to play with then' and he said he didn't want to.... I think he isolates himself."

The head is loud and bombastic and ds finds him a bit scary so it's no wonder he said no (especially as he'd just tried and failed to find somebody to play with). The head was acting as if ds was deliberately aloof/just couldn't be bothered. It's a pretty unsympathetic point of view and underlined my feeling that the school isn't a particularly nurtuing place for ds to be.

They are talking now about getting him some adult assistance at playtimes but, based on previous experience, I'm not holding my breath...

The good thing is, it turns out that they haven't actually sent the report to the paed yet so we have some opportunity to ensure it's a bit more accurate.

Sorry for rambling, and thanks so much for all your time, insight and support.

Not rambling at all. Thanks for coming back to update us all. Sounds like it was a useful meeting and that you have 1/2 a result out of it, in that the report hadn't gone and you will get a more accurate one that is actually sent.

Glad you saw somebody newbrunette and it does look like their hearts might have been in the right place, sort of.

I am surprised the head thinks that he will get extra funding for a child with AS - it is by no means certain and if he does get extra funding that is because the school has to provide extra support, probably one to one for your DS for a significant number of hours a week so he gains nothing by it. Plus, your DS could end up with the wrong help which would be a waste of time or worse still, keep him from doing something that is more beneficial like, perhaps, small group work in class where he gets to know other children in a more structured way, through their joint task.

The head does sound a bit of a berk though - of course your DS would say he didn't want to play with anybody to a big scary head teacher, he wouldn't want to cause a fuss. If he and the SENCO are decided to make things up or embellish things, they have to remember their opinion won't have that much influence anyway. Diagnosis is for the paed and then the clinical psychologist not for them. They simply aren't qualified.

I should just say that this is just my opinion and could be wrong. It comes from having a child with AS and being the SEN governor at DS1's old junior school. None of the children with AS they currently have get funding so that is why I say it isn't automatic. However, this could be just our county (Hampshire) and rules might be different elsewhere.

I hope the situation sorts itself out and whatever happens your DS is OK and well looked after whatever his assessment turns out of be.