Can't mumsnet do a campaign? 11 MPs at autism and education debate

[Mercythompson]

www.parentdish.co.uk/2014/07/18/parliamentary-debate-on-autism-and-education-just-11-mps/

Says it all really!

I have a ds who has High functioning autism. He is not failing academically and not disruptive. I have spent over £1600 on reports to prove how much support he needs but school won't do anything because;

A) they don't take private reports (not ones that mean they have to spend money anyway)

B) they won't commission borough reports because they have no money and no proof of enough need (it's in the fucking reports that you refuse to use!)

The only way to get him the support that every other person agrees he needs is to go for an EHC and spend thousands more.

Even if we did all the legal stuff ourselves, fuck knows how, we could easily end up needing three sets of reports as the process can take 2 years and reports are only valid for 6 months, never mind the cost of the experts at tribunal.

And, as is amply demonstrated by 11 MPs turning up at the debate, the government don't give a fuck!

There must be a campaign in there somewhere.

(Sorry for the language, can you tell I'm a bit stressed?)

It's a joke, isn't it?

I have 2 dc on the spectrum - one ith severe ASD and one with HFA/AS. I wish I could say it was easy to get either of the support, but even with dd1 it took 3 years of arguing and providing the support ourselves (plus a home programme and private reports, of course!) to get her a statement worth the paper it was written on. With dd2, I'm in the same position as you - school say nothing to report, yet dd2 comes home stressed and isn't achieving what she should. We had to get a private report to even get the school to take notice of what we were saying. Now it seems they have simply lowered their expectations for her to nicely average, so they don't have to provide support as she can tick along nicely at that level

And then, as you say, no one actually gives a toss. It's sickening.

Actually I'd question why such an important issue was scheduled at this time of year when many MP's are off on hols, much like the rest of us.

Scheduled for debate that is

Pandasrock it's impossible isn't it!

Frizzcat, because they don't care and don't think it is important. It's just so blatant!

Pandasrock ds1 has an iq of 140 but they are happy with his 'average' results and me saying it's a sign he is stressed means I am a pushy mum!

Shameful who we're the 11?

Yes that would be interesting, any way to find out who the 11 were. If my MP isn't on the list, then I'll write a letter asking why?

Probably worth writing to our MPs to ask them if they were there and if not, why not?

I will write to mine today. I have also written to David Cameron asking why the government don't give a shit. Maybe if lots of us write, they might actually answer?

I just wrote to my MP.

when I see such news I know nothing will ever change for us because obviously nobody gives a fuck. It is such a disgrace

Sent to my mp and shared on Facebook - over paid tossers!

I have downloaded the discussion that took place. Should we be writing a sample letter and getting folks to ask their MPs why they are not on the list?

Here are the names:-
Gordon Birtwistle (Burnley) (LD)
Henry Smith (Crawley) (Con)
Steve Rotheram (Liverpool, Walton) (Lab)
Mark Hendrick (Preston) (Lab/Co-op)
Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield) (Lab/Co-op)
Sir Edward Leigh (Gainsborough) (Con)
Ian Murray (Edinburgh South) (Lab)
Steve McCabe (Birmingham, Selly Oak) (Lab)
Bob Stewart (Beckenham) (Con)
Julie Hilling (Bolton West) (Lab)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education (Mr Edward Timpson)

Shame on all the rest! Particularly mine who seems to public ally support nothing but wind farm objections!

So that's Timpson who had to be there in his role, 6 labour MPs, 1 Lib Dem and 3 conservatives.

Perhaps we should all share the names on Facebook?

2tirednot2fight - how did you get the list of MPs who were there?

I am having surgery in an hour and am posting from my hospital bed I am so very angry about this, will draft a letter to the shameful non attenders tomorrow! Maybe we need to try to keep a collective list of which ones we write to.

I downloaded the Hansard transcript of the session!

Thanks for the information 2tired. My MP is not on the list and I shall be writing to him to ask him why although I don't know why I bother as he always makes such good excuses...

Good luck with your surgery and hope you recover well.

www.parentdish.co.uk/2014/07/23/parents-angered-by-mps-failure-to-attend-debate-on-autism-and-education/

Updated article with MPs making excuses, would really welcome a draft letter, maybe mumsnet could put it on Facebook with a link to the article!

Oh and my mp wasn't there either! Not surprised but will be writing to him.

I've just written to mine, my borough has the highest rate of dx for ASD in the country, so very interested in what she has to say...

mine was not there either.

I emailed David Cameron via Facebook and the parliament websit on Monday, nothing back yet, not even a "we have seen your message" response!

Bump