Thread 12. Autism and any other additional needs.

[danni0509]

Thread 12.

For parents / carers of disabled children, autism, adhd, and all other related neurological conditions. Most of us have children in primary school. But everybody welcome!

Chatting about anything and everything related to SN!

Just typing quick as ds needs to get ready for bed. I’ll link the previous threads later.

x

Dani that is awful! I would want to get him out of there. I know your ds's behaviour can be extreme but I can't imagine that any of what's be going on is helping him.

Do you have any schools near you that use a trauma informed approach? I went to a webinar a while ago about it. So many SEN kids get treated so badly in schools. I'm sorry this is happening to you and ds dani.

Ahna no thankfully not. They are trying their best to keep him in for a bit longer each day, but you can see that he needs to get home by the time I come to collect. We'll probably build it up to full time by half term. The more annoying thing is him not wanting to go on the bus, particularly as him and dd have essentially the same start and finish time.

@danni0509 how awful locking him in. The transport situation all sounds so hard too. Hope the case worker stops being so useless and you come up with a solution soon.

Re the EHCP it's got some direct OT and Salt (4.5 hours of each and some admin time). I don't get to see the actual funding and case worker just said equivalent to 32hours. I did ask if this meant full time and she said yes but now I'm wondering where the funding for the OT and SALT is coming from and why they won't write 32 hours 1-2-1 on the plan if they've agreed to fund it.

I took ds this morning.

Apart from the last 5 minutes that he was telling me to fuck off and spitting, (I told him 5 minute reminder until iPad needed giving back, as we were just approaching school) he was ok.

I’ve phoned transport and send team, both same telephone number but you press a different number to guide you to each service, both unavailable. So I suppose I’ll have to keep ringing both until somebody answers.

Only have until 2pm, as I’ll have to be leaving to go down and collect ds.

danni try and do something for yourself today. You have a lot on your plate so try and fill your own cup up when you have the chance. Especially if ds is going to be at home soon until this mess is resolved.

@danni0509 I have no words, how awful for your DS and your whole family to be put through this. Adults who can't keep their tempers can do so much damage to our kids. DS was told so often at mainstream how naughty etc he was, but because he laughed, they didn't think he understood. He understood all right and we're still processing through all that.
Good advice from @openupmyeagereyes to do something nice for yourself today. Email your caseworker as well with your serious safeguarding concerns re DS' school. Big hugs.

Danni that's sounds awful. Can only reply briefly as I am about to teach. Hope that you can get through to someone soon and get a review organised quickly. Sounds like you may need to appeal to get a place- I think that they do prioritise hearings for those out of education. That said it's working day 17 after I submitted my appeal and it hasn't been registered yet.

Jules you are entitled to see the costed provision map (you could always put in a Subject Access Request). However, the key thing is that the provision in Section F is detailed and specific, for example weekly 30 min 1:1 sessions with SALT (or whatever it us). DS's EHCP has never stated FT 1:1 but if you add up all the support time in Section F it equates to FT 1:1.

Thanks.

I’ve spoken to the send team. Ds caseworker is on annual leave, I swear they use this as an excuse frequently, it’s not the first time I’ve had this. Someone somewhere is always on annual leave when you need to speak to them.

Anyway I have the send manager calling me back at some point.

I explained over the phone and she took some notes and said it did require an urgent call back, hence the send manager phoning. She asked me why ds didn’t go to a local school, so I explained it wasn’t through choice, she then asked what year he was in, then said she would find some info out.

I hope they follow through danni. Maybe something good will come from all of this.

I’m sick of all the upheaval on ds. He was genuinely heartbroken leaving his mainstream, and now he’s really attached to this school, the kids and staff, I’d feel so awful.

He genuinely likes school (I’ve got no idea why when he’s being locked in cupboards)

But going forwards things can’t carry on as they are, every other bloody month they are demanding I ring camhs and get more medicine poured down his neck, which clearly isn’t working out.

Every day I’m getting complaints, every day I’ve issues with taxi and Pa, it’s been 2 and a half year nightmare x

Danni that is just so stressful. Really hope that the manager calls you back soon with a plan of action.

