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On behalf of a friend

17 replies

baggiesmalls · 25/06/2023 17:35

Hello

I have name changed for this post but what I am about to post are not my words .

I have offered to post for a friend who has no computer or phone - why will become apparent when you read her words . Her child has smashed them and she cannot replace them .

Please do not jump on me for what she feels , and please be gentle as I will send her the replies .

This is what she has written down on paper . Please helpful suggestions
only as the rest she has heard 100 times before. I do not think this is of her making- but she is doubting her own sanity right now .

Thank you

Friend wrote

"I need help and I do not know where to go
I have a daughter who is about to begin secondary school. She will not see year 6 out because she has been excluded for bullying. She has orchestrated a hate campaign against a fellow pupil . It was nasty and manipulative and I could not argue . She had manipulated several girls into bullying a child and segregating her .

She is awaiting an assessment from some multi disciplinary team but that is still around 8 months away. She is also waiting for CAAMHS
She is underperforming at school and working at a much lower level than her year group . She simply refuses to do even that work .

At home she is worse . I am being abused by a child , my own child . She hits me , kicks me , but it's what come out of her mouth that's the most hurtful.
If she demands something and I say no I get hours and hours of abuse , vitriol and physical violence. She has now also started locking me out of my own house . On Friday I burst into tears and she laughed . She demanded I take her out because she had told her friends (she actually has no friends ) she would be going out to a local venue . I said no . She hit me . When I said stop that she said "what are you going to do about it ?" And said I would smack her back and she said "and then I'll kick you in the face" she laughed and locked me out . She then began taunting me from an upstairs window . She said she would only let me in if I took her out .
This can and does go on for hours . Half the street isn't allowed to play with her and they (parents) now ignore me .
She taunts and taunts me openly , she will deliberately spray a water bottle at me and then f I say stop that - she does it more saying "why ? Is it annoying " and laughing . She laughs at my pain and laughs at my upset . I've tried everything from taking things off her , to even when she has really pushed me , smacking her back . Absolutely nothing works on her . She has alienated my friends because she is rude to them or tells them to go away if I invite them while she is there .

The other night when she locked me out it began to rain - I simply got up and went to a friends locally. It wasn't far . She followed me and began to hammer on their door . Then their windows . Then she climbed the fence and walked in through their back door . I was already in tears and my friend frog marched her out and locked the door . Now she says she hates that friend and wants us to move house .

School know exactly what she is like . I am a single parent and I am exhausted. Her father does nothing, but he is very much the same personality wise as her . She sees him every other weekend and after school but he doesn't have to do the heavy lifting like getting her up
For school (often a trigger point ) or goiing to bed (another trigger ) he also says she knows he would "leather her" so she is less likely inclined to try it with him . He also has a large property with fields and woods so she spends a lot of time out there - he has bought her iPads and laptops too and pretty much lets her do what she wants for a quiet life . Her teeth are rotten because he just gives her sweets to bribe her to
Do as he asks . Otherwise she refuses . I do think she has special needs . Her father could pay for a private assessment but he keeps saying there is nothing wrong with her and it's me - she now uses this and calls me a "psycho " and says I should be in a mental hospital.

This is really hard to say - but no one likes her . I've caught her being cruel to
The cat . She has no empathy whatsoever. The looks she gives can be chilling. She seems to actually enjoy causing pain and hurt and doesn't stop until she has me in tears or screaming at her to stop and even then she laughs . I e tried Ignoring but she won't let that happen , she prods and pokes and touches until she gets a reaction.

I'm finding it harder and harder to cope and I'm not a pushover. She can turn suddenly wanting a cuddle and though I do , I often don't feel like it . I love her but I don't like her . I know that's a Terrible thing to
Admit. My colleagues and friends are saying get her father to take her for a few weeks to give me a break - but he won't . He only has her for the easy part and I get the feeling even that's too much .

