Hertfordshire ASD/Autism TV programme/press/media

[2006hildy]

Does anyone want to make a Dispatches type TV programme showing how bad the provision/statementing process is in Hertfordshire? Even if it only ends up as a news clip.

I am sick of it and feel, really, like I need to contact the press and let them know what is going on in Hertfordshire. Someone like the Education correspondent at the BBC.

Of course everything will need to be confidential and protect the identities of our children.

I am due to go to tribunal and already feel like I have been badly treated -people not giving me vital information, using semantics in a negative way twisting things, just being really slippery etc etc. I just want the whole process filmed.

I met a mum today through a support group who has her statement now for her son, who is helping me with mine but has been left so bitter with the whole non service she is willing to help.

Anybody else with me?

Hertfordshire.

You know, I moved up to Derbyshire to get the hell away from them. I have never come across a worse LA than Herts. They seem to HATE our kids and resent even trying to meet their needs.

I had so many rows with them that they must have hung out the bunting when I left.

I threatened them with everything up to and including european court of human rights!

I will never forget the time they tried to get me to agree that other children were more important than my son. erm, no. And funding is YOUR problem. Law says you must meet my son's needs. HOW you do that is not my problem.

I HATE Herts. Hate Hate HATE them.

And the worst thing is - their attitude filters down. The school my kids were at was bloody awful.

I had a TA turn up at my home in tears, to tell me just exactly what that school was doing to my children.

I can tell you now that they won't give a shit no matter what you do.

That's terrible glad I don't live in herts. If it were me I may think of going to a national press newspaper about it so it will be reported across the country x good luck xxx

I'm in Herts but not got as far as applying for SA yet for dd2 but do have a sorry tale of bring blamed for my daughters maths probs (caused by shit teaching + SpLD.) then utter mismanagement. Would like to get involved but not sure how could help?

why don't you write to these two - google simone sewell or autism media channel and write to polly tommey

Maybe Ipsea could help you get in touch with families with similar experience?
I went to their training day 2 weeks ago and Herts and Essex really have an awful reputation..

For example people were joking that in Essex dyslexia doesn't exist... I'm in Essex but feel for you, I'm in post lost tribunal limbo and dreading even to meet anybody from Education now or Nhs therapists; cause they were such shits to us.

I can assure you, that as far as Essex are concerned, dyslexia doesn't exist, and as for dyscalculia, well...

I have has the misfortune of being a parent to 3 DC's with SN's in Essex, over the last 15 years, and unable to move from Essex.

AND I'm in the worst part of Essex - South Essex is shit, but North Essex is faaaar worse!!

I did know about Herts rep though - my Nan is an ex HT in Herts - she took early retirement because she was having nightmares about being unable to give DC's with SN's the help they need. She was actually waking up crying over certain pupils, but her hands were tied.

I'm one of the lucky ones. Herts born and bred yet got a Statement for Toad with no problems.
He has just had his redone naming his SN Secondary school.

Yet I know so many people struggling to get their children on SA+ for help.

Oh it's such a postcode lottery. I will find enough people then nationally.

hung out the bunting - funny

Toni27 - national press oh definitely

zumbaleena - definitely will try

Ipsea - yes must do their course before I go to tribunal.

MerryCouthyMows - hands tied, yes I get that impression.

babiki - I'm in post lost tribunal limbo and dreading even to meet anybody from Education now or Nhs therapists; cause they were such shits to us. - Yes I am dreading that one too and haven't even lost yet. I bet they were fighting for their jobs.

Dyslexia does't exist in Herts too he has Special Educational Needs instead!

Does anybody know of a pro bono educational specialist? Could do with one.

I lost a tribunal in Herts. They spent the next year taunting me about it at every meeting.

I hasten to add that our tribunal loss was absolutely nothing to do with Herts, and everything to do with a panel member who is notorious for being anti-parent and an inexperienced judge.

I even felt sorry for one of the member of the Autism Advisory Service at the hearing as her speech was so shit it was frankly embarassing even for me. She couldn't even confirm that her own staff had even had any ASD training.

I take some satisfaction from knowing that the people in management are the ones stung by the public sector pension changes. Too young to keep their contract, too old to do much about it.

These people are NOT stressed, ignorant good people doing their best with poor resources. They are evil empire builders who seek promotion in denying small children their rights.

