SN Forum

[Sportingterrier]

I want to set up a forum for parents at my child's primary school - do you have any advice on what works and what doesn't. SEN and all that it involves is a sensitive subject at this school. Parents, with children who are finding learning difficult, feel isolated in a school community that has high expectations and where problems are often swept under the carpet. It hasn't been easy getting them to open up about their experiences. There is a SENCO - but I and a few other parents have been told "Don't worry it will all be ok leave the educating to us." Parents I have talked to tell me that they have had real problems with their kids behaviour at home and they are not sure what it is attributed to. Any suggestions greatly appreciated.

Sorry but in our school it was always 'them and us' - I can't see that the school would be happy with you regrouping and forming an alliance together - despite my belief that this is a bloody good idea! Maybe if you meet as a group away and not linked to the school, but if things are bad you are in for a big battle if not war. Some school preech inclusion have have little interest or direction from management to really make this worth the breath it takes to say the word. I care for children, as well as my own disabled and SEN child, and our LA are running a SENCO course............... it takes a total of 2 hours training............ need I say more?!!

This is a great start thank you for responding.
What do the children of parents who participate in a forum think about it - if they find out that is. My child is very nervous of my sharing information and feels shame about difficulties with learning and behavioural outbursts.
I have told my child about my starting a forum as I'm nervous that something I contribute might get back to my child in a mangled form that undermines them in some way.
Any suggestions here - obviously I would hope that the forum would make progress in eradicating the shame associated with receiving support.
Have told school and interested to receive feedback in due course.

If a forum seems a bit scary you could call it a SN coffee morning or support group. I know a school where a group was started and they also got people in to do talks etc It was a school which were not SN friendly so they started it as a coffee morning and then it evolved more into a forum / campaign type group.

We are in the process of doing this at my ds's school, although admittedly it was the brainchild of someone far braver than me.

She tried to go via the SENCO, who was very anti and made that plain, but grudgingly let us put a note on the school noticeboard about the first meeting. That didn't reach enough people, so she made an appointment with the Head, who was very encouraging and agreed to put our meetings in the regular school newsletters.

So far it's very informal, we haven't given it a name, we just put in the notice that we are parents of children with diagnosed or undiagnosed additional needs be they SN or SEN who would like to get together regularly to offer each other support and advice. We meet at a local pub to chat and get to know each other a little, but we're planning to make it a regular event to share advice and experiences of 'the system'. It has already made a difference to us, as we now know who each other are and don't feel so alone in the playground.