special school for behaviour (EBD) any experiences?

[lars]

My ds may need to go to a special school as his current school appears to be unable to cope and he has no statement as yet!!!

I am really fed up with the whole thing, but i really would love to hear your thoughts and experiences good or bad and do these schools really help.

(Year 2 child)

Many thanks larsxx

Hi lars. There's no way he can go to a special school without a statement and that takes time and negotiation, never mind a place being available somewhere you will accept. He is entitled to m/s education if that's what you want, its Govt policy. However, making it work is another matter. Maybe you should speak to someone at your LEA, they usually have a parent liaison person or they can tell you who to speak to, and explain the situation. You may be able to find a better m/s school with the HELP of the LEA, they don't always obstruct and can be very good with m/s placements if that's what you want. Special school can be wonderful, especially for children with complex needs. You could ask to visit some schools, I bet they'd rather m/s worked though.

Davros, thanks for your advice.
I do have a home liason support worker and I have asked for a list of m/s school that are good with children like my ds diagnosed with O.D.D. and developmental delay.
Not much help really, very nice but don't appear to give me the answer i'm looking for.
I think we all know the school isn't right for him and they are too quick to condem strategies and say ds will use to his advantage and so on.

Having a big meeting on Thursday with school,etc,.
Deep down I want him taught in m/sream school but with more support or understanding that they are not going to call me when things get tough.
DS only goes to school part time- til lunchtime.

Davros i just don't know what to do anymore and find this all very upsetting as school calls me all the time and ask me what they should do.

I've told them to tell the LEA if they feel they can't cope. I know i'm getting really stressed aboout the whole thing.
Also interesting point is that the child phsy said he feels this is not the right school for ds. larsxx

Well it just sounds like m/s school with proper support is the answer and I think that's what you should say you want. Will it be tricky though to tell them that their support is not good enough? Maybe start out by asking THEM what they suggest. It doesn't sound like he needs a special school and you should have anyone from the LEA on your side as they are all so pro-inclusion but it has to be inclusion that is done properly and is given the best chance to work. These meetings are awful, let us know what happens.