I can't ask her to do anything. She won't go to bed , or get up , she won't do homework, she won't tidy her room , (I have no idea which clothes are clean because she throws everything on the floor . She's say she wants food and I'll cook and she will throw it on the floor saying it's wrong .
If she demands something she expects to get it even though I've never parented like that . The physical abuse is getting worse , and I feel like I'm going to crack under the strain . I work full time - I'm now late every day because getting her to school is a battlefield. ( I don't think she'll be going back now before her new term starts due to the exclusion) but her teachers had told me to ring them and they'd come and get her but im embarrassed by the state of her bedroom because she won't keep it tidy . I can't even get in it .

She's been transitioning slowly to big school an hour a week - school know she's going to struggle with the changes . She often gets stressed and anxious about random things ( she won't sleep in her own bed because she worried about burglary for instance ) once she believes something that's it - it's concrete to her and set in stone and nothing will change her mind . She has given up hobbies she's done since being a toddler this year because the instructor moved her to a different day - now she just refuses to go . She has d a screaming for the other morning before her exclusion because she told me to get a bobble out of her black bag - I said no you get it and she threw it at me screaming I was an idiot . She has several black bags. I tried to explain I didn't know which bag and she could get it herself . She began to scream . I was late for
Work and she was late for
School. She's told me before she thinks if she screams someone will think I'm hurting her and ring social services or police . She thinks this is funny .

I do not know where to turn for help . I'm battling her daily , I'm battling her father who keeps saying there isn't anything wrong (he wont even go to parents evenings or her SEN reviews ) he says it's all in my head .

She's on SEN at school as she's working around 4 years below her peers . There is definitely something wrong . But the more this is happening the more I dread coming home from work because I just know what's coming.

*so that's friends issue - I'll send her the replies unless they're really shitty because quite honestly right now - she's about to have a breakdown.

Thank you .

OP posts:
TinyTeacher · 25/06/2023 18:34

I don't think this board is really the best place, I'm afraid. My sympathies to your friend, I know she's waiting for a referral but this really sounds like it needs professional help, not an internet forum. This sounds well beyond normal parenting strategies.

baggiesmalls · 25/06/2023 18:42

Yeah i think it's beyond the norm - I was just hoping someone might relate and advise on her behalf .

Wonder which board might be best .

OP posts:
baggiesmalls · 25/06/2023 18:43

Wonder if moving it to the SEN bards might be better?

OP posts:
baggiesmalls · 25/06/2023 20:04

I asked for this to be moved to the sen boards

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newtb · 25/06/2023 20:09

Some of it sounds a little like PDA, has she looked at that?

ThomasWasTortured · 25/06/2023 20:15

Does DD have an EHCP?

I’m a bit confused about the exclusion? The first part of the post suggests it is permanent (i.e. not see the year out)? Or is it a fixed term exclusion/suspension with formal paperwork or an illegal, unlawful exclusion with no paperwork (call and the teachers will come and get her)? The advice about school/education will differ depending on what type of exclusion it is.

Has your friend had social care assessments?

Some people find Ross Greene’s The Explosive Child book, Yvonne Newbold’s resources and NVR courses helpful. You may also find PDA strategies useful. Scope offer mentoring for those in the assessment process. Counselling for your friend herself may help, too.

baggiesmalls · 25/06/2023 20:21

She's loooekd at it and joined a fb group for pda. She's looked at low demand parenting but putting it into practice is difficult because at the moment everything is a flash point - even getting out of the house on time .

I've said she needs to make an appt with the gp and ask for a referral to a child clinical psychologist but she's become quite defeatist saying they'll only refer her CAAMHS .

I've said she should get a pre booked appt and use the time to get voice recordings of her outbursts. This really isn't normal pre teen behaviour. I see it myself often and I've offered to go with her but she seems to have had it drilled into her that the doctor won't do anything.

I was the friend she came to last Friday when her dd locked her out .
When she walked into my house I was livid and I told her she NEVER comes into my house or garden un invited and I unlocked the gate and said "OUT !" I had ignored 20 minutes of banging on my doors and windows . She just thought it was perfectly fine to walk in . She said where's my mum . I said here - she doesn't want to see you right now

She asked why and I said because you are being vile to her . Now get out of my garden .

When friend went back after half an hour nothing was said - it was like it never happened.

I've said to friend maybe adopt this as a strategy for now and remove herself from the abuse for half an hour . If she's not there her dd cannot abuse her . It seemed to work that night .

