Is it appropriate for a fresh graduate to be TA for an ASD child with significant needs? Am I entitled to know the qualifications, experience and training of the TA?

[ChrisInNeed]

DS (7) has severe S&L impairment, ASD & dyslexia. Also has significant OT needs including sensory ones.

Currently in the mainstream primary school, he is receiving 22.5hrs per week 1:1 TA support - as per the statement. This is provided by two TAs (15 hrs AM +7.5 hrs PM).

The current TA (AM 3 hrs/day) was assigned to DS before he got a statement. I believe she had Nil teaching/TA experience when she joined- not even with NT kids - yet was assigned to support an ASD child with significant needs! As you can imagine she had a challenging time being thrown in at the deep end straightaway. DS obviously didn't get the benefit of a trained person and so her learning was effectively at his expense. As she started before the final statement was issued, there was little I think I could have done.

She takes him on a sensory circuit daily - learnt to do so on the job.

I was told last week that this TA is now leaving at the end of the summer term and that a replacement TA is being assigned to DS from tomorrow.

I asked the HT to let me know her qualifications, experience and training with working with ASD children with severe S&L impairment and sensory needs and was refused as mentioned above.

HT told me "Whilst we cannot share with you personal details concerning the new TA, I would like to assure you that she is a a graduate appointment and is as equally well qualified to meet the needs of DS as his previous support teacher. We have every confidence in her ability to work well with DS and support his continuing progress at the school. The new TA will initially work alongside the existing one and will undertake an induction period, she will also receive any appropriate training to support her role."

My view is that the new person should be experienced before she starts working with him and not gain the experience at his expense.

His Final Statement states "Adults working with him should have experience and understanding of ASD".

My Questions:

1.Is it appropriate that a fresh graduate be assigned as a TA for an ASD child with significant needs and gain the experience at his expense?

2.If not, am I entitled to say no? How should I go about doing it?

1. Am I justified in seeking for the TA to be appropriately trained before she is assigned to support DS?

4.Am I entitled to know the qualifications, experience and training of the TAs assigned to him?

5.How can I find out if the HT refuses to share this details on the grounds that she cant reveal third party data under the Data Protection Act?

Just to clarify again, I absolutely agree you need things specified and quantified. However, that doesn't mean that you should shrug your shoulders and admit defeat when the meaning of the statement is plain and obvious just because the LA might try to argue otherwise.

on the one hand I wonder if the real issue isn't more about how the TAs/SEN issues are managed by the school and rather than TA experience. In my experience of Treetops, they do not often recruit for experience. They prioritise attitude and set out to teach the skills on the job. In our 6 years there, the absolute best person we had was a 17 year old fresh from gsce. she had the most positive attitude, willingness to work with the ids and paired very well with the them. she still takes him out once a week after school through DP and they get along really well. it's not always a bad thing that they are young or inexperienced if management knows what they are doing and have a plan.

on the other, I think if the head says that the TA is "equally well qualified to meet the needs of DS as his previous support teacher" and you allege she isn't, the burden of proof may be on you to demonstrate that she has no experience or understand of ASD. understanding will be covered at induction and by the time you file a complaint, even if she had never met a single ASD child before day , she will have demonstrated experience of ASD by the end of induction having met them, down some table work, and witnessing a few behaviours firsthand. You may be more comfortable trying to specify that TA should have minimum of 3 years experience in a school setting but LA can equally challenge that it is not a genuine occupational requirement. I don't really think it is to be honest.

if the relationship with the school is good, you may find a different time to agree what constitutes the appropriate level of skill sand experience with the school and see what transpires.

having said that, I remember once trying to accommodate some earnest request for a male TA for a 14 year old with significant personal care needs. After 3 rounds as part of a bigger recruitment drive and not a single male applicant, they got very cross and threatened us a lot. they cited religious reasons why he couldn't be touched by a female member of staff. my question is assuming that the school did not get the calibre of applicants for the role that would meet your criteria and this TA is the best of the bunch, would you rather they didn't recruit anyone at all till they found the right one?