I have just tested positive for covid. I really don't need this right now

Oh no dimples. Are you feeling unwell?

Thanks Open feverish, snotty and exhausted. Thought that it was a normal cold but when my Mum saw me she shoved a test kit in my hand.

However, I also have good news. When I called IPSEA re the LA removing the OT provision (secured at Tribunal last year) as well as appealing the school the advisor suggested that I make a formal complaint re OT. So I put a complaint in with little hope of success but today, the head of SEND at the LA called me today and said they have reviewed decision and will reinstate OT!

Hi. The send manager never called, but the transport manager did. I’ve made some progress with that.

He’s managed to talk the company around who have been taking him for 2.5 years to continue ds run, but the council are going to have to pay extra for a mini bus for ds, so he’ll be sat on the back row in his harness, then a PA will go on the middle row in front of ds, not close enough to get hit but close enough to intervene when necessary. She’s not allowed to sit directly next to ds.

Then a different driver.

The council have done another risk assessment today and updated it to include these things.

This can’t start until Monday as they need to get the mini bus sorted, the council have said now that ds cannot go in a normal sized vehicle as he’s too enclosed and he’s caused £300 damage to the air con unit yesterday kicking it, plus he’s too close to the PA.

I have to take him and collect him until Monday.

Spoke to the taxi manager, and she has offered (because the council haven’t offered and expect it for free all the time.) To give me £100 to put towards a kindle for ds for the taxi journey. I said no, but she insisted. She just said it’s money for me to buy whatever makes his journey easier, and it’s a goodwill gesture for all the times I’ve had to take him lately. She said call it a reimbursement of petrol money.

anyway I’m not going to feel bad taking it, I’ve taken ds to school a lot. He has an iPad which I have had to ban due to getting on certain things that I’ve blocked to death but he can still gain access (open I think I read you are having a similar issue?) I rang apple and there is nothing I can do, even if logged out of the App Store he’s still able to download it back. I’ve hidden it and he keeps bloody getting it back over n over again. It’s causing a lot of issues with his behaviour some of the things he’s accessing so I’ve had to take iPad away, so I will get him a kindle for the journey and hope it’s more suitable.

Oh and said driver has been suspended pending investigation.

None of it is perfect but least he can go to school for the time being, and I can still press forward regarding something more local when the send team get back to me.

Dimples hope you feel ok. Covid is rife again at the minute.

It may be called a fire or something, my sister said a kindle is a book reader lol,

anyway I hope you know what I mean. Kindle 10 I think it is, it’s about £220 usually but it’s on offer for £130 so I’m getting him that,

does any dc have one? And can it be used without Wi-Fi in the car? Are the apps ok etc?

@danni0509 my DS has a kindle and it's great. Lots of the apps work without WiFi and it keeps him busy in the car!

Thank you @ElizabethBennetsBoots x

Hope you feel better soon dimples.

I'm glad that driver is being investigated. Also great that you have had some success with transport danni. Hope the minibus system is more successful for him!

danni yes it’s a kindle fire. Ds has one but it’s hardly used tbh. He wanted a game that was only available on Android so he’s played that on it.

We had an issue with Ds signing out of his YouTube account and watching videos on the guest account. No idea how to avoid it on iPad or Fire Stick but on Google chromecast they need to enter a pin to do it so we got one of those. Ds says he’s not going to do it so we’re giving him a chance but if not then we’ll use that instead.

That’s great news re taxi. Now just to solve the school issue 💪

dimples great news re. OT.

You’re all getting s*it done!

Well done Danni!

I need to sort out DS's access to apps too. I have managed to block YouTube on the telly but not the ipad.

Good to hear the progress @danni0509 and nice to hear someone wants to try and do a good thing (re the kindle). And good @dimples76 re the OT!

That's good re the transport @danni0509 . My kids both have kindle fires, with the amazon kids subscription. Seems to work pretty well, they're limited to apps and shows that are suitable for their age. @dimples76 hope you feel better soon.

How’s everyone doing?

Ds is staying at school until 12 most days so it feels like we’re (ever so) slowly getting there.

I’m trying to avoid Middle East news coverage, the world feels like an absolute shit show right now.