OP posts:
baggiesmalls · 25/06/2023 20:22

It's not a permanent exclusion but will likely be till term ends

She doesn't have an ehcp.

I've told friend she could apply for that and bypass school but honestly she's exhausted. I just don't think she is it in her right now .

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baggiesmalls · 25/06/2023 20:27

She's not only battling her dd but her dad who keeps telling dd it's in her mothers head so she now regurgitates his words.

OP posts:
ThomasWasTortured · 25/06/2023 20:33

If it isn’t a permanent exclusion, she should have formal exclusion paperwork that states exactly how long it is for. Does she not have this? If it is for that long what alternative arrangements are being made to ensure DD receives a suitable, full-time education?

She needs to request an EHCNA. IPSEA has a model letter she can use. It is the route to further assessment and support without the need to sit on the normal waiting lists. It is also the route to an education that better meets DD’s needs. If school was easier, home life would likely improve too.

If at any point your friend can’t keep DD or others safe, she should take DD to A&E and if she can’t call 999.

During the meltdown, as much as it may be true, telling DD her mother didn’t want to see her probably wasn’t helpful, neither was your friend saying she would smack her back. DD may feel a heighten sense of rejection, especially if she knows her father doesn’t want her for longer.

baggiesmalls · 25/06/2023 20:50

Ithank you paint this on .

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baggiesmalls · 25/06/2023 20:52

I know my reaction probably was heightened because I was a angry at her just climbing the fence and walking in ! It was so brazen . My dog could have bitten her . (He wouldn't but beside the point - I've a large guard dog )

OP posts:
baggiesmalls · 25/06/2023 20:56

I'll ask re the paperwork (I believe it's just a 2 week exclusion but this takes her to end of term or there abouts ) the bullying was awful . It was a child with special needs. She got her completed isolated and then totally denied all
Responsibility.
I've seen her smash a glass in front of me and say it wasn't her .

Her father has agreed to take her for a few weeks to give friend a much needed break .

I'll pass all info on to her .

OP posts:
ThomasWasTortured · 25/06/2023 21:17

I would be surprised if 2 weeks takes her to the end of term, but even if it does, a suitable, full-time education must still be provided as soon as possible and no later than the sixth day.

DD was mid-meltdown, she was dysregulated, her behaviour wasn’t rational. Whatever anger those around her have, it won’t help de-escalate situations and improve circumstances longer term by threatening to smack her, telling her to get out, that’s she is vile or similar.

If the mother won’t request an EHCNA, won’t see the GP, won’t request social care assessments, won’t persevere with strategies that may help… there is little anyone can do. If you are the poster I think you are, you have posted many, many times before about this. Your friend knows the routes for support, you can’t make her do anything.

baggiesmalls · 25/06/2023 21:26

No I can't make her do anything but I suggested this so she could see replies for herself to see there ARE things she can do .

Btw - I didn't call her vile - I said her behaviour was . I know that still
Probably doesn't help I was just angry at the brass neck to climb a fence to circumnavigate a locked door and let herself into my house . I didn't want her in my house .

I've massively disengaged and this felt like a violation of my privacy and my home . And my
Dog could have had her .

I'm psd if all this on . I'm not I interfering I'm simply showing friend there are options . Passing everything on . Thank you .

OP posts:
ThomasWasTortured · 25/06/2023 21:32

To DD, mid meltdown, “you are being vile” and “you are vile” probably come across the same. Like I said, even if that is what was thought, it won’t help, which I appreciate you recognise.

baggiesmalls · 25/06/2023 21:44

I do - my reaction was out of shock really that she's just walked in uninvited.

As I said I have distanced myself a great deal . I don't go there unless her dd isn't home these days . Friend came to mine out of desperation but I certainly didn't expect her daughter to climb a fence and walk in . I wasnt happy to say the least.

I'm passing all helpful advice on to friend and it's down to her now to seek appropriate support.

I know I can't do it for her . It's hard because I did get a statement of SEN do my own child years ago so I know what's possible but I thought if I just pass on helpful advice and information then she has it .
She is at rock bottom.

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