Have you ever thought of making a programme on the postcode lottery of Special Educational Needs provision. The provision is different from county to county. Even if it only ends up as a news clip.
I know this because I live in the Beds, Bucks and Herts border. Our NHS provision was with Bucks and Education with Herts and found we had to move our son?s GP to Herts so that all departments could communicate effectively.
I have a diagnosed Autistic son who went to the same preschool as John and Sally Bercow's son. Now that they are at school John Bercow reports his son has everything he needs being in Bucks.
However, it is a very different story for our son. I will be taking our LEA to tribunal for Refusal To Assess for Statutory Assessment in July. I already feel like I have been badly treated -people not giving me vital information, using semantics in a negative way twisting things, just being really slippery etc etc.
It's so unfair that John Bercow's clothing allowance is larger than our total annual Household Income so we can't afford to represent with a lawyer, at our Tribunal.
I want my son to have an education and not live on benefits for the rest of his life probably in a one bedroom bedsit. It is a lifelong disorder. Who will look after him once his parents have gone and he is still very vulnerable fully grown man? He is at the mercy of the opportunities and care available to him. In general, adults with special needs lack support and understanding in society at all levels.

By not assessing him they have written him off at the age of 3 the first time they refused a Statutory Assessment and not giving him the chance of an Education. He just has a developmental disorder. It was bad enough receiving the diagnosis the date of which I shall never forget like a birthday.
The LEA say he is getting all the help he requires but without a proper assessment how do they know he has got the most effective targeted help for his complex needs. It?s as though the have just stuck a plaster over his problems. If he is getting the right help, how come he is doing inadequately at school, well below the National Curriculum? It is known as a hidden disability, how can the just dish out standard strategies of help?
He has delayed expressive language, in effect, the inability to communicate effectively. There is nothing wrong with his intelligence he can still learn. We should not discount their often one tracked brains as it may produce genius. There are several famous people whom they think had Autism.
Fighting educational bureaucracy is exhausting why would I do it for the shear hell of it? I am sick of it and feel its hard enough being a mum to a special educational needs child, never mind battling the system as well. The Autism debate in the House of Commons on 19/11/12 4.30pm highlighted the fact, it is pretty much par for the course that there is no coherent nationwide approach.
I met a mum through a support group who has her statement now for her son, who is helping me with mine but has been left so bitter with the whole non service she is willing to help.
So I have written this essay in to you, in the hope it will help others too.

This is not exactly news, as a lot of you will agree, for all kinds of disabilities not just Autism.

I have just got to keep on, for the vulnerable until the system is reformed.

ok, hertfordshire: We just won against them in the Tribunal hearing for ABA provision ; we convinced the courts to provide ABA. Herts tried to appeal against the Tribunal decision to grant ABA to our child. The Appeal was dismissed .

Here is the trick: Dont ask for home based ABA - its too expensive: Ask for clasroom based ABA in combination a (light) ABA home program. In the end you get the same amount of ABA (but in school clasroom environment, with 1:1 assistant) plus whatever you give at home. Herts is mean, but if you prepare a careful and well thought out case the arrow pierces the right spot

That is v positive news akber. Now we just need to work on some schools which are saying "no ABA" for LSAs. Almost unbelievably they will take a totally untrained school-gate mum over a trained ABA professional - the definition of prejudice!

I think ABA and mainstream should be the future - whether in units or in the classroom.

I think the journalist posting [http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/special_educational_needs/1739897-Funding-for-a-child-with-a-statement [on this related thread]] would be interested

Aargh thread

'Ask for clasroom based ABA in combination a (light) ABA home program.'

That's exactly what we asked for when we lost. Sorry.

But to be fair, any other panel and we would have won. In fact the loss was spectactuarly devestating because they had NO evidence and we had humungous amounts and even had a qualified teacher training the ABA tutor who had a degree in Child Development. Add to that our costs were less than the LA's, and we STILL lost.

Because:

no-one except parent paid professionals endorsed it, and because the school said ds was making good progress (Despite no evidence).

But none of this is Herts fault (though their fault for taking what should have been a lost cause to tribunal - but they won, so all that taught them was to continue going to tribunal).

abker Sorry. Congratulations on your win. I know how 'tricky' that LA can be.

Tread carefully though. The LA will without a doubt believe they were wronged.