ASD and school residentials

[elliejjtiny]

Any tips? I've got 2 dc who have asd and they are both going on school residential trips. Just had the meetings with schools about it and I'm a bit nervous.

Ds1 is 15, year 11. Uses his music as a calming strategy at school and he is allowed free access to the practice room where he can play the piano or guitar if needed. He usually goes in there every break and lunchtime. Been told this week that this can't happen on the trip. It's a trip for the music/art/drama students so I naively thought he would be allowed to play his music. Also school are expecting them to be more independent than he is used to, paying for meals etc with his spending money and having his phone on him (and answering it when the staff ring him). We have been working on having his phone charged, with him and answering it for years but still 9/10 he isn't there when we go to pick him up from somewhere, we ring him and his phone is switched off or out of battery. Also not sure what to do about money. Do I give him cash in labelled envelopes so he has separate money for meals and spending? Or would it be better for him to have a bank account with money in and a debit card?

Ds5 is 7 and going camping. He is a bolter and will eat non food items. We have to keep Windows locked at all times as he will climb out. Never taken him camping because of the escape risk. Found out at the meeting that children will be in tents of 6-8 children and staff will be in their own tent. Ds doesn't sleep much at the best of times and I'm worried about him escaping. Dh says it will be a good way of showing school staff what he is like at night and to enjoy the night off.

Firstly, it's great that your DC want to go on residentials. My Ds has ASD and point blank refuses. It's such a good way of helping with their independence skills.

Schools have a duty to make reasonable adjustments to ensure that all Dc with additional needs have access to the same opportunities as other Dc. So you're well within your rights to press them on certain things.

Re your Ds15. The paying for meals thing sounds a bit odd. All the Dc I know who've gone on residentials, the meals have been included. Schools really don't want children having cash on them in case it gets lost/stolen etc.
If they really are expected to pay for everything with cash, then it's worth speaking to the school to see what reasonable adjustments can be put in place - eg could a member of staff hold his money for him?
Likewise allowing him access to music - that sounds like a reasonable adjustment to me.

Re your DS7. All schools need to do a thorough risk assessment before any trip. You will need to be working with them over this. Does your DS7 have any support in class? Does he have an EHCP? I know it's not the same but I have known two DC, one with type 1 diabetes and one with a life-threatening nut allergy go on residentials. In both cases extra members of staff went, the parents spoke to the organisers of the trip and there were meetings with the Senco, staff and parents for months in advance.

I would be booking in meetings with both schools asap to discuss all your concerns and hopefully things can be put in place to ensure they both have a great time.

When DS3 (ASD, complex medical needs, has EHCP) has been on residentials with school his 1:1 has gone with him. If he’s needed time out they have allowed that. I can see why they perhaps don’t want pupils taking instruments, would listening to music work?

For DS1 what about 2 pre paid debit cards? 1 for meals, 1 for spending. You can then do an emergency top up online if his money management isn’t brilliant for meals.

Have you tried a power bank for the phone?

I think having DS3 in a tent with other children if he doesn’t normally sleep well (does he normally lay quietly or is he up and about?) and bolts is a recipe for disaster. If DS3 wouldn’t be put at risk by this I would take DH’s view, but if the school aren’t alert to the risk DS3 could be injured/abscond, so I would have to say something.

toomanyminifigs for older secondary trips it isn’t uncommon for at least some of the meals to be paid for separately by pupils themselves.